Part 7 of 11If Cessationism cannot scripturally prove its position in general terms, then it will turn to individual and focused attacks of the gifts themselves. They will even go so far as to attack Christians who utilize these gifts. Each of the miraculous gifts of the Spirit are scrutinized to the point of blasphemy! Let’s observe this sad occurrence concerning the gifts of tongues, prophesy, and healing.
Proponents of Cessationism claim that the gift of tongues was merely a temporary sign to confirm the Gospel dispensation as accurate and God-ordained, and to act as a vehicle for impending judgment . However, a proper understanding of Scripture will enable us to refute this flawed idea. Beginning with Romans 11:29, the Bible says, “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance”. The Greek word used here for “repentance” is “ametamelētos”, and means, “irrevocable” . What is that supposed to mean to us, other than the fact that they (God’s giftings) do not change dispensationally. In fact, this Greek word for “gifts” is “charisma”, the same word used to describe the spiritual gifts in First Corinthians 12:4-10: “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit...” These gifts will indeed be fulfilled at the end of the age, but they do not change or alter from dispensation to dispensation. Once the gifts of the Spirit are on the scene, they are here for good, until they have accomplished their purpose.
Let’s examine the major evidence Cessationism offers toward its “sign theory”: “In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe” (1 Cor 14:21-22). When Paul says, “In the law it is written”, he is referencing Isaiah 28, which says, “Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine! … The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet… But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment… For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear” (vs. 1, 3, 7, 11-12).
Isaiah is prophesying of Israel in the day of Christ. He says, “For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people” (vs. 11). This is speaking of the gift of tongues in the New Testament; it was allegedly used primarily as a sign of judgment against the Jewish leadership : “Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem” (vs. 14). The leadership of Israel had a relationship with the Romans and brought false charges against Christ and sent Him to the Romans to have Him crucified: Isaiah says, “Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves” (vs. 15). However, God has something to say about this relationship: “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste… Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it” (vs. 16-18). Well, the scourge did indeed overcome them when Jerusalem was destroyed and Israel was scattered. So, Paul says that tongues were for a sign of this impending judgment. Allegedly, given the fact that Jerusalem was destroyed and there was no longer any leadership in Israel, the gift of tongues had served its purpose. Since this judgment had past, Cessationism argues that tongues are no longer needed as a sign, and are expired.
It is doubtful, however, that tongues would be used as a sign of approaching judgment against unbelieving Jews, mainly because the majority of the audience in Acts chapter 2 were from Gentile nations.
Furthermore, if indeed this assumption is correct, and the judgment that once accompanied tongues has served it's initial purpose, we yet have no reason to believe this same purpose will not be reborn as a testimony against current unbelieving natural Israel, Israel in the future (Zech 12:10; Rev 1:7; etc), and even of spiritual Israel (Gal 4:26; Heb 12:22).
In addition, there is one vastly important detail that is overlooked in the Cessationist position: tongues serve a duality of purposes, not solely judgment. Isaiah even testified of this in the very verses in question: “For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear” (Isa 28:11-12). Clearly, we see tongues were also meant to be for a “rest” and a “refreshing”, that is, edification, either personally or corporately. If tongues were only for a sign against the leadership of past-tense Israel, then why does Paul explain the proper use of tongues in the modern New Testament church? In fact, he devotes an entire couple of chapters of Scripture to explain the use and ministry of tongues. Do we assume this is in vain?
Paul clearly differentiates between the corporate ministry of tongues (that is always to be coupled with its interpretation), and the personal ministry of tongues (where no interpretation is needed), that is, praying “with the Spirit” (1 Cor 14:14-15). He said, “For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries” (1 Cor 14:2). Therefore, the idea that tongues were only used once in time for the sole purpose of judgment is false. Here, Paul clearly reveals a second purpose, that is, edification: “He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself… I would that ye all spake with tongues…” (1 Cor 14:4-5). Later, Paul describes such tongues as praying with the spirit: “For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful” (1 Cor 14:14). He then encourages his readers to do such: “What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also” (1 Cor 14:15). In the epistle of Jude, this theme of self-edification is continued as we are further encouraged to pray in and with the spirit: “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God…” (Jude 20-21a). Why would the apostle Paul go to such great lengths to teach the proper use of tongues in the church if it were never meant to operate in the church? If tongues were only used as a sign and method of judgment on the day of Pentecost, why then does Paul himself later pray in tongues (1 Cor 14:18)? It’s because Paul held tongues as a gift for private prayer in high regard (1 Cor 14:2, 4, 5, 15, 17-18). It is ridiculous to assume the gift of tongues has expired simply because one facet of its purpose has supposedly been initially accomplished, especially considering the legitimate role tongues is to play in the life of believers, and the local church: “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Rom 8:26). One would have to ignore vast portions of Scripture to say the gift of tongues has no present-day purpose.
Cessationism holds this distorted view of tongues for many reasons. However, I contend that the primary reason for such a disdain of tongues is the apparent "foolishness" that is often associated with it. But God has purposed that a foolish thing will confound the wise (1 Cor 1:27)! If we approach a supernatural truth with our carnal, natural thinking patterns, we will undoubtedly come to inaccurate conclusions. Paul describes this when he says, “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things we also speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor 2:11-14). What is a “natural man”? Paul defines it as a man who receives the spirit of the world, and not the Spirit of God. How can we expect to rightly discern spiritual truths if we are not even baptized in the Holy Ghost? Of course, without the immersion of God’s Spirit, anything that contradicts our natural mindsets will appear as “foolishness”, because we are not discerning spiritually, but carnally. Perhaps if all men approached the God of the universe with humility and spiritual discernment, Cessationism would be merely a forgotten regret.
To be continued...
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