Why Do You Believe What You Believe on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit?
Disclaimer: A couple of months ago I said that I was not going to write anymore about Baptist issues and a reader of mine called me on it in the comments section of my last post. I do want to add a few caveats, lest anyone think that I am back in the SBC stuff. I am going to write about the upcoming Baptist Conference on the Holy Spirit that I am speaking at this weekend in Texas because it has to do with God, theology, missions, and God's on going work in the world. There happens to be a Baptist controversy going on right now over those things, but those issues by themselves are important enough to write about and are of interest to me. I will also give commentary on the upcoming reports from the IMB Ad Hoc Committee regarding their review of the prayer language and baptism policies due out in May because that will basically end debate on the issue one way or another. It will be over at that point. For closure, I also plan on attending the SBC Annual Meeting in San Antonio in June - unless God says otherwise, it will likely be my last. I'll write about that because it will be a personal experience in religious something or other. My involvement in all of this stuff started in December 2005 and I want to see it through. The invovlement will end in June and be intentional until then. So, with that said, let's get on to the actual post . . .
As I think about whether or not I should begin to prepare for the upcoming Baptist Conference on the Holy Spirit (kidding), I've also been thinking a lot about the barriers to proper communication on this issue. I'd like some help, if you have a moment. Concerning the continuation of the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit, like healing, speaking in tongues, prophecy, miracles, etc., what has been your experience? What has shaped you view on the issue? Are you mainly reactive to abuses, or have you done actual biblical study on your own? Why do you believe what you believe?
I really am interested in what people think and it would be quite helpful. Personally, I think that most people who believe that the gifts are not for today either:
- Were taught that by someone influential in their life
- Had a bad experience with abuses and unbiblical extremes
- Heard about a bad experience with abuses and unbiblical extremes
- Watched TBN for 15 minutes
- Have never experienced or seen spiritual gifts in operation so they doubt their existence
- Other?
How many really come to a cessationist position because of careful biblical study? I know that people do, and I am not dismissing that. I would just like to understand better what passages really informed you that God no longer works that way. How does the Bible support that position? Or, can you honestly say that fear of the abuses and excesses of others have pushed you into a position where you are not open or look skeptically upon such things?
If I get a really good answer (it can be from either position) and I end up using it (minus your name) in my talk on "Defining and Defending the Continualist Position," I'll send you a copy of Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God by Gordon Fee. It is a very readable and excellent book on the role of the Holy Spirit in Paul's letters and the way that Paul saw Him operating in the church. Really good stuff! It is a scaled down version of God's Empowering Presence, which is Fee's magnum opus that is also great but unapproachable for most readers. Plus, it's a lot more expensive. So, help me out and I'll send you a free book!





Alan, I am pleased you asked. That is amazing and sufficient. You do not need to motivate me with a complimentary book.
One's decision on being a "continualist" regarding the following five passages from the book of John seem to turn on whether these passages from John 12-17 are written only for the disciples or apply also to all future believers. It is my extrapolation from Christ's prayer in John 17, first for himself, secondly for His disciples and finally for future believers that all of the final conversation in these six chapters applies to future believers. It did not cease with the death of the disciples. If we today can be "one with the Father," then the Original Commission of Genesis 1 and the authority as well as the power implied in the following five references manifest themselves in the lives of a believers today.
Christ empowers all disciples by stating in John 14,
"Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.
John 14:11-12 NASB
In four additional verses, Christ instructs them regarding their authority.
"Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. "
John 14:14-17 NASB
"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. "
John 15:7-8 NASB
"You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you."
John 15:16 NASB
"In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full. "
John 16:23-24 NASB
Posted by: Bill Wilkie | April 24, 2007 at 07:55 AM
Alan,
I will begin by qualifying my statement as one who grew up in the SBC, was ordained (as you know) in the SBC and now attend an AG church. I don't attend the AG church to spite the SBC but because I was led by the "Spirit" to serve there. This no doubts clouds the issue but you asked so here goes. Paul is my best source for continuation of the miracles. I Cor. 14:18 clearly states Paul having the gift of tongues but the chapter also recognizes it's divisive qualities. That does not mean it is not of God though. Romans chapter 8&9 are great chapters of confirmation of the working of the Holy Spirit and also of the Sovereignty of God. This is the ultimate to me, the Sovereignty of God. God will be God no matter what I think.
