Holy Spirit in This Short

Holy Spirit

In this short presentation, the author will speak about pneumatology (spiritual gifts) and their purpose in the Christian experience. We will also consider a number of other questions regarding the gifts of the Holy Spirit and their place in Christian life. Additionally, we will examine the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit, the speaking in tongues and how the speaking in tongues functions as the evidence for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Pneumatology (pneuma, spirit) represents the study of the work and the Person of God the Holy Spirit. This includes the study of the person of the Holy Spirit as well as its works. Their proper purpose was for the uplifting of the community. This is different from the Fruit of the Spirit which sum up the visible attributes of a true Christian life as set out by Paul in his letter to the Galatians in chapter 5. In this way, it shows a person's spiritual maturity. Glossolalia or the speaking in tongues is the vocalizing syllables or speaking in other languages as part of the religious worship ("The Holy," ).

The purpose of speaking in tongues is to communicate God's message to the world. It is a miraculous manifestation of the baptism of the Holy Spirit that convinces people of the hand of God in the world and in Jesus' message. Baptism with the Holy Spirit is defined as describing baptism (i.e. washing, immersion, or plunge) in or with the Spirit of God. The biblical evidence is found in Luke 3:22: "And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him (Jesus)." this was necessary so that Jesus would have power to engage in his earthly ministry. This is also seen in Acts 2:4: "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Without the baptism of the Holy Spirit, no one could engage in or succeed in God's work (ibid.).

The evidence that the speaking in tongues is a necessary sign of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is found in Acts. These is no other evidence in the Gospels or in other areas of the epistles out side of Corinthians. Certainly, Acts is the foundation stone for all of the talk of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Without Acts, there would be no other firm evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit (ibid.).

Obviously, the speaking in tongues is still valid today because it is still happening. As it says in

1 Corinthians 13:8-10, "Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." Very simply, when Jesus returns and the Messianic Age begins, then things will be "perfect." Before that, things will not be perfect, or from the mouth of the savior himself. Until then, the "imperfect" will be necessary, in other words, those who are Christ's followers will be doing the work that Christ will one day do himself. This is clearly the meaning of perfect ("What does "when," ).