I'm sorry if i sound like I'm trying to start a fight I'm merely curious about some of the thing you've said.
So you don't believe in practicing a literal baptism like what John the Baptist did with Jesus, but as more spiritual saying alluring to what John said - I cleanse you with water but [Jesus] will cleanse you with the holy spirit.
What is the evidence you speak of when you say "speaking in tongues is the evidence?"
what are the miracles for today? and as for the gifts - you believe that many of god's gift - healing and tongues are still in use by many people today still?
how do your interpretation to the gifts sharply contrast? the gift of Love in 13 says If i speak with human tongues and angelic as well,, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong, a clanging cymbal" It just doesn't seem that its interpretation can be much different.
Not at all. An honest query is not a fight. I will try to answer you... though I may have misunderstood part of your questions. I'll try to be brief.
In answer to your first question, Baptism in the Holy Ghost is not substitutional to water baptism, which we still practise. At some point after their declaration of repentance and acceptance of Jesus Christ we will baptise the new believer in water as exampled and instructed by Jesus Christ. However in line with Peter's command to them on the Day of Pentecost, "Repent everyone of you and be baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." [Acts 2:38] We instruct new believers to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, or be baptised with the Holy Ghost. It is part of the ongoing Christian experience: Repentance [and faith], baptism in water, and the infilling of the Spirit.
Why do we call it the baptism in the Holy Spirit? Because we believe it is what John the baptist was referring to when he said, "He will baptise you with the Holy Ghost and fire." Also because it is what Jesus called it, "John truly baptised you with water, but you shall be baptised with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." Acts 1:5.
We believe that tongues is the evidence that one has been baptised with the Holy Spirit in line with the events in the early church and their continuing practise as is revealed in the Book of Acts. Church history also supports this fact. 1. We read that on the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was first received that they spoke in other tongues [or languages] Acts 2:4. 2. Then again at the home of Corneluis we see that Christ confirmed his work in Cornelius' household as he baptised them in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues Acts 10:44-48 [notice that they were baptised immediately because of this - Scriptural proof that this baptism was not to replace water baptism]. 3. Many years later we find Paul at Ephesus where he baptises the believers in water [so that they may receive the Holy Spirit] and, after laying hands on them [As Peter and John did in Samaria Acts 8:14-17] they begin to speak in other tongues Acts 19:6. It is interesting to note that we have, through the declaration of a bishop, evidence that it was commonly believed that they spoke in other tongues in Samaria, though the passage itself does not declare it.
In more recent times it was at Parnham's Bible College that they determined that Tongues was the evidence that one had been baptised in the Holy Spirit, and they laid hands on each other and began speaking as they did in the Scriptures. Although I must add that these things took place unexpectedly in other parts of the world around the same time. I am not a great historian, but I can ask for evidence of these things if you wish.
What are the gifts for today? In 1 Corinthians chapter 12 Paul mentions 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit which are available to every believer 1 Corinthians 12: 8-10. Word of wisdom; word of knowledge, faith [a specific gift for a specific moment], diverse gifts of healings, working of miracles, prophesy, discerning of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues. All these ought still to be in operation today. Thus they are the miracles for today.
It is your last question that has me a little confused. Let me start off by saying, love is a fruit of the Spirit, not a gift of the Spirit. There are those who believe that miracles ceased with the age of the apostles, or more specifically, with the cannonisation of Scripture, using 1 Corinthians 13:10 as their defense. They directly contravene Paul's instruction in chapter 14:39. "Therefore brothers, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues" by interpreting chapter 14 in such a way as to forbid to speak in tongues.
Since we do not believe that the display of the fruit of love forbids prophesying, working miracles and speaking in tongues; nor do we believe that the cannonisation was "that which is perfect", nor do we forbid to speak in other languages in the church [please note my clarification], it is obvious that we do not interpret these passages as others do but rather in contrast.
You may, however hold no such contrast in your beliefs. That I don't know.
I trust this helps clarify what I said.
