Charismatic
Gifts
Have
the charismatic gifts ceased?
by Matt Slick
The issue of the whether or not the
charismatic spiritual gifts are for today has caused much debate and division
in the body of Christ.
The
extremes are amazing. There are groups that say that if you do speak in
tongues, then you are under demonic control and are not saved.
On
the other hand, some say that if you do not speak in tongues, then you are not
saved.
What's
more, both extremes use scripture to support their positions.
Fortunately
for the Christian church, whether or not the spiritual gifts are for today is
not a salvation issue.
Therefore,
we need to be gracious.
Romans 14:5 says, "One
man regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Let each
man be fully convinced in his own mind."
As
you can see, the Bible leaves room for debate and differences of opinion on
non-essential doctrines.
The
issue of whether or not the charismatic gifts are still around is a debatable
issue, and charity needs to be granted from both sides of the argument.
This
is not an issue to divide over as many, unfortunately, have chosen to do.1
It
is my opinion that the charismatic spiritual gifts are still in effect.
I
do not believe they ceased with the apostles or with the completion of the
Bible.
If
you disagree, that is fine. But let me give you my reasons here.
For
simplicity's sake, I will state a standard objection to the continuance of the
spiritual gifts and then I will give what I believe is a basic but sufficient
refutation for that argument.
All
the verses quoted are listed in full at the end of this paper.
Argument
1: Since
we have the Bible we do not need spiritual gifts. 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 is usually
quoted as scriptural support for the position:
“8 Love never fails; but if there are
gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will
cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy
in part; 10 but when the perfect
comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child,
I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became
a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a
mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know
fully just as I also have been fully known. 13
But
now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is
love."
Some vigorously maintain that the
"perfect" is the completed Bible and, therefore, the extraordinary
gifts are no longer needed.
But I do not think these verses can be
used to support cessationism. This is why.
Verse 12 says, "...
then we shall see face to face."
The word "then"
refers back to the phrase "when the perfect comes."
Since the only
infallible interpreter of Scripture is Scripture, a quick examination of the
way God uses the term "face to face" should help
us understand this passage better.
The phrase is used throughout the Bible
and always means an encounter with a person.
When God uses it in reference to
Himself, it means a visual, personal encounter with Him (Genesis 32:30; Exodus 33:11; Numbers 12:8; Deuteronomy 5:4; and Jeremiah 32:4).
Likewise in the New Testament, it is
also used in speaking of personal encounter (2 Corinthians 10:1; 2 John 1:12; 3 John 1:14, etc.).
"When the
perfect comes... then we shall see face to face" seems, most
logically, to refer a personal encounter; at least, that seems to be how God
uses the phrase.
If the position is taken that the "perfect"
is the completed Bible, how then do we encounter God in the manner as the
phrase suggests: an encounter with a person?
Seeing Christ face to face occurs when
He returns.
Another "then"
is mentioned in verse 12: "then I shall know fully, even as I am
fully known."
The word "then"
again refers back to the phrase "when the perfect comes."
Again, we need to look at how the Bible
uses words.
This time we'll look
at the word "know."
Scripture says that eternal life is to
know God (John 17:3).
Only the believer is known by Jesus (John 10:27; Galatians 4:8-9; Romans 8:29).
The unbeliever is not known by Jesus (Matthew 7:21-23).
In every verse except for one, God says
He only knows believers.2
This is a salvific knowing; that is, it
is a kind of knowing that God does of the Christians. He knows them and they
are saved.
The unbelievers are not known and are,
therefore, not saved.3
It would seem most consistent with
scripture to say that "... as I am fully known"
would refer to a salvation relationship between Jesus and the Christian.
At the return of Christ, we (the ones
known) shall know fully; we shall see face to face the One who is our Savior.
Also, we don't "know" Jesus
through the Scripture; we know about Him from the Scripture (John 5:39).
Instead, we know Him by personal
encounter (John 1:12; 1 Corinthians 1:9) through the Holy
Spirit's indwelling.
We don't know in a full sense right
now, even though we have the Bible because we are still corrupted by our sin
nature.
In our fallen state, we can only see
Christ through sin-clouded eyes.
We see a reflection of Christ in the
Word.
When Jesus returns the reflection of
the truth will pass to clear understanding (the way childish thoughts give way
to mature ones) when we receive our resurrected bodies, no longer have to
battle sinful flesh, and can see Him face to face because "we shall be like Him,"
(1 John 3:2) and then, "...we
shall know fully."
The context of 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 seems, in my
opinion, to show that the spiritual gifts will cease when Jesus returns.
Interestingly, 1 Corinthians 1:7 may be
consulted here as well.
It says, "so
that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our
lord Jesus Christ."
The Greek word here for "revealed"
is apokalupsis.
It means the apocalypse, the return of
Jesus.
In both this verse and 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 the gifts,
which aren't differentiated as to kind, are connected to the return of Christ,
not the completion of the Bible.
One more thing, the word gift in the
Greek is charisma. This is where we get the word 'charismatic.'
Argument 2: Present day
tongues are further revelation and must then be equal to Scripture and should
be included in the Bible.
