Essential? You're saying any subsiding of the gifts in church history proves cessation? So for example if Noah was in the ark for five months and lived a few days without performing a miracle, this proves cessationism? I guess Moses didn't perform any miracles, then, since the gifts had already ceased in Noah's day.
How can cessationists expect us to take them seriously when they put forth such "arguments" ?
Continuationism is solidly rooted in exegesis. It doesn't need absolute continuity in history.
Do you think miracles are the exception or the rule in scripture from Genesis through Acts ?
besides these few people below over a 4000 year period where are the miracles ?
1-God used Moses to perform the miracles to have His people released from bondage to Pharaoh.
2- God used a few prophets after Moses like Elijah and Elisha to perform miracles.
3- Then a huge gap in miracles until Jesus comes on the scene.
4- Then we see the Apostles performing miracles.
In each of these cases the Miracles validated their message that they were Gods mouthpiece and God uses those miracles, signs and wonders to authenticate the message came from God.
One thing that is often overlooked in discussions about signs and miracles is the timing and placement of them in the Scriptures. Contrary to popular belief, people in Bible times did not see miracles all the time. In fact, the miracles of the Bible are generally grouped around special events in God's dealing with mankind. Israel's deliverance from Egypt and entrance into the Promised Land were accompanied by many miracles, but the miracles faded away soon afterward. During the late kingdom years, when God was about to place the people in exile, He allowed some of His prophets to do miracles. When Jesus came to live among us, He did miracles, and in the early ministry of the apostles, they did miracles, but outside of those times, we see very few miracles or signs in the Bible. The vast majority of people who lived in Bible times never saw signs and wonders with their own eyes. They had to live by faith in what God had already revealed to them.
In the early church, the signs and wonders were primarily centered around the first presentation of the gospel among various people groups. On the day of Pentecost, we read that there were “Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven” gathered in Jerusalem (Acts 2:5). It was to these Jews, who had been raised in other lands, and spoke those foreign languages (v. 6-11), that the sign of tongues was first given. They acknowledged that they were hearing in their native tongues about the wonderful works of God, and Peter told them that the only appropriate response was to repent of their sins (v. 38). When the gospel was first presented among the Samaritans, we read that Philip did signs and wonders (Acts 8:13).
Again, when Peter was sent to Cornelius, a gentile, God gave a miraculous sign to confirm His work. “And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God” (Acts 10:45-46). When Peter was questioned by the other apostles, he gave this as evidence of God's leading, and the others “glorified God, saying, ‘Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life’” (Acts 11:18).
In every instance, the sign gifts were a confirmation of God's message and messenger, in order that people might hear and believe. Once the message was confirmed, the signs faded away. We typically don't have a need for those signs to be repeated in our lives, but we do need to receive the same gospel message. got ?
hope this helps !!!
