Clarifying the Spirit"s Power - In Cessationism
These are days of huge opportunity.
Vast harvest fields for the gospel lie before us.
At the same time, there is growing hostility to a gospel message that calls on people to repent of their sins.
So, will we ever see the power of God convince people that Jesus is the only answer? Is not this the gospel which is the power of God unto salvation? So what, if any, of the Spirit's supernaturalism has ceased? - It's a live issue.
· POWERFULLY ACTIVE Let's start with a brief survey of the Holy Spirit and his ministry in this world.
We soon discover he is active in the creation of life 'And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters' (Genesis 1:2).
This is confirmed by Job's claim, 'The Spirit of God made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life' (Job 33:4).
The Spirit is not confined to place or space; 'Where shall I go from your Spirit?' (Psalm 139:7), but is personal, unbounded, related to the Lord and not dependent on man; 'Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel?' (Isaiah 40:13).
The Holy Spirit empowers and anoints the Servant of the Lord, 'Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him' (Isaiah 42:1).
Thus when Christ comes, we find that he is going to baptise 'with the Holy Spirit' (John 1:33).
· NEW CREATION The Spirit is also very active in the new creation.
Whereas God cursed the old creation because of the sin of Adam and Eve, Christ the Son of God comes, in great grace, to make all things new.
He breathes the life of the Spirit into 'everyone who is born of the Spirit' (John 3:8).
Then as Jesus completes his saving work on the cross, and is raised, he commands his disciples to 'make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit' (Matthew 28:19).
As these new Trinitarian-baptised disciples multiply and the old divisions are broken down, Jew and Gentile form one new body, 'built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit' (Eph.
2:22).
During Jesus' three-year ministry he called apostles, who were also eye-witnesses of his resurrection, as Paul protests to some - 'Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?' (1 Corinthians 9:1).
To other Christians Paul reminds of 'what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience - by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God' (Romans 15:18-19).
But let's not forget that the Holy Spirit is sovereign in both creation and salvation.
· ONE FOUNDATION Remember, this was during the foundation-laying stage of Christ's church, which is 'built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone' (Eph.
2:20).
Once that foundation was laid, it was in place for the whole present age, and all the supernatural signs and wonders confirmed the genuineness of the apostolic messengers and their message.
Paul confirms this; 'The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works' (2 Corinthians 12:12); they are the signs of a true apostle, and as such, there are no more.
This raises the question of gifts of the Spirit and their legitimacy for the church after the age of the apostles down to the church today.
While many Christians accept that Scripture is final and sufficient - 'Sola Scriptura' - for all the written revelation from God that we need, they still hold that prophecy was for the church until Christ returns.
· REVELATION COMPLETE However, prophecy was a distinctly supernatural gift of the Spirit, given both to instruct and encourage Christians at the foundational period, before Scriptural revelation was complete, and also to add to Scripture, where individuals were moved by the Holy Spirit to write.
We see examples of the latter in Luke writing his Acts of the Apostles and Jude in writing his letter.
But now, I detect in much of this present discussion about prophecy a diluted, sub-biblical meaning.
And instead of it being the authoritative word of God, it is weakened to a fallible impression, which needs to be tested.
What this shows is that in fact, there are no God-authorised prophets today, because their role ceased with the completion of the canon of Scripture.
And it is misplaced zeal to try to re-create special and unique gifts that were applicable after Pentecost, during the apostles' ministries, in the period immediately following Jesus' death, resurrection and ascension which laid the vital base of the foundation.
But it makes no sense to try to build again those unique parts that belong to the foundation, as if they had a place in the subsequent superstructure.
· RECOVER CLARITY Thus, all such attempts to restore long-ceased gifts only result in these diluted, rather pale and artificial reconstructions.
Often these re-constructed 'gifts' are sincere believers sharing their knowledge of God's word, using the wisdom and discernment we are all called to possess.
So, of course, there is a sense in which this sort of witness, teaching or encouragement is supernatural, for if we are born of God, we already have fellowship with the Spirit, and we aim to walk by the Spirit! But it only creates confusion when special, 'prophetic' foundational-level operations of the Spirit are thought to be normative for the entire post-apostolic period.
And so to equate this sort of 'prophecy' or a 'prophetic moment' with the New Testament gift of prophecy is quite confusing, because that specific gift has long ceased.
For if prophecy were to continue to function today in the divinely authoritative and revelatory way as in the early church for the instruction of believers prior to the presence of Scripture among them, and in the writing of Scripture, then those who advocate this gift will perhaps review how they have either misnamed the activity as 'prophecy', or else accept that Scripture needs to be supplemented by further operations of the Spirit.
However, this clearly contradicts those Scriptures that speak of their finality, sufficiency and once-for-all nature (See 2 Timothy 3:15-17, 2 Peter 1:3-4, Hebrews 1:1-2, Jude 3).
· HARVEST TIME! So, let's be clear, cessationists are not blocking the Spirit from working by their rigid and legalistic doctrine.
By no means! We are labouring for the recovery of biblical clarity and seasons of refreshing and praying for the sovereign Holy Spirit to be poured out in revival blessing.
And with all that rich and powerful finality in which God has already spoken his best and last word for this world, how we should be praying for more humble holiness of life and for the Holy Spirit to continue to exalt the message of Christ and him crucified, bringing repentance and faith to many people, so reaping a great harvest for him!
