On ‘Cessationism’
Cessationism – from the root word “cease” – is a theory that the gifts of the Spirit went away after the first century and the death of the last original apostle, John.
Before examining the theory that the spiritual gifts have ceased, a few things ought to be said up front.
In this century, this has grown into a debate and at its worst, both proponents and opponents may contentiously call foul, accusing one another of twisting scriptures, and questioning whether one or the other are “real” Christians truly following Christ.
The answer however may be not an either/or proposition. Rather, the whole truth is likely somewhere between opposite extremes with more factors to consider than a person with a cursory or slanted view normally takes into account.
Belief Is Very Important
The Lord Jesus Christ spoke a principle that “according to your faith so be it to you.” This is a spiritual law that is very powerful. It can explain in part if not completely how those who say spiritual gifts have ceased do not experience them – and how those who do claim they’re active do experience them.
Indeed, the power of wholly believing something – be it truth, or even an error or a lie – is great. It stands to shape our experience, and life before God.
This phenomenon even explains in part how people adhering to non-Christian religions can go through their whole lives feeling secure that they are on the right road. The capacity of man’s soul “in Adam” is well-able to settle on a philosophical or theological niche and there are social and personal forces in place that can self validate this.
In the case of cessationists, if they are convinced they cannot speak in a tongue – or sing in the spirit as Paul wrote – or trust any of the other gifts, miracles, signs, wonders, they may nonetheless see a back-handed form of “prophecy” – that is: an unfortunately self-fulfilling prophecy of cessation!
This does not in itself disprove cessationism, but it is a watchword going in. Nor does it validate “continuationists” – those who claim the spiritual gifts remain. Indeed, the Bible says Satan is able to appear as an angel of [false] light, and seek if possible to lead astray the very elect, so error is possible in BOTH camps.
Jesus said “If the light in you is darkness, how great is that darkness.” Light represents truth in God’s light. Darkness could represent a facsimile, a counterfeit – even a very good counterfeit, but is ultimately a lie against God’s truth.
It is certain there have been unwitting people who have had spiritual experiences they claim were of God which were not. It is just as certain that aside from false supernatural experiences, the capacity of deception and error in the soul of man – mind, will, emotions – cannot be underestimated.
Man’s soul is made in the image of God, and may manifest a broad array of behavior – and feelings, thoughts, imaginations – that may mimic true spirituality or experiences of the spirit. The Bible very clearly says “test all things, hold fast what is good,” and “test the spirits.”
This said, it is the view of this report that error has indeed happened for both cessationists and continuationists that may be blamed on the human soul in Adam, or even evil spirits inciting false belief and results.
Church Now A Shadow of Apostles’ Vision
Another important point to be made is what has become of those who profess to be Christians since John the apostle fell asleep at the end of the first century.
John wrote God had given the Christians “an understanding” of the faith – that today is the subject of debate – and the Apostle Paul – who wrote more – also revealed a glorious vision or end-goal of what the Spirit of God wanted Christ’s church to accomplish.
Ephesians 2:19-22 speaks of the church of Christ being formed as a fit habitation of God in the Spirit. (See also: 1 Pet. 2:5, 2 Cor. 3:7-18, Heb. 8:7-13; 12:18-29.)
The degree of detail the New Testament lays out of God’s vision and will for the church compared to how things subsequently degraded in church history, indicate the vision was subverted.
Jesus in Revelation 1-3 rebuked five of the seven churches, and even the Philadelphia church was not said to have attained to so exalted a state as the apostles and the Holy Spirit labored for “until Christ be formed in you” (Gal. 4:19).
Jesus in Luke 18:18 questioned – likely prophetically – “when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”
Paul also had prophesied the church would be attacked –
For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. – Acts 20:29-31
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth – 1 Tim 4:1-3
The apostle Peter also said “many” would follow false teachers and the Christian faith would suffer as a result.
But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. – 2 Pet 2.1,2
A Word of Warning
With the above as background, and in light of thousands of divided denominations and sects today, it is the assertion of this report that many church leaders past and present have missed the spirit in part or in full of God’s grand vision for the church.
In turn, individual Christians have fallen well short of what God would have done if people had believed Him and obeyed as fully as He had wanted.
Conditions we have today are a legacy of the Roman Catholics, and particularly since the Protestant Reformation which saw theologians take the scriptures, come to separate conclusions, and produce very different results.
It is the assertion of this report that the root cause for these things boils down to “flesh.” Galatians 5:20 lists “heresies” (i.e., false teachings) as works of the flesh.
