A Case against Cessationism

1. Strangers to Fire
A Case Against Cessationism

2. Most Biblical Argument
Love never fails; but if there are gifts of
prophecy, they will be done away; if there
are tongues, they will cease; if there is
knowledge, it will be done away. For we
know in part and we prophesy in part; but
when the perfect comes, the partial will be
1 Corinthians 13:8–12 2

3. Most Biblical Argument
done away. When I was a child, I used to
speak like a child, think like a child, reason
like a child; when I became a man, I did away
with childish things. For now we see in a
mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I
know in part, but then I will know fully just as
I also have been fully known.
1 Corinthians 13:8–12 3

4. Three truths
Prophecy-they will be done away.
Tongues-they will stop.
Knowledge-it will be done away.
4

5. Three Questions
Has all prophecy been fulfilled?
Do we still have a need for knowledge?
Are people still being baptized in the Holy Spirit?
5

6. What does “the perfect” refer to?
Kingdom of heaven
The fulfillment of perfect love
Not the Bible
How can the Bible be perfect if there are
erroneous parts?
6

7. When is when?
We see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face;
now I know in part, but then I will know fully just
as I also have been fully known.
When will Paul and the rest of us have full
knowledge?
No where in this passage or the ones preceding or
following is the written Word of God mentioned! 7

8. Right Context
All spiritual gifts will end but love will never end.
Maturity
Proper use of spiritual gifts
8

9. 7 Biblical Arguments For
Cessationism?
Not at all!
9

10. Biblical Doctrine Principle
…so that BY THE MOUTH OF
TWO OR THREE WITNESSES
EVERY FACT MAY BE
CONFIRMED.
Matt 18:16 10

11. #1 The unique role of miracles.
The primary purpose of miracles has always been
to establish the credibility of one who speaks the
word of God
The time of Moses
The time of Elijah and Elisha
The time of Christ and Apostles
11

12. Purpose(s) of miracles
Show God’s power
Show God’s favor
Attesting miracles for message
Inducement to worship
Establish calling
A sign
12

13. Miracles are throughout the Bible
Joshua
Gideon
Samson
Jonah
Isaiah
Daniel and 3 Hebrews
Philistines -toppled idol,
broken, tumors, cow
cart, holy thunder.
Unknown prophet-
Jeroboam’s altar,
withered hand and lion
13

14. The future of miracles
Many will say to Me on that day,
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in
Your name, and in Your name cast
out demons, and in Your name
perform many miracles?’
Matthew 7:22 14

15. The Future of Miracles
And God has appointed in the church,
first apostles, second prophets, third
teachers, then miracles, then gifts of
healings, helps, administrations, various
kinds of tongues.
1 Corinthians 12:28 15

16. The future of miracles
These signs will accompany those who have
believed: in My name they will cast out demons,
they will speak with new tongues; they will pick
up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison,
it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the
sick, and they will recover.”
Mark 16:17–18 16

17. Still to come
False Christs and false prophets Matt, 24:24
The Antichrist 2 Thess. 2:8.
The Two Prophets in Revelations
17

18. #2 The End Of The Gift Of Apostleship
They were a temporary gifts
Gifts to the Church
Apostle had to be an eye-witness of the life of
Christ and his resurrection. You also had to be
personally appointed by Christ and be able to
work miracles. According to these three
qualifications, there is no one alive today who is
an apostle in the sense that the original 12 were.
18

19. 19
Gift of Apostle
More than 12.
Paul
Barnabas
Andronicus
Junia
Sylvanus
Timothy
False apostles
2 Corinthians
11:13…For such men
are false apostles,
deceitful workers,
disguising themselves
as apostles of Christ.

