Continuationism - Arguments For - Cessationist View Goes Against Direct Biblical Teaching

Cessationist View Goes Against Direct Biblical Teaching

"So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But all things should be done decently and in order." (1 Cor.14:39 ESV)

"Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil." (1 Thess. 5:19-22 ESV)

"For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith;" (Rom.12:4-6 ESV)

"Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy." (1 Cor.14:1 ESV)

"And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts." (1 Cor.12:28-31 ESV)

"for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable" (Rom 11:29 KJV).

Cessationists argue that these passages applied only to the early Church and not to the Church today (especially on the basis of Eph.2:20). This view, however, violates the evangelical view of the inspiration of the bible and the accepted view of the canon of scripture which says that the various biblical authors were superintended by God in such a way so that what they wrote to their immediate readers were also God's very own words for us today.

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." (2 Tim.3:16-17 ESV)

While proper interpretation is always an issue, it is an argument in itself why God would include those verses above in His Word to us today if He knew that none of them actually speaks to us today, certainly not in a way that is "profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness". In fact they would outright confuse us today if those spiritual gifts have already ceased, especially "do not forbid speaking in tongues" and "do not despise prophecies".

Some cessationists would argue that the gifts referred above are mis-understood by continuationists. For example, "prophecy" would be said to describe something other than a revelation from God; specifically, "prophecy" is applying/preaching God's words to a situation (or preaching with conviction), and that is to be done using the Bible.

Continuationists would argue though that N.T. understanding of prophecy is not preaching or applying from scriptures but a revelation from God (but is not necessarily scripture as not all prophecies by all genuine prophets was included in scripture). For example...

"Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, saying, 'Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?'" (Matt.26:67-68)

"Jesus said to her, 'Go, call your husband, and come here.' The woman answered him, 'I have no husband.' Jesus said to her, 'You are right in saying, "I have no husband"; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.' The woman said to him, 'Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.'" (John 4:16-19)

In both cases, there was no preaching (or expected preaching), they understood prophecy as a supernatural revelation not preaching from scripture.

In the same way, Cessationists also argue that "speaking in tongues" refers to human languages only...

"And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language. They were amazed and astonished, saying, "Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs--we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God." (Acts 2:4-11 NASB)

(which they do not forbid) and does not include what cessationist call ecstatic speaking (which they do forbid). However, Luke here is not making a theological statement about which tongues are valid but simply narrating the people groups who heard them. Had some Christians spoken in angelic languages, it is not expected that Luke should include "angels" among the people groups who heard. Continuatinists argue that Cessationist are making this passage teach something it is not intending to teach (prooftexting); Luke was not teaching his reader to reject tongues of angels... he was certainly not teaching that persons who speak angelic languages are to be excommunicated, accused of committing apostasy, being possessed by demons or anything like that.

Continuationist argue that Paul does speak of angelic languages as part of the gift of tongues...

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love... " (1 Cor.13:1a ESV)

And N.T. methods for testing the genuineness of spiritual experiences can confirm that a person who speaks in tongues today really does have that gift from the Holy Spirit...

"Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus is accursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except in the Holy Spirit." (1 Cor.12:3 ESV)

And it should also be noted that those who spoke in tongues in Acts 2 were not articulating/preaching the gospel to those who heard (as cessationists argue as the purpose of the gift of tongues), but the Pentecost Christians were speaking mighty works of God in tongues, Peter still needed to preach the gospel. This is consistent with modern experience of the gift of tongues; whenever they are interpreted they tend to be only phrases or sentences of praises to God, rarely (if ever) whole articulate sermons. Modern experience of the gift of tongues is also consistent with other descriptions of it in the Bible...

"For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church." (1 Corinthians 14:2-4 ESV)

Persons who speak in tongues are edified in the Spirit, abound emotionally in the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal.5:22) and have a sense of communication with God though they do not understand what they are saying.

"Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray for the power to interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 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. Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say "Amen" to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up." (1 Corinthians 14:13-17 ESV)

Notice the descriptions of Paul regarding a person who speaks in tongues without the gift of interpretation; such a person prays with his spirit but is unfruitful in his mind, sings praise in his spirit, give thanks in his spirit (which the apostle approves) - all of these are consistent with the modern experience of the gift of tongues.