This includes fleshly misunderstanding, self-will, wrong motives, incomplete consecration, possibly willful distortion of what is known true, and ultimately, giving “place to the devil” (Eph 4:27). First Timothy 4:1 also says there is such a thing as “doctrines of demons,” which means demons may directly work on the understanding of those in their fleshly error to convince them they are in the right. Satan is content to deceive in many competing directions as long as they confuse or block the way of Christ.
Too often has been the case of Christians who relied on the arm and mind of their flesh in Adam to undertake a holy calling only to miss it, or fall well short.
In discussing truth, corrupt motives of the flesh we must stand guard against include: Personal pride, spiritual pride, wanting to be shown right, wanting to prove others wrong, fear, desire to control, unbelief and distrust of God, and disobedience.
Another trait of carnal debaters: Like an attorney trying to win a case regardless of ultimate truth, fleshly Christians with iniquity tainting them run the risk of disregarding the truth, and dismissing or re-interpreting evidence that may refute their position.
A Berean (Acts 17:10,11) on the other hand wants nothing but the truth with no other agenda than being further enabled to follow, serve, and love God!
So shall we now contemplate whether the gifts of the Holy Spirit have ceased with the writing of the New Testament?
Your first and best advice before anything is take care! Greater people before us have missed the point God wanted them to see, and failed to bear fruit – individually and corporately – God promised to those who truly follow Him.
Many Christians may have settled on a plateau of existence before God, but that subjective life must be measured by God’s standard of what He said is possible, and His will for His church under a better covenant with better promises (Heb 8:6).
Only those absolutely surrendered, as little children, with no other agenda than seeing God’s will fully accomplished are qualified to even discuss these things!
If you ignore this warning, you do so to your own peril.
Cessationism is a false teaching
Cessationists come in different flavors, and they are not all the same, so this is not attempting to lump all into one stereotypical “cessationist” character – it is not trying to bat down a straw man, but to him who has ears to hear, let him hear!
The purpose here is to offer evidence to show that while some ancients floated the idea that the gifts had ceased, “cessationism,” as it can be taught today, is a relatively late-in-history doctrine. What’s more, cessationist proponents cannot point to clear passages of scripture to nail home their points so as to end all dispute. Rather, the various permutations of cessationist theory must extrapolate points from the scriptures, as well as circumstances outside the scriptures, and how they think God works, and then make inferences and inductive leaps while claiming they follow scripture alone.
To take a line from one of their favorite proof chapters in 1 Cor. 13, they at best “see through a glass darkly,” which – as will be shown – in itself stands to nullify the whole house of cards of cessationism to someone honest and spiritually open to God.
Indeed, there are several arguments that in and of themselves should shut down cessationist arguments. This will address some of these, but as cessationists have thrown a lot of rhetoric on the proverbial wall to see what sticks, it cannot anticipate every point cessationists might argue.
The contention of this report however is the burden of proof falls on cessationists to disprove spiritual gifts clearly spoken of by the scriptures. It is not up to continuationists to prove what is already written in plain text.
If cessationists cannot do this, the only honest conclusion is we have no valid reason to suppose gifts of the Spirit have ceased – even if certain Charismatics, Pentecostals, or others may misrepresent them, or abuse things, appear to be false, etc.
The Gifts
Rom 12:6-8 – Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
Note: Gifts of the Spirit include ministering and teaching. Have they also been done away with? Cessatonists will say no, but these are spiritually granted gifts just the same. Why can they have faith for these but not the nine gifts that follow (we shall answer this).
1 Cor. 12:8-10 – for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
It is these that cessationists say ended with either the end of an apostolic age in the first century, or with the finalization of the New Testament, or a combination thereof.
1 Corinthians 13 – A keystone cessationist proof text
Now, let’s look at the famous 1 Cor. 13:10 proof text with some context first.
1 Cor. 13:1-2- Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing …
vs. 8-10 – Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect (or complete) has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
The statement in verse 8 about knowledge — “whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away” ties to verse 2: “though I … understand all mysteries and all knowledge …”
The Greek word for “knowledge” is gnosis. It means what it says in English. It speaks of acquired knowledge – not a supernatural gift of the Spirit, i.e., word of knowledge.
This knowledge is what we have deduced and learned through study, and God’s showing us in our inner man – our knowledge in this life in Christ. It is by nature incomplete – not “perfect.”
Verse 10 – But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
The word for perfect is translated from teleion. It is neuter in the Greek. Some cessationists say “that which is perfect” cannot mean the Lord because He is masculine.
