DOES THE BIBLE TEACH THAT THE CHARISMATIC GIFTS HAVE CEASED IN OUR DAY?

DOES THE BIBLE TEACH THAT THE CHARISMATIC GIFTS CEASED IN OUR DISPENSATION(TIMES)

 

As you know, the subject of charismatics and the gifts has been bothering me for some time. I have been convinced by arguments from both sides. Both the opponents and the charismatics.

Due to the fact that I am quite a stubborn man in search of the truth, I am pursuing the topic further. I found a very reliable text on the subject mentioned above.

Thank you Guzzik for translating this important text.

 

 

 

DO THE BIBLE TEACH THAT CHARISMATIC GIFTS SET UP IN OUR DISCIPLINE(the time period of God's work)?
Geoffrey Grider | May 18, 2015 |

NOT ONLY WAS THE REVELATION MADE, AND COMPLETED, BUT THE SAME IS TRUE OF THE SIGNS ACCOMPANYING THE REVELATION PROCESS.

, "Then Jesus said to him: Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe. "John 4:48 (I used the Warsaw Bible, the original article used the King James Version)

Editor's Note: This article will prove through Scripture, without a shadow of a doubt, that the apostolic gifts of healing and "tongues" will cease with the end of the apostles. We dearly hope that you will read this article, and compare/check it against the Bible, but watching any of these videos posted here will also make clear the fraudulent nature of the modern Charismatic and Pentecostal movements.

[Cessationism] - The doctrine that says spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues, prophecy, and healing died out with the apostles of Jesus Christ.

Can cessationism, the view that says spiritual gifts have expired, be proven? Some say that cessationism cannot be conclusively proven through Scripture. We believe, however, that the termination of revelation, and of the sign-gifts in apostolic times is very clearly communicated by the Word of God, so clearly, in fact, that an opposing view has only emerged specifically in the last 100 years.

The term cessationism comes from a great seventeenth century creed like Westminster and Baptism. Both use the same word. Speaking of how God has revealed his will, established it in Scripture, the creed says, "God's former ways of revealing his will to his people are now broken. That word is not actually from the Bible, but doctrine is.

Not only was revelation done, and interrupted/terminated, but also the signs accompanying the revelation process. Here is a summary of six biblical evidences that the revelatory gifts have been interrupted[visions, words of knowledge, words of wisdom, and prophecies], and also the signs-gifts[healings and speaking in tongues]. God still heals, of course, but in answer to prayer, not through the hands of a gifted healer.

The controversial passage in 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 will not be used in this article to prove the end of the gifts. We will refer to passages that we believe are conclusive.

1. NOT SINCE THE TIME OF THE APOSTLES
The first evidence for cessationism(The end of revelation and sign-gifts) is that healings and miracles could only be done by the apostles, and were their special authenticating sign. In 2 Corinthians 12:12 Paul states: "The marks confirming the dignity of an apostle have occurred among you in all patience, in signs, wonders, and manifestations of power."

There were certain people in the church at Corinth who questioned, confronted and challenged Paul's apostleship. To defend himself, he called attention to his gift of healing and other miraculous signs, stating that only the apostles could do such things.

"The marks confirming the dignity of an apostle have occurred among you in all patience, in signs and wonders and manifestations of power." 2 Corinthians 12:12

An apostle was someone who accompanied the Lord, saw Him after His resurrection, and was called by Him personally. As a special witness of the resurrection he was given the power to heal. He was also one who was to be shown 'all truth' by the Holy Spirit (John 14:26 and 16:13), and to write or confirm the inspired Scriptures.

Believers needed to know who was a true apostle in order to respect their unique aurorite. They recognized them by their healings and other signs. People who were not part of the team of apostles (which consisted of two called assistants) could not do these things. If they were able to do them, no one would be able to distinguish who was a true apostle.

KENNETH HAGIN PERFORMS "HOLY LAUGHTER" WHILE "GETTING DRUNK" IN THE SPIRIT:

Scary, scary stuff here. This Charismatic Movement has driven millions away from true Bible doctrine and turned them into such frauds.

