February 19th: Cessationism
Speaker: Duncan Wyncoll
The signs of apostles passed from the scene with the apostles. The erosion of this simple truth has led to the confusion of charismatic ideas we see today.
Proving the Gifts have Ceased
Introduction - Important for a number of reasons
- Many non-charismatic people are unwilling to say that gifts have ceased (e.g. Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
- Some say there are no grounds for saying gifts have completely ceased
- Our position (known as Cessationism) is even regarded as being extreme by some
· Used to be the prevailing view amongst all evangelicals
· The most challenging writers, & great revival leaders were all Cessationists
· Felt passionately about the power of the HS in the lives of individuals, but
Everybody could explain the biblical basis for the passing of the apostles, prophets & sign miracles – Would you be able to explain it?
Miracles do still happen
· We don’t say that miracles don’t happen, but that revelatory & sign-gifts have ceased – tongues, prophecy, inspired words, miracle workers & healers
· Is anything too hard for the Lord? No
- God is always able to do mighty things & overrule events
· Every Christian knows of answers to prayer; things came to pass in an inexplicable way
· Issue is not whether God is willing to answer the prayers of His people, but whether miracle workers & gifted healers are still with us today
· James 5 – we’re invited to pray for the sick. However, God may have a purpose in an illness. Nowadays, healing predominantly through medical means (or in a direct way)
Charismatics claim Cessationists rest entire position on 1 Cor 13.8-10
Not true – most cessationist writers never mention this passage
Meaning is debated, & could refer to heaven
So, where are the Bible texts which say that the revelatory & sign-gifts have ceased?
In the passages that tell us that the ‘Purposes of the Gifts have ceased’
Illustration: Passing of the combustion engine. When were petrol pumps banned?
If the purpose of the gifts was for a temporary purpose, then they would become redundant.
So what was the PURPOSE of the sign-gifts?
1. Establish Apostles as unique witnesses to Christ
· Apostles were to testify to Christ’s life & resurrection – inspired channels of new Truth
· Given sign miracles to establish credibility as eyewitnesses of risen Lord
· Powers were given solely to groups of apostles who were:
a) Chosen by Christ; & b) Had seen the risen Lord
· The word for apostles is witnesses – as in the legal sense
· Or a delegate/commissioner – sent with special powers. ‘One sent forth…’
Gift of apostleship was short term, because there were a select, exclusive band of witnesses of Christ
· Christ repeatedly calls the disciples ‘witnesses’ (Luke 24, John 15, Acts 1)
· Even when Paul was added to the 12, he had to have a special appearance of Christ
Acts 22.14-15 – ‘And he (Ananias) said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, & see that Just One…for thou shalt be his witness unto all men…’
Some Corinthian Christians were questioning Paul’s authority…
1 Cor 9.1 – ‘Am I not an apostle?… have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?…’
Apostles were witnesses chosen by God
Peter speaking - Acts 10.39-42 – ‘& we are witnesses of all things which He (the LJC) did… not to all people, but unto witnesses chosen before God, even to us, who did eat & drink with him after He rose from the dead. & He commanded us…to testify.
Could anything be plainer? – Apostles were a select band of witnesses, personally chosen by the Lord.
So the apostles could never have successors
· Reveals the lack of knowledge of people who claim to be apostles
· Have they seen the Lord? Have they met with the risen Christ?
· The prime purpose of the gifts was to authenticate the apostles
· Other verses show exclusivity of gifts to the apostles (or deputies)
Acts (Luke the doctor) 2.43 – ‘…& many wonders & signs were done by the apostles.’
Acts 5.12 – ‘…by the hands of the apostles were many signs & wonders wrought among the people…’
Link between the eyewitness role of apostles & sign gifts is spelled out very clearly in:
Hebrews 2.4 – ‘God also bearing them witness, both with signs & wonders, & with diverse miracles, & gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?’