The term could also be translated The Complete One and an example of Jesus Himself using the Greek neuter (John 10:30) to speak of Him and His Father is likewise in the Greek neuter
“I and the Father are One” = Same kind, neuter also.
This means “that which is perfect” is not ruled out from being the Lord Jesus upon His return when He restores order, and establishes His earthly reign over the Kingdom.
And, this shall certainly be perfect!
1 Cor. 13:11-12 – When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
Let’s first look at verse 12, then come back to verse 11 which is a segue.
If, as cessationists assert, “that which is perfect” has indeed come, then it must follow the rest of what Paul wrote in verse 12 has occurred. That is, with the NT scriptures we now see “face to face,” and no longer “in a mirror, dimly” speaking of self reflection. Further, Paul said “then I shall know just as I also am known.”
Have these things come with the New Testament? Did they come over 1,900 years ago with the completed New Testament? Do such realities exist today?
No! There is so much division and confusion as carnal men fight over a book that is only spiritually discerned (1 Cor. 2:14) as to make a mockery of the Christian faith in the eye of unbelievers.
It is patently obvious that the NT canon does not yield this perfect clarity for the believer individually or the church corporately!
Be honest cessationists, please!
Vs. 12 – So “then” he shall know just as he also is known is a reference to an indeterminate future event of seeing Jesus in a mature state.
Paul speaks of a transcendent reality. How are we known by God? God is omniscient, and sees through us. This text means we shall know and see clearly, unencumbered in a purely spiritual state. This is a future event he speaks of that has not happened!
Greek – “then I shall know”
Know = epignOsomai = complete knowledge = spiritual knowledge on par with God’s knowledge.
Paul the apostle himself says he was not at this level of experience, and likens his then-state of being as a child compared to what will be in the future. Do we say we are greater or more spiritually mature than Paul? Did that happen to the Christians when the New Testament (much of which he wrote) was complete?
If one insists “that which is perfect [or complete] has come,” then it follows cessationists must now claim such epignOsomai superlative knowledge without capability of being further perfected!
But in light of so much counter evidence, it would be arrogance to assume this came with the completion of the New Testament even by any stretch of the definition!
And, if false, the travesty here would be the cessationist interpretation highjacks a truth arising from one of the most poignant bible texts speaking on agape love.
And, as this report asserts, “that which is perfect” is actually the Lord Jesus and He comes with the kingdom He ushers in. If this is correct, then those who say otherwise have perverted this reference to the Lord to say it’s the NT Bible and justify why they should deny the gifts of the Spirit – who acts from love, and is love Himself. Bitter irony!
Alternate cessationist theory
But, there is another interpretation on “that which is perfect.” Teleion means “mature or maturity.” Some cessationists have said the original first century church, being basically intact at the end of the century, was this “mature” thing, and thus the gifts ceased then.
Certain cessationist have otherwise said the gifts faded after the apostles’ period regardless.
These church-was-mature or post-apostles theories are alternate beliefs that do not necessarily say “that which is perfect” was the NT canon, but still insist the conditions were met to justify a cessationist position.
The church-is-mature position is a very thin argument, and was dealt with in this report’s opening where it was said the church dissipated after the first century and the apostles’ Spirit-led vision was never completed.
If the church at the end of the first century was so mature and established, how did the “gates of hell prevail” (Mt. 16:18) in centuries following?
And, anyone who assumes that how things in the church were compromised and began degrading with post-apostolic Christianity was God’s doing, that would be an eisegetical assumption – not purely scriptural.
Fact: man was entrusted with the “better covenant” with “better promises.” The promises are conditional! That means man can fail in spite of the Lord’s best efforts.
The just must live by faith, remember?
If men failed to obey and follow God, they brought the dissipation on themselves. If church leaders were wooed by the Roman Emperor Constantine after the early 300s AD, and married the church to the world system, do we blame God for that?
Man has a will and may grieve, quench, and limit God (Ps 78:41). The promise that the “gates of hell will not prevail” against Jesus’ church (Mt. 16:18) depended upon man’s obedience.
The apostles’ mission that “Christ be formed in you” (Gal 4:19) meant it was a goal, not a guaranty!
Now let’s circle back to 1 Cor. 13:11.
Vs. 11 – “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things …”
Commentary: There is a day when we will see Jesus face to face. All questions will be answered. When Paul (and God’s children) become a man (mature) and put away childish things is not when the NT canon is complete here – it is when Christ returns.
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Commentary: After we see the Complete One (Jesus Christ), gifts and partial knowledge will go away. Love will continue.
