Skip to main content

Have the Spiritual Gifts Ceased?

Outline​

  1. Definitions
  2. Evidence for Cessationism
  3. Commands
  4. Conclusions
  5. Notes

Definitions​

Cessationism is the idea that the sign/miraculous gifts have ceased and people today do not and cannot perform them at will.

Continuationism is the opposite, the idea that the gifts given at the beginning of the church age in the Bible can still be used by people today.

The point of all spiritual gifts: not for God (directly), not for you, but for the church. For the edification of the church.

It is important to define how one obtains a spiritual gift, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 shows us that God gives them to who he wants.

1 Corinthians 12:4-11
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

There are 3 general categories of spiritual gifts in the Bible: sign/miraculous, speaking, and serving gifts. The sign gifts are the miraculous gifts that some that lived at the start of the church age performed. These would be speaking in tongues, interpreting tongues, healing, and miracles. We see this gift categorized in Hebrews 2:3b-4 "... It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will." see also 2 Corinthians 12:12 The other two categories of gifts, serving, and speaking, we get from 1 Peter 4:10-11

1 Peter 4:10-11
10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies"

Sign gifts were unique to the time of the apostles, the New Testament age, when the apostles teaching needed to be authenticated.

Prophecy is a gift that is often misunderstood but it can be defined as the gift of public speaking with the content being the word of God to believers or unbelievers. Simply, prophecy is the preaching of the word of God, and a prophet is someone who speaks the words of God. Prophecy encourages, condemns, exhorts etc. Prophecy is not only new revelation. There are examples in scripture where prophecies are something that has already been revealed.

1 Corinthians 14:3
13 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.

Prophecy looked different in the Old Testament (OT) and New Testament (NT). OT prophecy was, "thus saith the Lord..." followed by the words of God. NT Prophecy was proclaiming the words of Christ.

Teaching is systematically training people, taking them from one point to another. Preaching is the gift of prophecy, a one time proclamation of the word of God.

Acts 11:28 has an example of someone performing what we would call predictive prophecy where they are telling of something in the future. People do not perform this type of prophecy today.

Acts 11:28
28 And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius).

The idea of prophecy being predicting the future never came along until the middle ages when the English word took on that meaning. It does not mean that in the Greek.

The word tongues is synonymous with the word languages in our Bibles. The gift of tongues was first given to the apostles in Acts 2. There we see it used to speak to all different kinds of people that all spoke different languages, and they all heard it in their own language. This is the only time the we see an example of the gift of tongues in use. Mark 16:17 (see below) shows us that the gift of tongues is one of the gifts that could have occupied a new believer that showed they believed.

The gift of tongues are only mentioned these passages (as far as I could find):

  • Acts 2, 10, 19
  • 1 Corinthians 12-14
  • Mark 16:17 "And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;"
  • Isaiah 28:11 "For by people of strange lips and with a foreign tongue the Lord will speak to this people," (quoted in 1 Corinthians 14:21)

The gift of tongues is shown in Acts and its use corrected in 1 Corinthians 14

I would define the gift of speaking in tongues as speaking in another language.

The gift is not:

  • An out of body experience or ecstasy: these are never talked about in the New Testament. God works through the gifts in controlled behavior, those who use the gifts are never unconscious or anything like that. True gifts functions always under the control of the individual

    1 Cor 14:32
    32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.

  • A private prayer language: explained in section later on.

The gift of interpreting tongues was a separate gift from speaking in tongues (1 Corinthians 12:10). See 1 Corinthians 14 for extra context, which talks about someone interpreting what someone who spoke in tongues said.

1 Corinthians 12:10
10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

The gift of healing is also listed as a gift in 1 Corinthians 12:9.

1 Corinthians 12:9
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,

An example of this is in Act 5:15.

Acts 5:15
15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

The gift of miracles is separate from the gift of healing. It is defined specifically as "the working of miracles". Some examples of these could be Acts 13:4-12 where Paul blinds Elymas the Magician, the casting out of demons (Acts 16:16-24), and in Acts 9:36-43 where Peter rose Tabitha from the dead.

1 Corinthians 12:9-10
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles,

Evidence for Cessationism​

The list of gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 mentions the sign gifts, and then in Romans 12:6-8 not one of the sign gifts is mentioned, same with Ephesians. And then in 1 Peter 4:10-11 we see the categories of speaking gifts and serving gifts, not the sign gifts. Throughout the NT books, there was a diminishing of these gifts. 1 Corinthians was written before other books, when the church was still getting started and performing these. In later books we see these gifts less and less. Later, the other gifts aren’t even used.

Hebrews refers to the sign gifts in the past tense as well as confirming their purpose was to testify to the message of the gospel, which is why we believe they are not needed anymore. The need for the sign gifts has passed as the Jesus and the apostles' teachings have been authenticated.

Hebrews 2:3-4
3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

The purpose of the tongues was to be a sign that God was there and God's people were speaking his truth. To be a sign of authentication. And also that everyone present would understand in their own tongue and hear God's truth that was being spoken.

Paul healed an entire island of people in Acts 28 but later didn’t perform these miracles. An example would be in 1 Timothy 5 where Paul recommended Timothy to use a little wine for the sake of his stomach and other frequent ailments rather than Paul coming to heal him or someone else healing him.

Acts 28:8-9
8 It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him, healed him. 9 And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured.

1 Timothy 5:23
23 (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.)

Today we do not see the gift of healing being used as it was back then. The gift of healing was when people would physically heal someone willingly. Today, people cannot heal other people at will, they are healed by God through prayers.

New Testament prophets are those who spoke direct revelation (something straight from God) and reiteration (something that was already made known). 1 Corinthians 14:29-31 shows us there were New Testament prophets that had revelations. Have these ceased? Of course they have, There cannot be new revelation. Now you have to ask yourself why have these ceased but not the other gifts. These people were foundational. Prophets were not found later (1/2 Timothy).

