A biblical response to the claims of Cessationism (versus Continuationism)

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St. SteVen

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In Christianity, Cessationism is the doctrine that spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues, prophecy and healing ceased with the original twelve apostles. This is generally opposed to continuationism, which teaches that the Holy Spirit may bestow the spiritual gifts on persons other than the original twelve apostles at any time.

Essentially Cessationism is the answer to the question:
Why aren't we operating in the gifts of the Holy Spirit as they did in the early church?

The Main Claims of Cessationism: Source
1) The apostles, through whom tongues came, were unique in the history of the church.
Once their ministry was accomplished, the need for authenticating signs ceased to exist.
2) The miracle (or sign) gifts are only mentioned in the earliest epistles, such as 1 Corinthians. The Greek word translated “prophecy” means “speaking forth” and
does not necessarily include prediction of the future.
3) The gift of tongues was a sign to unbelieving Israel that God’s salvation was
now available to other nations.
4) Tongues was an inferior gift to prophecy (preaching). Preaching the Word of God edifies believers, whereas tongues does not. Believers are told to seek prophesying over speaking in tongues.
5) History indicates that tongues did cease. Tongues are not mentioned at all by the Post-Apostolic Fathers. Other writers such as Justin Martyr, Origen, Chrysostom, and Augustine considered tongues something that happened only in the earliest days of the Church.
6) Current observation confirms that the miracle of tongues has ceased.
And we see that as the era of the apostles drew to a close, healing, like tongues, became less frequent. The gift was never intended to make every Christian well, but to authenticate apostleship; the authority of the apostles had been sufficiently proved, making further miracles unnecessary.


Answers to the Claims of Cessationism:


1) All the gifts are manifestations of the Holy Spirit. The Bible does not separate tongues and healing from the other gifts. Nor does it say that they were temporary. The Cessationists cite 1 Corinthians 13:8 to make a case for tongues having ceased. However, if according to that scripture tongues have ceased, then so has prophecy ("preaching" as defined by Cessationism) and knowledge. Is that true? (nope)

2) To claim that the writing date of a book is an indication of how much something was happening historically is a weak argument. Could we claim that WWII happened before the American Civil War based on the writing dates of history books about the subject? No, the writing dates have nothing to do with it. Furthermore, the Apostle Paul's letters to Timothy are later epistles. See 1 Tim.4:14 and 2 Tim.1:6-7 where Timothy is told to fan into flame the gift that was given through the laying on of hands.

3) The Cessationists have limited the use of tongues to a sign gift. There are at least five kinds of tongues. Most of which are used to edify and minister to the body of Christ.

4) The Apostle Paul indicates that tongues are only inferior gift to prophecy when the interpretation is not given. And this is only in reference to prophetic tongues delivered to the congregation in worship. Nothing to do with the other four kinds of tongues.

5) History does not indicate that tongues did cease. See quotes from Eusebius, Irenaeus, The Early Martyrs, Chrysostom of Constantinople, Augustine of Hippo and others at this source link.

6) I'm trying to imagine a person speaking tongues choking on their words as the last Apostle gave up the ghost. This is ridiculous, of course. The Cessationists have created an environment where the "miracle" gifts are not allowed and then declare that they somehow "disappeared". We have been robbed! The Apostle Paul tells us how long the gifts will be in operation.
1 Corinthians 1:7-8
Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.
8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.


All of this begs the most important question:
What were the gifts for?

Were they given as "authenticating signs" or were they intended for something else?

After listing the spiritual gifts (manifestations of the Holy Spirit), the Apostle Paul
goes on to describe the church as a body made up of many parts.

1 Corinthians 12:12-13
Just as a body, though one, has many parts,
but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.
13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—
whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

Therefore, if it takes all these parts to make up the WHOLE body of Christ,
who has the right to surgically remove any of the parts?

The Cessationists have turned the body of Christ into an amputee.

[
 
J

Johann

Guest
In Christianity, Cessationism is the doctrine that spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues, prophecy and healing ceased with the original twelve apostles. This is generally opposed to continuationism, which teaches that the Holy Spirit may bestow the spiritual gifts on persons other than the original twelve apostles at any time.

Essentially Cessationism is the answer to the question:
Why aren't we operating in the gifts of the Holy Spirit as they did in the early church?