I believe the taught philosophy often times forgets that God can and does choose to work in His way. Ultimately it comes down to what type of limitations your heart and mind puts on God. I fall short of trusting Him fully quite often so it is easy to say but hard to do. Regardless, He loves me. This is a great miracle in itself. Although I do not personally have the gift of tongues I none the less believe it can and does still exist because I believe God is able. He does not say His gifts will cease anywhere that I can find Biblically so why should I believe they have? I do think as you that just because we do believe does not mean we should be dismissed. I will leave you with Pauls prayer for the Ephesians or Laodicians if you prefer (Eph.3:14-21) Peace.
p.s. You don't have to send me a book. Save your money and thanks anyway.
Posted by: Keith Lucas | April 24, 2007 at 08:42 AM
Like most presuppositions, I inherited my cessationism from my religious heritage without much thought. I was surrounded by the assumption that the miraculous gifts of the spirit were a thing of the past, but I was never given the reasons why. I joined the bandwagon that dismissed and ridiculed the TV preachers that abused the gifts for financial gain, and I assumed that they represented the majority view of the continualist, even though I did not know the term.
My conversion to the continualist position really began in seminary. My seminary education gave me a strong background in hermeneutics. I learned to examine my presuppositions, to let Scripture interpret Scripture, to examine the context of each passage, and to critically listen to other's points of view to strengthen my own. With this high view of the Bible, I could not find a compelling reason to justify the cessationist position. I could not find anything in the NT to suggest that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit ended with the formation of the church, the closing of the canon, or the passing of the apostles. Instead, I began to let Acts and Paul speak on their own merit.
My journey from cessationism has not been easy. Much of what comes from the continualist perspective is produced by the "Word of Faith" movement, a movement full of false teachings. So dangerous are those false teachings, it makes sense that orthodox Christians have kept their distance from anything that even smells like it. However, the correct way to handle the abuses of the Spirit is not to avoid the Spirit but to walk in truth.
I still have much to learn, and I have high hopes to learn much from the upcoming conference. I am seeing again the full gospel: Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the Holy Spirit.
Posted by: Todd Pylant | April 24, 2007 at 08:42 AM
Alan,
For a long time I have held a cessationist position for a number of reasons and only recently have I begun in depth study on spiritual gifts. To be honest, I was never really exposed to tongues etc. except for TBN, and I turned it off after 5 minutes and dismissed it. I grew up at a Methodist Mega Church and the topic of tongues or healing or prophecy was never addressed or practiced. I then moved to the Baptist mega church that was very similar to the Methodist Mega Church. I then moved to a very small town Baptist church as youth minister and again the subject was never breached.
At this point, I began to study reformed theology and the general assumption from those that I learned under was a cessationist position. However, I never really studied the subject even at this time, but took it as a truth because those whom I respected and learned from were cessationists.
At this point, I made a basic assumption that I have held until I came to Gateway: The spiritual gifts of tongues, healing, and prophecy were given to validate the apostles ministry until the Canon of Scripture was formed. I also conceded that these gifts could and did happen on the front lines of missions in other countries to validate the ministry of the missionaries until the word could be accepted.
I then went to a Evangelical Presbyterian Church, which as a general assembly takes no active stance but lets individual churches decide.
So, that is my journey down the cessationist road, and I travelled this far with out knowing where I was going. The debate within the SBC and your teaching has spurred my mind into making a decision for myself about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I do believe that they can be abused and that they were when Paul wrote to the Corinthians, but the fact that some people abuse something does not make it a bad thing and not from God. (People abuse the Scriptures with misinterpretation and lead others into spiritual bondage, yet the Scriptures are still valid). I hope this helps give persective as to how some of us can come to a conclusion about the gifts of the spirit. I have never seen spiritual gifts in person, so my answer to your questions above is: 1, 4, and 5.
I hope through my own study and the teaching of you and others that I can reach my own understanding and still be open to the other perspectives. All in all, I think that this is not a major issue and definitely not worth dividing over.
