A Question about Cessationism?

[Sviata Nich]

Correct me if I am wrong, but the standard cessation position (which I would side with, I think) would reject the thought that the gift of tongues and prophecy has ceased since the death of the apostles? If so, how do you deal with those who claim such things? Think of them as false prophets, goats, or just mistaken sheep?

And, what about healing? Does cessationism reject that God still miraculously heals altogether or that just the gift of "miraculously" healing - like Benny Hinn thinks he has - has ceased?

 

[Alan D. Strange]

As for cessationism, I would recommend, above all, Richard B. Gaffin's Perspectives on Pentecost. Also good, and perhaps more accessible to the wider Christian reading public, is O. Palmer Robertson's The Final Word.

With respect to how to account for apparent apostolic phenomena in the wake of their foundational ministry, I still think that B.B. Warfield's Counterfeit Miracles is excellent. There are more recent publications, but you can simply extrapolate what Warfield said here and apply it to the various signs and wonders movements of the last century.

Peace,
Alan

 

[Peairtach]

Correct me if I am wrong, but the standard cessation position (which I would side with, I think) would reject the thought that the gift of tongues and prophecy has ceased since the death of the apostles? If so, how do you deal with those who claim such things? Think of them as false prophets, goats, or just mistaken sheep?

And, what about healing? Does cessationism reject that God still miraculously heals altogether or that just the gift of "miraculously" healing - like Benny Hinn thinks he has - has ceased?

Basically there are five extraordinary apostolic gifts and three offices that we don't expect to see, now that the complete Bible has been made foundational to the Church.

The gifts are "tongues" (an Elisabethan word for languages), the "interpretation" (rather translation) of tongues, prophecy, miracles and healing.

The offices are that of apostle, prophet and evangelist - only in the sense that there were evangelists in the New Testament with extraordinary gifts.

There are slight differences between cessationists - which was actually the standard orthodox position from the time of the Reformation. I don't know when the term "cessationism" was first used, or by whom, but wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't post-1900 when Pentecostalism got going properly. Was it first used by Pentecostalists or their apologists?

If you can get a hold of this book - which should really be republished - by Douglas Judisch, a Lutheran scholar, it answers a lot of questions.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref...08&sr=1-2-ent&field-contributor_id=B001KHEO2C

 

[Douglas P.]

As for cessationism, I would recommend, above all, Richard B. Gaffin's Perspectives on Pentecost.

Yes. I couldn't agree more. Also, the lecture series that the became this book is available on WTS website.

 

[Scott1]

There have been several thorough thread discussions about this topic you may find helpful.

Using the advanced search feature (upper right) will access them as you use the search features to clarify the search.

The most basic aspect of understanding this is whether special revelation ordinarily comes outside of the Scripture, now that the foundation of our faith, built upon the unique roles of apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:20), has been delivered, (Jude 1:3) and settled for God's people until the end of the world.

It is NOT about whether miracles "can" (still) occur, but it is about sola scriptura. Many do not understand this, and there has been unnecessary misunderstanding and division because of that. The answer always is God's Word.

Look to search the previous detailed threads, and you will see some variations, but on that same theme.

 

[Rufus]

I would argue that many charismatics are mistaken sheep, others are goats, and others are outright heretics.

 

[lynnie]

http://www.frame-poythress.org/Poythress_books/NPoythressSpiritualGiftsFinal.pdf

pg 30 starts with charismatic gifts

This is from a PCA booklet series on foundations of the faith. This booklet on Spiritual Gifts was written by a Westminster Seminary Prof Vern Poythress. He is technically a cessationist in the classical sense of no new canonical revelation, but has some interesting perspectives on spiritual gifts today.

Also see this, especially the history:

Modern Spiritual Gifts as Analogous to Apostolic Gifts

It is intellectually dishonest in my opinion to disregard the experiences described and accepted by Rutherford, Flavel, Mather, Spurgeon, etc. They were fully charismatic, although understood to be extraordinary works and not God's usual means of grace. The average charismatic wants this to be constant and minimizes the value of ordinary disciplined Christian living (I know, when I got saved I was one!)

 

[Claudiu]

I still think that B.B. Warfield's Counterfeit Miracles is excellent.

I'm reading this right now and I would recommend it as well.

 

[Jonathan B.]

The gifts are "tongues" (an Elisabethan word for languages), the "interpretation" (rather translation) of tongues, prophecy, miracles and healing.

"Interpretation" also means "speech translation" in English, so it's not a mistake.
In that particular context, it does not stand for "explanation".

 

[Sviata Nich]

thank you everyone.