“Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men....  And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ:  till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph. 4:8, 11-13).

VII

THE SPIRIT AND THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH

That the Holy Spirit sustained a relation to the apostolic church that it does not sustain to the church of to-day is clearly evident to the student of the Divine Word.  The church of the apostolic age had no New Testament as we have to-day.  Hence the necessity of a more direct and immediate leading than is necessary to-day.  The apostle Paul states the difference between the two when he says:  “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.”  This is not a contrast between the imperfections of our day and the perfection of heaven, but between the imperfection of the apostolic church and the perfection of the church of to-day.  That which is perfect has come; a perfect revelation of Christian character, a perfect gospel, a perfect “law of liberty,” a perfect New Testament.  The apostolic church was limited to knowing in part and prophesying in part.  “But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal.  For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit:  to another faith, in the same Spirit; to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit; and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discernings of spirits:  to another divers kinds of tongues; and to another the interpretation of tongues:  but all these worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally even as he will” (1 Cor. 12:7-11).

Now, here was manifestly a condition in the first churches that does not exist to-day.  Here are various direct and supernatural workings that are manifestations of spiritual power resulting from a direct gift of the Spirit to members of apostolic churches.  Now, there was a purpose to be accomplished by this special gift of the Spirit.  In the fourth chapter of Ephesians the apostle tells us the purpose of this gift.  “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  Till we all come to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God.”  This gift of the Spirit accompanied the baptism of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost.