Down throughout history, God has from time to time produced miracles to display His presence and His will. Some of these miracles were the worldwide flood, the confusing of the languages at the tower of Babel, destroying Sodom and Gomorrah, and Abraham and Sarah having a child in their old age which would be the seed of God's people, the Israelites. God also at times performed miracles through chosen men that would speak for Him such as Moses, Elijah, and Elisha. Now, not all the prophets would perform miracles, and great lengths of time would pass without them, but when they did happen, what was the purpose of these miracles?
God performed miracles through Moses to validate that Moses was speaking and acting on behalf of God. In other words, Moses is my servant, listen to him and obey him. From the burning bush, Moses would receive from God the Ten Commandments to give to Israel. Later, Moses would write the first five books of Gods Word called the Torah. It would be God's holy Word, the beginning of the Old Testament.
Later as Israel began to backslide and chase after the false gods of the neighboring nations, God would speak through his prophets and even perform miracles through men like Elijah and Elisha to validate that He was speaking through them. Listen to my prophets!
But, there was no one that performed as many miracles as the Lord Jesus, God's Son. Again, the purpose of these miracles was to validate what Jesus was saying was true. For example, God speaking out of a cloud, said to Peter, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him" (Mt 17:5). From this and many other miracles, God was confirming and validating that this Jesus, the Nazarene, the son of Mary and Joseph, was actually God's Son. I often wonder, how in the world could the religious leaders in Israel see these miracles and not believe that Jesus was the Messiah? Even with all these miracles, His own disciples struggled with their faith.
"Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake" (John 14:11),
It seemed that God would perform these miracles not only to validate that these servants were speaking on His behalf, but also as a warning of His judgement that was ready to fall upon the nation unless they repented. Because the Israelites rejected the warnings of His prophets in the Old Testament, God judged Israel and exiled them off into Babylon. In the case of rejecting Jesus as the Son of God, the judgement came in 70 A.D. when the Romans army came in and destroyed the Temple, killed over a million Jews, and chased the rest of Israel out of their land, and scattered them into foreign lands.
But, the miracles did not cease with Christ. After He was crucified and returned to Heaven, He left His apostles to carry on His work, and they also performed miracles.
"And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people" (Acts 5:12).
Yes, the apostles carried on the work of Christ and performed similar miracles that He had performed. Again, this was God validating that these apostles were men of God and carrying on the work of His Son. All through the book of Acts, we can see them performing miracles. Keep in mind though, it was the Lord Jesus through the Holy Spirit speaking and working these miracles through His apostles.
"The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, (Gospel of Luke) of all that Jesus began both to do and teach Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen" (Acts 1:1,2).
Yes, in the Gospels, Jesus "began" to "both do and teach," but He continued to do so through the book of the Acts of the apostles, or as some call it, "The Acts of the Holy Spirit.
Now, not only did God perform miracles for the purpose of validating the apostles of Jesus, but God also gave the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts such as "speaking in tongues" to those believers at Pentecost, validating that these people being saved are also indeed of my Son. The gift of tongues was that God gave these converts the ability to speak in languages they had not previously known.
"......the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?" (Acts 2:6-8). This is so clear that tongues in the Bible was not gibberish, but known languages.
Others hearing and seeing these wonders said, "These men are full of new wine." But, no! They were not drunk. God was validating them, that they were speaking for Him and fulfilling Scripture.
"For these are not drunken, as ye suppose,....... But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams" (Act 2:15-17).
Yes, this gift of tongues was a miraculous gift, but it was not the only spiritual gift that the Holy Spirit endowed upon believers at conversion during the birth of the church in 33 A.D. There were also prophesying and visions mentioned. However, we see these spiritual gifts still continuing 20 to 25 years later when they are mentioned in the following passages.
"Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men...... And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" (Eph 4:8-12).
"Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness" (Rom 12:6-8).
Concerning "Spiritual Gifts," Paul says,
"Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues. But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will." (1Cor 12:4-11).
So, from these three passages, we can see there are several spiritual gifts mentioned that the Holy Spirit gave to believers at the birth of the church, but they are still being mentioned when these three epistles were written decades later.
Today, we often hear that some of these spiritual gifts are called "sign gifts" which are tongues, prophesy, knowledge, wisdom, discernment, working of miracles, and healing. And, then they classify the other spiritual gifts as the "ministry" or "service gifts," such as, teaching, evangelism, pastoring, exhortation, helps, giving, faith, and mercy.
I have heard that every Christian gets at least one spiritual gift at the time of conversion, and some believers may get more than one, as per "dividing to every man severally as he will."