20. The Gift of Apostle
He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets,
and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and
teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the
work of service, to the building up of the body of
Christ;
Ephesians 4:11–12 20

21. Questions
What delineates the temporary from the
permanent?
Do saints still need equipping?
Does the body of Christ still need building up?
21

22. 22

23. #3 The Foundational Nature Of
The New Testament Apostles And
Prophets.
Once the apostles and prophets finished their role in laying the foundation of the
church, their gifts were completed
23

24. The Five-Fold Ministry Still Has Work
for the equipping of the saints for the work
of service, to the building up of the body of
Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the
faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of
God, to a mature man, to the measure of the
stature which belongs to the fullness of
Ephesians 4:12–16 24

25. The Five-Fold Ministry Still Has Work
Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be
children, tossed here and there by waves and
carried about by every wind of doctrine, by
the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful
scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we
are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is
Ephesians 4:12–16 25

26. The Five-Fold Ministry Still Has Work
the head, even Christ, from whom the whole
body, being fitted and held together by what
every joint supplies, according to the proper
working of each individual part, causes the
growth of the body for the building up of
itself in love.
Ephesians 4:12–16 26

27. I’d be exhausted!
Grammatically tied together
Practically tied together
Pastors are supposed to do all this?
27

28. Questions
Saints still need equipping?
Work still to be done?
Unity of faith yet?
Unity of knowledge achieved?
Have you reached the full stature of Christ?
28

29. Last Days
Acts 2:17…‘And it shall be in the last days,’
God says, ‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit
on all mankind; And your sons and your
daughters shall prophesy, And your young
men shall see visions, And your old men shall
dream dreams;
29

30. #4 The Nature Of The New
Testament Miraculous Gifts.
Tongues a real language
Prophecy inerrant
Spectacular healings
30

31. Wrong Wrong Wrong
Tongues of men and of angles…
Speaks to God not to men
Let the prophets speak…let the others judge
Are there any sick among you?
31

32. #5 The Testimony Of Church
History.
We don’t find these supernatural gifts occurring throughout church history
32

33. Really?
Didache
Early Church Fathers
St. Augustine’s City of God
33

34. Why Did They Diminish?
1 Peter 2:9…But you are a chosen race, a
royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people
for God’s own possession, so that you
may proclaim the excellencies of Him
who has called you out of darkness into
His marvelous light;
34

35. #6 The Sufficiency Of Scripture.
The Spirit speaks only in and through the inspired Word. He doesn’t call and direct
his people through subjective messages and modern-day bestsellers. His word is
external to us and objective.
35

36. There is an Anointing to Speak
1 Peter 4:10–11…As each one has received a special
gift, employ it in serving one another as good
stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever
speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the
utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one
who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so
that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus
Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion
forever and ever. Amen.
36

37. Only for the disciples?
Mark 13:11…When they arrest you and hand you
over, do not worry beforehand about what you
are to say, but say whatever is given you in that
hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy
Spirit.
37

38. Part of the Purpose of the Holy Spirit
John 16:13…But when He, the Spirit of truth,
comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He
will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever
He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to
you what is to come.
38

39. #7 The New Testament Governed
The Miraculous Gifts.
Long objection
39

40. #7
Whenever the New Testament gifts of tongues
was to be practiced, there were specific rules that
were to be followed. There was to be order and
structure, as well as an interpreter. Paul also lays
down rules for prophets and prophecy. Tragically
most charismatic practice today clearly disregards
these commands. The result is not a work of the
spirit but of the flesh.
40

41. 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 1:7…so that you are not lacking in
any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our
Lord Jesus Christ,
A book written to give guidance to a charismatic
church
41

42. Has all this been fully fulfilled?
‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God
says, ‘THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT
ON ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND
YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, AND
YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND
YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS;
Acts 2:17–20 42

43. Has all this been fully fulfilled?
EVEN ON MY BONDSLAVES, BOTH MEN AND
WOMEN, I WILL IN THOSE DAYS POUR FORTH
OF MY SPIRIT And they shall prophesy. ‘AND
I WILL GRANT WONDERS IN THE SKY ABOVE
AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BELOW, BLOOD,
AND FIRE, AND VAPOR OF SMOKE. THE SUN
Acts 2:17–20 43

44. Has all this been fully fulfilled?
WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS AND THE
MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE GREAT
AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL
COME.
Acts 2:17–20 44

45. Is God still calling?
Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be
baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the
forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the
gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you
and your children and for all who are far off, as
many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
Acts 2:38–39 45