· Note use of the past tense (AD 66); With the passing away of these eyewitnesses, so left the sign-miracles
Nowhere in scripture does it tell us ‘how to appoint’ an apostle (or healer) – pastors/deacons/elders: yes – apostles: no
Numerous historical records attest this
1. Clement of Rome - wrote a letter to the Corinthians in 95 A.D. discussing all their spiritual problems. Tongues were never mentioned even though Corinth is the one place in the New Testament where tongues were apparently commonly used
2. Justin Martyr (A.D. 100-165) - compiled a listing of spiritual gifts active in his time & did not include the gift of tongues
3. Origen (A.D. 185-253) - never mentioned tongues & even argued that the "signs" of the Apostolic Age were temporary & that no contemporary Christian exercised any of these early "sign" gifts
4. Chrysostom (A.D. 347-407) - writing on 1 Corinthians & the gift of tongues said, "This whole place is very obscure; but the obscurity is produced by our ignorance of the facts referred to & by their cessation, being such as then used to occur, but now no longer take place
5. Augustine (A.D. 354-450)- comments on Acts 2:4: "In the earliest times, "the Holy Ghost fell upon them that believed; & they spake with tongues," which they had not learned, "as the Spirit gave them utterance." These were signs adapted to the time. That thing was done for a betokening, & it passed away."
6. Augustine - "For those that are baptized do not now receive the Spirit so as to speak in the tongues of all the peoples; neither are the sick healed by the shadow of the preachers of Christ falling on them as they pass; & other such things as were then done, are now manifestly ceased."
2. Second purpose of Sign-gifts - Marked the End of an Era
· Foreign language speaking was 1st wonder to be manifested in NT Church in Acts 2
· Something prophesied in Joel 2.28
· God would pour out his blessing upon all mankind, no longer pre-eminently Jewish, but all mankind
The tongues, signs & wonders were signs, which pointed to this great change & new era
Why would the Lord give the Jews a special sign, if un-believers weren’t given one today?
· God owed them a special sign; They had been trained to closely observe the OT order/ceremonial
· Now Christ had fulfilled the Law & broken the ceremonial yoke – this occasion required something special!
1 Cor 14.21 – ‘In the law (Isaiah 28) it is written, With men of other tongues & other lips will I speak unto this people; & yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.’
· Tongues were a massive sign gift to the Jews – the international church
So, ask the question – Is this purpose of tongues/prophesy as a sign fulfilled?
Of course it is – the great change has occurred & is now in the past
3. Third purpose of sign-gifts - Signs of inspired scripture
· NT scriptures were being given; They authenticated God’s inspired penman – as channels of new revelation
· Sign wonders & mighty deeds were required to verify claims of the apostles
· People needed to distinguish between apostles & ‘ordinary’ uninspired teachers (& false apostles) – you know what happened in the subsequent centuries…
2 Cor 12.12 – Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, & wonders, & mighty deeds.
This has always been God’s way – Moses, Elisha the prophet’s healing of Naaman (powers for the express purpose of showing prophetic power)
Once revelation was complete & no further revelation was required – the signs of the apostles also passed.
Revelation 22.18 – For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.
Revelation is complete & it’s not ‘in process’, so the signs of revelation are no longer in process
4. Fourth purpose of sign-gifts - Interim work of prophets
· Gift of prophecy helped teach the people in the absence of a completed Bible
· The office of prophecy was special, but temporary
Regarded as part of the foundation of the church
Eph 2.20 – ‘…built upon the foundation of the apostles & prophets.’
· The idea that God is giving inspired words to prophets today is a total contradiction to scripture
· Revelation would end within the ministry of the apostles - John 16, 2 Thess 3.6 – received traditions, 2 Tim 3.16,17, Jude 3 – ‘once delivered’, Rev 22
Conclusion
· We don’t have visible phenomena today – conversion, sanctification & preservation
· We have a complete, sufficient, authoritative, & inspired Word of God
· The sign-gifts, miracles remind us that the gospel is for everybody
· It also teaches that mercy is for all – no one is excluded
