Thank you. I may need to wait until my current dose of Parkinson's meds kick in. That could take some time. I will be back. Hey, maybe someone could pray for me to be healed. Since most agree God heals with\without 'sign' gifts, maybe He will heal me.
In this discussion of the gifts of the Spirit I would like to begin with a statement I think we can all agree on: *At one time in what is generally called the history of the New Testament
Church The Holy Spirit of God gave what we call 'Gifts of the Holy Spirit' to His church.*
I think that everything else said about these gifts is disputed for various reasons.
These gifts were given to various people in the church as
the Spirit willed. They were given to the church to build up and equip the church to function as the many member one Body of Jesus and spread the Good News of Jesus to the world.
Though there were many gifts and many members there was one body.
Many teach that certain 'sign gifts' were given for a brief time in the early church and then ceased after their purpose was served and they were no longer needed.
People may disagree on much of the particulars of these gifts but I think the main ones debated about are found in 1 Corinthians 13:1-13.
(1Cor 13:1[ESV])
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
(1Cor 13:2
And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
(1Cor 13:3
If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
(1Cor 13:4
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant
(1Cor 13:5
or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
(1Cor 13:6
it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
(1Cor 13:7
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
(1Cor 13:8
Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
(1Cor 13:9
For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
(1Cor 13:10
but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
(1Cor 13:11
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
(1Cor 13:12
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
(1Cor 13:13
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
I beleave the main argument goes something like this: 'The specific gifts of prophecy, tongues, and knowledge were to cease when "the perfect comes.'
Other sign gifts were given mainly to the Apostles to authenticate there authority in the church. Slowly, as the Apostles died
(some say this would include those whom the Apostles had directly laid hands on to impart some gifts) these sign gifts ceased. Some of the other sign gifts
would include gifts of healings and gifts of working miracles.
Prophecies, tongues, and knowledge ceased when the Scriptures were complete, it is said because it is "that which is perfect" and complete.
There are no new prophecies because any true prophecy would be Scripture but they were completed long ago. Tongues ceased with the perfect completion of the Bible
because verse 10 of 1 Corinthians says they would cease "when the perfect (the completed Scriptures)come.
Knowledge (the gift of knowing something that the Holy Spirit lets you know) stopped because all we need to know from God is now told to us through the Scriptures.
Is "the perfect" the Scriptures? The word translated "perfect" is
- Original: τέλειος
- Transliteration: Teleios
- Phonetic: tel'-i-os
- Definition:
1. brought to its end, finished
2. wanting nothing necessary to completeness
3. perfect
4. that which is perfect
a. consummate human integrity and virtue
b. of men
1. full grown, adult, of full age, mature
- Origin: from H5056
- TDNT entry: 09:07,1
- Part(s) of speech: Adjective
and it is used 17 times in the New Testament. Here are the verses:
(Matt 5:48 [ASV])
Ye therefore shall be perfect, as you’re heavenly Father is perfect.
(Matt 19:21 [ASV])
Jesus said unto him, If thou wouldest be perfect, go, sell that which thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
(Rom 12:2 [ASV])
And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
(1Cor 2:6 [ASV])
We speak wisdom, however, among them that are fullgrown (teleios): yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nought:
(1Cor 13:10 [ASV])
but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.
(1Cor 14:20 [ASV])
Brethren, be not children in mind: yet in malice be ye babes, but in mind be men.(teleios)
(Eph 4:13 [ASV])
till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown(teleios) man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
(Phil 3:15 [ASV])
Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye are otherwise minded, this also shall God reveal unto you:
(Col 1:28 [ASV])
whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ;
(Col 4:12 [ASV])
Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, saluteth you, always striving for you in his prayers, that ye may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.
(Heb 5:14 [ASV])
But solid food is for fullgrown(teleios) men, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.
(Heb 9:11 [ASV])
But Christ having come a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation,
(Jas 1:4 [ASV])
And let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing.
(Jas 1:17 [ASV])
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.
(Jas 1:25 [ASV])
But he that looketh into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and so continueth, being not a hearer that forgetteth but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in his doing.
(Jas 3:2 [ASV])
For in many things we all stumble. If any stumbleth not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also.
(1John 4:18 [ASV])
There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love.
This word is almost Entirely used with direct reference to People! At no time is the 'perfect' used for an object. The maturity of his people is what the 'perfect' is.
There is reference made to when certain "Gifts to the church" will cease in Eph 4:7-14
(Eph 4:7 [ESV])
But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.
(Eph 4:8
Therefore it says,” When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”
(Eph 4:9
(In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?
(Eph 4:10
He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)
(Eph 4:11
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,
(Eph 4:12
to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
HERE IT IS! FOR HOW LONG?
V V V V V
(Eph 4:13
until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
(Eph 4:14
so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
The gifts of the Spirit will be given when His church Grows Up. The perfect is the mature Body of Christ
I've said before, and I repeat it: I do not claim to have all the answers to the questions that this will bring up. I do know some of what presents itself as 'Plain and Simple'
I think that's all I can tackle right now. Thanks to those who provide BB and to those who help me participate.