Further Evidence Perfection Is Maturity in Christ
Another passage citing the gifts is Eph. 4:7-13. Pay attention to verse 13:7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
8 Therefore He says:
“When He ascended on high,
He led captivity captive,
And gave gifts to men.”
9 (Now this, “He ascended”-what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
This is a parallel passage from 1 Cor. 12-13 and in Eph. 4:13, the word for “knowledge” here is the Greek epignOseOs. It is more than “gnosis,” it is complete knowledge, and the term here for “perfect” is again Greek: “teleion.”
Where Paul was less clear in 1 Cor. 13:10 about “that which is perfect,” and verse 12 about knowledge, the thought repeats here.
Paul’s vision of coming to “a perfect man” or “that which was perfect” speaks of an exalted future event more magnificent than the NT Bible being competed just so men could then begin to subvert it, distort it, and divide into spiritually powerless groups.
No! Perfection here speaks of exalted maturity.
Paul Says When the Gifts Will Go Away
Another verse in 1 Corinthians before Paul even gets to the 12th and 13th chapters is 1 Cor. 1:4-7 – especially verse 7.
4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, 5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, 6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, 7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Here Paul is commending them in verse 7 “that you come short in no gift” and they are “eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
If anyone wants to know how long the gifts will be, Paul does not say it will be any less a period of time until “the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ.” He continues in verse 8-9: “who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The gifts are in place until the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ and Paul’s thought immediately is followed by the “the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” – i.e., His returning!
Jesus Set No Expiration Date For Miracles
Beyond this, Jesus never stated miracles would be done away in Mark 16:15-18, indeed they were a promise to enable the church.
15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they[a] will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Did Jesus put an expiration date on these things? No, He did not.
Although cessationists like to say that after the apostles, the gifts were withdrawn. Jesus does not say this was to happen in this passage, but rather suggests the opposite!
Note: He is speaking to the eleven apostles, and tells them “these signs will follow those who believe.”
Who are those who believe? A simple childlike answer would be: everyone after the apostles up to this present time.
Miracles No Longer Needed?
Cessationists have argued half the truth by saying miracles were a sign to prove the Lord as God’s own, and to verify the apostles as the Lord’s true servants.
This is true, the Bible says as much, but to ignore the other aspect of miracles is intellectually and spiritually dishonest.
But first, just as miracles, signs, wonders – the gifts – were useful in proving the apostles’ works from the beginning, authentic God-given miracles stand to do the same today. Christians who merely argue and debate may gain headway, but never has that been the model for large-scale conversions. The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power, said Paul (1 Cor. 4:20). Much more could be said about this.
The other reasons behind miracles – there are many – include God loves people, and wants to bless their lives.
People need Jesus as much as they ever did! Spiritually empowered workers may speak with words of “spirit and life” (Jn. 6:63) and with the gifts of teaching and ministry.
The sick and lame and dying also stand to have their quality of life greatly helped by God’s healing them.
People needing direction are greatly helped by God giving them words of knowledge of prophecy.
Tongues, contrary to a popular cherry picking of the scriptures by certain cessationists emphasizing they must be interpreted or a known human tongue, may also be a tongue un-interpreted (1 Cor. 14:1,4).
Ultimately, God’s eternal purpose is to restore a broken relationship with His rebellious creation – mankind. The New Covenant was promised to have so much more power and glory than the Old Covenant (2 Cor. 3:7-18).
The presence of the supernatural works of the Spirit of God by His obedient ones is yet of incalculable valuable.
To the cessationists’ point, there have been many abuses by soulish Christians. That was the case in Corinth where they were declared carnal.
Today people are yet carnal, and yet could benefit from the infilling of the Holy Spirit in power, and knowing His voice, and obeying Him.
They also need the rest of the apostles’ doctrine which is sadly lacking!
The authentic Spirit of God will never contradict His scriptures. By all means, the cessationsts’ valuation of the scriptures is correct and good.
However, those scriptures do not say gifts were removed, thus the more reasonable conclusion is they are still available to those who obey and seek God’s will.
Who Says The Completed NT Bible Was The Mission?
Cessationists argue is 1 Cor. 13:10’s “that which is perfect” means the New Testament and that is when spiritual gifts will be taken away. Cessationists may also say this coincided with the days of the last apostle at the end of century one.
This is quite the stretch for a few reasons.
One reason is no where else in the New Testament Bible did the writers state completing the New Testament was a goal they were working on.
If indeed it was a goal to compile a New Testament Bible, they got off to a late start, and those who came after the apostles were slow to fulfill this purported commission to finalize the NT.
