Paul had to be confirmed by Peter and those commissioned by Jesus in the flesh, we can now only confirm things by scripture, testing visions, and prophecies... by the word.None of them can be confirmed though as actual encounters with the same Jesus that Paul saw!
The scalpel is man's method. Angels carry God's presence and power, such as healing. Angels like Raphael.Any means that He chooses to do the healing, by medicine, scalpel, diet, etc.!
All the holy angels have God's presence in them.Who is not mentioned in the Bible even!
There is word stiving over the meaning of "perfect is come", from 1 Corinthians 13, regarding the Greek word "teleios".
It cannot be a book. It cannot be that everyone had one of the books and could read it. What should be included in the Bible is a matter of question. The Bible under scrutiny by Lutheran scholars for the sake of Muslim questions, has errors. Just a few. And there were three letters written to the Corinthians, and surely many oral preachings with important knowledge in them, that are not in the letters and are lost in time.
So you like the idea that from Christ via the apostles came something perfect. Why not agree something perfect will come from Christ when he returns?
If Paul in this chapter refers to his own perception of Christ light and form as in a mirror dimly, then like teacher to student, there is at best us seeing in a mirror dimly. Unless we see the Christ himself, which happens when we die, or Christ returns. "Then I will fully know as I myself am known." Paul.
All the holy angels have God's presence in them.
Raphael is mentioned in Tobit. A Jewish historical book written before Christ birth, about times in exile. This was part of the first canon. Luther rejected it.
How does God heal in your thoughts? By a word from his throne, or a touch of his Spirit...?
Jesus created all things that were evr created, and he is God, eternal!
There is word stiving over the meaning of "perfect is come", from 1 Corinthians 13, regarding the Greek word "teleios".
It cannot be a book. It cannot be that everyone had one of the books and could read it. What should be included in the Bible is a matter of question. The Bible under scrutiny by Lutheran scholars for the sake of Muslim questions, has errors. Just a few. And there were three letters written to the Corinthians, and surely many oral preachings with important knowledge in them, that are not in the letters and are lost in time.
So you like the idea that from Christ via the apostles came something perfect. Why not agree something perfect will come from Christ when he returns?
If Paul in this chapter refers to his own perception of Christ light and form as in a mirror dimly, then like teacher to student, there is at best us seeing in a mirror dimly. Unless we see the Christ himself, which happens when we die, or Christ returns. "Then I will fully know as I myself am known." Paul.
That which is perfect as I said several times is the light or message of Christ that comes from him when he returns. Not Christ himself. I quoted the passage about the son of man returning and the lighting like lightning, from east to west.Do you actually think that Jesus Christ would be called “that which is perfect?”
Is there any other Scriptures where Paul calls Jesus "that which is perfect"?????
That right there should tell us something.
Now instead of accepting the commentaries of men and our denominational doctrines, why not take another look at the verse itself whose phrase is in question: …………..
Verse #10......“But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away”.
Notice that this verse says nothing about us going anywhere, so that fact alone rules out HEAVEN as the perfect thing.
However, it does teach that something is coming to us. Something coming to us and us going somewhere are two completely different situations.
It is then assumed by some that 1 Corinthians 13:10—-------
“when that which is perfect is come”—is descriptive of us going to heaven and seeing Jesus for who He really is, when we no longer wonder what He looks like but when we actually see Him “face to face.” Yet, beloved, a hymnal is not our authority; it is not inspired of God.
Now as I have stated before, the phrase “when that which is perfect is come” has nothing to do with us dying and going to heaven. It is talking about something coming to us, not us going to a place.
The real reason why people take the view of us dying going to heaven or Jesus coming the 2nd time in reference to 1 Corinthians 13:10 is so that the spirituals gifts—especially the gift of tongues—can be viewed as still operating (for, it is said, the spiritual gifts will not cease until we go to heaven).
This is a very faulty position to take, for there is nothing in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 about dying and going to heaven or Jesus coming the 2nd time.
On the authority of the Scriptures, we must reject this view.
“When that which is perfect is come” is a reference to when partial knowledge and partial prophesying are done away. Verses 9 and 10 again:...…..
“[9] For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
[10] But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.”
This is talking about the completion of the Bible’s canon of books, which was settled in God’s mind in the first century A.D
It is quite clear that this phrase is referring to an inanimate object, not a person.
The phrase “that which is perfect is come” of 1 Corinthians 10:13 can not refer to Jesus Christ or His return.
But that is just me reading the Bible.
Good points all.
However I did not say and do not believe that the Bible is a thing of the past. In fact my thoughts and teaching on this subject IS ROOTED in what the Bible tells us and NOT what we want to believe.
1 Corinthians 13:8-10...….
"Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears."
The PERFECT in the KJV is correctly translated in the ESV as COMPLETNESS/MATURITY.
Jesus was the God-MAN, not a "thing". The Greek grammar demands that the "Perfect be a THING" and the only thing that is perfect is the Bible.
NO sir. That is not what I said.
"Prophesying" is the ability to TEACH the Word of God and not to FORTELL the Word of God.
Again, if we read the Scriptures we see that God said those gifts would end. I only believe what God actually said, NOT what I want Him to have said.
1 Corinthians 13:8-10...….
"Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears."
