Where is the scripture that indicates the sign gifts are for a specific time? As to reasons, are there still people who need to see signs? Yes, there are.
What is the scripture that specifically states this? (Don’t quote from Revelation 22 since the Gospel of John was likely written after Revelation.)
What is the scripture that says it is impossible? Don’t quote me 1 Corinthians 13:10, because that’s referring to the fullness of the Kingdom, not the present incomplete age.
If your pastor/preacher and members do not regularly experience the guidance of God, your church is in bad shape. In my own experience, God gives general guidance (a general sense of knowing what to do), specific guidance (sudden knowledge of what to do in a particular moment), biblical guidance (unfolding and opening of the meaning of scripture as I study and meditate on it), and occasional extremely specific knowledge of someone else’s circumstances so I can go there and intervene (usually someone in crisis or in need of evangelism).
Regarding sign gifts, they manifest in any believer, as needed, who is open to being used of God and has the ability to handle the implications of that gift being manifested by the nature of their personality or maturity of character. These gifts cannot exercised according to the will of the person of whom God uses, and the manifestation of the gift can be rejected. One or all of these gifts may be manifested in one person, but the gifts that manifest usually fall into the areas that individual disciples can handle, so, often, the same few gifts are frequently manifested, while others rarely, if ever. Paul teaches:
1 Corinthians 12:7-11
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
He lists examples such as:
(1) “message of wisdom” - knowledge of what God wants to do in certain human situations. Often this manifests while a group of people are in prayerful discussion of problem and suddenly one or more people, seemingly out of nowhere, bring forward a solution that is perfectly suited to the situation.
(2) “message of knowledge” - specific knowledge of something that a believer would not have any way of knowing, in order to meet the need of someone else.
(3) “faith” - this is a specific, extraordinary, measure of faith to trust God in a trying circumstance.
(4) “gifts of healing” - an ability to know when God intends to divinely heal someone and, if there in person, to be used of God to heal in that moment.
(5) “miraculous powers” - a catch-all term for divine action that cannot be explained by natural forces. Some people put things like exorcism in this category, but I don’t thing Paul necessarily considers the act of exorcism a spiritual gift.
(6) “prophecy” - having a specific word of God for that moment and specific situation — it is usually informed by a message of knowledge or wisdom.
(7) “distinguishing between spirits” - this is what is often called spiritual discernment, knowing the difference between a true and false teacher, or the work of God and the work of the evil one.
(8) “speaking in different kinds of tongues” - the momentary ability to speak in a language unknown to the speaker, whether if be a human language or an “unknown” language.
(9) “interpretation of tongues” - a momentary ability to understand a language unknown to the speaker, whether it be a human language or an “unknown” language.
The gifts most often manifested through me have been, in order of frequency:
- Distinguishing between spirits (common)
- Message of knowledge (every few months, usually related to evangelism or ministry to persons in crisis)
- Prophecy (a few times a year)
- Message of wisdom (perhaps once or twice a year)
- Gifts of healing (on average, about once a year)
- Miraculous powers, if exorcism in included (rare — last time was in 1991)
I have witnessed what appears to be a genuine manifestation of tongues and interpretation of tongues only once (July 4, 1987 - Stewart Beach, Galveston, Texas), although I have been around people speaking in “tongues” far more often than I’d like.
I have not knowingly witnessed “faith” as a manifestation (aka “sign gift”), but that’s probably because I am far too sheltered here in the US. I imagine those facing martyrdom have this manifested in their lives.
Does that help?
