Thanks for, Ummm.....
Did I claim you said I was the culprit? No. I was trying to give you a compliment. Did you not get that?
In case you and others have missed where I stated my position of the present-day operation of the gifts, I'll repeat it: I am not a cessationist. However, the Charismatic interpretation and practice of the gifts is not scriptural. Therefore, any purported gift based on error does not come from God.
You may very well have a genuine gift. If so, it will line up with scripture and not the Charismatic error.
...the compliment?!?
As for your claim that I am in some state of Chrismatic error, did you ever think that it could be those who do not accept the gift of prayer language or even tongues that are caught up in the Charismatic error.
Thomas, what I like about mirrors are that if you look into one, you see yourself as others see you. When it comes to who is in error, I am trusting God to make that correction, not well intended folks who have never experienced this realm of the supernatural side of God.
We both agree that God is supernatural, at least I hope you believe that He is a supernatural God? And it is that ability to come forward in the supernatural realm that most believers tend to overlook just what He can do.
You, and others think He ended the passing on to mankind the supernatural gifts somewhere during the NT era. However, in
Acts 2:17, the author repeats the prophecy of
Joel 2:28 when he writes that [and I'll show this verse in several different versions]:
New International Version (©2011)
"
New Living Translation (©2007)
In the last days,' God says, 'I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.
English Standard Version (©2001)
“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams..."
New American Standard Bible (©1995)
"'AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,' God says, 'THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS;"
The one thing we both should be able to agree on is that no one knows when the last days are, which means, from the time this word was shared in Acts 2:17, the church started thinking and living as if it were in the "last days!" Thus, we are seeing the possibility of the gifts be handed out to the young and old, including the gift of prophecy.
In fact, the entire text speaks of God's supernatural outpouring upon mankind, and that would and should include tongues. I do not believe that the gifts of Pentecost ever ceased, because if they did, then the prophecy in Joel and here in Acts2:17-21, is null and void.
Let me share the entire text from the Joel and Acts word of prophecy:
“‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.’"
There is nothing to say that my interpretation is any more wrong or right than anything you or others have quoted. I guess we'll all just have to wait until, like that neat old hymn says, "When we all get to heaven!" Then our eyes will be really opened.
However, until then, there is nothing that I am doing that is going to separate me from God's grace.
Thomas, when you get to heaven, look for me there, and we can discuss these issues in more depth! Shalom..... :wavey: