I've not long got back from a church service this morning that has drawn my focus to an issue that's been on my mind for a while now - whether the spiritual gifts in the New Testament are still active today.
I attend a pentecostal church, and given that it is pentecost Sunday, Acts 2, which describes the Apostles being 'filled with the Holy Spirit' (Acts 2:4) was preached about. This led on to prayers for believers to also be filled with the spirit, or, as it's often described in my church (and possibly others - I'm not sure) to be baptised in the spirit.
My church is most definitely made up of a mostly charismatic congregation. I've as yet not made up my mind where the truth lies regarding the continuation of charismatic gifts. I can safely say that it's not something I've experienced, but don't want to use that as a reason for dismissing them out of hand. After all, there is plenty of things in the world of which I have no experience of, such as the heat of Africa, or watching my football team winning the premiership, but that doesn't mean that Africa is cold, or that West Ham won't lift the title any time soon..
However, I feel now is the time for me to take this matter seriously. If I believe the gifts have ceased, I need to examine whether I can continue to attend a church where belief in the modern day application of those gifts is right. I need to be sure for my own sake, and for the sake of the church I go to. If I'm honest, I'd say I'm already veering towards a cessationist view point.
So over the next few weeks I intend to study the Bible with the intention of coming to a conclusion on this matter. As I do so, I hope to organise my thoughts in written form on this site.
Just make sure that you fix in your mind the language of the debate: charismatic describes the gifts in their totality; "sign gifts" are the best description of those gifts that are overtly "miraculous" in nature (so tongues, word of wisdom, healing etc). The ministry gifts (pastor, evangelist etc) are still charismatic since given by the Holy Spirit. The best word to describe those who hold to a continuationist position is "Pentecostal".
ReplyDeleteThe same for "baptism in the Spirit"- Torrey was big on using this term to describe what he thought was a second- and distinct- experience of the Holy Spirit. The Wesleys, Finney and so on all held to the same thing. The Salvation Army believe this second work of grace is full sanctification which comes (normally) after what they call a "crisis point". I prefer Biblical language here though- "filling of the Spirit". This comes from Paul's plea for us to be "(continuously) filled with the Spirit".
What Pentecostalism has done is not only refocused the language of the Scriptures but also offered new ideas as to what the experience of the Spirit offers the believer. Believing that Acts 2 is a precedent for all believers (and there is little evidence for this) they take the language of that chapter and hold to being both filled with the Spirit and being "baptised" in the Spirit. In fact third wave teachers now hold that this is more an "anointing" than a baptism.
This refocus on language and experience is sometimes helpful, because many cessationists have experienced a second "direct work of God" in their lives. Myself included. I have called this at various times "baptism", "sanctification", and even "filling"; back of it all is the need and the actual experience of God in a fresh way. Whether this is followed (and necessarily is followed by) sign gifts is something you will have to decide for yourself. But since nobody ever learns theology in a vacuum (the adage of sitting down with your Bible by yourself and popping up with theological truths that the Church has taken a long time to foster and define is simply silly), you should also consult books and real people and their experiences. And of course you should pray directly and ask God if He wants to gift you in any of the ways that your Church believes He can and does bless people.
This leads to the final point: if you conclude on cessationism, what will this mean?
If you conclude on continuationism, what does this mean?
Hi, thanks for the comment.
DeleteJust a cursory reading around the issue has led me to realise that this isn't an issue I can conclude on over night, especially with my limited knowledge and experience as a Christian. I'd also realised that I need to get a grip on the correct definition of the terms used. As such, I've ordered John MacArthur's book 'Charismatic Chaos' in order to help me understand the doctrinal stances of both groups, and I'm hoping to find good, knowledgeable, experienced Christians I can talk with to discuss their stances, from both viewpoints, and find worthwhile resources in order to aid my learning. Any book or resource suggestions would be gratefully received!
What I'm most wary of is ensuring that I neither turn the issue into a purely academic exercise, or draw conclusions based upon emotions - either path would be very easy for me to take, but could be very bad.
It is the 'sign gifts' that I'm most interested in thinking about, such as healing, talking in tongues etc, as well as 'Baptism in the spirit'. This 'baptism in the spirit' or 'an experience with the Holy Spirit' is something I hear a lot about from people at my church, but I can't say it's something I've experienced - at least not in the way they describe it. I can say I've seen evidence of sanctification in my own life - although it seems to be a very slow, often frustrating process (albeit with one fairly major issue finally put to rest quite recently - which I hope allows me to draw closer to God).
For what concluding on cessationism means - I'm not sure. If I do conclude that the sign gifts have ceased, I wil have to carefully consider whether I can remain an attendee at my church, or find another one. I believe that for the most part the congregation are people who love God, but if I were to remain whilst holding a cessationist view, would I grow disdainful towards them? That wouldn't be good for me or them - in fact I'd worry it would even be insulting to them. That wouldn't be an easy decision to make because they are great people, and have been an enormous support to me (and my daughter) over the past year. I realise that no church is going to be made up solely of people who agree with me on everything, but I'll need to consider whether this is an issue I can agree to disagree with them on, or whether it would be time to make a change.
If I conclude on continuationism, I'll need to examine why I don't experience these sign gifts. From some very basic research it seems to me that there are two different viewpoints within continuationism - those who hold that the gifts (or more explictly, the sign gifts) still exist and are commonly used today, but not neccessarily all are gifed in this way, and those who belief that the sign gifts are there for all believers, and if a believer doesn't have them, it's because there is something (sin, usually) is holding them back.
Thanks again for the comment :)
Yeah- "sanctification" is not something we can have in the now (fully), but something that is developed for the rest of our lives. We used to sing a song in the Salvation Army: "To be like Jesus, this hope possesses me..." I think that should summarise the desire of all Christians, tempered with the realisation that the complete end of sanctification will be "then" and not "now". And sanctification is tough. And painful. And not without struggle.
ReplyDeleteI think if I were a cessationist who attended a pentecostal Church where their core tenet around the doctrine of the Holy Spirit were that they believed a full and powerful Spirit-led life could only be found within the experience of a baptism of the Spirit, and a manifestation of the sign gifts, I would leave.
If I were a continuationist and held the same position in a cessationist Church fellowship, I would also leave.
I think the doctrine of the Holy Spirit is so central that it must be a "core belief", not something that is discussed or held in an "open hand". He is, after all, God.
Do not confuse sanctification with the baptism of the Spirit or baptism *in* the Spirit), since they are two very different things. So evidence of sanctification is a continually changing direction away from the world and towards God- a mortification of sin in our lives as we become more like Christ. Spirit baptism (filling of the Spirit) leads to empowered living and witness and a greater awareness at the first of God's presence in our lives (but even that- "feeling God's presence" can become a crutch that we rely upon so that if we don't "feel His presence" we tend to think He isn't with us and so on).
Anyway. Enough rambling :)
No rambling - just some very helpful thinking points. Thank you very much! :)
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