Posted by: Jeff Moody | April 24, 2007 at 09:14 AM
I grew up hearing my preacher often quote B.B. Warfield's position on cessationism and pretty much bought that position throughout high school. In college I attended my first bona fide charismatic revival service and was horrified. I did not believe that much of anything I saw there was legitimate. I ended up leaving after 2 1/2 hours. I've also watched far more than 15 minutes of TBN. Enough to make my head hurt and my stomach queasy.
In seminary I read Dr. Jack MacGorman's little book on The Gifts of the Spirit. I also worked with a guy who was listening to some audio tapes on the job of "the Kansas City prophets." This was about the time Bob Larson started finding demons under every rock and we listened to his radio show almost every day. He was a member of an independent Bible Church that was heavily calvinistic with some very small charismatic leanings. He was an elder in his church.
Dr. MacGorman's book was about the only influence from a non-cessationist standpoint that made any sense whatsoever. The rest just seemed like a lot of gobledygoop.
In the end I am a continualist not because of any experience I've had. In fact, quite opposed to my experience as I believe that much of what passes for the work of God's Spirit is a sham. But I am a continualist because of who I believe God to be and who that God is revealed to be in both Scripture and in Christ. I tend to look at the Scriptures as a whole and not just individual passages that might be used to proof-text a position, though those individual passages are vital to our understanding. Nevertheless, a cessationist view seems to me to be more of a Diestic view of God than a Biblical one. God has done the "miraculous" from the moment he said, "Let there be," to Naaman's healing, to the widow of Zarephath, to the rescue of Jonah, to the healings of Jesus, Paul and the rest. I do not see those as simply signs affirming God's message. I see them, and particularly beginning with Jesus, as evidence of the inbreaking of God's kingdom in this world. They continue to show that he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and that he was and is at work through his anointed Messiah and Son. I think there is an unhealthy wedge driven between these sort of acts of God and the Scriptures. To say that we no longer need miracles because we have a closed canon is to set miracles against the Scriptures now that we have a closed canon. I think that is a wrong view of miracles and a wrong view of the Scriptures.
So, my understanding is actually in many ways contrary to my experience - which has been almost exclusively negative regarding "miraculous gifts" and tongues - and comes from my overall understanding from the Scriptures about both who God is and what those miraculous things are meant to show us.
Posted by: Paul | April 24, 2007 at 10:48 AM
I didn't grow up in church. Sure, Mom and Dad took me to VBS and what I learned there resulted in my getting saved as a little kid. That was followed by a total ignoring of all that God stuff.
Next, I got churchy when a neighbor invited us to hear his Sunday School Teacher, and I liked it. That was a Methodist Church, just prior to their merger with the Evangelical United Brethren Church (which the VBS was at) to form the United Methodist Church.
Then I got interested in the Bible and God started communicating with me. We subsequently left and joined an evangelical United Presbyterian Church, then a Reformed Presbyterian Church (Evangelical Synod) and finally a PCA church. Then, in 1982, we joined First Baptist Church here in Pelham.
The only mention of gifts in any of the prior church was a sidewards reference to the fact that tongues and healing were apostolic and not currently valid. When I came into the broad-based theology of the SBC and realized that I had to believe for myself, I started believing the Bible. Period. And I saw that there was no biblical basis I could see for the popular statements that God couldn't or didn't do this or that.
Then I heard a sermon in which Joseph Garlington said that we serve a God Who can do anthing He wants, anywhere He wants, any time He wants, any way He wants, to anybody He wants. I had to admit that's the sort of God I believed in, and began to look for things He was doing. I was instructed to do that, anyway, by studying "Experiencing God".
Wonder of wonders, God is doing just that, today.
I saw a bumpersticker once that said "I don't BELIEVE in miracles ... I DEPEND on them!"
Amen.
Posted by: Bob Cleveland | April 24, 2007 at 03:23 PM
Alan: "Personally, I think that most people who believe that the gifts are not for today either:
"Were taught that by someone influential in their life"
>This was the position I was taught in my church growing up (ABA, not SBC), in seminary, etc. In fact the position was so strong that anyone who questioned I Cor. 13:10 meaning the finished canon of Scripture was somewhat 'suspect'.