The first gospel, though there is debate, was not written until at least 13 years after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:1-13 in circa 30 AD. Some say it was as long as 30-some years, being Mark’s Gospel, written they say, in 70 AD.
The first epistle written, scholars have said, came 23 years after. This was 1 Thessalonians, estimated by some at 52 AD.
Although there is dispute on the dates of epistles and gospels – and the dates may have been earlier – the Bible writers were clearly not in a major hurry. It took almost seven decades to complete what could have been accomplished much sooner. Though the apostles did say they obeyed God’s will and followed the leading of the Holy Spirit, apparently the Holy Spirit was not compelling them to make writing a completed New Testament a priority.
In fact, history records it was not even known at the time of the apostles that a Bible to be preserved into untold future generations was needed. It was believed by some that the Lord could or would return in their lifetimes!
Cessationists have suggested God, who knows all, intended to finalize a Bible anyway. To say a mission to compile a completed NT was God’s doing is to step away from the scriptures which again, though they represent the mind and will of God on many topics, are silent (except possibly 1 Cor. 13:10) on the goal to complete a New Testament.
To suggest that God had a secret plan unbeknownst to His apostles, while otherwise revealing the “deep things of God,” at least seems to counter Jesus’ promise that He would share His plans and will with those who loved Him.
No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. – John 15:15
To say that God worked an agenda to compile the New Testament despite lack of knowledge by the Bible writers is thus to make an inductive leap of faith against a suspicious lack of scriptural confirmation.
One would think at least Paul knew it was God’s will to make the NT Bible. He, being divinely taught deep mysteries and the purpose (Eph 3:11) of God’s work, though he taught much, never clearly stated that the NT canon was a project they wanted to finish.
This is one of several cases of eisegesis instead of exegesis that cessationists must rely upon.
And, if they are right, again: why was there no reference to the task at hand of completing the “perfect” NT canon anywhere else in said canon? Why did Paul not clearly state it? Why was there only one very ambiguous veiled reference in 1 Cor. 13:10, assuming he meant it was the NT scriptures?
Indeed, the theory is further degraded as Paul’s veiled referring to a future completed NT canon as “that which is perfect” implies Paul knew it was a mission to be accomplished.
In writing a vague reference, one would surmise Paul – who wrote to shed light, not deliberately conceal – was appealing to something so well known, as to be taken with the hint for what it really meant.
The notion that God wanted a NT canon, and Paul only made one veiled reference to this all-important and sacred mission, is thus a very weak theory. If any cessationist wants to insist, it is nigh to vapid and empty, and at least no more than a theory without scriptural proof.
More realistically, the likelihood is cessationists of such a mind are not thinking things through, as they have been accused of in other aspects of their poorly upheld theory.
No Early Church Witness
Cessationists have argued the chronology of the Bible itself shows tongues and miracles are mentioned less and less, and this suggests they were fading away. This is another eisegetical position.
Absent is any scriptural statement that the gifts were fading away! An equally plausible counter theory is God, who inspired the scriptures, had dealt with the topic already, and was focusing on other things He wanted included up to John.
This is a question we cannot answer before we see Jesus, but otherwise cessationists build on this and have quoted certain questionable and minority views from the past denying the supernatural manifestations of the NT Bible.
They’ve quoted the likes of Luther, Calvin, Augustine, some as far back as the 400s AD, and 18th century evangelists who disbelieved miracles from the First Century were done in their time.
Augustine, in the late 300s, early 400s, wrote: “In the earliest times, the Holy Spirit fell upon them that believed and they spoke with tongues which they had not learned as the Spirit gave them utterance. That thing was done for a sign and it passed away.”
Luther wrote: “This visible outpouring of the Holy Spirit was necessary to the establishment of the early church as were also the miracles that accompanied the gift of the Holy Ghost. Once the church had been established and properly advertised by these miracles, the visible appearance of the Holy Ghost ceased.”
Calvin wrote: “The gift of healing, like the rest of the miracles which the Lord willed to be brought forth for a time, has vanished away in order to make the preaching of the gospel marvelous forever.”
Problem: This is a shoddy witness, as the testimony of these men is questionable. Further, as addressed in the opener of this report, it is asserted the “church” such as it has been, fell from what God’s vision was. It was NOT His doing that man should be unfaithful, marry the world, and this spirit was yet with the Reformers, whose fruit fell not far enough away from the Roman Catholic tree!
Most troublesome is Luther and Calvin consented to the killing of their enemies, thus, despite their being used of God – in cases unwittingly – they were in key ways not led of God, who says love your enemies. Augustine, a Roman Catholic, is responsible for the unscriptural Just War Theory which opened the door for former pacifists to feel OK about killing one another.
