Have the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit like prophecy, tongues, interpretation of tongues, healings and miracles ceased, or are the available for the Church today? This has been a hotly debated issue for some time. In this message, we pose the arguments of the Continuations (those who believe these gifts are available to the Church until Christ returns). Hopefully, our discussion here will help you as you sort through an issue which can be very confusing!
Teaching Notes:
Are Miraculous Gifts For Today? – Pt. 2
Arguments Used By Continuationists:
1. The Bible teaches that miraculous gifts like tongues and prophecy will not cease or be done away until the perfect comes, which is a reference to the return of Jesus Christ (1Cor.13:8-12).
Continuationists base their belief that God continues to provide miraculous gifts squarely upon their exegesis of Scripture. The cessationists’ arguments, as we have seen, are based upon theological deductions, rather than upon clear biblical statements to that effect. Some cessationists believe that “perfect” refers to the completed canon of Scripture. In other words, they believe that when all the NT books of the Bible were completed, the miraculous gifts of the Spirit would cease, becoming unnecessary. However, this passages reveals when the partial gifts like prophecy and tongues would cease: 1) when the perfect comes; 2) when we shall see face to face; and 3) when I shall know fully even as I also have been fully known. The passage says nothing about the completed canon of Scripture. Further, we simply can’t say that when the canon of Scripture was completed, believers saw face to face, or knew fully as they were fully known. These expressions can only be fulfilled when Christ returns.
2. God gave all the gifts (including the miraculous ones) to edify the Church, and the Church is still in need of edification today.
In 1Cor.12:7 the Bible says, “But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” And if there is any doubt as to what Paul was referring to by the “manifestation of the Spirit” he removes all doubt in vs.8-10, by listing nine miraculous gifts. Furthermore, 1Cor.14:3 says that the “one who prophesies speaks to men for edification, exhortation and consolation”, and 1Cor.14:26 says, “What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.” The Church today is still in need of edification. Do we really want to relegate many of those gifts given by the Sovereign Lord for the edification of his church only to the first century? If these gifts edified the church in the 1st century, why would they not edify the church in all centuries?
3. The NT reveals that the miraculous gifts were not confined only to the apostles, but were distributed widely across Christ’s church.
In addition to the argument mentioned in Part 1 of this study where we listed a large number of individuals or groups of people who were not apostles, but still were involved in miraculous gifts, consider the following:
a. The gift of prophecy was found in the church at Rome (Rom.12:6), the church at Corinth (1Cor.12:10), the church at Ephesus (Eph.4:11), the church at Thessalonica (1Thess.5:20) and in the church at Antioch (Acts 13:1). We read of many who are not apostles, but who exercised revelatory gifts, such as Agabus (Acts 11:28; 21:10-11), Judas and Silas (Acts 15:32), Philip’s 4 virgin daughters who were prophetesses (Acts 21:9), and Ananias (Acts 9:10-19).
b. The gift of tongues is found at Jerusalem (Acts 2:1-13), at Caesarea (Acts 10:44-48), at Ephesus (Acts 19:1-7), at Corinth (1Cor.12-14), and probably at Samaria (Acts 8:14-25).
c. The gift of miracles is found in Corinth (1Cor.12:10) and in the churches of Galatia (Gal.3:5).
4. We are commanded in Scripture to eagerly desire spiritual gifts (1Cor.12:31; 14:1; 14:39). In context, the gifts Paul was speaking about were the miraculous gifts of 1Cor12:8-10; 28-31; 13:8-9.
Many in the Church today are openly disobeying this command. They are either passive towards these spiritual gifts or reject their present day validity. Interestingly, Paul commanded the believers in Corinth to “earnestly desire spiritual gifts” even though their meetings were already filled with manifestations of spiritual gifts. Rather then telling them to stop exercising these gifts, Paul told them to continue to earnestly desire them, but to pursue love at the same time, so that their exercise would be done decently and in order and according to love. Cessationists must believe that this Biblical command to earnestly desire spiritual gifts was only valid for about 45 years (from about 55 A.D. when 1 Corinthians was written to about 100 A.D. when Revelation was written and John died).
5. We are commanded in Scripture not to forbid speaking in tongues (1Cor.14:39) nor to despise prophetic utterances (1Thess.5:19).
This command is all the more intriguing when we reflect on how controversial the gift of tongues is, and must have been in the 1st century. However, in spite of its controversial and potentially explosive nature Paul doesn’t say, “Do not allow speaking in tongues in the Church any longer.” Rather, he says the exact opposite, “Do not forbid to speak in tongues.” It is a very serious thing to set aside portions of Scripture as being invalid without having specific Biblical texts to that effect. We are running the risk of invalidating portions of God’s Word that are still valid. This would be akin to saying that the injunction for believers not to take other believers to court before unbelievers was no longer valid, basing their conclusions from theological or historical reasons, not clear statements from God’s Word. I’m just saying we need to be very careful in this regard, because it is a serious matter.
Further, Paul commands the Thessalonians not to despise prophetic utterances. However, that is exactly what is being done in many parts of the Church, when church members are told that those who prophesy today are not speaking from the Lord and should be ignored. That is, essentially, to despise prophetic utterances.
6. Paul instructs us that all of the spiritual gifts are necessary for the health of the Church.
In 1 Cor. 12:21-22, the Bible says, “And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.” We simply can’t discard any of the spiritual gifts as being unnecessary. All are needed for the health and strength and vitality of the body of Christ.
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