Now, the big question is, are all these spiritual gifts for today? Well, the Pentecostals would say yes, especially the gift of tongues and the "sign" gifts. The Baptist would say no, that tongues and the other "sign gifts" like prophesy, knowledge, etc. passed away with the early church, but all the other gifts (service or ministry gifts) remain. They quote 1Corinthians 13.
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 8 ¶ Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away" (1Cor 13:1-3, 8,9).
So, from what I can see, the Pentecostals are wrong. It clearly says "tongues, they shall cease." The Baptists seem to be right, that the gifts of tongues, prophecies, knowledge shall all cease and vanish away, but all the other gifts remain.
However, these "sign gifts" are not the only ones being used as examples in the passage, nor are they the only gifts passing away leaving only the "service" gifts to continue on. No, it also includes the "service gifts" of "faith," to remove mountains, and "giving" to feed the poor, and giving my body to be burned. So, these gifts seem to be mixed together; "sign" and "service" gifts.
To me, the most important verses are 9 and 10: "For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." Yes, it seems clear to me that all of these spiritual gifts were "in part" and thus have passed away.
Who says that we can pick and choose what gifts have ceased and what gifts have continued? The way I see it, either all of these gifts are for today, or none of them are for today. So, how do we know when that which was "in part" ceased?
The key phrase here is "But when that which is perfect is come, then that which in part shall be done away." If we understand this, then we have the solution to the question, "Are Spiritual Gifts for Today?" How you interpret verses 9 and 10 will determine how you view these spiritual gifts.
Keep in mind that the word "part" in the phrase "that which in part shall be done away" means that which is incomplete, partial, or imperfect, and it would be done away with when "that which is perfect is come." It was something that was temporary during that transitional period until that which is perfect, the New Testament, was completed.
However, if you do a little research, most people today believe "that which is perfect" refers either to the return of Christ, the millennial reign of Christ on earth, or to our entering in Heaven, which would mean that all spiritual gifts are for today. That they have not ceased yet. But, I just don't see that. To me, "when that which is perfect is come, is speaking of the completed New Testament. When Paul wrote this passage to the Corinthians, the New Testament itself was very much just "in part." It was not yet "perfect." The word "perfect" used in the Bible means mature or complete, and at the time these early Christians were serving the Lord, they did not have the complete New Testament.
Jesus died around 33 A.D., and the early church started right after that displaying these gifts, speaking in tongues (other languages) and so forth. The epistles of the apostles to the churches didn't begin until around the mid 50's. So, for the most part, these early Christians and churches didn't have the complete New Testament. They only had a few epistles at the meeting place such as Paul writing to the Colossian church and saying, "
"And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea" (Col 4:16).
Yes, these early Christians did not have Bibles in their homes. Books were very expensive to have and only the wealthy could afford them. So, at best, they only had the Old Testament, and probably one copy of it at the meeting place. They may have had some of the letters from an apostle such as Paul, such as this one to the Colossian church. Paul says to read it to the church, then pass it on to the Laodicean church, and get the one they have, so you can read it in your meeting. Now, if they were smart, these Colossians would make a copy of that epistle before they passed it on. So, there's no telling how many copies of these epistles or even the gospels they had on hand. But, I do know that this is in the mid 50's or so, and there still isn't a New Testament as we know it today, because it would be lacking at least the Gospel of John, John 1,2,and 3, and the Book of Revelations. Most believe John would write these in the mid 90's. So, whenever John finished his books, then the spiritual gifts stopped at that time.
All these spiritual gifts were necessary for the early churches especially as the apostles were dying off. But, when that which is perfect came, then that which was in part was done away with. I really believe that God preserved His Word, and that after John finished His writings, then God's Word was complete. Finished! God no longer needs to validate Himself through miracles or the use of spiritual gifts. Now, we have the complete, perfect Word of God. I have no doubt that God brought those early churches together at the turn of the century and by the Holy Spirit, they prayed and selected the writings to be used in the New Testament.
So, we don't need spiritual gifts because we have that which is perfect, the New Testament. It's clear! At least to me. They did not have the complete New Testament. We do! They needed the spiritual gifts. We don't. We have God's completed Word.
Another reason we don't need spiritual gifts is that:
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" (Eph 1:3).
This indicates that all Christians have received "all spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ." Each believer has full access to all the spiritual blessings. We all have this access through the Holy Spirit developing the "fruit of the Spirit" in us. Every Christian!
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law" (Gal 5:22,23).
