Renewal??

Part 10 of 11

The strewn and scattered practice of Spiritual gifts in the church has been a reason why many believers have rejected their modern validity. We seem to find safety in large numbers rather than in the plain and obvious counsel of Scripture: “All we like sheep have gone astray…” (Isa 53:6). Interestingly enough, large numbers (in Scripture) are often associated with spiritual apathy and complacency: “…And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was” (Exod 20:21). How ironic!

In fact, Cessationism seems to use such a scattered practice of gifts (they call it absence) as evidence for the Holy Spirit's exit. One man I spoke with said, "If a truth was not present ALL throughout church history, then it cannot be from God." Basically, Cessationism refuses the idea of renewal, and therefore, they of course refuse the Charismatic renewal.

As should be evident, the apparent absence of a truth does not negate the truth in and of itself. Observe Martin Luther, for example. Justification by faith was a lost revelation to the body of Christ. Perversions such as indulgences and Papal hierarchy were the norm for the people of God for many, many years. Suddenly, with Luther, truth was reborn and the masses of heresies were slowly destroyed. Does this “rebirth” of truth negate its constant and pre-existent validity? No. Truth was renewed, and restored to the people of God in practice. The same is so with the Charismatic movement. The early 1900’s began the Charismatic renewal. Friend, this was not the birth of a new church, as Cessationism would suppose, but the restoration of long dormant truths to the majority of the body of Christ. Pockets all around the world were practicing these truths (as previous blogs have pointed out), yet the majority of believers remained in darkness; their faces hid from the profit and edification available to them through the gifts and ministries of the Holy Spirit. It wasn't until the Charismatic renewal that the people of God were enlightened on a larger scale. Thank God!

Proponents of Cessationism have even sought to use the Dark Ages as an example of the Holy Spirit’s permanent exit from the church. But to be honest, it wasn’t the Holy Ghost who left the scene during the Dark Ages, rather, it was men’s unrepentant hearts that failed them. Towards the end of the first century a progressive decline and compromise in the church disrupted the overall growth of the church, until it reached the dark and wide-spread crescendo known as the Dark Ages. Historically, Protestants often wrote of the Dark Ages as a period of Catholic corruption. Compare the book of Acts with the historical church in the 4th century and beyond, and it shows the profound loss of spiritual truth and corruption suffered by the institutional church. In fact, we see a small glimpse of this beginning occurrence in Scripture. The early church began pure and genuine, yet shortly after was rebuked for their lack and spiritual complacency. Note the following evidence which suggests the corporate Church's decline into apathy:

The Early Church – 61 A.D. (Acts 2:41-47): Gladly received His Word
(vs. 41); continued steadfastly in doctrine (vs. 42); in fellowship (vs. 42); in the breaking of bread (communion) (vs. 42); in prayers (vs. 42); feared God (vs. 43); signs and wonders performed (vs. 43); had all things common (vs. 44); sold their possessions for the needy (vs. 45); met daily with one accord in the temple, and from house to house (vs. 46); were content with what they had (vs. 46b); worshiped together (vs. 47); had favor with all the people (vs. 47); converts were added daily (vs. 47).

The Laodicean Church – 96 A.D. (Revelation 3:14-22): No ear to hear the Word of the Lord (vs. 21); would not “buy the truth” (vs. 18; Prov 23:23); spiritually miserable (vs. 17); spiritually wretched (vs. 17); non-repentant (vs. 19); spiritually blind (vs. 17); spiritually poor (vs. 17); hoarded their possessions, but were spiritually naked (vs. 17); increased, yet spiritually lacking (vs. 17); were too content with their abundance (vs. 17); the shame of their nakedness was evident (vs. 18); lacking the Holy Ghost (vs. 20); met in a “Godless” temple (vs. 20); Jesus is standing outside the church knocking (vs. 20).

Are we honestly to believe such an apathetic decline was the fault of the Holy Spirit? By the Dark Ages, even the foundation of justification by faith had carnally degenerated into a system of earning redemption by good works and religious ritual. Though largely reformed, the modern church continues to fall short of the former, normal, unimpaired design God had for it. As we read the New Testament, it is evident that the early believers functioned in a remarkable level of spiritual truth, which is mostly absent from the church today. But slowly and surely, the life and practice of the early church is being renewed and restored to those who are hungry!

Cessationism, however, refuses this concept of renewal. If certain truths were not present throughout all of church history, they are automatically labeled as “…another Jesus… another spirit… or another gospel…” (2 Cor 11:4). But is this thought pattern responsible? Again, I do not believe so..

Following is evidence displaying some of the many truths the church would now lose if we limited our doctrinal collection to the declining stages of corporate Christianity into the Dark Ages, as Cessationism insists.

- Justification by Faith: 1500’s; Martin Luther
- Water Baptism: 1500’s; Meno Simons
- Holiness and Sanctification: 1700’s; John and Charles Wesley
- Baptism of the Holy Spirit: 1906; Azusa Street Revival
- Worship in Spirit and in truth; laying on of hands: Mid 1900’s; Latter Rain Movement
- Miracles, tongues, and prophecy to mainline denominations: Late 1900’s; Charismatic Movement

Clearly, if we abide in the Cessationist’s theory of doctrinal accumulation, we could not accept any of these precious truths that have been corporately restored and renewed to the body of Christ. And that wouldn't be a very good idea at all.

To be continued..