Personal divine agent; Holy Spirit baptism as subsequent empowerment for sanctification
The C&MA affirms the full personality and divinity of the Holy Spirit as the third person of the Trinity. The Spirit is the power of God at work in creation, redemption, and sanctification. The C&MA places particular emphasis on the baptism (filling, anointing, empowerment) of the Holy Spirit as a subsequent experience available to believers after conversion, drawing on Keswick theology and early Pentecostal holiness influences.
This Spirit baptism is understood not primarily as evidence of speaking in tongues (though some C&MA members speak in tongues) but as an infilling that enables the believer to experience deeper sanctification, victory over sin, and empowerment for Christian service and witness. The C&MA holds a moderate continuationist view: spiritual gifts continue in the church today, but the Spirit's working is discerned through Scripture and mature leadership. Healing, prophecy, and other charismata are affirmed but exercised with care and in submission to biblical authority.
The Holy Spirit also works in conversion, indwelling believers, producing fruit (love, joy, peace, etc.), and guiding the church. The C&MA emphasizes the believer's cooperation with the Spirit through prayer, consecration, and obedience, seeing sanctification as a progressive work of grace over the lifetime of faith.
Key Distinctions
- Personhood:
- fully personal and divine
- Spiritual gifts view:
- all gifts continue (moderate continuationist)
- Spirit baptism:
- subsequent experience of filling/deeper life; not necessarily evidenced by tongues
Scripture References
Sources
- C&MA Statement of Faith
- C&MA Manual, Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
- A. B. Simpson, The Holy Spirit or Power from on High