Now, since we have the perfect, complete Word of God, we can get as close to Christ as we desire to, and the closer we get to Him, and His Word, the more the Holy Spirit will develop the "fruit of the Spirit in us. Notice, it's one fruit, singular, but nine characteristics of that fruit. Whatever need we have, the Holy Spirit can meet that need. If we need more love in our life, He doesn't give us a portion of love as part of the fruit. No, if we need more love, the Holy Spirit just fills us with Christ who is loving, joyful, peaceful, longsuffering, gentle, kind, ect. Whatever aspect of this spiritual fruit we need, Christ can meet that need. Again, every Christian has access to that tremendous blessing.
Keep in mind, that one can practice spiritual gifts without it being done in love. That was the whole message of First Corinthians 13, that these practices must be ministered with love. The Corinthians however were abusing their spiritual gifts and it resulted in pride and disorder in the church which brought about the rebukes of Paul in the following chapter 14.
Please consider that First Corinthians 13 emphasizes charity or love over the spiritual gifts at that time. "But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way." (1Cor 12:31). In chapter 13, we see that "more excellent way." It says there abides faith, hope, and charity, but the greatest of these is charity (love). However, love is spiritual fruit (Gal 5). Love is never mentioned as a spiritual gift, but that each of the spiritual gifts must be administered in love.
Faith was also listed as a spiritual gift (1Cor 12:9), which was at that time a special dose of faith in the Lord, which would be an encouragement to others to have more faith. But, faith is also included in the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5), and it becomes more effective for us today since true faith is based on the Word of God, and we have the complete Word of God, which they didn't. At best, they lacked the five books of John.
Furthermore, when you consider that "hope" in "faith, hope, and charity," is still faith based upon future events, that God is in control, and we are on the winning team. Well, the book of Revelations gives us much hope, and those early Christians did not have that yet. They had other prophesies to base their hope on, but wow! We have Revelations that ties it all together. Yes, they had faith, hope, and charity, but our potential for it is so much greater, because we have the complete Word of God for the Holy Spirit to use to develop that spiritual fruit. John, the last of the apostles said, "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand" (Rev 1:3). Those that were "in part," did not have that, yet.
I was in denominational churches for over 40 years, and it was often drilled into me to find out what my spiritual gift was so I could exercise it in the church. Well, I was never able to do that. I prayed about it and just couldn't figure out what it was. I was told to ask others what they thought my gift was. But, that didn't help either. It was so discouraging, but if I pray long enough, that one day the Lord would show me. As time went on, I found others were also like me.
In hindsight, I can see now that all those in denominations who said they knew what their spiritual gifts were, that they seemed to get built up in pride as they displayed it. Well, that was a problem the early Corinthians had also, you know, built up in pride, making comparisons between themselves, and so on.
So, it seems to me that spiritual gifts are not for today. However, they are widely pushed upon the people today in denominational churches. The pastor says, "I believe your gift is teaching, and we have just the class to let you exercise your gift in." Or he says, "I believe your gift is giving, so you can display your gift by being an example to others in your giving." Or, you have the gift of helps, so we need help in this ministry or that ministry."
Well, if that's the case I can see why spiritual gifts are pushed upon today's Christians, to advance the denominations, the churches, and the pastors. Give everyone something to do, and it's easier if they think they have some special God given gift that others don't have. They are special. Christian bookstores and blogs also promote the topic of spiritual gifts. So, it seems to me that there could be some ulterior motives behind all this.
I believe that this promoting of spiritual gifts in churches today actually diminishes our appreciation for the New Testament. That it tends to take away our full respect and our dependence upon Scripture.
Let me give an example. A couple of A/C techs came out to my house to repair my heat pump. The younger of the two said he was an immigrant along with his parents from Cuba. He mentioned church, so I asked him what church he went to. He said it was a Spanish speaking nondenominational church. I asked him if it was in line with Baptist or something else. He said, no, it would be more in line with Pentecostals. Hearing this, I asked him if he believed in salvation by grace apart from works, and that we received it only by faith alone in Christ alone. He said yes. I then asked him if he believed in the Bible being the complete Word of God and it was all that we need to live the Christian life. He avoided that question, but went on to talk about how wonderful their meeting was and that the experiences they have are just so wonderful. Well, I expected that answer when I heard the meeting was Pentecostal, which generally puts their experiences above Scripture.
So, whether it's the "sign" gifts or the "service" gifts, it seems to me that these gifts would take away to some degree from the full appreciation that we should have for the New Testament and our reliance on it.
Furthermore, on the other side of the coin, I believe the teaching of spiritual gifts today likewise diminishes our appreciation from how those gifts were used during the early church, because most people would assume the gifts back then are like the ones they see today. But, those gifts back then were genuine spiritual gifts having much more power behind them.
