First of all, cessationism is a dying doctrine because almost ALL of the old denominations have abandoned it. The following passage was used as an excuse for starting it …
Well, what do you mean by "cessationism"? There is a spectrum of perspective among cessationists. Some hold to a hard-line view of cessationism and some a softer-line view. Hard cessationism might be less in favour generally among believers than other views on the "miraculous" gifts - I'd like to see concrete evidence this is so, actually - but I don't see soft cessationism "dying." Far from it. Among the believers I know, it is by far the most common point of view that is held concerning the gifts of prophecy, tongues and healing.
“But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.” (1 Corinthians 13:8-10)
PROBLEM:
Since “that which is perfect” is NOT specified, any interpretation of it must be an assumption.
??? Nonsense. Context specifies meaning. The "that which is perfect" phrase is clearly related to the "prophesying in part" phrase mentioned
immediately before it. A simple, straightforward reading of the passage makes it clear that Paul has
prophesying in view in his remarks about the "perfect" and the "in part."
PROBLEM:
Did knowledge also pass away?
What did Paul mean by "vanish away"? Did he mean that all knowledge of every kind would
disappear? Verse 12 offers important clarification:
1 Corinthians 13:12
12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
The partial knowledge we possess in our temporal existence will be superseded by the fullness of knowledge and understanding we obtain in the life hereafter.
PROBLEM:
The early church fathers witnessed the gifts of the Spirit (ref: Wikipedia) …
● Justin Martyr (d.165) -- “For the prophetical gifts remain with us, even to the present time.”
● Irenaeus (d.202) -- “In like manner do we also hear many brethren in the church who possess prophetic gifts, and who through the Spirit speak all kinds of languages, and bring to light, for the general benefit, the hidden things of men and declare the mysteries of God, who also the apostles term spiritual”
● Origen (d.253) -- “He (Origen) professes to have been an eye-witness to many instances of exorcism, healing, and prophecy” … “Origen has been described as ‘the greatest genius the early church ever produced’ ”.
● Augustine (d.430) -- “Augustine noted that miracles in his own day were not as spectacular or noteworthy as those at the dawn of Christ-ianity, but that they continued to take place.”
I don't see any of this as a difficulty for soft cessationism.
Cessationism begins -- The obvious reason why the church came up with this doctrine
Powerful church leaders (who did NOT have any of the 9 spiritual gifts of 1 Corinthians 12) were obviously jealous of those who had them!
So starting after 400 a.d., these leaders simply declared that the gifts had ceased … using
1 Corinthians 13:10 as an excuse! Could any-thing be more obvious? Less obvious is that Satan was involved in deceiving these men
into satisfying their desires.
Proof, please. As it stands, what you've written here is pure speculation.
PROBLEM:
The Almighty God says He does not change
“For I am the Lord, I do not change” (Malachi 3:6)
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)
God has always been a God of signs, wonders, and miracles. He performed them all throughout the OT (Moses, Elijah, Elisha, etc.), and all throughout the NT (as a confirmation of the truth of Jesus’ gospel).
“… in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that (everywhere) I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.” (Romans 15:19)
“… God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?” (Hebrews 2:4)
And in what circumstances and to what end(s) did He act supernaturally in the world? Was God just a circus monkey, like modern Charismatics make of Him, performing for the excitement and entertainment of a human audience? I think not. Typically, His miracles in the OT confirmed the authority of those speaking for Him and acting in direct service to Him (ie prophets); they preserved His Chosen People; they confirmed His will and they punished the wicked. In the NT, miracles confirmed the divinity of Christ and the authority of the apostles to speak for God. Miracles also lent credence to the Gospel that the first disciples of Christ preached. I do not see God in the Bible performing miracles gratuitously, merely to enthuse and excite an audience of human devotees as modern Charismatics claim that He will do (and is actually somehow obliged to do). No, instead, I read in Scripture:
Luke 11:29
29 ..."This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign...
2 Corinthians 5:7
7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
And God
does change. Not in His essential nature but certainly in the manner of His relating to humanity. The change from OT to NT in this regard is very dramatic. The curtain in the temple was torn in two, remember. It does not follow, then, that what miracles God might have enacted in the establishment of the Early Church He is bound by His unchanging nature to continue to enact today.
PROBLEM:
Are verses like this in the NT only for the church back then?
“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.” (James 5:14-15)
If this was only for the NT church, then what about all the other verses in the NT, such as the salvation verses? Who can divide the NT verses: Those for back then … versus … Those for now?
Soft cessationism doesn't propose that God will
never miraculously heal a person today. This view holds only that He is not obliged to do so every time a request for healing is made to Him by one His children. God may heal - or may He not. There is no divine guarantee of healing.
PROBLEM:
God’s miraculous signs were prophesied for these last days
“But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy … before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.’ ” (Acts 2:16-20)
Peter spoke these words
about himself and those with him who were, in their Spirit-empowered preaching of the Gospel, fulfilling the prophet Joel's prophecy. Peter said these words 2019 years ago. What then of "last days"? Many Bible commentators indicate that the phrase "last days" refers to the time of the Messiah, a general period of time following Christ's ascension, not the specific End of Days heralding the Final Judgment. There is certainly nothing in what Peter said of Joel's prophecy in Acts 2 that gives us good ground to think Joel was prophesying particularly of Christians living today. Peter's quotation of Joel, then, is not a legitimate proof-text for modern Charismania.
PROBLEM:
Peter prophesied that the Pentecost experience would be common for many
“Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off,
as many as the Lord our God will call.’ ”
(Acts 2:38-39)
Peter promised that “as many as the Lord our God will call” among them and their ancestors … would receive the same “gift of the Holy Spirit” as was given to the 120 on this Day of Pentecost. Those of the 120 who had not received the Holy Spirit previously (see Luke 20:22), received the born-again experience … and ALL of the 120 received the baptism with the Holy Spirit, evidenced by: “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues” (Acts 2:4)
I don't see in what you've quoted here of Peter from Acts 2 any promise of tongues, or miraculous healings, or prophetic utterances. He says only that by repentance and trust in Christ those listening to him could receive the indwelling Holy Spirit. Peter's own initial experience of the Spirit coming to dwell within him, did not involve nonsensical babbling in some "spirit language," or miraculous healing, or a prophecy like the apostle John's in the Revelation, but only the impulse to
preach the Gospel to all who would listen, which he did, and which the Spirit made intelligible to all who heard it in their own native tongue. I don't see any ground here, then, supporting the modern Charismatic notions concerning the miraculous gifts.
The obvious reason why cessationism has been one of Satan’s biggest successes
God’s method of confirming the truth of Jesus’ gospel with miracles, etc. was squashed for many centuries! Due to the church’s UNBELIEF, many people have been robbed of this confirming evidence of the truth of the gospel, and therefore did not believe. Not only that, but countless people have been robbed of being healed of all manner of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual problems/
Again, more sheer speculation.
Several reasons why BACs today choose to believe in cessationism
Some simply have been misled-brainwashed-deceived about it since childhood.
Some are guilty of the serious sins of doubt,
lack of faith, and unbelief.
This is called Strawman arguing. It is a fallacious form of argument you should avoid.
