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The temporary and visible gift (of the Holy Spirit) is such a divine power as produces, in or through those to whom it is given, effects that are astonishing and clearly miraculous. In the early church this gift was bestowed upon believers in Christ. It was given for the confirmation of the gospel of Christ. When it seemed to God that this had been confirmed sufficiently, according to His will and pleasure, this particular gift ceased.

It may be asked: "Is there not need of this internal gift of the Holy Spirit in order to believe the gospel?"

The answer is "No: for we do not read in the Holy Scriptures that it was conferred upon any one besides those who had already believed the gospel." Acts 2:38; 8:16-17; Eph. 1:13.

Besides this special gift of the Holy Spirit there is another spirit which arises in the minds of all believers through learning and accepting through faith the gospel of Christ, in which the grace of God as Father is shown to mankind. By this spirit all of us should be guided, and the fleshly deeds of the body put to death. If anyone does not have this spirit, he is not of Christ. Opposed to this is the spirit of bondage which the code of the law engendered. It is for this reason that the Law is called the letter, but the gospel spirit. The Law, we are told, kills, but the spirit gives life. This is because the Law was only letters and writing, setting out laws and issuing sentence of death against transgressors. But by the gospel men may be filled with a loving, filial spirit, and it offers liberty to those who really desire to yield themselves in obedience to God as their Father. It arms them with all the inner power which will lead to life eternal.

That the Holy Spirit is not a person in the Godhead you may learn from the following: first, because many things which in the Scriptures are attributed to the Holy Spirit are not applicable to a divine person; and not a few of them are not applicable to any person whatever: such are, that it is given by God, with or without measure; that God pours it out; sheds it forth; that men drink into it, and are baptized by or into it; that there are fruits of it; that it is itself taken away; that at some time it was not;

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that it is quenched. Secondly, because the Holy Spirit is said to be given to men, and to be subject to them. But a divine person cannot be given or bestowed by anyone; for he who is given or bestowed must be under the authority of another, which can on no account be said of a divine person, which is the supreme God Himself.15