As part of my teaching the last few weeks on the Gifting of the Church and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit I thought I would ask if you were a cessationist or not. If you are, why? If you are not, why? If you don't know what this means, read the comments on this post and then decide if you are or aren't.
Posts
When Quoting Scripture Inflicts Harm
6 years ago
3 comments:
i certainly hope i am not a cessationist, unless it is to say that i would cessate(?) to "stop and smell the roses" or to "stop and 'Drink In' the Holy Spirit" before making my next move, preferably forward. I'd rather be called a protagonist, as described in this (4th definition, Encarta Dictionary):4. supporter: an important or influential supporter or advocate of something such as a political or social issue
an early protagonist of educational reform.
i hope my words and actions never cause someone to fall back from the prosect of Christianity.
(Not sure i answered the question you are asking, esp. referring to the Holy Spirit.) I hope never to thwart the Holy Spirit, in me or anyone else.
that's me, ann m
I'll admit I had to look up "cessationist". I found a blog column claiming that all of us are really cessationists because the spiritual gifts don't seem to be as evident today as they were in the early church. I tend to think that any lack in the expression of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is due to our lack of openness (too much rationalism?) rather God's removal of those gifts. Who are we to decide how God will move? Let's seek Him, immerse ourselves in the Word, and be open to however He chooses to use us.
Molly Holloway
Pastor Ray’s series of daily messages on gifts of the Holy Spirit have provoked some thought. Now we are asked if we believe the gifts are no more.
The Bible teaches about several classes of gifts: people (Eph 4:11-16), the spectacular called-by-some “sign gifts” (I Cor 12:8-11), and gifts that equip for ministry (I’ll call them “ministry gifts” for lack of a term, Rom 12:6-8)). When Christians I’ve known have talked about “spiritual gifts” or “gifts of the Spirit,” they’ve usually meant the “sign gifts”, i.e. speaking in tongues, miracles, healing, and the like, which is really too bad, because such talk diminishes God’s promise to build up and empower His church to serve Him.
People as gifts. I marvel at God’s grace to think that our Father can take a sinner, whose righteousness is as filthy rags, make him a new creation, and then present him as a present to those in need. A present, a gift! This excites me. I know that my wife was God’s gift to me. I’d like to think I was His gift to her. I’d like to think that I could be gift for others in other ways. Alas, Eph 4:11 doesn’t say this is true for every believer; however…
Ministry gifts. “Now to EACH ONE (my emphasis) the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (I Cor 12:7) Each and every believer is given the chance to be a blessing to others through some gift. Rather than being the gift as an office holder or worker, we’re given a gift to use, and this makes us important, too, because in using the gift, we serve the common good. Some even get more than one gift to use. (“…But all these worketh that one and selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” (I Cor 12:11, KJV)) Some of these gifts are the meat-and-potatoes of church life: serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leading. (Rom 12:6-8) Without these gifts, the church (i.e. the people called out of the world to serve God) would curl up into a fetal position and waste away. No one should boast about how great they are for the gift(s) they have, because the gift(s) came from God—only He should get the glory. Rather, we get the joy of being part of His work.
The gifts that divide. Alas, some of the so-called “sign gifts,” such as speaking in tongues, miracles, and the like, have been troublesome. Many of these were used by the Apostles, and they have been called “sign” gifts, because they were a sign of God’s mighty power and a sign of God’s authenticating their ministry—important in inaugurating God’s new way of dealing with people. However, today, many Christians don’t experience these gifts personally or in fellowship with other believers. Does this mean they don’t exist, that they have stopped? It could simply mean that the Holy Spirit has chosen not to give out those gifts to those Christians—He can divide “to every man severally as he will”. If these particular gifts are genuinely manifested today, then those who exercise them must conform to their rules of use, as outlined in God’s Word. (See Pastor Ray’s remarks about speaking in tongues and church order.)
Frankly, regardless of where you side on the “sign gifts” issue, don’t throw the baby out with the bath water! There are SO many gifts God has given, and we must “continue to work out” our salvation “with fear and trembling”. (Phil 2:12) Find out, if you can, what gift(s) you’ve been given and use them. Exercise them within the church and make your mistakes among friends; practice makes perfect, as they say. The Lord will lead you ultimately to go outside your borders and sow, water, or reap. As always, God gives the increase. The alternative is to believe oneself unequipped, without power or help, lie down, and wait for the end to come--while the whole world continues down the broad road with no light to show the way.
Post a Comment