In Acts 2:43 and 5:12 it is again clearly shown that all miracles were performed 'by the hands of the apostles'. It was solely their sign. Also, in Hebrews 2:3-4 the gift of healing is closely associated with the apostles. Paul was an apostle through the privilege of seeing the risen Lord, and through a direct calling by Him. His deficiencies in training by Christ were made up for by his receiving special and unique revelation. He stated that he was 'the only one born out of due time' (1 Corinthians 15:8 ), indicating that he was the only apostle outside the original team and therefore the last. (Modern claims to apostleship do not meet biblical qualifications and are inappropriate and erroneous)

When people say that cesstionism cannot be confirmed by Scripture, they forget that Acts specifically says that healings and other miracles were only for apostles who had already passed away. As the churches developed and multiplied, Peter went to Lydia, then to Joppa, spectacularly healing Aeneas, and raising Dorkas (Tabitha) from the dead. The whole community was amazed because none of the other believers in those places were able to do such things.

When the boy fell out the window at Troad, there was only one person present who could raise him from the dead, and that was Paul. The charismatic idea that healings were performed by numerous Christians simply cannot be found in the New Testament. Only the apostles are recorded as doing the healings, along with two apostolic assistants or delegates, Stephen, Philip and possibly Barnabas.

The only time anyone outside of this group did a healing was when the Lord commanded Ananias to heal Paul. There is no other healing besides that in the early church. The Pentecostal/Charismatic idea that healings continue to take place by Christians on a large scale is not found in the Bible. Thus, the infallible notes in Scripture show the entire Charismatic approach to healing to be a mistake based on myth. The records prove that healings and mighty works were reserved for a class of people who have passed away.

2.TEMPORARY PURPOSE OF LANGUAGES

The second evidence that cessationism can be proven through Scripture (signs-gifts have ceased) concerns speaking in tongues. It is a Biblical statement that speaking in tongues was given by God more specifically as a sign to the Jews, signaling to them the coming of the new era of Messiah.

In 1 Corinthians 14.21-22 Paul says this:
"In the law it is written: By men of strange tongues and by the mouth of strangers will I speak to this people, but even so they will not listen to me, says the Lord. Therefore speaking in tongues is a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, and prophecy not for unbelievers but for believers."

In other words, the gift of tongues was miraculous proof to the Jews who had resistance to believe in Christ that a new era and a new church order had come. It was not for the benefit of Jews who believed, but as a sign of promise and warning to those who would not believe. It was not intended for the Gentiles, but for the Jews.

BENNY HINN PERFORMING HIS FAKE "HEALINGS"

If you can watch this video and see anything happening Biblically there, then something is seriously wrong. At the very least, this kind of nonsense is tragic, a deceptive joke, and worst of all it is demonic activity.

Paul quoted from Isaiah 28.11 the chapter in which Isaiah predicts the coming of Christ. As a sign to the Jews, Isaiah says that the people will be led by those 'stammering and speaking a foreign tongue. Gentile tongues will lead them, the worst experience of humiliation for the Jewish people. At the same time it was a sign that the Messianic era would bring the Gentiles into the church, and the Gospel would be preached in other languages.

It will be a sign of a new era when God will bring down the flag of the Jewish church, and fly the flag of the Jewish/Pagan church of Jesus Christ. The unbelieving Jews who have denied Christ and clung to Moses' garment will encounter the Word of God preached to them in barbaric, Gentile languages.

All of this must have happened, beginning on the day of Pentecost(Pentecost, Pentecost, Pentecost, Shavuot). The Jews were called and warned accordingly, but tongues are not mentioned outside of Acts and 1 Corinthians 12-14, which shows that they accomplished their purpose of warning the Jews that a new era had come. This proclamation of the church age was accomplished when the apostles were alive and the sign was withdrawn. What appears in the speaking in tongues today is not done in the presence of doubting Jews, and has nothing to do with the sign of the New Testament. The sign that the church age has arrived has fulfilled its purpose, and has passed through reality. The gospel is now preached in virtually every language in the world, and the sign that this will happen has long since expired. The purpose of tongues (according to Paul's teaching) has been fulfilled, proving their withholding.

3. LANGUAGES WERE ACTUAL LANGUAGES

The third evidence for cessationism added to the second, is that -this gift of true tongues was given on the day of Pentecost (and for a while thereafter), which has never been seen since. It should be obvious to us that the miraculous tongues of Acts and 1 Corinthians have never appeared since those days.

Speaking in tongues in modern times is never any known human language, instead it is just meaningless, chaotic speech. Nothing miraculous takes place. In New Testament times the speaker in tongues was given by the Spirit the ability to speak in a real language he had never learned, and the people who grew up with him were amazed. Jewish people were present (as it was a sign mainly for them). On the day of Pentecost, many Jews living in foreign regions heard their own language spoken, confirming the authenticity of those speaking in tongues. After Pentecost the Spirit will give miraculous gifts of understanding for interpretation so that the authenticity of the language will be confirmed. Nothing like this has happened since biblical times.