But since the Bible is not to have
anything added to it, the gift of tongues (and therefore, the rest of the
spiritual gifts) must no longer be valid.
This is a faulty
argument because the Scripture itself recognizes inspired revelation that is
not to be added to the Bible: "What then shall we say, brothers? When
you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation,
a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening
of the church" (1 Corinthians 14:26).
Here, in the Corinthian church,
revelations were given that were not made part of the Bible.
This shows that there were, for lack of
a better word, "different" kinds of revelation: one from the prophets
and apostles meant for canonization and another through the Spirit to be used
in the church for edification -- not canonization.
So, in my opinion, for someone to
maintain that revelation today is a threat to the Canon does not consider 1 Corinthians 14:26, and is not applying
Scripture properly.
Argument 3: There is such
misuse of the gifts that they couldn't possibly be real.
First of all, misuse of the gifts
implies their existence. They couldn't be misused if they did not exist.
The only real position to be taken here
would be that the use of the gifts really is no use, but is only fakery and
self-deception.
I do not deny that the gifts are
misused. I have heard manifestations of tongues, interpretations of tongues,
and prophecy that, in my opinion, were not genuine.
But I do not discredit the gifts based
on those experiences any more than I would say that the gift of preaching is
gone because I have seen it misused.
Experience does not make doctrine, the
Bible does.
Second, it is not a sick child that
needs discipline and correction, it is the active, energetic, exploring child
that needs to be guided.
This was so with the Corinthian church.
They were using the gifts greatly but improperly and needed to be corrected on
their proper use.
1 Corinthians 13 is the main
place where the cessationists (those who believe the gifts have ceased) go for
their position.
However, upon looking at the context, I
believe 1 Corinthians 13 teaches that
the gifts will cease when Jesus returns.
Inside the Bible
Paul
Said
1
Corinthians 14:1, "Pursue love, yet desire earnestly
spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy."
1
Corinthians 12:31, "But earnestly desire the greater
gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way."
1
Corinthians 13:8–13, "Love never fails; but if there are
gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will
cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part and
we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done
away. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child,
reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part,
but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13 But now
faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love."
Inside CARM
Debate:
Matt Slick vs Dr. Sam Waldron on the Charismatic gifts
Let me begin by stating that there are differing views on the charismatic gifts in the Christian church today. Our differences of opinion on this issue reveal our lack of ability to perfectly understand God’s word and we should be humble before each other because of this.
Let me begin by stating that there are differing views on the charismatic gifts in the Christian church today. Our differences of opinion on this issue reveal our lack of ability to perfectly understand God’s word and we should be humble before each other because of this.
What is speaking in
tongues?
Speaking in tongues is the New Testament phenomena where a person speaks in a language that is unknown to him. This language is either the language of angels or other earthly languages (1 Cor. 13:1). It occurred in Acts 2 at Pentecost and also in the Corinthian church as is described in 1 Corinthians 14. This New Testament gift was given by the Holy Spirit to the Christian church and is for the purpose of the edification of the Body of Christ as well as for glorifying the Lord.
Speaking in tongues is the New Testament phenomena where a person speaks in a language that is unknown to him. This language is either the language of angels or other earthly languages (1 Cor. 13:1). It occurred in Acts 2 at Pentecost and also in the Corinthian church as is described in 1 Corinthians 14. This New Testament gift was given by the Holy Spirit to the Christian church and is for the purpose of the edification of the Body of Christ as well as for glorifying the Lord.
Dictionary
"Tongues
of Fire. Phrase occurring only in Acts
2:3 describing
the supernatural happenings on the Day of Pentecost. It describes the visible
manifestation of the Spirit. The tongues of fire seem to be the fulfillment of
John the Baptist’s proclamation that the Coming One would baptize with the Holy
Spirit and fire (Mt
3:11; Lk 3:16).
Fire is often associated with the manifestation of God’s presence in the OT, such
as at the burning bush (Ex 2). This combines with the audible manifestation of
a strong wind to speak of the Spirit’s powerful presence on this historic day
when the exalted Jesus poured out the Spirit on his disciples and other
believers. The disciples are described as filled with the Holy Spirit—thus
fulfilling the OT promise reiterated by John the Baptist and Jesus of the
baptism of the Spirit." (Elwell, Walter A., and Barry J. Beitzel. Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible. Grand
Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988.)
1. In fact, the truth that we have these
differences of opinion should unite us instead of dividing us. The reason is
simple. When we see that we have differences of opinion, it should humble us
because it should bring to light the reality of our sinfulness and limited
nature as Christians to fully understand God's word. Instead of maintaining an
attitude of pride where one side condemns the other, we should be more
gracious. We should acknowledge the possibility of the other side being right,
even though we don't think so. We need to admit that our sinfulness is the
problem, and not the other's lack of judgment.
2.
There is a single verse where Jesus says to the Jews, "I know you that you
do not have the love of God in yourselves" (John 5:42).
But it is referring to knowing them as being evil.
3.However,
this is not to say that God is not all knowing. It means that God uses the
words "I know you," "I know them," etc. as a description of
people being in a salvation relationship with God.
Matt Slick is the President and Founder of the
Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry.
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