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Why I'm Not a Continuationist

8/19/2019

7 Comments

 
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Sometimes, to be a leader, you need to be defined not only by what you are but also by what you are not. This article is meant to describe what I am not. In this article, I want you to know that I am not a continuationist. I’m not writing this to persuade you to my camp, but just to explain why I am not a continuationist.
Defining what I mean 

Let’s start with a definition. Continuationism is the belief that all the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit are available to us today and have not ceased. This belief is the opposite of cessationism (what I believe) which states that those spectacular gifts (sometimes referred to as miraculous/special/sign/charismatic gifts) have ceased.


Defending Where I Stand 

I am not a continuationist because of what I see in the Bible. (Please understand when I say that I mean no disrespect to brother and sisters who disagree with me here but I do believe that Scripture is rather clear on this teaching.) 

I could start my argument by going all the way back to church history. Pentecostalism and the charismatic movement are relative new-comers to the theological spectrum. Pentecostalism traces its beginning to Bethel Bible School in Topeka, Kansas when on January 1, 1901 a 30-year-old student named Agnes Ozman spoke in “tongues.” Charismatics came along some 60 years later when in 1960, in Van Nuys, California, Dennis Bennett (an Episcopalian minister) announced that God had given him the ability to “speak in tongues.” But the belief in cessationism is not a new one. In fact, great theologians like Jonathan Edwards have fought this battle for hundreds of years (see Edwards The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God, published in 1741). 

But history shouldn’t be my foundational argument. When I read my Bible, I see that miraculous gifts were given for a specific time and purpose. Sign gifts were closely associated with and attested to newly revealed truth. thus, giving them a limited time span. These gifts were meant to authenticate both God’s message and God’s messenger (Hebrews 2:3-4; cf. Matthew 11:1-6; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 2:20). As the time and purpose came to a close, so did the gifts. 
 
I believe this position is easily defended by simply reading the New Testament books with the perspective of when the books were first written. 1 Corinthians, for example, has a lot of different things to say about sign gifts, but later books in the New Testament have far less to say. By the time we read about Timothy being sick in the book of 1 Timothy, we can tell that Paul doesn’t expect a miracle to save him (1 Timothy 5:23). Additionally, tongues are notably absent from every New Testament book, except Acts and 1 Corinthians. Clearly, the Apostles did not view them as something of ongoing importance, otherwise, we would read more about them. 

But what about 1 Corinthians 13:8-12? Doesn’t that passage teach that gifts will last until Jesus comes again? Certainly, that’s an interpretation of the text, but it’s not my interpretation of that text. As I compare Scripture with Scripture, I see hints along the way that these gifts were foundational gifts (as I’ve just discussed). This leads me to conclude that the things which was “perfect” (2 Corinthians 13:10) is, in fact, not referring to Christ’s second coming, but rather to the completed canon.

As an aside, my belief in cessationism does not rise and fall on this text (1 Corinthians 13:8-12). I fear that often those who argue against this belief falsely paint cessationists as “one-texters.” It is possible to hold to a cessationist belief and not agree with me that 1 Corinthians 13:10 is referring to a completed canon. There are numerous other reasons to be a cessationist. 
 

What’s going on now


As I take a look at the modern charismatic movement, what I’m seeing doesn’t reflect the Scriptural record we have concerning these gifts. The contemporary charismatic phenomena simply does not match the biblical phenomena. 
  • Miracles– The biblical purpose of miracles was to authenticate the human agent
  • Tongues– Biblical tongues were unlearned foreign languages
  • Prophecy– Biblical prophecy had to be infallible or else it wasn’t considered prophecy at all. 
The “miracles” I observe today are most often internal and unverifiable. The “tongues” are most frequently angelic rather than actual, spoken languages. The “prophecy” is often full of holes. I have never heard of one single, credible account of the kind of dramatic sign gifts in action like we hear about in the New Testament. 
 

Where does this leave us? 

Simply put, I am not a continuationist. But how does that impact my teaching and preaching? It impacts me a great deal. Often people will ask me, “How does God speak to us?” What they mean by that is whether or not God directly speaks to the hearts and minds of people. This, in my estimation, is a huge topic for our day. If you walk into a bookstore and peruse through the “Christian” section, you’ll find a lot of works submitted by people who really do think what they’ve written is full of spiritual insight. Of course, the authors are inevitably impervious to critique or correction, because how can we say they haven’t heard directly from God? 
 
But I’m a cessationist. I do not believe that God speaks directly to us today in ways that are outside the canon of Scripture. In fact, I believe that teaching continuationism undermines Scripture’s sufficiency, since it opens the door to continued revelation. Any teaching that “God spoke to me directly” differs in degree but not in kind to Benny Hinn saying God told him to heal your broken leg— it’s the same thing. 
 
Any belief in extra-biblical revelation of any kind is at odds with the biblical principle of Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone). The Bible has given me all I need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Housed in the pages of God’s Word is my “sure word of prophecy” (2 Peter 1:19). 


