Last Lord's Day I preached about spiritual gifts, charismata.
There are those, and they are called cessationists, who do not believe that certain spiritual gifts, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, are not available or genuinely present today in this time. Tongues, prophecy, healing and miracles, according to this position, ceased soon after New Testament times and when the canon of Scripture, the complete Bible, was established.
I find nothing in the Bible itself that tells me that the gifts of the Holy Spirit would not be available after the Apostolic age or that they would be available to for a very limited time. This position, therefore, denies miracles, signs and wonders throughout church history.
It is not part of their personal experience, so they are uncomfortable when other Christians testify to what they have seen, heard and touched concerning spiritual gifts. Some fellowships like to have everything under their control and strictly regulated so that nobody could prophesy extemporaneously.
In New Testament times signs, miracles and wonders were part of church life. The Holy Spirit is not limited to periods of time, to certain ages and eras. He is sovereign and like the wind He moves as He pleases outside of human action or agency. This also applies to His work in filling and empowering Christians throughout the ages and in various circumstances. He may work through crisis experiences and remarkable events, but He may also work quietly and gently. He may act quickly and He may act after a period of tarrying and waiting, after praise or prayer or fasting. We should not build any doctrine on our personal experience, such as the baptism in or of the Spirit, because the Holy Spirit works in many ways. His touch may be varied, mysterious and unexpected.
There are those, and they are called cessationists, who do not believe that certain spiritual gifts, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, are not available or genuinely present today in this time. Tongues, prophecy, healing and miracles, according to this position, ceased soon after New Testament times and when the canon of Scripture, the complete Bible, was established.
I find nothing in the Bible itself that tells me that the gifts of the Holy Spirit would not be available after the Apostolic age or that they would be available to for a very limited time. This position, therefore, denies miracles, signs and wonders throughout church history.
It is not part of their personal experience, so they are uncomfortable when other Christians testify to what they have seen, heard and touched concerning spiritual gifts. Some fellowships like to have everything under their control and strictly regulated so that nobody could prophesy extemporaneously.
In New Testament times signs, miracles and wonders were part of church life. The Holy Spirit is not limited to periods of time, to certain ages and eras. He is sovereign and like the wind He moves as He pleases outside of human action or agency. This also applies to His work in filling and empowering Christians throughout the ages and in various circumstances. He may work through crisis experiences and remarkable events, but He may also work quietly and gently. He may act quickly and He may act after a period of tarrying and waiting, after praise or prayer or fasting. We should not build any doctrine on our personal experience, such as the baptism in or of the Spirit, because the Holy Spirit works in many ways. His touch may be varied, mysterious and unexpected.
1 comment:
I generally agree with your comments, John. I have never heard a convincing case for the cessation of spiritual gifts.
It seems to me that Paul takes a pragmatic view of the gifts, and that the best gift is the one which is of most benefit to the church. Hence, prophecy is superior to tongues, as the message can be understood, whereas tongues with interpretation are equal to prophecy.
Another point which comes out clearly in 1 Corinthians chapters 12 - 14 is that we can control how we use the gifts. At most three can speak in tongues, and one interprets their utterances. If there is no interpreter, keep silent. Two or three prophets speak, another judges. All things must be done decently and in order.
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