Today those who promote speaking in tongues point to 1 Corinthians 13:1 where Paul, speaking hypothetically, says that even if he spoke in angelic tongues and had no love, it would be for nothing. In a desperate search for passages, charismatic teachers reach for Paul's words as justification for ecstatic, unintelligible tongues, but it is understood by any thinking person that this is a gross misuse of the verse.

By describing intelligible languages, the Bible effectively warns us that these gifts have been withdrawn. They simply have not happened at any time in history, anywhere in the world, since the beginning of the Church. What is happening today is that people (who may sincerely be Christians), in order to fulfill what their leaders believe to be correct, are trying to speak by skirting the rules of speech. However, they do not speak in true tongues, or even understand what they are saying.Cessationism is clearly taught in Scripture, due to the fact that it very accurately describes the actual languages mentioned in Scripture which cannot be attributed to anything that has taken place since.

Since Bible times we have had wonderful reformation events and mighty awakenings when the Spirit of God has worked willingly with exceptional power. To date there has not been a single recorded confirmation of speaking in a real language that was never learned. This is strong evidence that the gift of Biblical tongues-speaking has died out.

4.THERE IS NO INSTRUCTION TO APPOINT APOSTLES

The fourth proof of cessationism is this: There is no instruction in the New Testament regarding the calling of apostles, prophets, healers, or anything of the sort. This is a matter of great importance because God has given a detailed pattern to the church in the New Testament. It is true that some Christians do not believe that the Bible provides a blueprint for the church, but most of the people who are of the Baptist, Bible-believing faith believe it.

MODERN CHAOS: THE CHARISMATIC AND PENTECOSTAL MOVEMENTS

please note:NTEB[Now The End Begins] does not endorse the complete teaching of Calvinists like John MacArthur, Paul Washer and others. They make some good points which is why we decided to present this video.

The apostle Paul told us repeatedly to be the most careful imitators of him in our church polity and behavior, and that the pastoral epistles set forth how we should act and function in God's church. We have been given an exact pattern for the church for all time. We have instructions that carefully define how to select preaching and leadership elders and deacons, but no instructions on how to call apostles (because they were not to be continued), or how to recognize or accredit a prophet (because the gifts accompanying revelation ended when the Bible was finished). There are also no instructions on the appointment of healers.

This is not merely an unsourced argument, but evidence that these offices and functions are not intended to continue. The instructions for every organizational matter of the church have been completed and detailed and are sufficient for the church until Christ comes again. We are disobedient to God's perfect standard if we make appointments in the church that He has not instructed and commanded. We are disobedient to Scripture.

How can it be said that there is no Scriptural proof that the gifts have ceased, when the standard for the church gives no instructions for the continuance of inspired spokesmen and performers of miracles, signs? This is conclusive evidence of cessationism-- unless we do not hold to the Bible sufficiently, and do not believe that God has given a standard for His church.

5.REVELATION IS OVER

The fifth evidence for cessatonism is that the Bible clearly teaches that revelation is finite. There can be no new revelations after apostolic time. We have now recorded that in John 14:26 and 16:13 the Lord Jesus Christ said twice to the apostles that the Holy Spirit, when He comes, will lead them into all Truth.

They will be the authors of the books of the New Testament, and they will authenticate the inspired books of the New Testament which are not their own creation. Soon all Truth will be revealed, and there will be no more revelation of Scripture after the apostolic era. The Word of God will be complete.

How much/All of us enjoy it! What a state we would be in if people could pop up here, there, and everywhere (as they do in the charismatic world) giving new revelations. Who would know what is appropriate, and true? But Scripture is the final criterion for everything, being complete, and perfect, and sufficient, and trustworthy.

Jude was able to speak of a faith that was 'Once delivered to the saints'. His letters were written possibly 25 years before the last book of the Bible, but late enough for all the major doctrines and instructions of the church to be revealed. At this late stage of revelation he speaks of faith once delivered, or better, once and for all delivered. It is actually finished; soon (from Judah's perspective) there will be no more revelation.

The closing passages of the Bible warn that nothing can be added to or taken away from the words in the book of Revelation, but this clearly applies to the entire Bible, not just one book. We know this because the warning is roughly equivalent to that given by Moses in the first book of the Bible (the first five were originally one book), namely Deuteronomy 4:2, 'You shall add nothing to what I command you, and take nothing away from it, keeping the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you.' (words repeated by Moses in Deuteronomy 12:32).