Ephesians 2:19-20
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,

Ultimately, the purpose for the gifts, the founding of the church and the authentication of Jesus and the apostles' teachings, has passed and therefore the gifts are not needed anymore.

Tongues is Corrected in 1 Corinthians 14​

The point of this section is to show that the Corinthians were using the gift of tongues improperly.

In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul sometimes refers to the incorrect use of the correct gift of tongues and sometimes refers to the use of the incorrect gift of tongues. Some people think that when Paul uses "tongue" he is referring to the misuse of the gift and "tongues" is referring to the real gift. A good piece of evidence for this is that there can only be plural when talking about languages whereas there is only one kind of gibberish, it's just gibberish.

Tongues was and is very common in Pagan religion. Greek Paganism was running rampant in the Corinthian church. Paul in 1 Corinthians 14 tells the church that they were using tongues incorrectly and tells them how to use it properly. The pagans believed that tongues would edify oneself, Paul's point in 1 Corinthians 14 is that the gifts edify the church.

There are not 2 kinds of tongues, the private self-edification kind that some say is the second form of it is actually the perversion of it. The same term that is used for the gift of tongues in Acts 2 is the same term in 1 Corinthians 14. The gifts don't operate to edify oneself, but the church.

Tongues is not a private prayer language to God. Part of the purpose of the gift of tongues is to speak to men. Should never be unintelligible.

Matthew 6:7
7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.

In verse 5 Paul says he wishes that all spoke in tongues but not all have that gift and not all can. This is just hyperbole. Paul also wishes that all were single, in reality this is obviously not possible.

Verse 2 refers to the incorrect gift of speaking in tongues, the gift is to be used for the building up of the church but some were using it in speaking to God, which no one could understand, and was therefore not building up the church.

I think verse 28 is referring to meditating/talking to God by yourself. Not speaking to God in another unknown tongue.

1 Corinthians 14:28
28 But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God.

If anyone does not recognize what Paul says as a command of the Lord, they are not legitimate.

1 Corinthians 14:36-38
36 Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? 37 If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. 38 If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.

Tongues Does Not Build Up the Church​

Paul says that the gift of tongues is secondary in relation to the other gifts. Prophecy is superior and edifies the whole congregation.

1 Corinthians 14:6
6 Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?

There was no point in Paul speaking in the real gift of tongues to the Corinthians because he spoke their language already!

1 Corinthians 14:14-15 tells us there is no mental benefit to speaking in a tongue no one understands and that we need to pray and sing with understanding, with our minds.

1 Corinthians 14:14-15
14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.

1 Corinthians 13:8 says that tongues will cease at some point. Some people say tongues is a great way to praise God, if that is the case then why would it cease?

In many, many other places in Acts we see people get saved and not speaking in tongues.

There is not a record of a single thing that anyone says in tongues in the Bible.

We all speak the same language, so there’s no point of the gift of tongues for us because the purpose of the gift of tongues was to spread the gospel to another language.

Commands​

There are commands throughout the new testament related to the spiritual gifts, how to use them, and how to deal with them.

You can't/don't get to define how God operates, you also cannot control the Holy Spirit and choose to perform miracles or choose any of the spiritual gifts that you want. The Holy Spirit chooses who to give specific gifts to, you cannot choose a gift you do not have (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). I have often heard people often say that you need to have more faith to heal or speak in tongues, but that the Bible does not say anything about having needing more faith to attain a gift, but the Holy Spirit giving gifts to specific individuals as he wills.

1 Corinthians 12:4-11
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 10 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

We are called to use the gifts that God gives us

Romans 12:6-8
6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 tells us "Do not quench the Spirit". We should not say that God cannot work in through people using the gifts.

1 Thessalonians 5:19-21
19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good.

These passages in Deuteronomy talk about false prophets being put to death, showing the severity of preaching something contrary to what God has said. Deuteronomy 18:15-22, Deuteronomy 13:1-5. Prophecy in terms of declaring the words of God that have not been revealed in the Bible is not permitted by the Bible. It is complete and we cannot add to it.

Deuteronomy 18:20
20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’

Deuteronomy 18 outlaws fortune telling/divination.

Deuteronomy 18:9-14
9 “When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer 11 or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, 12 for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you. 13 You shall be blameless before the Lord your God, 14 for these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do this.

In 1 Corinthians 14 Paul gives many commands for the gift of tongues and for orderly worship:

  • "strive to excel in building up the church." (verse 12)
  • Be mature in your thinking (verse 20)
  • "Let all things be done for the building up." (verse 26)
  • Someone needs to interpret whoever speaks in tongues (verse 27).
  • If there is no one to interpret your tongue, stay silent in church (verse 28).
  • Only let a maximum of 2 or 3 prophets speak (verse 29).
  • Acknowledge the things Paul says (verse 37).
  • Desire to prophecy (verse 38).
  • Do not forbid speaking in tongues (verse 39): if tongues have ceased then this doesn't apply to today. Paul is saying to not forbid the true gift of tongues in its place and time.
  • "all things should be done decently and in order." (verse 40).

Conclusion​

Based on all the evidence and reasoning listed above, this is my conclusion.

I don’t think God wanted to explicitly say in scripture that the gifts have ceased because he wants the Holy Spirit to work how he pleases, and does not want to “quench” its power by limiting it. That being said, I believe that God does not give the sign/miraculous gifts like he used to (in the founding of the church), allowing people to perform them at will, but he can perform them through people.

This is what is known as Classic Cessationism: The spiritual sign gifts used to start the church have ceased in their original position a period of time after the founding of the church.

Notes​

Helpful Sermons​