Pastor Terrie Beede's "Studies in Theology" series concluded its exploration of "The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit" with its seventh installment, emphasizing the minister's responsibility to "take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine" for personal salvation and the salvation of hearers (1 Timothy 4:16). The session reviewed the three articles of faith concerning the Holy Spirit: His role in convicting the world, regenerating, sanctifying, and empowering believers for ministry; His indwelling every believer as an abiding helper, teacher, and guide; and the belief in His present ministry and the exercise of all biblical gifts.
Beede reiterated that the Holy Spirit's primary concern is carrying out the will of the Father and the Son, dealing with all believers on equal terms. Spiritual gifts, or charismata, are special endowments for God's will, not exhaustive lists, nor indicators of spiritual maturity or rank, nor for personal enjoyment. They are tools for ministry, aimed at equipping and edifying the church, and they will remain until Christ's return, "that which is perfect has come". The speaker cautioned against building rigid doctrines around gifts not explicitly defined in scripture and against creating "cast systems" among believers. Gifts must be tested by their accuracy, the fruit they produce, what they point to (God), and their submission to the Word of God.
Specific gifts discussed included:
• Word of Wisdom/Knowledge: These terms appear only once in 1 Corinthians 12:8 and lack explicit scriptural definitions. God imparts wisdom/knowledge for specific tasks, moments, or continuously (e.g., Joseph, Peter with Ananias/Sapphira).
• Gift of Faith, Gifts of Healing, Working of Miracles: These are also largely undefined in scripture, prompting caution against "hard and fast doctrines".
• Prophecy: Involves both foretelling (predicting future events, e.g., Agabus) and forth-telling (speaking God's word). Its purposes are edification, exhortation, and comfort for the church, and conviction/judgment for unbelievers by revealing the secrets of their hearts. All believers are encouraged to seek and prefer prophecy. New Testament prophecy is controllable ("the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets"), allowing for order in the church (limited to two or three speakers, others to judge). It is not merely teaching.
• Discernment of Spirits: Though undefined, examples illustrate discerning spiritual sources (e.g., Paul discerning a spirit of divination in Acts 16:16-18).
• Tongues and Interpretation: Speaking in tongues involves speaking mysteries to God, edifying the individual. However, uninterpreted tongues in the assembly are presented as a sign of judgment for unbelievers, not blessing, indicating God's unwillingness to communicate plainly when His counsel is rejected (Isaiah 28:11-12, Matthew 13:13-14). Paul emphasizes intelligible language in the assembly for edification, especially for unbelievers, and instructs that public tongues be limited to two or three and must be accompanied by interpretation. Interpretation should typically be a praise or glorification of the Lord, not a "thus says the Lord" prophecy. Tongues are not to be despised or forbidden.
The speaker concluded by stressing that the overarching context for all spiritual gifts is Christian unity, as the church is one body in Christ, with diverse members fitting together. The term charismata encompasses not only "spectacular" gifts but also less overt ones such as celibacy, administration, helps, and hospitality, reflecting a balanced view of the Holy Spirit's work. This session brought the study on the Holy Spirit to a close, with future sessions planned to transition into "The Doctrine of Man".