"Had a bad experience with abuses and unbiblical extremes"
>Have never had any particular experiences with the gifts, extreme or otherwise
"Heard about a bad experience with abuses and unbiblical extremes"
>Heard about plenty of them, but that didn't/doesn't have much effect on my position one way or another
"Watched TBN for 15 minutes"
>Isn't that enough! :-D (Too much, really)
"Have never experienced or seen spiritual gifts in operation so they doubt their existence"
>I have never seen any spiritual gifts in operation in a way that I thought comparable to the gifts of the New Testament period.
I suppose I am a "default cessationist". I was taught that and accepted that position. I have studied it, and would be open to continuationism. In fact, the fact that I believe apostolic practice is normative probably tends to prime me to accept that position. Nevertheless, I found no strong reasons to abandon my position for something else. I have never been satisfied with the other interpretations of I Cor. 13, either.
But I have made some changes in the way I approach things. For example, a few years back I wrote a piece against speaking in tongues as evidence of the baptism of the Spirit. 20 years ago, a main plank would have been I Cor. 13:10. In several thousand words, I never mentioned it even once.
One thing that might be added under "other" is "peer pressure". That's not exactly the word I'm looking for, though it may be just the one for some folks' cases. For me though, it would be this -- I've never had a case of church fellowship with anyone who believed in continuationism (by this I don't mean friendships, but folks and churches in physical vicinity that I would rub shoulders with, exchange pulpits with, visit their meetings, etc.) So why would I go out on a limb to support a position held by someone miles and miles away, when it might alienate me from my brothers and sisters with whom I rub shoulders every day? [Note: this scenario would not apply to something I felt strongly about; just something like this where I'm ambivalent] Hope that makes sense!
Posted by: R. L. Vaughn | April 24, 2007 at 11:02 PM
Alan, I think you know how I feel, but here goes...
Hmmm, I hate labels.
I think the Bible makes it clear that God doesn't change. God gives gifts. God gives gifts to those who ask. Did I mention that God doesn't change? Did you know God uses humans in spite of themselves and that what is impossible for us is possible with God, and did I say He uses us to accomplish His purpose in many cases? How can we accomplish things? Hmmm, perhaps spiritual gifts would be one way? God doesn't change. Why all the information about gifts and how to use them appropriately? Oh, and what do you do with all the miracles and genuine believers who are gifted by faith? Throw all of it out as a sham because some may be? That is folly. That would be doubting the character of God in my opinion, not just the quality of the people who may or may not be faking. And, it seems to be more a walk by sight (experience) rather than a walk of faith in a God who doesn't change. Besides, why not try a little Romans 12:1-2 on before you go declaring every outworking of spiritual gifts a sham. We can approve things. I see more harm in people mentally thinking their way through scripture than I do some becoming overly emotional about things. God craves our relationship and intimacy. God doesn't change.
Oh, and I was raised on cessationism first, but then had all these awful lessons and tests on spiritual gifts that seemed like nothing more than personality tests and made a mockery, in my opinion, of a true spiritual gift, and have often doubted things I've seen people claim, but, in the end, I simply take God at His word, He keeps revealing mroe of Himself to me, and I believe that God's gifts are the same for me today as they were yesterday and will be forever. He doesn't change. He is absolutely good, loving, kind, merciful, just, faithful.... Thank you God!!!
Posted by: Bryan Riley | April 25, 2007 at 05:24 PM
Note, I didn't get in to experience... often it seems that anything that even borderline smacks of charismatic belief gets lambasted as only experiential... of course, I do believe in experiencing God... :) Anyway, I have, with some exceptions, mostly had a very positive experience around the exercising of spiritual gifts. Can it be abused? Yep... just like doctrinal demands can be. Just like leadership can be. Just like peer pressure can be.
Posted by: Bryan Riley | April 25, 2007 at 05:27 PM
Alan: Wish I had something profound to say so I could get the book. :) I'm just beginning to get the gist of the two "IST's". In my experience as a Christian I held to the belief that the Lord doled out gifts as He saw fit for those He wanted to accomplish tasks He so desired that they accomplish. I've never wavered from that belief. I know people who speak in tongues (a language unknown to my ears) and I have no problem believing that what they are doing is indeed a gift I do not have which gives them peace and comfort which I do have without the gift of tongues.