Vast harvest fields for the gospel lie before us.
At the same time, there is growing hostility to a gospel message that calls on people to repent of their sins.
So, will we ever see the power of God convince people that Jesus is the only answer? Is not this the gospel which is the power of God unto salvation? So what, if any, of the Spirit's supernaturalism has ceased? - It's a live issue.
· POWERFULLY ACTIVE Let's start with a brief survey of the Holy Spirit and his ministry in this world.
We soon discover he is active in the creation of life 'And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters' (Genesis 1:2).
This is confirmed by Job's claim, 'The Spirit of God made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life' (Job 33:4).
The Spirit is not confined to place or space; 'Where shall I go from your Spirit?' (Psalm 139:7), but is personal, unbounded, related to the Lord and not dependent on man; 'Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel?' (Isaiah 40:13).
The Holy Spirit empowers and anoints the Servant of the Lord, 'Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him' (Isaiah 42:1).
Thus when Christ comes, we find that he is going to baptise 'with the Holy Spirit' (John 1:33).
· NEW CREATION The Spirit is also very active in the new creation.
Whereas God cursed the old creation because of the sin of Adam and Eve, Christ the Son of God comes, in great grace, to make all things new.
He breathes the life of the Spirit into 'everyone who is born of the Spirit' (John 3:8).
Then as Jesus completes his saving work on the cross, and is raised, he commands his disciples to 'make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit' (Matthew 28:19).
As these new Trinitarian-baptised disciples multiply and the old divisions are broken down, Jew and Gentile form one new body, 'built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit' (Eph.
2:22).
During Jesus' three-year ministry he called apostles, who were also eye-witnesses of his resurrection, as Paul protests to some - 'Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?' (1 Corinthians 9:1).
To other Christians Paul reminds of 'what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience - by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God' (Romans 15:18-19).
But let's not forget that the Holy Spirit is sovereign in both creation and salvation.
· ONE FOUNDATION Remember, this was during the foundation-laying stage of Christ's church, which is 'built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone' (Eph.
2:20).
Once that foundation was laid, it was in place for the whole present age, and all the supernatural signs and wonders confirmed the genuineness of the apostolic messengers and their message.
Paul confirms this; 'The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works' (2 Corinthians 12:12); they are the signs of a true apostle, and as such, there are no more.
This raises the question of gifts of the Spirit and their legitimacy for the church after the age of the apostles down to the church today.
While many Christians accept that Scripture is final and sufficient - 'Sola Scriptura' - for all the written revelation from God that we need, they still hold that prophecy was for the church until Christ returns.
· REVELATION COMPLETE However, prophecy was a distinctly supernatural gift of the Spirit, given both to instruct and encourage Christians at the foundational period, before Scriptural revelation was complete, and also to add to Scripture, where individuals were moved by the Holy Spirit to write.
We see examples of the latter in Luke writing his Acts of the Apostles and Jude in writing his letter.
But now, I detect in much of this present discussion about prophecy a diluted, sub-biblical meaning.
And instead of it being the authoritative word of God, it is weakened to a fallible impression, which needs to be tested.
What this shows is that in fact, there are no God-authorised prophets today, because their role ceased with the completion of the canon of Scripture.
And it is misplaced zeal to try to re-create special and unique gifts that were applicable after Pentecost, during the apostles' ministries, in the period immediately following Jesus' death, resurrection and ascension which laid the vital base of the foundation.
But it makes no sense to try to build again those unique parts that belong to the foundation, as if they had a place in the subsequent superstructure.
· RECOVER CLARITY Thus, all such attempts to restore long-ceased gifts only result in these diluted, rather pale and artificial reconstructions.
Often these re-constructed 'gifts' are sincere believers sharing their knowledge of God's word, using the wisdom and discernment we are all called to possess.
So, of course, there is a sense in which this sort of witness, teaching or encouragement is supernatural, for if we are born of God, we already have fellowship with the Spirit, and we aim to walk by the Spirit! But it only creates confusion when special, 'prophetic' foundational-level operations of the Spirit are thought to be normative for the entire post-apostolic period.
And so to equate this sort of 'prophecy' or a 'prophetic moment' with the New Testament gift of prophecy is quite confusing, because that specific gift has long ceased.
For if prophecy were to continue to function today in the divinely authoritative and revelatory way as in the early church for the instruction of believers prior to the presence of Scripture among them, and in the writing of Scripture, then those who advocate this gift will perhaps review how they have either misnamed the activity as 'prophecy', or else accept that Scripture needs to be supplemented by further operations of the Spirit.
However, this clearly contradicts those Scriptures that speak of their finality, sufficiency and once-for-all nature (See 2 Timothy 3:15-17, 2 Peter 1:3-4, Hebrews 1:1-2, Jude 3).
· HARVEST TIME! So, let's be clear, cessationists are not blocking the Spirit from working by their rigid and legalistic doctrine.
By no means! We are labouring for the recovery of biblical clarity and seasons of refreshing and praying for the sovereign Holy Spirit to be poured out in revival blessing.
And with all that rich and powerful finality in which God has already spoken his best and last word for this world, how we should be praying for more humble holiness of life and for the Holy Spirit to continue to exalt the message of Christ and him crucified, bringing repentance and faith to many people, so reaping a great harvest for him!
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