We believe the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Triune God, likewise eternal God, equally one with God the Father and God the Son (Matthew 28:19; 1 John 5:7). The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force such as electricity, but a Person Who teaches the believer (John 14:26), can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30), and His power quenched in the believer’s life (I Thessalonians 5:19).
We see the Holy Spirit’s work in Creation (Genesis 1:2), in salvation (Titus 3:5), and in sanctification of the Christian (II Corinthians 3:18). The Holy Spirit is immediately given to the believer at the point of salvation (Ephesians 1:13-14), which is also called the baptism of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 12:13). The Holy Spirit empowers the believer to live the Christian life (Acts 1:8; Romans 5:5; 15:13-14). He fills believers daily as they surrender to Him (Ephesians 5:18). Unlike in the Old Testament (eg. Psalm 51:11), the Holy Spirit continues to indwell every true child of God (Romans 8:9), and never leaves him until the day of Christ in Heaven (John 14:16-17). The Holy Spirit also convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8-11).
The Charismatic Movement — We believe the current Charismatic/Pentecostal movement is not a scriptural movement. The gifts of tongues, healing, drinking poison, and handling snakes were “sign-gifts” confirming the truth of God’s Word which the apostles were preaching. Once the Scriptures were complete from Matthew to Revelation (New Testament) the confirming signs were no longer necessary and thus ended. Biblical Tongues within the N.T era were known spoken languages; each one heard the Word of God in their native tongue. Mark 16:15-20; Acts 2:4-13; I Corinthians 13:8-10, 14:21,22.
We also believe that the “unknown tongue” in 1 Corinthians 14:2-4; 13-14 refers simply to speaking a known foreign language amidst a multicultural audience which is of no benefit to the rest of the church unless the person interprets; and that the “tongues of angels” (I Corinthians 13:1) refers to eloquent speech, such as that of which the Corinthian church held in high esteem. (Compare 1 Corinthians 1:17-20; 2:4) Every angel that ever spoke to humans always did so in their own language. (e.g. Genesis 18:2-10; Judges 13:13-14; Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:30, etc) We reject the idea of praying in a “private or angelic prayer language.”