The Sign of Salvation

Often when we think of salvation, the sign that comes to mine is the cross. This would be accurate, for Jesus Christ did die upon the holy rood to save us; but there is another sign of salvation and it comes from the Holy Spirit. The Church is fragmented and split over the Gifts of the Spirit. There are those that argue that only the Apostles were permitted to prophecy, cast out demons, heal the sick, and do miracles. Such doctrine does not hold up when compared with the Scriptures.

When Jesus Christ met his Disciples and Followers in the Upper Room, he gave them the Great Commission: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19). Now some commentators argue that the baptizing is with water like John the Baptist, but that is because they omit the Great Commission of the Gospel of Mark which says,

"And these sings shall accompany those who believe; in my name they shall cast out demons, they will speak in new tongues, they will pick up snakes with their hands, drink deadly poision and it will not hurt them, and lay hands on the sick and they will be healed." (Mark 16:15-18).
These are the words of Jesus Christ himself. It does not say, my Apostles or my Disciples specifically will have these signs, it says those who believe. That theys are signs that someone truly believes in Jesus Christ.

St. John of the Baptist said, "I baptize with water, but one who is greater than me will come and baptize with fire!" (Matthew 3:11). Many interpret the fire shall be judgment in the Last Days, but fire was often a term for the spirit. That is why in ACTS is says, "when the Holy Spirit fell upon the congregation in Power, some saw tongues of fire on foreheads." (Acts 2:3). Water in Jewish culture was for purification, fire was also for purifying, but fire also symbolizes power.

St. Paul writes in his Epistles exactly what Jesus says in Mark. He says,

"Now brothers and sisters (at the Church of Corinth) I do not want you to be uninformed about the Gifts of the Spirit. There are different kinds of gifts, same Holy Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of 1 service. There are different kinds of work, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of Wisdom, to another a message of Knowledge (Word of Knowledge: knowing someone about someone only God would know) by the same Spirit, to another Faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of Healing by the Holy Spirit, to another Miraculous Powers, to another Prophecy, to another Discerning or Distinguishing between spirits (able to sense demons, sense God's angels, and the spirits in people, including their own spirit which is either saturated in Christ or in the devil), to another Speaking in different Tongues, and still another the Interpretation of Tongues. All these are of the work of the same Holy Spirit , and He distributes them to each person, just as He determines or decides." -1 Corinthians 12: 1-11

Despite that Paul outlines in this letter the Gifts and it is clear he is sending this letter to congregation in Corinth, there are still some believers who stress that the Gifts are not for today or for commoners. To respond to the first argument, I will say that you will not find in any of The Four Gospels, The Book of Acts, Paul's Epistles, Peter's Letters, John's Letters, Hebrews, Jude, or even The Book of Revelation any evidence that claims the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are not for all time. The only Scripture remotely close is the one where St. Paul says, "But where there are prophecies, , they will cease; where there are tongues , they will be stilled; where there is knowledge , it will pass away. For we know in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part will disappear." (1 Corinthians 13:8-10). There are those that claim this Scripture is the proof that Gifts have passed away and they mark The canonization of the Bible as the completeness. But they conveniently leave out the rest of the passage:
"When I was a child , I use to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as  a child. When I became a man , I did away with childish things. For now we only see a reflection as in a mirror (Gifts of the Spirit); then we shall see face to face (Christ and Holy Spirit), Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." (1 Corinthians 13: 11-12). This passage refutes that The Bible is the fullness, because how can you see the Bible "face to face?" How can you "know fully" God with his Word? No, it is a reference to that when we see Jesus Christ face to face, we shall know fully; this will be achieved  either when we die and go to be with Him or when Christ returns. Once Christ is with us in body, we no longer need gifts because the Giver is among us in the flesh. Paul was stating that a day will come when Christ Returns and the Spirit will be complete; the Holy Spirit will reign over the Earth and thus manifestations will not be needed because the Holy Spirit will be fully manifested all the time and not just in gifts; we will no longer be looking at "the reflection in the mirrior," but instead at the Holy Spirit "face to face."

