I just finished watching a video where a Christian apologist who claims to uphold sola scriptura was arguing cessation of the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit – which he deemed “Apostolic” – while saying that the “normative” gifts – teaching, administration etc. – are continuing. The funny thing is he did not/couldn’t support his argument by scripture just by his own lack of experience of the supernatural gifts. Where is this division of Apostolic versus normative gifts found in scripture? Another argument is that the canon is closed so there is no need for the supernatural gifts. Where is that in scripture? Who closed the canon? Which canon? The Protestant canon? Roman Catholic canon? Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo canon?
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The gifts did cease until the Asuza Street Revival. Then the gifts were supposedly reinstated. The birth of the Pentecostal/Charismatic Movement.
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There were gifts and healing in the beginning of that movement. I both witnessed and experienced them. Soon it became more of a side show as men tried to force God to act. They forgot about flowing with God and thought they could push God on demand.
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The gifts were given for the edification of the church so while the church remains so do the gifts
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There is no Bible verse that says that Gifts ceased and signs and wonders was limited for a certain period of time.
There is no gift to be labelled as normative and some to be labelled as apostolic gifts in the Bible. Spiritual gifts were given so that we are empowered and effective in our journey of following Christ. If the Holy Spirit indwells and never leaves us after we encountered Christ how will certain gifts ceased?
Should we say that the Holy Spirit becomes paralysed in certain gifts? Never ever!!
On the one hand, when Satan is armed with many deadly and deceivious armour to destroy us we need those gifts to tear down strongholds of the evil one.
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Yes they have reduced the gospel to just talking. If the Son of God needed miraculous works to prove that the words he spoke were from God and the twelve Apostles also and then plus the seventy others that Jesus commissioned and then plus Phillip and Stephen in the book of acts who were not Apostles but table waiters then I think it is very arrogant of people to think they do not need to manifest the power of God. What proves the word they give is from heaven?
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Though there isn’t a specific date/day mentioned in scripture, the apostolic gifts ceased somewhere around the 11th chapter of Acts, timeframe-wise.
Paul, who had the gift of healing, did not heal his friend Titus when he was very ill. Paul would have done that if he still retained the gift of healing.
Those gifts were for signs to the Jews, who needed to have signs, according to Jesus. While Jesus was on earth, attempting to show the nation of Israel that He was who the prophets said He was, he and his disciples went to the Jews only. It wasn’t until after his resurrection that the Gentiles were evangelized. And Jesus said the Gentiles sought knowledge, not signs.
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There is a strange thing happening with Christians now, they seem to be totally against the holy spirit and God’s power….They deny healing, miracles, tongues, revival, gifts of the holy spirit! Its very sad ?
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I’ll be honest…I have seen tongues and believe because of how it went. And by something that God had spoken to me earlier that day that came out during the interpretation. So, do not misunderstand me, I believe. But when I read Paul’s instructions as to how the gift is used, I question if it’s Spirit led in churches that people all over the church do it simultaneously without an interpreter. Spiritual gifts are for the edifying of the body…not to showcase the gift. I personally have never been in a church this happened in, so I’m asking for clarification from you. Please don’t think I’m being testy. I really want to understand how that edifies. Does everyone in the church understand what’s being spoken? It’s a real question I’ve wanted to ask. Thank you.
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Nothing like that because spiritual gifts were there even during the OT period & they are still in function to date.The problem with this apologist is that he/she has not given room (his/her heart) to the ministeration of the Holyspirit
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The burden of proof is on the one who alleges. How do you know that the gifts given by the Holy Spirit are the same ones claimed today? Tongues for example – has anyone heard of the tongues in the apostolic church?
We have all cults having rediculous “claims” – even Roman Catholics claim the same and then pray to Mary! “Apostles” just pop up anywhere! Some claimants DENY the Trinity and embrace modalism. Surely not all these who CLAIM THE SAME gifts are from the Holy Spirit! God can not be the author of confusion. -
In the pandemic today – you barely see those “gifted” have the healing for the virus. Ironically, some have nothing but TV propaganda. Why not go to the critically ill and make their manifestations?
It is you who should ask WHERE IN SCRIPTURE do you find those “slaying”? Many try to tele-vice healings and ask donations for miraculous purses or any witchcraft-like stuff. Why not ask WHERE ARE THESE FOUND IN SCRIPTURE? Many more ridiculous fads! Some make their “hissing” and laughter synonimous with the Holy Spirit! Many more. Why not ask WHERE ARE ALL THESE IN THE SCRIPTURE? -
Church History has MANY historical accounts of the Gifts of The Spirit, Tongues, Healings,Miracles and Prophecy especially during the 1st to 4th Century as recorded by such as Polycarp, Iraneus, clement, justin martyr etc
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There’s also the distinction between covenant theology and dispensationalism.
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There are extremes on both ends of this, those who argue from silence that the gifts are no more, and those who argue that mass hypnotism techniques and “tongues” imported from Kundalini Yoga are from God.
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Following
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the apostle John closed the canon at the end of the book of revelation. as to the gifts the apostles had them greatly to lay the foundation of the church in hostile territory. if one does not believe in the gifts for today they will not happen because they operate by faith. they can happen today but the responsibility of the person how has them is great. they usually work in evangelism, how trustworthy would we be with the power of God?
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