The Main Claims of Cessationism: Source
1) The apostles, through whom tongues came, were unique in the history of the church.
Once their ministry was accomplished, the need for authenticating signs ceased to exist.
2) The miracle (or sign) gifts are only mentioned in the earliest epistles, such as 1 Corinthians. The Greek word translated “prophecy” means “speaking forth” and
does not necessarily include prediction of the future.
3) The gift of tongues was a sign to unbelieving Israel that God’s salvation was
now available to other nations.
4) Tongues was an inferior gift to prophecy (preaching). Preaching the Word of God edifies believers, whereas tongues does not. Believers are told to seek prophesying over speaking in tongues.
5) History indicates that tongues did cease. Tongues are not mentioned at all by the Post-Apostolic Fathers. Other writers such as Justin Martyr, Origen, Chrysostom, and Augustine considered tongues something that happened only in the earliest days of the Church.
6) Current observation confirms that the miracle of tongues has ceased.
And we see that as the era of the apostles drew to a close, healing, like tongues, became less frequent. The gift was never intended to make every Christian well, but to authenticate apostleship; the authority of the apostles had been sufficiently proved, making further miracles unnecessary.


Answers to the Claims of Cessationism:


1) All the gifts are manifestations of the Holy Spirit. The Bible does not separate tongues and healing from the other gifts. Nor does it say that they were temporary. The Cessationists cite 1 Corinthians 13:8 to make a case for tongues having ceased. However, if according to that scripture tongues have ceased, then so has prophecy ("preaching" as defined by Cessationism) and knowledge. Is that true? (nope)

2) To claim that the writing date of a book is an indication of how much something was happening historically is a weak argument. Could we claim that WWII happened before the American Civil War based on the writing dates of history books about the subject? No, the writing dates have nothing to do with it. Furthermore, the Apostle Paul's letters to Timothy are later epistles. See 1 Tim.4:14 and 2 Tim.1:6-7 where Timothy is told to fan into flame the gift that was given through the laying on of hands.

3) The Cessationists have limited the use of tongues to a sign gift. There are at least five kinds of tongues. Most of which are used to edify and minister to the body of Christ.

4) The Apostle Paul indicates that tongues are only inferior gift to prophecy when the interpretation is not given. And this is only in reference to prophetic tongues delivered to the congregation in worship. Nothing to do with the other four kinds of tongues.

5) History does not indicate that tongues did cease. See quotes from Eusebius, Irenaeus, The Early Martyrs, Chrysostom of Constantinople, Augustine of Hippo and others at this source link.

6) I'm trying to imagine a person speaking tongues choking on their words as the last Apostle gave up the ghost. This is ridiculous, of course. The Cessationists have created an environment where the "miracle" gifts are not allowed and then declare that they somehow "disappeared". We have been robbed! The Apostle Paul tells us how long the gifts will be in operation.
1 Corinthians 1:7-8
Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.
8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.


All of this begs the most important question:
What were the gifts for?

Were they given as "authenticating signs" or were they intended for something else?

After listing the spiritual gifts (manifestations of the Holy Spirit), the Apostle Paul
goes on to describe the church as a body made up of many parts.

1 Corinthians 12:12-13
Just as a body, though one, has many parts,
but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.
13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—
whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

Therefore, if it takes all these parts to make up the WHOLE body of Christ,
who has the right to surgically remove any of the parts?

The Cessationists have turned the body of Christ into an amputee.

[
Are you leaning toward the CC? Pentecostal?

J.
 

Lambano

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Chicken-and-egg question: Which came first: The spiritual gifts stopped, and the theologians came up with cessationist theology to explain it? Or we stopped believing in the gifts, so God stopped giving them?

...

Although the Reformed folks are typically Cessationist, I heard one Presbyterian preacher say that the occasional revival of the charismata like Azusa street, the Jesus movement, et. al. is just the Holy Spirit saying, "Hey, I'm still here!" (And thumbing His nose at the Presbyterians.)
 
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St. SteVen

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Chicken-and-egg question: Which came first: The spiritual gifts stopped, and the theologians came up with cessationist theology to explain it? Or we stopped believing in the gifts, so God stopped giving them?
That's a good question. What happened?
And I would say that it wasn't the gifts, or the Spirit that distributes them as he determines.
It was us, the church. Or specifically, leadership.

In a sense, the manifestations of the Spirit are right where we left them when we walked away.

Cessationism created an environment that didn't allow/encourage the exercise of manifestations of the Holy Spirit.
But as you say, it's a chicken-and-egg question. The Spirit manifests in willing participants. In large part,
Christianity is a religion of fear. The Holy Spirit is very unpredictable. Even Jesus said, long before Pentecost:
"The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.
So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
- John 3:8 NIV

Work in this area now is like a pioneering work. Much in this tradition was lost.
If the Corinthians hadn't been swinging from the chandeliers, we would not have the majority of biblical info we have today.
Contained in two chapters of scripture, that help to inform a few more verses here and there.

