Doctrinal Statement on Pneumatology

I believe that the Holy Spirit is God. The Holy Spirit possesses the same divine attributes as the Father and the Son—Omnipotence (Psalm 104:30), Omniscience (John 14:26), Omnipresence (Psalm 139:7-10), Eternality (Hebrews 14:6), and Holiness (Matthew 12:32) (STV1 394).

I believe that the Holy Spirit fills believers. This is the only conditional work of the Holy Spirit. Being filled by the Spirit is very closely tied to sinlessness in a believer’s life. The more in-sin we are, the less filled-with the Holy Spirit we are. “The Spirit of God is the One who should continually control and dominate the life of the believer” (MHT 289). There are conditions to being filled with the Holy Spirit that we find in Scripture and those are that we are not to grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30), we are not to quench the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19), and we are to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16) (NBD 1127).

I believe that the Holy Spirit regenerates believers. Regeneration is the process when the Holy Spirit gives a new believer eternal life. “The one who experiences the new birth has been born of the Holy Spirit; He has been regenerated by the Spirit” (MHT 259) (Titus 3:5). The Son of God gives life to believers, but the Holy Spirit regenerates believers (STV1 399).

I believe that the Holy Spirit indwells believers. Jesus predicted that during Pentecost the Holy Spirit began a new work which was indwelling. (John 14:16-17).The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is something that would only happen to born again believers. “The indwelling that is predicted in John 14 is to all believers and is permanent” (MHT 271).

I believe that the Holy Spirit baptizes believers. “The baptizing work of the Holy Spirit . . . is the where the Spirit places the believer into union with Christ and into union with other believers in the body of Christ” (MHT 277). The Scripture clearly teaches that believers will be baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13) and this is available to all believers, regardless of past sins or nationality.

I believe that the Holy Spirit seals believers. The work of the Holy Spirit in which it seals believers is probably the most comforting work of the Holy Spirit. Sealing is where “The Spirit identifies a believer to belong to God” (MHT 280). This means that believers who are sealed by the Holy Spirit have eternal security and are bound for Heaven (2 Corinthians 1:22).

I believe that the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to believers. A spiritual gift can simply be defined as a “grace gift.” Spiritual gifts “are given to an individual for personal spiritual service” (MHT 281) (Romans 12:6-8). Spiritual gifts are not the same as natural talent and should be used to glorify the One who gave it to us.