I've seen and witnessed miracles and believe some of the miracles I've heard others testify to are genuine and of God. A miracle to me is something that cannot be explained in anyway shape or form by man. Science shakes its head and scholars bow their heads. Some of those miracles have happened to me, but I rarely speak of them because most people would think I'm wacko.
I am turned off to TBN because it denegrates the reality of what is possible and probable with God every day.
I've read and studied the gifts of the Holy Spirit yet am not solidly grounded in great understanding on any issue. I do believe that in the last days we will see a pouring out of the Holy Spirit just as prophecied and I may be misinterpreting that, too.
I do not concern myself with who uses what where as long as Biblical instruction is followed when using gifts. I do not see any one gift as evidence of another's higher spirituality or of a closer walk with God. I have more I'd say on the subject but think I've probably said more than enough that is not profound or worth repeating at a conference--let alone on topic to this post. Forgive me if I'm off base. selahV
Posted by: SelahV | April 25, 2007 at 07:30 PM
Great thoughts, SelahV. You're not off base at all. Thank you for your comments.
Everyone,
All of the comments were helpful. They reaffirmed for me how God works in the process of speaking to people about these things. Thank you for sharing your story. I also received some emails that people sent me privately that were very encouraging along these lines. This has been a great experience and I REALLY appreciate your participation.
I was especially helped by Bill Wilke's comments regarding the implications of being One With the Father. We try and proof text our way through these debates and end up far afield from the main gist of Scripture. He reminded me to step back and look at the bigger picture, which was very helpful. So, I would send Bill the book, but he told me that wasn't necessary, so I'll honor that.
So, the book goes to Jeff Moody. The reason for this is, I see Jeff as someone in process on this, and it was very helpful to hear what has been influential for him in rethinking this issue. Jeff goes to my church, so I know him, but that was not the deciding factor. From Jeff's comments, I gained confidence that a major issue in keeping people in the dark on this has to do with a lack of exposure and a surplus of negative experiences. That just encourages me all the more to be biblical and balanced.
Thanks to each one of you for participating. Every comment helped me in it's own way. I'm off . . .
Posted by: Alan Cross | April 26, 2007 at 07:23 AM
Alan,
This is an interesting and sometimes controversial topic. Typically when I discuss these things, I have a difficult time "agreeing to disagree", but here goes.
Let me start by saying that I have grown up with a cessationist background. I have, however, done quite a bit of study on this subject (well, a couple years ago...) I still have not run across any Scripture "proof" to change what I learned growing up. It seems to me that it may be popular to disagree with the majority stance (at least in the SBC... not that I agree with everything in the SBC).
To me the reason I keep coming back to is purpose. What purpose were the gifts instituted for? Is that purpose still viable in today's multi-cultural, multi-lingual, global society? Let's take the 3 most common and debated gifts:
1) Tongues - A lightning rod for controversy. I certainly can't say that the spiritual gift of tongues doesn't exist today (as stated by others because God is God and His ways are higher than our ways), but I can disagree with the uses that are typically propogated. The most common "excuse" for the purpose of tongues is for prayer to God. I don't see this as a valid purpose for the gift of tongues. The reason? To whom are spiritual gifts intended for? Others. God did not give us spiritual gifts for our own edification nor for Gods. That'd be like giving someone a flashlight so that they can see in the dark and them turning it back on you and shining it in your eyes. Tongues was a sign to the Jews to authenticate the Gospel spoken thru believers prior to the canon of Scripture. Isaiah said that with "foreign lips and a strange tongue they will speak to His people" meaning that tongues was meant as authentication of God's acceptance of the Gentiles and the message they spoke.
Not only was tongues meant as a sign for the Jews of God's Spirit bestowed upon Gentiles, but Paul also says that the gift of tongues will "cease". As in, not be around any longer... not be replaced, but just cease. I don't speak Greek, but apparently Greek scholars indicate that the Greek word here for cease indicates a "cutting off". It's also important to note that tongues is not mentioned after 1 Corinthians 14 in the NT.