I left the evangelical/Cessationist church that I was raised in decades ago. (40+ years?)
It took a lot of work to "write over" the bad data of Cessationism (fear) and move forward.
Which started with seeking the Baptism with the Holy Spirit.
This creates the environment of openness to the Holy Spirit that allows him to operate through us in manifestations.
In the book of Acts it was often tied to water baptism and/or the laying on of hands.

History shows us that the "gifts"/manifestations of the Holy Spirit did continue after all the original Apostles were gone.

A.D. 100 - Eusebius (Church Historian):
Writing to the preaching evangelists who were yet living, Eusebius says:
"Of those that flourished in these times, Quadratus is said to have been distinguished
for his prophetical gifts. There were many others, also, noted in these times who held
rank in the apostolic succession... the Holy Spirit also wrought many wonders as yet
through them, so that as the Gospel was heard, men in crowds voluntarily and eagerly
embraced the true faith with their whole minds."

A.D. 115-202 - Irenaeus:
Irenaeus was a pupil of Polycarp, who was a disciple of the apostle John.
He wrote in his book "Against Heresies", Book V, vi.: "In like manner do we also hear
many brethren in the church who possess prophetic gifts, and who through the Spirit
speak all kinds of languages, and bring to light, for the general benefit, the hidden
things of men and declare the mysteries of God, who also the apostles term spiritual."

A.D. 300 - The Early Martyrs:
The early martyrs enjoyed these gifts. Dean Ferrar, in his book "Darkness to Dawn" states:
"Even for the minutest allusions and particulars I have contemporary authority." He refers
to the persecuted Christians in Rome singing and speaking in unknown tongues.

A.D. 390 - Chrysostom of Constantinople:
Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople, writes: "Whoever was baptised in apostolic days,
he straightway spoke with tongues, for since on their coming over from idols, without any
clear knowledge or training in the Scriptures, they at once received the Spirit, not that
they saw the Spirit, for He is invisible, but God's grace bestowed some sensible proof of
His energy, and one straightway spoke in the Persian language, another in the Roman,
another in the Indian, another in some other tongues, and this made manifest to them that
were without that it was the Spirit in the very person speaking. Wherefore the apostle
calls it the manifestation of the Spirit which is given to every man to profit withal."

A.D. 400 - Augustine of Hippo:
Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, one of the four great fathers of the Latin Church and
considered the greatest of them all: "We still do what the apostles did when they laid
hands on the Samaritans and called down the Holy Spirit on them in the laying-on of hands.
It is expected that converts should speak with new tongues."

Source link
(sorry link site seems dead)

[
 
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St. SteVen

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Although normally the Reformed folks are typically Cessationist, I heard one Presbyterian preacher say that the occasional revival of the charismata like Azusa street, the Jesus movement, et. al. is just the Holy Spirit saying, "Hey, I'm still here!" (And thumbing His nose at his fellow Presbyterians.)
LOL
That's funny.

I should say that I dug into some old notes from 2018 to write about all this.
Have gained even deeper understanding since then. Still a pioneering work.

[
 
J

Johann

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Source link
(sorry link site seems dead)
This is what I would call selective quoting of the ECF' on the charismatic-much like we do with our Bible..


The question of whether some of the early Church Fathers believed in the cessation of the spiritual gifts is a topic of ongoing debate, particularly within Christian theological circles. The early Fathers do provide us with clues regarding their beliefs about the continuation or cessation of miraculous gifts like prophecy, healing, and speaking in tongues. However, their writings reflect a range of views that may suggest an evolving understanding of the gifts, rather than a uniform stance on cessationism.

Early Church Fathers on Spiritual Gifts:
Irenaeus (c. 130–202 AD)
In Against Heresies, Irenaeus is explicit in defending the ongoing operation of spiritual gifts in the Church, especially in refuting the Gnostic heresies. He states that believers in his time were still experiencing healings, prophetic words, and speaking in tongues, affirming that the gifts were still active within the orthodox Christian community. He notes:
"Those who are in truth his disciples, receiving grace from him, do in his name perform [miracles], so as to promote the welfare of others, according to the gift which each one has received from him." (Against Heresies 2.32.4)

Justin Martyr (c. 100–165 AD)
Justin Martyr also speaks positively about the continuation of the gifts. In his Dialogue with Trypho, Justin suggests that the gifts of prophecy were still functioning in his time, especially in the context of the Christian community fulfilling the role of the new covenant people of God. Justin sees the gifts as part of God's ongoing work in His Church.