Guarding my position

​Now, please understand that even good, well-meaning people who claim to be partial cessationists can fall into this trap of thinking God is speaking to them directly. Well-meaning Christians often think that, in order to understand God’s will on a matter, they need some impression or strong feeling that will help them interpret where to go or what to do. Although most conservative Christians would have a problem with Benny Hinn’s proclamations in effect they are doing the same thing when they look for any kind of subjective impression just on a smaller level. 
 
The major problem with this kind of approach to God’s illumination is that the text is always flexible. Messages “received” are pliable and the meanings of those messages can change with different circumstances. There is no legitimate hermeneutical approach for interpreting messages you think came to you directly from God. That which is received subjectively (be it in a dream, vision, or impression) will always remain subjective. To treat these subjective impressions as messages from the Holy Spirit is really no different than claiming divine revelation - no matter how small of matter it is - you are claiming to have received a message from God about. 
 
We live in an era where the average person, even within the walls of our church, has very little understanding of God’s objective revelation – that “more sure word” (2 Peter 1:19) – and yet there are those who still push us to follow subjective impulses. How foolish! When biblical illiteracy is on the rise, I'm happy to be marked as a cessationist. I’ll take these 66 books and only these 66 books. Accuse me of being narrow minded all you want so long as you understand that I’m narrowly only using the Bible as my guide—that’s it.


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​Caleb Phelps was born and raised in New Hampshire and is an avid fan of all things New England sports. He grew up in a pastors home and was saved at the age of 12. As a young junior higher he sensed God's call on his life to go into full time Christian service. Caleb graduated from BJU with a BA in Bible and an MA in Theology. After graduating from seminary Caleb traveled in evangelism which took him across the country to many different churches and camps. While he was traveling Caleb met the love of his life, Rachel. They got married and moved to Indianapolis, IN where Caleb served as the youth pastor at Crosspointe Baptist Church. In September 2018 the Lord moved Caleb and his family to Palm Bay, FL where he now serves as senior pastor at Faith Baptist Church.

7 Comments
Cheryl Newswanger
8/22/2019 06:41:06 am

This is so refreshing! Thank you for the reminder to get into the Word for our daily guidance.

Reply
Lowell Simmons
1/21/2021 12:40:59 pm

Rather than a long answer, I will simply say this: My Brother, if you don't believe in the gifts and miracles, you will never see one. The moving of God is always based on our faith. God is still God and He has not changed.

Reply
STONY KALANGO
4/1/2021 03:42:20 am

Thank you brother. How do you expect to see miracles when you dont believe in them

Reply
Kyle
9/18/2022 11:53:31 pm

Let's play around with the structure of this statement "don't believe can't see"

I'm gonna express hypothetical statements just to see if they make any sense (not that any are true or false but, just to observe logistics)

This is our structured model;
If you don't believe _____. Then you can't see _____.

Ex1: I don't believe in gravity.
Inconsistency? Gravity is working on me
Ex2: I don't believe I'm a male. Or rather, I believe I'm authentically and genuinely a female despite my physical nature.
Inconsistency? My chromosomes
Ex3: I don't believe in God
Inconsistency? God always has is and will be.
Ex4 I believe in an 1,000,000 ft vertical 5000,000 ft horizontal 15 legged octospider who lives in lake Michigan.
Inconsistency? Unless that's actually a thing of reality (I think we can be responsible and safe in saying that's not likely a circumstance of any reality), unless otherwise proven true I'll never see one no matter how much I believe. However I can fabricate this believe into a reality.
Like when one looks at clouds and "finds" dogs, dragons, hearts etc. I look into anything hard enough and manipulate a variable into creating an illusion of the truth, finding the thing I was looking for bc I placed it there(whether intentionally or ignorantly(unknowingly).

All people the moment they're birthed have first handed experienced a miracle. They must then also be a witness to that miracle. They aren't yet cognitively aware or mature enough to hold beliefs to say I believe Miracles or not.. yet the birthed creations are the very recipient and product of miraculous at the beginning of their existence. A dog can see a miracle....
That's doesn't mean the dog understands the circumstances surrounding and dwelling in the miracle but the dog can witness a miracle. Every second I'm existing as a human, to humans these moments and occurrences are miracles....my waking in the morning, having breathe sight etc and the ability to perform these life sustaining processes without conscious intention and effort. Every moment I'm on earth is a miracle bc I'm a sinner and the wages of sin is death. What's holding death back? Mercy. God's miracle of mercy and grace which are two categories: 1. Common grace(extended to believers and non) 2. Personal or "subjective "(extended to believers or Israelites only)
Non believers declare witnessings of miraculous. They just don't believe the source that produced it.

Hopefully this exercise can shine some light on the matter of seeing to believing, but without going further into nuances to keep simple.

The moving of God is not based on our faith. If the move of God was based on faith, non would ever come to faith, none would be saved, born again, adopted etc.... I would need faith for God to move in me, the start of, growth of, continuation of any faith. Faith is not a force. It's not tangible it moves nothing but the side we stand for or against. I have faith in parachutes therefore I would utilize one if I need to jump from a plane just as I have faith in Jesus to save me from the wages due to me for the work of sin then I'll put on Jesus like the parachute. Faith is a position of believing something to be true/false ,real or not.