For example, I don't believe for a minute that the gift of giving that is being taught for today was anything like the gift of giving in the early church. The example of the "service gift" of giving, even though extreme in 1Corinthians 13, was giving his body to be burned. I don't imagine that anyone with the gift of giving as it is taught today would do that. Or, anyone today would do what Barnabas and others did in Acts 4 selling their lands in order to give to the poor.
It's the same way with the other gifts. The way that tongues is used today is an insult to the way it was used in the early church period, which was speaking in a known language that they didn't previously know. Today, it's just gibberish, and tongue flappers today even disregard the guidelines that Paul gave for using that gift in the church (1Cor 14:27,28). The gift of tongues today is just a great distortion of that precious gift used back then.
Today the gifts of prophesy, discernment, and knowledge were not what they were back then either. Those who had those gifts could proclaim truth and discern the spirits based on what Scripture they did have with the Holy Spirit speaking through them. Today, that gift is not needed, for we have the complete New Testament to discern the spirits and error.
I probably could go on with all the spiritual gifts whether "sign" gifts or "service" gifts and one by one show you that these gifts today are really watered down compared to those precious genuine gifts used during the early church which were empowered by the Holy Spirit. I really believe that all you have today is a misappropriation of personal talents and natural aptitudes for spiritual gifts.
I believe we don't need spiritual gifts today because we have the complete Word of God, which is empowered by the Holy Spirit for those who believe the Word. The closer we get to the Word, the closer we will get to the Lord Jesus, the living Word, and the closer we get to Him, the more the Holy Spirit can work out His fruit in us. The fruit of the Spirit is by far more spiritually productive than so called "spiritual gifts" today. I believe that emphasizing "spiritual gifts" will diminish the need for developing the fruit of the Spirit.
Today, as the "Fruit of the Spirit" is developed in us, we can perform services similar to the spiritual gifts: "help" others, "give," "have "mercy," "serve," and so on. But, every Christian has the ability to do each of these as they allow the Spirit to work and develop His fruit in us. The way "spiritual gifts" are taught and practiced today, the individual who has that gift, becomes a like a specialist of that gift because not everyone has it.
By the way, you can practice "gifts of the Spirit" without love, as the Corinthians were doing, but you can't have the Holy Spirit working in you without love. You choose a different characteristic of the fruit such a joy, peace, or longsuffering. No, it's a complete unit, one fruit of the Spirit and all the nine characteristics of that fruit go together. It's the character of Christ. You get more of Him, you get more of love, joy, peace, and all the others.
They needed these special gifts back then due to the lack of completed Scriptures. They needed these gifts, but we don't. To believe that we need them means that our focus is going to be upon ourselves, and upon our gifts, rather than being fully upon the Lord Jesus and His Word. It's the problem the Corinthians had, focusing on themselves (2Cor 10:12), comparing themselves with themselves, and they had the genuine spiritual gifts. Yes, Paul said they were carnal (1Cor 3:3). So, you can be carnal and practice spiritual gifts. So, can you imagine what it's like today with those that are practicing their natural talents, aptitudes, and skills masked as spiritual gifts.
"And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? 31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way" (1Cor 12:28-31).
Now, we know that in today's churches, regardless of what some say, there are no apostles, prophets, miracle workers, healers, tongues, nor interpreters of tongues, in the church, unless you go to a charismatic church.
"So, you are saying that these Spiritual gifts were for that day and not for our day?" Yes, that is what I am saying. "So, this part of the Word of God does not apply to us?"
I see where these questions might be coming from. I am very careful when saying something from God's Word applies for only that time and not for us today. However, there were many things in the Old Testament that applied to God's people of that day such as tithing, the priesthood, the temple, sacrifices, etc, but do not apply to us today.
Isn't it interesting that most of these denominations that promote spiritual gifts today also promote unscriptural practices such as tithing, the clergy, the church sanctuary, the church altar, sectarian names and titles, and so on.
I believe that from 33 A.D. to whenever John completed the New Testament, possibly the mid 90's, that the transitional period of time passed, thus there was no need for spiritual gifts nor for performing miracles. Yes, after that time, God could still perform a miracle when He chooses to do so, but it won't be by using people to perform them. That time is over. When John completed his books, then God completed His Book! Finished! Thus, that which is perfect arrived, and that which was in part, was done away with. Miracles. Spiritual gifts. All of it. You either trust the Book, or you don't. No more validations.
Why is the word "until" there?
"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 TILL we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Eph 4:11-13).