THE END OF REVELATION IS ALSO PROVEN BY THE FACT THAT THE APOSTLES AND PROPHETS ARE DESCRIBED AS THE FUNDAMENTAL STAGE OF THE CHURCH.

In Ephesians 2.20 the church is described as follows - 'Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets[That is - New Testament prophets], whose cornerstone is Christ Jesus Himself. A foundation is something finished and stable while the building is still being constructed.

What about Joel's prophecy, quoted by Paul at Pentecost, that when the Spirit is poured out, all believers, men, women, old and young will prophesy? Is it not understood that this will happen literally until the Lord comes again? No, because our understanding of this prophecy must agree with the undeniable teaching of the Bible that revelation will soon be finished, and interrupted.

It is this complete revelation (mainly the Gospel) that will be preached by believers of all ages, by men, women, to the whole world, until the end. Believers will continue to have visions and dreams in the sense that they will embrace, ponder, and proclaim the undeniable 'visions and dreams' given to them in the Bible. They will not be 'prophesying' in the sense of receiving new revelations. They will also dream dreams about Biblical plans and conquests. In this sense, Joel's prophecy is still being fulfilled.

Extraordinary manifestations such as tongues had clearly disappeared by the time Peter wrote his two letters, in which he does not mention at all that these gifts of the early church were still functioning.

As revelation was finished, we see that the apostolic and prophetic task was over. And if the gifts accompanying revelation have ended, the same is true of the authenticating marks of inspired writers. We remember Paul saying, 'The marks which confirm the dignity of an apostle have appeared among you in all patience, in signs and wonders and manifestations of power.'(2 Corinthians 12:12).

How can you say that there is no biblical evidence for cessationism when Scripture emphatically shows that all revelation was finished, like the foundation, at the beginning of the church age?

6.SCRIPTURE TESTIFIES TO THE END OF THE GIFTS

The sixth evidence for cessationism is that Scripture says they were in the process of being withdrawn at the same time. For example, Paul, who was gifted with the apostolic power to do signs and wonders and mighty works, could not, as time went on, heal Timothy, nor Trophimus, nor Epaphroditus.

We also see the withdrawal of the gift of healing in James 5, where James gives instructions on praying for the sick, and how elders can lay hands on the bedridden. It is clear in this chapter that there is no anointed healer in the range, only elders who pray.

Anointing is mentioned, but the Greek term for religious anointing is not used. The Greek uses a very practical word that means to 'rub' with oil, more as a cure for sores. James accurately says, 'Do not be so heavenly minded that you overlook earthly ways, but bring physical relief to the suffering person.'

What matters is prayer. It is clear from James' instruction that no gifted healer came to command healing, or to heal with a healing touch. The laying on of hands by ordinary elders is a symbolic act, showing the church's love, care, and responsibility.

This chapter of James contains four exhortations to prayer, and it follows his teaching that we should say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live, do this or that.' We can and must pray for healing, but it may be God's will that the sufferer testify to God's grace in sickness. The main point for us in this article is that there is not a single person with the power to heal in James chapter 5. Healing is done by God in answer to prayers. The attitude of the church in progress shows prayers for healing, remembering that some are called to live as 'examples of suffering and patience' (James 5:10).

The fact that James did not mention the gift of healing unmistakably shows that having the power to heal was stopped quite early in the apostolic era.

WOULD A NEUTRAL READER ASSUME THAT BIBLICAL GIFTS ARE FOR ALL AGES?

It was suggested that if a new convert with no experience of church life was locked in a room with a Bible, it would never occur to that person that the charismatic gifts had ceased. The truth is just the opposite. There are many people (some we know) who come from other denominations who were converted to Christ through personal/private Bible reading and then found their way to church. Through the Bible alone they have not received the hope of the charismatic stage. Far more often - and more so with the passage of time - believers have left charismatic churches when they perceive that what takes place there is not what they found in the Bible.

In carefully reading the Acts of the Apostles, they discovered that only the team of apostles did the healing, and they felt that they had been misled by the Pentecostal-charismatic view as had many people. Some wondered what the original meaning and purpose of tongues was, and when they learned from Paul that tongues were primarily for the Jews, they again felt misled by their teachers.