Better Post Apostolic Witness
The New Testament was completed as soon as 96 AD. According to Irenaeus (d.202), a disciple of Polycarp, who was a disciple of the Apostle John, miracles were still occurring in his day during the second century.
In his book Against Heresies, Book V, vi. He wrote:
“In like manner do we also hear many brethren in the church who possess prophetic gifts, and who through the Spirit speak all kinds of languages, and bring to light, for the general benefit, the hidden things of men and declare the mysteries of God, who also the apostles term spiritual.”
“Those who are in truth His disciples, receiving grace from Him, do in His name perform [miracles], so as to promote the welfare of other men, according to the gift which each one has received from Him. For some do certainly and truly drive out devils, so that those who have thus been cleansed from evil spirits frequently both believe [in Christ], and join themselves to the Church. Others have foreknowledge of things to come: they see visions, and utter prophetic expressions. Others still, heal the sick by laying their hands upon them, and they are made whole. Yea, moreover, as I have said, the dead even have been raised up, and remained among us for many years…. The name of our Lord Jesus Christ even now confers benefits [upon men], and cures thoroughly and effectively all who anywhere believe on Him”. (“Ante Nicene Fathers”, vol 1, Irenaeus Against Heresies, bk 2, ch. 32, sec. 4, p. 847.)
What’s more, the Roman Catholic church up to this day has held onto a belief that miracles could be performed at least by those who followed God into what they called “sainthood.” A verified miracle is one of the requirements.
Granted, the Roman Catholics believed false things too, but this was a belief they preserved, not one they invented, such as purgatory, papal infallibility, or indulgences, etc.
The Roman Catholics are indeed responsible for preserving the scriptures, despite their obvious faults, and that they did not believe in cessationism was a preserved teaching from the apostles time forward.
But, one might ask, why did not more miracles take place?
Simple: For the same reasons why a lot of terrible abuses took place! God’s chaste virgin bride had been married into harlotry, so little wonder things of the sensitive Spirit – who may be grieved and quenched – faded to obscurity for centuries.
It is this report’s contention most did not know how to access the spiritual enablement of God in full due to their own reasons that touched on their heart and shifting doctrine that embraced wordliness, a clergy/laity model, and more.
They were not fully following the true Spirit of Jesus as evidenced by their other works, and that could explain why the fullness of the Sprit and all He would do was quenched.
Even then, they did not deny miracles, and nowhere was it held as a matter of church teaching that gifts of the Spirit had ceased.
Cessationists rely on “experience” too
Cessationists have been known to say those who believe in the supernatural spiritual gifts can be subjective, emotional, not following the scriptures.
They may say spiritual gift believers follow experience, and not fact or true faith. Actually, that can be said of cessationists too.
Because cessationists say they do not see gifts in operation, they are relying on their experience (or lack of it) as a proof. That is, they are not basing their position purely on the scriptures.
Dr. Jack Deere, author of Surprised by the Power of the Spirit, made a biblical case for not dismissing gifts, despite known excesses by others. He observed:
“There is one basic reason why Bible-believing Christians do not believe in the miraculous gifts of the Spirit today. It is simply this: they have not seen them. Their tradition, of course, supports their lack of belief, but their tradition would have no chance of success if it were not coupled with their lack of experience of the miraculous. . . No cessationist writer that I am aware of tries to make his case on scripture alone. All of these writers appeal both to scripture and to either present or past history to support their case. It often goes unnoticed that this appeal to history, either past or present, is actually an argument from experience, or better, an argument from lack of experience.”
Overall, cessationists’ eisegesis in supporting several of their assertions must give a lot of narrative not plainly stated in the scriptures. They do this at least as much, if not more than they allege their theological opponents do.
And remember: It is the assertion of this report that the burden of proof is on cessationists to support with scriptural passages their theory that spiritual gifts otherwise clearly spoken of in the Bible have been taken away.
Root Issues Behind Cessationist Beliefs
If it is true the spiritual gifts have not ceased, underlying motives of heart in cessationists who say otherwise could include heart iniquities of their carnal old man.
The carnal man has a tendency to run in the opposite theological direction from what personally troubles him. This is called being “reactive.”
A reaction of carnal man could include the iniquities of: 1) fear 2) desire to control, 3) unbelief, 4) distrust.
Fear – Cessationists may wish to avoid perceived extremes and errors of emotional, sensation-driven Pentecostals, Charismatics, etc.