I notice that when this passage speaks of these spiritual gifts of ministering, that it says in verse 13, "till" or "until" we all come in the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man (mature or complete), ........" Now, does this mean that these individual believers need this ministering until they become mature Christians, and then they no longer need to be taught or ministered to? I don't think so.
I believe it very well could mean that these were special spiritual ministering gifts that would be used during this transitional time to "perfect" or mature the saints even though they don't have the complete Scriptures. These gifts would be used "till" we all come in the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, which seemed more likely to be the time when the New Testament would be completed. "Unity" and "knowledge" would come easier after adding the rest of the books that had not been written yet. Here, Ephesians was written about 60 A.D., so there were several books (up to eight) not yet written, besides the five books of John in 90's A.D, which would be about a dozen books yet to be added.
I'm not saying that today we no longer need to be pastored or taught, but that those special spiritual empowerments behind those ministers, along with the gifts of apostles and prophets were no longer needed after the Bible was completed. "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:" (Eph 4:14,15). What can do this more than the complete Word of God?
So, it's not the spiritual gifts that bring about the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, and the fulness of Christ. The complete New Testament is what brings that, or should bring that. The spiritual gifts are going to be there for around 50 years "until" the Bible is complete.
Keep in mind that the New Testament was not written in a period of just a few years. No, it's more likely it took a period of about 50 years to complete it from the late 40's to the mid 90's. The passages for spiritual gifts all come from 1Corinthians (55 A.D.), Romans (56 A.D.), and Ephesians (60 A.D.) so from these books we know what was going on at that time. If these dates are correct, then these Christians at that time did not yet have Acts (62 A.D.), 1Tim (62-64), 2Tim (66-67), Titus (62-64), 1Peter (64-65), 2Peter (66-67), Hebrews (67-69), Jude (68-70), John (80-90), 1,2,3 John (90-95), and Revelation (94-96). I can see why the "unity of the faith" and "knowledge of the Son of God" would be more complete after adding these remaining books to what they already had back then. Remember, that from 33 A.D. to the late 40's when James was written, they didn't have any New Testament at all, but they did have the apostles, the Holy Spirit, and the spiritual gifts during that time. As time went on and the apostles died off, then their writings took their place.
So, if we have the complete New Testament today, then why is there no "unity of the faith???" Well, it's not God's fault, nor the New Testament's fault. No, we have everything that we need to have this unity. So, the problem is with us. The problem is that there's something wrong with those claiming to be Christians, churches, and leaders. So many tares sown among the wheat. The Bible predicted that it would be this way near the end times (2Thes 2:3; 2Tim 3:1-9). But, for the few today that are genuine believers and want to do what the Bible says, they can. We've got the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to help us understand it.
Yes, today, there are only two things on earth that are absolutely "perfect:" The Holy Spirit and the Word of God. So, we have the Holy Spirit which is actually a Person living in us, and we have the completed Word of God, which doesn't require anything being added to it, whether they appear to be wonderful spiritual experiences or any of these specialized spiritual gifts.
God no longer needs to validate himself to us. We no longer need miracles, signs, or spiritual gifts. We have his completed Word and that's it. If His Word is not enough, then you might as well chuck it away.
Paul clearly said that if any man, or angel preach any other gospel to you, then let him be accursed (Gal 1:8,9). This is what God claims if anyone preaches a different gospel that is not backed up by His Word. I believe this would also apply even if any man or angel produces a miracle before you, don't believe that it's from God! God no longer needs to validate Himself to us. We have His Word, and the Holy Spirit to help us understand His Word.
Thus, regardless of all the indoctrination that you have gone through from your denominational churches, and how hard it is to get past it, if the Holy Spirit is telling you what you have read here concerning spiritual gifts is true, then believe it and take a stand upon it.
I love truth, and I believe what I have written it true. I don't have any agenda to support. It doesn't profit me personally one way or the other if the spiritual gifts are for today or not for today. I just want to believe what is true, and it seems to me, that from the Word of God that when that which was "in part" would be done away with when that which is "perfect" is come. I just believe God is speaking of the completed New Testament, which they clearly didn't have at that time. But, we do now. So, why are we still carrying on something that God said would be temporary and it's 2000 years later? Isn't having the complete Word of God and the Holy Spirit living in you enough? You need to be concerned about the developing of the fruit of the Spirit in your life, rather than trying to discover and exercise a spiritual gift, because if I'm right, it's something you don't have.
I hope that I have been a help to you. May God bless you and help you to do the right thing according to His Word.
In Jesus Name,
James B. Sparks
jb5sparks@aol.com
No comments:
Post a Comment