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Lowell Simmons
4/1/2021 01:06:21 pm

Just my point. Without faith you will not see miracles. EXPECTANCE IS FAITH.

Reply
Kyle
9/19/2022 02:08:10 am

I pray you seriously consider the significant outcomes and their power, control, and endurance. Consider the strengths and influences and their lasting effects that can be possessed by someone and immediately without warning become finalized as the permanent state of the person. To really get the hands dirty and research literature and the significances of words and the powers they have and the individual uniqueness and purpose and functions of grammatical usage. That it not be taken lightly or as a thing we can override any known intentional or accidental and unrecognized mistakes before any commitment of publishing, educating, learning, or applying words unto reality and life and the way(s) thereof..... much of the population, that I've thus far been brought to awareness of at least regarding n.e. u.s. American the significance and origins/roots/father, teacher, brother, of words regarding the circumstances of any kind of matters for instance human species their interactions and involvement and understanding and how it's qpplied and what affects it will have.....
Words are only words. They're not evil or good,words themselves that is. They do nothning significant until they get put into an organized structured sequence with other wording included. Upon congruent forming that's understandable or comprehensive.

If John deer is a doctor, when I receive services or invol,upon interdiction I first I.d. the subject by title with ha "hell Dr. John deer" and upon his response and can engage with welcoming affirmation effects my a

Reply
Kyle
9/19/2022 01:17:30 am

I don't think this is what's being said: "miracles and gifts don't exist or happen today"


I (think!) what's being believed and elaborated on or identified is that the way charismatics and denominations of light present these Miracles and gifts and how they are produced and who can produce them and what kind of Engagement is or isn't necessary to experience these" Miracles and healings ". Every single day people get healed both of life threatening and insignificant illnesses. Every single day people experience miracles. Everyday people do experience Deliverance. And the real versions of these The Godly versions as God is the source and it is God's Will and God's decision and nothing moves him he does what he does not because of us or we would be in Hell already and the verse for this is I will have compassion on whom I have compassion and I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and that is just paraphrasing from the KJV Bible which is another thing to consider doing some research regarding Bible texts and Bible teachings and the Lord Jesus Christ the only begotten son of God and truth and deception and roots of where things come from what is the source of the teaching that's being taught. Say I am teaching and the things that I am teaching are coming from Wikipedia well it doesn't stop there then I have to find the root or the source of Wikipedia to do proper thorough research and investigation and examination because if Wikipedia's root source for information is from a two-year-old I shouldn't rely on that but if it's from a 60-year-old I can rely on that a little more and that's kind of a bad analogy but oh well. The problem with charismatics is that they are an extreme and they are a division focusing on one thing or a few things and they do not do so properly and the teachings come from the Antichrist himself unfortunately for us the Antichrist is not going to say hey look at me on the Antichrist I'm a big fat liar and I'm deceiving you no he's going to tell us he's telling us the truth and he's going to work within the church broad is the way that lead to destruction narrow to Jesus and have spirit and in truth we worship him not in works not in anything Earthly only in truth which exist in eternity and spirit which is existing in eternity all that of the world can be done away with. When somebody focuses on the True Word Of Truth and the true Jesus Christ and one day examine it properly and they are unbiased looking to be taught rather than to teach looking to receive input rather than give output. If we properly apply the proper interpretation of scripture to our lives, (not for the mainstream "I'm blessed(not for receiving blessings) but rather how can I give worthy praise and honor and stewardship to God and the things belonging to God why? Bc I broke the law, yet was forgiven knowing my guilt and transgressions.
Sadly more people are being harmed by charismatic groups then are being saved. It's creating false converts whom could have had a miracle and healing had they not been deceived by flattery and popularity and appearance and the doctrine of antichrist who we must remember appears as angle of light. His turf is the world and he has the ability and knowledge and God's allowing for changing his appearance to whatever he chooses.....Satan knows the word of truth. He uses these past processes of Apostolic miracle and deliverance that have migrated under different circumstances of God sending and us receiving. That change is our role of engagement and walking..... people are following witches and heretics and wealthy and popularly spoken decent of by the world. People are unaware and familiar with the sensitivities and powers and effects of true scripture being read properly and practicing proper study and read. The Miracles to follow where for unbelieving specifically jews to provide support or confirmation of the messengers (the individuals who have books in the Bible. The following Miracles prove the (disciples) teachers being taught by the one true God. That not for us. Their application of gifts aren't aligned with the Holy Bible (not any new versions as they are heretics all in all) in fact they mirror exactly the same thing hindoos experience and believe and teach.

NEW AGE BIBLE VERSIONS
BY
G.A. RIPLINGER


these performances, replace trust in Christ faith in Christ (the real Christ, not the little g christ the new version Bibles usher in to deceive even some elect... they replace worthy relationship and desire and trust and knowledge and stewardship and seeking and asking and knocking and witnessing and just are overall walk it replaces it with counterfeits. So not only are people not receiving blessings from God but they are not giving worthy worship and praise and submission over to God because they are two different gods the one that they believe in and the one that they think they believe in and so they end up being falsely converted spiritually and mentally

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