In reading 1 Corinthians 14 it also appears to be somewhat of a sarcastic tone from Paul. He chastises the Corinthians for their use of tongues and basically says that if you speak in tongues it's as though you are talking to God, because no one else will understand you. And if you are speaking to God, you are the only one edified. Not even Paul would say that speaking to God in tongues was invalid, but it appears that Paul felt it was almost worthless for the Church. In addition, references to the viable use of tongues always indicate that the gift allowed a believer to speak in an actual tongue that was not learned thru the power of the Holy Spirit. Ecstatic utterances, which are commonly referred to as the gift of tongues, do not appear to be a worthwhile endeavor and are always used as an example of how not to practice the gift of "tongues".
2)Prophecy - We need to be clear on this one, because it can mean different things. There are 2 common definitions for this gift. The first is the utterance of previously unrevealed spiritual truth. The seconds is the utterance of biblical truth to the body of Christ in a corporate setting. I believe that the gift of prophecy, as defined by the second definition, is essential to the body and is what pastors all over the world should be doing every Sunday (and more, but if they would even do it on Sundays that would be great) from their pulpits. The first definition contradicts Scripture by creating an understanding that God has not revealed to us all the things we need to live a godly life in His Word. By allowing for post-canonical revelation, the Church makes a grave mistake and can be led astray by heretical teachings. Prophecy, in its proper definition, is the edification of believers and non-believers by the teaching of Biblical truth and is not meant as a fortune telling side show.
Prophecy prior to the Scriptures was also essential to the body of Christ. Paul, in writing the Epistles, prophesied. The Scriptures were the result of Biblical prophecy penned under the influence of the Holy Spirit for our salvation. The apostles, however, did not have "the Scriptures" as we know them. Under the influence of the Holy Spirit they prophesied and wrote books that were included in the biblical canon. Prophecy was necessary, not only to pen the Scriptures, but for the edification of the body because they did not have the Scriptures to fall back on. I can only imagine how difficult it would have been to only learn of the Way by "discerning the spirits" so as not to be led astray. Christ be praised that we can fall back on His Word to determine our steps.
The gift of prophecy, as unrevealed biblical truth, also does not appear to have a purpose today because it was replaced with the ultimate prophecy, the Word of God (meaning the Bible). God has revealed everything we need for godly living and salvation in His Word.
3) Miracles - Again, I don't deny that being God, He can reveal Himself thru any means He desires. However, the purpose of Miracles in the NT was always for the authentication of the apostles for the purpose of evangelization. I still believe that God performs miracles. But miracles for the purpose of authentication of a believer in the Holy Spirit are no longer necessary as there are other fruits of the spirit that allow others to discern our spiritual maturity; Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. I believe if miracles were necessary to discern our spiritual maturity, they probably would have been mentioned here.
But Paul's tone on the subject didn't suggest that it would continue very long (because it wasn't addressed again in any other books) and certainly doesn't permeate any of the other NT books. Remember, Paul's letter to the church at Corinth is the main passage for learning about the sign gifts. But put it into perspective... Corinth appears to be the most dysfunctional church that Paul visited. They had all sorts of problems. It's not as though Paul wrote these letters to the Corinthians as an example of how to live a godly life. It was to correct the teaching and problems that were evident there. To read into these passages as major aspects of godly living seems to lend too much credence. There are things that, based on the number of times they are mentioned in Scripture, are much more important (ie. Attitudes toward money, Love, etc...) That said, if God chooses to draw a soul to Himself by performing a miracle thru a believer, I certainly wouldn't be surprised (again, God is God). I just don't believe He is in the habit of doing so.
So that's why I embrace the cessationist viewpoint. I may be wrong, but I have studied enough to know that your hermeneutic influences your belief on these matters and that there is enough evidence in Scripture to support either.
Posted by: Tim Fort | May 08, 2007 at 08:59 PM
Thanks for the response, Tim. You articulated the classic cessationist position well and I appreciate you participation. I have answered each of your points elsewhere, so I won't repeat myself here, but I do want to say that I appreciate your tone and your respect for the other position. My point continues to be that this is a minor issue and that we should seek to keep the unity that God gives us through Jesus Christ. In our differences, we should always operate in love and seek to build up the unity that God provides. May God bless you!
Posted by: Alan Cross | May 08, 2007 at 11:58 PM
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