The significance of the Pentecost Day, the 50th day from the resurrection of Jesus, one of the five important festivals of the Jews is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the believers. Some groups of the evangelicals generally accept that baptism by the Holy Spirit is necessary, but not as a pre-requisite.
Spiritual Gifts
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit; differences of ministries, but the same Lord; diversities of activities, but the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
1 Corinthians 12:1-11 gives hints about how to identify the real spirit from that which is not real. In fact, many people accepted that Jesus is an extraordinary person, but not all believe that He is a messiah.
The Gift of the Pentecost Day is permanent. The Holy Spirit make the believers work through that gift. Speaking in tongues is no doubt, a great spiritual phenomenon, yet when one is not filled with the spirit such power becomes redundant.
Peter in his sermon, said, "In order to get forgiveness of sin, repent and be baptized in Jesus' name" That baptism is viewed as a ceremonial ritual by the evangelicals, which is administered on being a disciple, but not on being born again.
As found in the book of Saint John, Jesus did not come to condemn but to save the world. In the same vein Joyce Meyer says that faith is much more the gift of God than the condition for salvation. Being able to believe is the gift of God, which is naturally accompanied with the art of discerning spirits.
Purpose of the spiritual gifts
There is the biblical mandate to serve one another so that 'you may be qualified to live like the real saints'; and in order to love others, believers are given the gift of the Holy Spirit i.e. to equip to be mature in the likeness of Jesus.
The conditions
Paul in his second epistle, has reminded Timothy about the need to fan into flame the gift of God that is in him. One need to be full of the spirit and walk hand in hand with God.
Exhorting the Romans torender humble service in the body of Christ, the Apostle Paul said, "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought to, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. Therefore when God has given spiritual gift one should not make it ineffective by one's attitude.
Talent is either hereditary or is attained through fellowship with God. God, in certain cases patronizes the latent talent of the person which happens when the person surrenders the same to Him, and in other cases, sidelines it and equip the believer with an all together new set of talent.
Next Sunday Programme
9.30 am Bible Study
11.00 am sermon from Pastor Biakson
4.00 pm sermon from any one
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By- L/Upa Lianpu Tonsing
i/c, Media Team
i/c, Media Team