They also felt misled when it became obvious that tongues were real speech, a much more supernatural matter than unintelligible sounds. Then, as soon as these believers appreciated the importance of the biblical pattern for the church, the question sometimes arose in their minds-"Where in the Bible today are the instructions for calling apostles, prophets, and healers? They discovered that there were none, and they began to be more critical of the teaching they received.

Then the question arises as to the authority and sufficiency of Scripture, and they wonder, 'Is not revelation complete? How then, can modern prophecies be valid and inspired? It becomes obvious that all these 'authoritative' prophecies they have heard are a huge mistake, and a delusion. Many thoughtful believers themselves recognize that for charismatics, Scripture is secondary in importance to human imagination and mysterious experiences.

Finally, the more these friends study the Word, the more they see evidence that the signs disappeared soon after their spectacular appearance. This does not mean that the Lord does not lead His people to remember duties or truths, or exhort them to do certain things, or warn them of impending danger. These are God's suggestions, not revelations or gifts.

In church history, there are recorded cases of people having a notification from God concerning some threatening event or person, but these are never revelations or doctrines. We find such cases in times of severe persecution. For example, up until Perestroika in Russia, we heard of a very credible case where God's key servants were miraculously rescued from detention because the Lord impressed upon someone not to go to a particular place. It was later discovered that the KGB-police had left an ambush waiting for them. However, the recipient of such a suggestion was not given a gift, nor certainly any authoritative revelation of doctrinal truth. God can save and bless His people in any way, but this is in no way a reappearance of apostolic or prophetic gifts given to individuals.

DAMAGE CAUSED BY CHARISMATIC TEACHING
Many charismatics note the vast gulf between the Bible and what they have been taught. Such doubters are often disturbed by the fact that a large number of Catholics who rely on Mary, the Mass[?], and works for salvation are also able to speak in tongues and prophesy. Many also perform worship in exactly the same way as Protestant Charismatics.

Those doubting charismaticism can also hear that non-Christian cults also speak in tongues. You don't have to be a saved Christian to speak in charismatic tongues because it is not a true gift of the Spirit.

There are many sincere Christians in the charismatic movement, but we believe that the attempt to revive revelation and the sign-gifts is a very pernicious mistake. We can see schools of thought springing up in huge sections of the movement in which Scripture has virtually disappeared, covered under unbiblical extravagances. There is now a huge charismatic group that denies the penal substitution of Christ, and even denies the Trinity. (Some of the best known charismatic preachers and authors deny the doctrine of the Trinity.)

World popular music dominates charismatic churches, music of even the most extreme and ungodly kind. The theatrical antics of money-grabbing charismatic leaders can be seen at any time on religious TV, and the heresies of the gospel of success are seen everywhere. Many charlatans and scoundrels have built themselves a large entourage promoting their supposed 'healings' around the world. Even music-majority-transmitted techniques are presented as spiritual miracles, in a respectable church.

The powerful current that constantly drives charismatic circles further and further away from the Bible is evidence of a serious fundamental error, namely, the idea that the revelatory signs-gifts are for all time. Experiencing them involves a twofold mistake: first, reducing the gifts to something supernatural (turning real tongues into unintelligible utterances); and second, moving away from Scripture, which encourages imagined experiences of dreams, visions, 'words from the Lord', and similar revelations. There is here also an injury done to the individual Christian whose faith is diverted from the Lord and his Word, to phenomena and sensations.

We sincerely pray that God will rescue those who are truly his children from the increasing damage of this wildly erroneous departure from Scripture. It is perfectly possible to prove that cessationism is a Biblical truth.

ACCEPT NTEB'S CHARISMATIC GIFTS CHALLENGE:If you have come this far, congratulations, you have just read the entire article, and you did not react emotionally after reading the headline. If you believe that charismatic and apostolic gifts are for today, we offer you a challenge. Come to Florida, and accompany us to a local hospital. We will go from room to room, and you will lay hands and pray for the really sick and injured people, and we will record a video of the result and put it on the front page of this website. If you can instantly heal the sick people there to the level where they can supernaturally get up from their beds being fully healed, and being verified through a physical examination diagnosis, NTEB will retract this article. The following passage describes what kind of healing I mean:
Peter said, "I have neither silver nor gold, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, come! And taking him by the right hand, he lifted him up; and immediately his legs and his ankles were strengthened, and he sprang up, and stood and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking and leaping and praising God." Acts 3:6-8

It's like, Charismatics and Pentecostals, are there any takers?

Source:

www.nowtheendbegins.com/blog/?p=33135