I agree with you on this, and I do believe that miracles happen today, although not near as prolific as it was in the days of the early church (the 1st Century). But the writer of Hebrews excludes himself in the working of signs and wonders which he mentioned in Heb. 2:4, and he does not identify himself as one of the apostles.
The issue is not whether or not miracles happen today. The issue is about whether or not any Christian today HAS one of those gifts of the Spirit mentioned in 1 Cor. 12. One workaround for the lack of evidence is the theory going around that those gifts were temporary bestowments given to individuals at a particular meeting. IOW, the gift was given only for the purpose of that meeting, and after that meeting those individuals no longer had that gift. However, I can't see this as a valid theory, the way that I read the scripture. If this was the case, Paul would not have said "I speak in tongues more than you all." Paul HAD the gift of tongues, and he used it at his own discretion, of course according to God's will.
In my mind, the crux of the issue surrounds modern day Pentecostalism, and whether or not the "tongues" of today is the same kind of "tongues" mentioned in 1 Cor. The question at hand is, does modern day Pentecostalism actually practice the authentic gifts of the Spirit, or is the movement merely playing with religious activity made to look like it? Does the movement have a miraculous spiritual source, or is it a fleshly source?
I do not want an answer to these questions, as they are rhetorical by nature. I am merely stating what I believe to be the core of the issue, and the essence of the debate on cessationism. It does not mean that a cessationist believes that Pentecostalism is evil or of the devil. Neither does it mean that a Pentecostal who exhibits good fruit in their life authenticates the movement's claim.
TD
You love to play with God's word don't you, a little twist here and slight bending there...make it fit your doctrine.
Prophesying beside being predictive is preaching, even if you insist it is teaching, brother has teaching ceased in the church? is knowledge at all perfect or even complete?
Or do we still see as through a glass darkly?
Paul goes on to say "when I was a child I thought as a child, I spake as a child, I reasoned as a child, when I became a man I gave up childish ways" oh we love to beat the Pentecostals with that one don't we.
Tell me when the Apostle Paul "spake in tongues more than ye all" was he behaving childishly?
"Now I know in part" says Paul "then I shall understand fully" are you incredibly claiming to understand more or better than Paul did? whereas he saw as through a glass darkly, you say we see clearly?
How come when what you claim to be that perfect came, that is to say the canon of scripture, it exhorted us to earnestly covet the gifts, especially that we may prophesy, which prophesying you claim the canon superceded.
How come this perfect you claim was followed by more than a 1,000 years of utter darkness in the church with the rise of the RCC?
That which is perfect as I said several times is the light or message of Christ that comes from him when he returns. Not Christ himself. I quoted the passage about the son of man returning and the lighting like lightning, from east to west.
I mentioned from Paul's context, the mirror, being dim, meaning the Bible being dim and not perfect. And further in this context, Paul said he will know or we will know, as fully as he is known. He is not talking about going to Heaven I know, but only pointed out that this full knowledge cannot come from the Bible, but from being in Heaven, which most of us experience instead of the second coming, or by the second coming, when from Christ, a thing comes that is a greater revelation than the Bible, or what Paul had then, and greater than the gift of prophecy.
You also ignore that what is in God's mind is not the issue, but that we hear it is. And so the second century Christians, not able to read and no mass publishing meant that for them and others like them, including all pagans, there was need for spiritual gifts. And it is God's great passion and purpose for them to believe in Jesus Christ. So omitting gifts and ministers acting as apostles means no converts. One can see snail pace conversion outside Europe and conversion by the sword within. God is grieved!
The old Church, the RCC, is continuist. And cessationism, is a strange new doctrine.
God ALWAYS had during the Middle Ages His true Church comprised of born again believers though...You love to play with God's word don't you, a little twist here and slight bending there...make it fit your doctrine.
Prophesying beside being predictive is preaching, even if you insist it is teaching, brother has teaching ceased in the church? is knowledge at all perfect or even complete?
Or do we still see as through a glass darkly?
Paul goes on to say "when I was a child I thought as a child, I spake as a child, I reasoned as a child, when I became a man I gave up childish ways" oh we love to beat the Pentecostals with that one don't we.
Tell me when the Apostle Paul "spake in tongues more than ye all" was he behaving childishly?
"Now I know in part" says Paul "then I shall understand fully" are you incredibly claiming to understand more or better than Paul did? whereas he saw as through a glass darkly, you say we see clearly?
How come when what you claim to be that perfect came, that is to say the canon of scripture, it exhorted us to earnestly covet the gifts, especially that we may prophesy, which prophesying you claim the canon superceded.
How come this perfect you claim was followed by more than a 1,000 years of utter darkness in the church with the rise of the RCC?
The vast majority of so called Apostolic power is shown to be either frauds or deceptions, and the basic truth still remains that MUCH of the fridge charismatic movement as in Wof and dominion/prosperity hold to doctrines not taught in the Bible!Hi
It is a big mistake to look at the church and assume that this is what the church should be. If you had walked into a church in the 14th century you would feel yourself I an alien world, almost nothing was what the church is meant to be.
It is a modern mistake also to think that the western church is still in the vanguard of what God is doing in the world today, we are actually in the backwaters.
If God does a thing once and it is beyond question God then the case is proved. If it can be shown that in one instance the Holy Spirit has been poured out in apostolic power today then the doctrine is proved.