If cessationists may “prove” to their satisfaction there is no physical manifestation of God’s supernatural working, they may feel that they can safely dismiss all those who challenge them in their wrapped tight worldview. Very convenient for them!
This fear is like in kind to the fear Luther had in reaction to the Catholics with solo scriptura which – when handled by the carnal mind – can not produce the authentic Spirit of the Church. Carnal man tends to react to what frightens him or repulses his sensibility. Cessationists may be reacting to perceived wacky Christians, but they in turn run the risk of turning the Bible into a replacement for God Himself.
If so, how very ironic! The Protestants accuse Roman Catholics of contriving unscriptural theories like indulgences, purgatory, the papacy, Mary being immaculately conceived and miraculously taken up to heaven, etc – yet may turn around and do the same thing in their own right.
Alternately, fear also manifests in being frightened or leery of the unknown. It could be they are afraid of the spiritual, and letting go and trusting an inner voice and leading of the Lord not subject to their mind’s comprehension.
Adam’s desire to control — the same motive of not letting go and trusting the leading of God (and accepting the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and miracles, signs, wonders) is also one of maintaining an iron grip on the “faith.” Those who declare God’s Word is all we have and need, and God does not otherwise speak or manifest direct in their spirit, may make their own mind the filter for all they say they believe. If they never submit to the Lordship of Jesus and “come to Him” direct in heart – that is, spirit-to-Spirit – they make themselves the gatekeeper of their so-called Christian faith.
Unbelief – It is a lot easier to believe in what you can understand, reason about, as well as see, hear, taste, feel, and smell. That suits the natural man better than seemingly ethereal or “subjective” things not subject to the rational mind.
True, but fact is God is not a rational mind on man’s level. He is a Holy Spirit and His ways are “past finding out.” His ways are higher than our ways, His thoughts higher than our thoughts.” On the day of Pentecost people thought they were drunk. Other unusual and inexplicable phenomena occurred in the scriptures that were good in God’s sight.
What some define as “decency and order” by today’s cultural standards may be more strict than the Bible examples. Remember David, who danced before the ark of the covenant wearing little to cover his nakedness. Even his own fleshly wife despised his righteous worship, and God cursed her for it.
Do not make a mistake in parallel Christian! Take care what you call profane or of the devil!
Distrust of God – Related to unbelief in God is distrust. Abraham had to have much trust. He followed God without any scripture. God who tests the hearts tested him sorely too, up to offering his son Isaac on the altar.
Authentic discipleship follows the real God – and the New Covenant from the beginning showed a pattern of even greater direct leading than the Old Testament as Christians now had Jesus voice, and His own Spirit on the inside to direct them.
Unbelief and distrust are actually abominable iniquities of the heart, and carnal men may be oblivious to them, or in denial.
Bottom line: If cessatonists are in a false camp, they are acting also from unbelief and ultimately, distrust of the one they name as Lord.
A Berean heart is needed here! This is between you and God! Pause. Pray. Think well how you answer – let it not be rash! If iniquity in your heart is seen, it must be repented of!
Cessationists Can Deny More Than Just the 9 Gifts
Some cessationists may say they do not deny the supernatural wholesale – they still believe God may sovereignly do as He sees fit, or by “providence” perform acts. He also may answer prayers, and more. Salvation itself is a “miracle” even staunch cessationists believe.
However, moderate cessatonists do say they disbelieve the “physical” manifestations of the supernatural. Unfortunately, an unintended consequence of declaring with Luther that Jesus’ “voice” is only metaphorically “heard” in reading the scriptures and not listening in the Spirit in the inner man as well is a restricted understanding of spirituality, and all God would do in them as disciples of Christ.
It takes being filled with God’s Spirit to know the supernatural realm, and be led of God as the scriptures speak of. In the Old Testament, God had a “still small voice” and we know He does not change. It takes cultivating a relationship in prayer and meditation to become sensitized to it, and not “follow a stranger” or one’s mere imagination.
But while certain cessationists may claim they believe in some spiritual things, they may not really believe sufficiently, lacking the right spirit. At worst, they tend to be dry, in their head, weak in agape (God-like) love, and spiritually powerless.
But Paul said in 1 Cor. 4:20: For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.
Ultimately, a tree is known by its fruits. Does the fruit of cessationism produce righteousness, peace joy, a sense of God’s presence, and acknowledgement of His presence?
Does it produce the fruit of the Spirit?
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,” (Gal 5:22)
Does it seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
Does it seek the proof and completeness that Jesus set the tone for in His High Priestly Prayer in John 17?