For the second argument, that the Gifts are only for the Apostles or Church Leaders I have Acts 10. St. Peter had a vision from the Lord and was told that man was coming to beckon him to his home by the name of Cornelius. Cornelius (A Roman Centurion) was given the vision and told where Peter would be. Peter enters Cornelius' home and begins preaching to him and his family and this is what follows:

"While Peter was still speaking these word, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers (Jewish Christians) who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on even the Gentiles. For they heard them (the Gentiles) speaking in Tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, "Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." -Acts 10: 44-47

There is the proof that not just the Jewish Christians or the Church Fathers received the Gifts of the Spirit. But on the contrary, a Centurion and his Roman family; pagans!, received the gift of Tongues! Thus we have Scriptural refutation towards the claim that the Gifts are only for the Apostles and Church Hierarchy!

As Christians, we need the Gifts of the Spirit. They are fruit of the Holy Spirit in us and allow us to do many things. The Gift of Faith can help us with God's Words encourage fellow beleivers who are floundering or our own faith. The Gift of Healing can be used to heal cancer, raise the lame, or even cure a rash if we believe by the Spirit. The Gift of Discerning of Spirits is crucial in these times because of the heresies, false miracles, false christs, false prophets, and Satanic machinations in every culture. The Gift of Prophecy is important for correcting the Church and for preparing the Faithful. The Gift of Tongues is twofold; it helps Intercessors (prayer warriors) have a tongue to pray in when they have exhausted their own language and it is a perfect language of Heaven, so the prayers are God's Will not our own. Secondly, Tongues when used by the Spirit outloud can translate into another person's language that the speaker of the Tongue does not know and thus minister to that believer. The Word of Knowledge is beneficial in convincing a person that God knows them by telling them a detail that no demon or soothsayer could know.

All the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are instrumental in helping us minister Jesus to people on Earth. What we must be cautious of once we are Baptized in the Spirit and receive the Gifts is to not compare or compete. St. Paul had problem with this in the Church of Corinth. He said,

"And God has appointed in the Church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then healers, then helpers, then administrators, and then those with the Gift of Tongues. All are not apostles are they? All are not prophets are they? All are not teachers are they? All do not work miracles by the Spirit do they? All do not have gifts of healing do they? All do not speak in Tongues do they? All do not interpret tongues do they?" -1 Corinthians 12:28-31

Paul wrote this because in Corinth, Church members were belittling those who did not have the Gift of Tongues. We must be careful not to compare gifts and treat each other in such ways.

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are here. They are sign of our salvation! Anyone can create litany or make up rituals, but the Power of the Holy Spirit is unique! People know when they feel God's touch and his work among them. It is by the Power of the Holy Spirit that souls will be won, not by the traditions of men. Jesus Christ himself moved in the Spirit: he delivered people from demons, healed the sick, prophesied, and etc. If we as Christians are trying to emulate, imitate, and be just like Jesus, then why are we not doing what He did?! Better yet, why do we ignore the command of Christ in Mark 16? He said a sign that you believe will be the gifts! Now if you do not have them, do not despair! You need the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. You can be saved in Christ; written in the Lamb's Book of Life and not have the Gifts because you were not Baptized like the Apostles and many others were in ACTS Chapter 2. If you want the Gifts, ask for them! Call upon the Lord and ask to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the Gifts that come with it. As a mentor once told me, "as Christians we can walk through life as soldier with just a rifle (Salvation in Jesus) and we will make it to Heaven. But with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, we have grenades, rocket launchers, artillery, air support (planes and helicopters), ships, and other tools to minister the Gospel to others."

Receive the Sign of Salvation. Ask for the Holy Spirit to fall upon you and ask for the Gifts you want. Be patient, maybe you will receive them immediately, maybe it will take some time. It helps to have someone who believes in the Gifts and moves in them to help intercede and pray with you. But if you are alone and know no such person, then just petition to the Lord alone. He will not reject an earnest heart who wants to be anointed and baptized in His Spirit.