12:7-11).
Now, here was manifestly a condition in the first churches that does not
exist to-day. Here are various direct and supernatural workings that are
manifestations of spiritual power resulting from a direct _gift of the
Spirit_ to members of apostolic churches. Now, there was a purpose to
be accomplished by this special gift of the Spirit. In the fourth
chapter of Ephesians the apostle tells us the purpose of this gift. "And
he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and
some, pastors and teachers; _for_ the perfecting of the saints, _for_
the work of the ministry, _for_ the edifying of the body of Christ:
_Till we all come to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the
Son of God_." This gift of the Spirit accompanied the baptism of the
Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
This brings us to a very-interesting question; viz., Was the promise of
the "gift of the Holy Spirit," referred to by Peter on the day of
Pentecost, a universal one to all who obey the gospel, or was it limited
to those of the apostolic church who received it that they might
manifest it in a supernatural way "to profit withal," or to the profit
of all?
There are some who claim that "the gift of the Spirit" is one that
belongs to all who obey the gospel to-day, that it is independent of the
instrumentality of the gospel, and is the peculiar heritage of those
who repent and are baptized for the remission of sins; that it performs
a work in them other than is performed by the Spirit operating through
the truth.
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