panta dokimazete
Puritan Board Post-Graduate
I find myself in yet another curious position. That is, a position that I thought I held and refined is not as clear-cut as I believed.
To wit - I believed that my understanding of the gifts and working of the Holy Spirit placed me firmly within the Continuationist camp, but I am finding that the Cessationist tent may be large enough that I may, with clear conscience, claim that I am a cessationist, while still holding to the general principle of claiming the characteristic "charismatic" and not feeling I am inconsistent or contradictory.
In addition to my other readings, these 2 articles by Phil Johnson have been very helpful:
Cessationism again
You're probably a cessationist, too
I think this neatly summarizes the terms - emphasis mine:
By these terms, anyone that believes the canon of Scripture is closed must be a cessationist. This, to me, is the key defining characteristic on which the Reformed principle of Sola Scriptura lives or dies and one I, or any well-considered Christian, may not compromise.
Now, as to the degree or particulars of cessation, that is a good topic of discussion
To wit - I believed that my understanding of the gifts and working of the Holy Spirit placed me firmly within the Continuationist camp, but I am finding that the Cessationist tent may be large enough that I may, with clear conscience, claim that I am a cessationist, while still holding to the general principle of claiming the characteristic "charismatic" and not feeling I am inconsistent or contradictory.
In addition to my other readings, these 2 articles by Phil Johnson have been very helpful:
Cessationism again
You're probably a cessationist, too
I think this neatly summarizes the terms - emphasis mine:
If you believe any of the miraculous spiritual gifts were operative in the apostolic era only, and that some or all of those gifts gradually ceased before the end of the first century, you are a cessationist.
If you believe all the spiritual gifts described in the New Testament have continued unabated, unchanged, and unaltered since the initial outpouring of tongues at Pentecost, you are a continuationist.
By these terms, anyone that believes the canon of Scripture is closed must be a cessationist. This, to me, is the key defining characteristic on which the Reformed principle of Sola Scriptura lives or dies and one I, or any well-considered Christian, may not compromise.
Now, as to the degree or particulars of cessation, that is a good topic of discussion