Does 1 Cor 13 prove Cessationism?

I have been on the mission field for many years, and for similar reasons have not shared some things. However, it is not experience that I ground my theology on; it is the Word of God. Because someone had this or that experience does that validate what the Word of God has to say on the subject? Our position must be grounded on the Word of God, not on experience. This is the failure of the Charismatic Movement. Their theology is based on their experience instead of the other way around.
DHK

 

Exactly. Great post.

 

Sad but I think you are right. But there have been times when I believe conservatives do the same thing as well.

I believe we must study hard to arrive at correct theology and practice. I truly believe that if we do we will often find ourselves in the middle being shot at from both sides just like Jesus was. The liberals and conservatives did not like Jesus because he pointed them to God's plan and not their pet theology.

I am convinced that if we took away every Bible from the church it would affect us little because most people do not read or study it and even fewer are obedient and make disciples.

 

Because even as Charismatics continue to point out, God is not limited. God is able to work in wondrous and marvellous ways. The example of speaking in a foreign language would be the exception--an incident that rarely if ever happens.

I like to use the example of healing. I firmly believe that God heals. He heals according to James 5. He even heals outside the method prescribed in James 5. He heals in answer to prayer according to his providential will. However it is not always in his will to heal. It wasn't in the Bible either. Epharoditus was left sick at Miletus. Timothy, was advised to take wine for his stomach sake and oft infirmities. Paul himself admitted to infirmities and sickness in 2Cor.12. Not all were healed.

The gift of healing (or an example of it) is given in Acts 5:16 by Peter:

Acts 5:16 There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

Does this ever happen today? Can anyone point to any person who has the ability to do this today?
Is there anyone who can walk up and down the corridors of the hospitals in a city and heal all that are sick? The answer is no.

Think of this verse. People from all the cities all around Jerusalem came to Peter, and they were all healed, whether or not they had faith. No one has that kind of power today. The gift of healing has ceased.
God still heals. But the gift of healing has most certainly ceased. It is the miraculous sign gifts that we need to concentrate our attention on. And if this gift has ceased, it is not reasonable to conclude that the other gifts have ceased as well?
DHK

 

Man, wouldn't it be fantastic if that would happen in the USA today? WOW!!

Just one of multitudes of reasons that the federal govt should get out of the education business.

 

Man, wouldn't it be fantastic if that would happen in the USA today? WOW!!

Just one of multitudes of reasons that the federal govt should get out of the education business. </font>[/QUOTE]It was their national government which was involved in the public schools. Don't forget, they had gone through communism and knew what that was like. Sometimes a dose of persecution and ruin is good. It helps to remind people of what can happen.

 

I am not referring to the gibberish garbage that we see taking place in many places in our world. I am referring to legitimate stories like the above that seem to provide validation for the gift of tongues still being active today. </font>[/QUOTE]I responded to this on the other thread and am inserting that response here:
I think a cessationist could believe this happened and still be a cessationist, because what you describe above is not the gift of tongues, imo, unless your prof continued to have the gift of tongues and was able to do this as part of presenting the gospel on a regular basis.

If the above was an isolated incident, it was purely a miracle from the Lord, not the gift of tongues. As far as I understand it, a cessationist believes that the gift of tongues has ceased, not that God would not do something like the above through people here and there. Same with healing - God still heals of course, and he might do it through someone's prayer. But the gift of healing which is given to certain people is something else.____End

As far as your question about the gift of healing, I would like to see DHK's response (I think he and I are on the same page on this but he explains it better), but I would say the gift of healing is a sign gift given to specific people which they can use in various situations. God uses them to heal. But God healing without using people through their gift of healing -- healing in answer to prayer, for example, is God's power of healing apart from the sign gift of healing.

 

I think the position you describe would be consistent with what many cessationists believe concerning healing. A good number of cessationists believe that the gift of healing has ceased, but that in no way speaks to whether God might miraculously heal someone or heal someone in answer to prayer. Most think He can and does.

 

1. I have no idea what you mean, so would you please explain?

2. The Bible is sufficient for drawing the lost to Christ. It needs nothing, least of all, the gift of tongues.

Joseph Botwinick

 

How many instances are there in the Bible of the gift of tongues being used. I can only think of two places off the top of my head where they were used: The Day of Pentecost and in the Church of Corinth, ironically, where Paul gave the Church instructions on how to properly excercise the gift of tongues within the Church. I say ironically because it is the letter to this very same Church that the cessationists claim ended the gift of tongues. Why set up guidelines for the practice of tongues if they were done away with? As a matter of fact, the very next chapter states this:

1 Corinthians 14

I see a potential problem with the cessationist theology here. Don't you?

Joseph Botwinick

 

A Question:

If God gave only one individual, or even none the power to speak in a foreign language, according to his divine grace and power, does that necessarily mean that the gift of speaking in tongues is not in operation today?

Joseph Botwinick

 

bump