Tertullian (c. 160–225 AD)
Tertullian, particularly after his shift to Montanism, believed strongly in the continuing operation of spiritual gifts. The Montanists, a sect that emphasized the importance of prophetic revelations and the charismatic gifts, drew criticism from more traditional segments of the Church. However, Tertullian affirmed that these gifts had not ceased and were necessary for the vitality of the Church.

Origen (c. 184–253 AD)
Origen does offer a more nuanced position. In Contra Celsum, Origen seems to suggest that while the gifts were more prevalent during the apostolic age, they had since become rare. He does not deny their possibility but emphasizes that their frequency had diminished. Origen's view aligns more closely with the idea that the extraordinary gifts were primarily for the foundation of the Church, reflecting a shift that would later influence cessationist thought.

Chrysostom (c. 347–407 AD)
John Chrysostom, a significant figure in the later patristic period, is often cited as a proponent of cessationism. In his homilies on 1 Corinthians 12, Chrysostom writes that the gifts like tongues had largely ceased by his time. He sees them as having been present for the early Church to demonstrate the validity of the Gospel but suggests they were no longer widespread in the Church of his day:
"This whole place is very obscure; but the obscurity is produced by our ignorance of the facts referred to and by their cessation, being such as then used to occur but now no longer take place." (Homily 29 on 1 Corinthians)

Augustine (354–430 AD)

Augustine's views on spiritual gifts evolved over time. Early in his writings, Augustine suggested that miraculous gifts had largely ceased after the apostolic age. However, in his later works, particularly in The City of God, Augustine recounts numerous miraculous healings and other signs in his own ministry, which led him to reconsider his earlier position. By the end of his life, Augustine acknowledged the ongoing possibility of miracles but viewed them as less common than in the apostolic era.


While some of the early Church Fathers, such as Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, and Tertullian, clearly affirmed the continuation of spiritual gifts, others, such as Origen, Chrysostom, and Augustine (at least early in his writings), appear to hold views that lean toward cessationism or at least a recognition that the gifts had become less prevalent. The shift toward cessationism was not fully systematized in the early Church, but it gained more traction in later theological developments. Therefore, it is accurate to say that the early Church Fathers were not uniformly cessationist, but some did express views that aligned with the idea of a diminished or ceased manifestation of the gifts over time.

Source-

Irenaeus' Against Heresies – Available on platforms like New Advent (a well-known Catholic resource) or Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL). You can search for "Against Heresies Book II, Chapter 32."

Justin Martyr's Dialogue with Trypho – You can find this text in collections like Early Christian Writings or CCEL.

Tertullian's Works – Available on New Advent or CCEL. His works on spiritual gifts are scattered, but you can explore his writings on Montanism.

Origen's Contra Celsum – Available on CCEL and also part of the Ante-Nicene Fathers collection.

John Chrysostom's Homilies on 1 Corinthians – You can find his homilies on New Advent under his Homilies on the Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians (specifically Homily 29).

Augustine's City of God and Retractions – Available through sources like New Advent or CCEL.

You're entitled to your beliefs, @St. SteVen, but dismissing others who see things differently is intellectual dishonesty. Now that I understand how strongly you feel about the ongoing charismatic gifts, this will be my last comment on the matter, and on this thread.

Have a blessed day.

J.
 

St. SteVen

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This is what I would call selective quoting of the ECF' on the charismatic-much like we do with our Bible..
That's a good point, thanks.
However... "some" does not equal "all" or "none".
Nor does "rare" equal "nonexistent".


Apparently the ECFs came down on both sides of the issue.
Even the same ECFs coming down on both sides of the issue. ???
This continues today.

We have the Bible and church tradition and personal experience to draw on.
I was foolish enough to believe that the HS is still alive and well today.
This led to manifestations and visions and insights and healing when I prayed for the sick.
Should I abandon all that because "some" ECFs say otherwise?

[
 
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St. SteVen

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You're entitled to your beliefs, @St. SteVen, but dismissing others who see things differently is intellectual dishonesty. Now that I understand how strongly you feel about the ongoing charismatic gifts, this will be my last comment on the matter, and on this thread.
Apologies. It was not my intention to be dismissive toward the views of others.
My notes were from 2018. Perhaps I need to give them a hard read to see if they are offensive?
Or if anyone wants to point out offensive comments, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

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