20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will[e] believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
Note the unity in the Spirit Paul desired and spoke of on several occasions was first uttered as the prayer of Jesus “that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us …”
Note also the proof Jesus said would convince the world that God had sent Him was that this very unity be accomplished: “that the world may believe that You sent Me.”
The Bible was not the proof that Jesus was sent. The proof the Lord called for was we as living epistles join together in unity as a fit habitation of God in the Spirit (Eph 2:22, 1 Pet 2:5).
Note Jesus also said the glory (17:22) God gave to Him He has given to us (not the New Testament) that this unity in the spirit of God may be accomplished: “And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one …”
Note He repeats this was the proof the world could see: “I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me”
Another proof that we are Jesus’ disciples was uttered in John 13:35: “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
It was unity in God and God-like love that was God’s proof of our being His people, and that He existed. That is a more powerful witness than logic, reasoning, and debate from the scriptures – often by those not so full of love as God has called for.
Summary
While to some people cessationism may appear harmless, if it is an incorrect doctrine of man, God would not see it as so; He’d call it a denial of what He declared would be.
Mark 16:15-18 – And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they[a] will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Mark 16:15-18 puts no timeline on miracles, and this was the word of Jesus. John 10 indicates God wants people who know His voice. We must all come to Him spirit to Spirit.
Yes of course we have the scriptures! They lead us to God, but they are not God.
God will open the scriptures, and even cessationists, by God’s grace, may know many truths, but they may also bar God from showing them all, and according to their faith (in no gifts and possibly other supernatural Biblical experience) so be it to them!
God says He is to be our teacher, guide, all in all. Anti-supernatural and anti-spiritual gift teachings tend to make people not look deeper into realities God wants His true church to know and experience, rendering them spiritually not powerful.
If cessationism is an incorrect doctrine of man, they have another term for that: heresy!
At the bottom of heresies is the flesh (Gal 5:19). The evidence suggests cessationism is a heresy that quells (and quenches, denies, resists) what God would do by His Spirit in a Body truly yielded to Him in spirit and in truth. Carnal men devise heresies as they come to conclusions reliant on their own reasoning without the leading of the Holy Spirit.
This anti-supernatural bent is a counter reaction to another carnal excess in an opposite direction — emotionalistic, soulish supernatural manifestations as exhibited by some like certain Pentecostals and Charismatics (who may de-emphasize or redefine holiness).
Remember though: The Corinthians were declared carnal (Chapt. 3) yet manifested the gifts.
The wise would see this, and not throw the baby out with the bathwater – but some people do anyway as so many teachings the early church have also been forgotten, redefined, or swept away.
And, it is very possible there will be tears in heaven for those entrusted with the New Covenant who let it slip, and the devil take over. It is even possible the Lord’s return has been delayed due to the failure of His people.
This said, evidence is overwhelming that “that which is perfect” is not the NT Bible. The completed NT never was the apostles’ stated goal; the goal was the churches unify and grow in the Spirit and agape and usher in the Lord’s return.
Satan routed the apostles’ vision, the church then was married to the world with Constantine. Then Luther came along 1,200 years later as a half-way reformer who set in motion as many problems as he solved.
Although cessationism may have started as new doctrine (never born witness to by the early church) in reaction to fleshly emotionalism and perceived false manifestations, it is a reaction in the flesh in an opposite and just as damaging direction.
In stating the Canon has replaced the gifts, the de facto result may be that it quenches the Holy Spirit in more than just denying the nine gifts of the Spirit. Basically the “voice” of Jesus may now be just the Words on a page, and being “led by the Spirit” is likewise. In all, God for cessationists must be filtered through their brains which resist stepping out in faith and trusting His inner leading and Lordship in spirit and truth.
If such a brain never aspires to the baptism and infilling of the Spirit, or redefines these and other aspects of the Spirit’s direct working, it could be at best an impure flesh/spirit experience, not yielding authentic fruit which will stand the test of fire.
Authentic Christianity is we must come to Jesus – Yes, we learn and know about Him by scriptures, and He is the Spirit of His Word, but we ultimately come to Him direct — from the inner man.
This was Jesus’ exhortation from Matthew to Revelation —
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Mt 11:28)
You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. (John 5:40-41)
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. – Rev. 3:20
Takeaway: Jesus says “come to Me.” He even corrects the lukewarm church that He saw as “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” while it declared “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing.”
And so would those who claim they are rich with the Word, when they do not know and avoid the works of the Spirit of the Word.
The goal for God however is the same as it ever was: Jesus wants His bride ready.
May God have His way!
