An earlier article introduced this subject; now we take a further look.
Some of the ground we covered needs clarity and further comment - as we look more closely at the word of God.
Biblical Christianity is rooted in the death and resurrection of Christ, repentance and faith in him and then living the Christian life in fellowship with the Spirit and with God's people.
Here the New Testament refers to 'spiritual gifts' or 'manifestations of the Spirit' (1 Corinthians 14:1 & v12): the word of wisdom, the word or utterance of knowledge, gifts of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, and various kinds of tongues and the interpretation of tongues (See 1 Corinthians 12:8-10).
We also see a deep, inherent unity in that 'All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills' (1 Cor.
12:11).
He is Lord! But if these gifts do not continue today, the big question is, does Scripture support their cessation? For if not, they ought to continue for building up the body of Christ.
Let's look at this under four sections: 1.
KNOW THE TIME Many believe we are in the 'last days' and that now the Spirit is being poured out, restoring his gifts to their rightful place in Christ's church.
'Last days' - what does that mean? On the Day of Pentecost, Peter boldly declared that Joel's prophecy was fulfilled, 'And it shall be in the last days, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh...
' (Acts 2:17).
The time had arrived; the end-time had begun.
In another instance, Paul explains how the Old Testament was 'written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come' (1 Corinthians 10:11).
So the whole period from the Day of Pentecost until the Lord returns is the 'last days' and 'the end [consummation] of the ages'.
Yes, the Lord's appearing is near, but the recent emphasis has distorted the biblical perspective that the great End-Time and consummation began nearly 2,000 years ago! 2.
KNOW THE LANGUAGE Much charismatic teaching centres on the baptism of the Spirit, and emphasises speaking in tongues.
Is this new ecstatic 'speech' the same as the New Testament gift? Here is a brief review.
The notable Day of Pentecost shows that 'they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance' (Acts 2:4).
And the New Testament reference to 'tongues' is the same word as for 'languages'.
In this first instance it appears as a supernatural mark of the universality of the gospel.
Now grace overcomes race as the ministry of the ascended Christ reaches Gentile nations, as he brings them into the kingdom of God.
But many Jewish people believed they were still God's people, and so Paul says this new gift of languages is a sign to challenge Jewish unbelief.
He quotes the Old Testament, where the Lord says 'By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me' (1 Cor.
14:21).
And Paul then makes it clear that 'tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers' (1 Cor.
14:22).
Scripture teaches that the gospel of Christ is God's final, irrevocable word of a 'great salvation' to which God has himself borne witness; 'While God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will' (Heb 2:4).
By the time of the Hebrews epistle, this is all in the past tense.
Nothing further needs to be added.
So, is the stimulated, ecstatic experience of modern 'tongues' the New Testament sign gift? By no means, a great gulf exists between the two.
3.
KNOW THE APOSTLES AND PROPHETS Early in his ministry, Jesus chose twelve, 'whom he named apostles' (Luke 6:13).
They were given authority and power, and soon after Jesus' resurrection the Christians 'devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching' (Acts 2:42).
Then we see that 'many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles' (Acts 5:12).
Later, Paul explained how, after the risen Lord had appeared to 'all the apostles.
Last of all, as to none untimely born, he appeared also to me' (1 Corinthians 15:8).
Paul is the last apostle.
His ministry at Corinth is significant; 'The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works' (2 Cor.
12:12).
This confirms that 'signs and wonders' accredited the apostles and their preaching.
They, with the prophets, form part of the foundation, with 'Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone' (Ephesians 2:20).
So, what then is prophecy? It is the clear proclamation of the word of God, and on occasions, early in the Acts of the Apostles God also performed signs and wonders through the prophets' ministries (see Acts 6:8).
Stephen's defence is a challenging prophetic word, (Acts 7).
Another instance is, 'the Holy Spirit said "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them" ' (Acts 13:2).
Then, as New Testament Scriptures emerge, they take precedence over verbal prophetic ministry, and Paul writes; 'This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare' (1 Timothy 1:18).
Now it is Paul, as an apostle, who writes Scripture to endorse those particular earlier prophecies once given to Timothy.
4.
KNOW WHAT CEASES AND WHAT CONTINUES Sadly, much of the popularity of the modern version of 'the gifts', has flourished in the collapse of belief in the full inspiration of Scripture as the word of God.
Thus we have witnessed the rise of a shallow 'Alpha Course' sub-biblical Christianity, which is at home as much in the Roman Catholic Church as in what were once well-taught Evangelical Churches.
From this brief overview we can see that supernatural endowments of the Spirit bringing direct revelation from God: prophecy, words of knowledge, and words of wisdom, and sign gifts, that is; healing and speaking in tongues, have all ceased with the completion of the 66 books of Scripture.
But if all this has ceased, do we have anything left? What a question! We have the triune living God with us, and if God be for us, who can be against us! We have the finished work of Christ upon the cross and ascended Lord and Saviour, with his present all-prevailing intercession.
We have God's final and complete word in Scripture to be meditated upon, passionately obeyed and shared with all the nations! We must repent of our sins and seek the fullness of the Holy Spirit - a serious calling, as is to plumb the depths of the love of God and to walk in the Spirit in joy and purity.
Now we pray for the sick and God may well heal.
We have a marvellous gospel that reveals the astonishing riches of God's grace that where sin abounded grace did much more abound.
Now we are able to offer justification by faith alone in Christ alone, a great everlasting salvation, full and free.
So, we must pray for more of the gracious Spirit's power, but in the biblical context of what has ceased and what has very much NOT ceased!