Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.
Nowhere in scripture does it show the charismatic gifts being distributed beyond the two outpourings and the Apostles' hands. ZeroNowhere in the bible does it claim that the spiritual gifts cease with the apostles.
As it applies to the modern, charismatic understanding of the sign gifts and tongues specifically: neither.Continuationism: Charismatic, Pentecostal, etc.
Cessationism: Most Baptists, Presbyterians, etc.
How many people do you think are won to Christ these days just by quoting Scripture at them? And how many people have been saved because they saw someone healed by the power of God? And why are their churches that are supposed to be strong in the Word declining and dying, while other churches which are also strong in the Word and also have healing and deliverance in their churches growing at a much faster rate and retaining those who have received Christ?We have scripture that does a better job than any of the Charismatic gifts did.
“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” (John 6:37)How many people do you think are won to Christ these days just by quoting Scripture at them? And how many people have been saved because they saw someone healed by the power of God? And why are their churches that are supposed to be strong in the Word declining and dying, while other churches which are also strong in the Word and also have healing and deliverance in their churches growing at a much faster rate and retaining those who have received Christ?
The question still remains - unanswered.“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” (John 6:37)
You said:The question still remains - unanswered.
So, how do you deal with an atheist who doesn't believe the Bible and who believes that occult supernatural is more real than Christian words?You said:
"How many people do you think are won to Christ these days just by quoting Scripture at them? And how many people have been saved because they saw someone healed by the power of God? And why are their churches that are supposed to be strong in the Word declining and dying, while other churches which are also strong in the Word and also have healing and deliverance in their churches growing at a much faster rate and retaining those who have received Christ?"
First, quoting Scripture imparts spiritual life to the hearer. “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63)
Tongues and prophecy were flawed interpretations that Peter said scripture resolved. Because it is not of private interpretation 2 Peter 1:20.
God still heals through the prayer of faith. And demons flee in hearing Jesus' name. But many illnesses are sin induced and repentance also brings healing.
If he is God's elect, scripture will speak life into his heart.So, how do you deal with an atheist who doesn't believe the Bible and who believes that occult supernatural is more real than Christian words?
But they did cease. No Pentecostal Christian I have talked with ever wants to confront that fact of life.Nowhere in the bible does it claim that the spiritual gifts cease with the apostles.
It's hard to explain... essentially we believe Pentecostal tongues, manifestations, etc. are false.
The reason the majority of the churches are not experiencing a great outpouring of the Spirit is quite simply because they do not want it. They're rejecting it.
Its not a theological question, GTW. They ceased.
If you want to dispute that, turn to your church history. It does no good to say that the Bible says tongues will not cease as though they never stopped from the time of the Apostles to the present. There has to be another meaning to that verse.
The issue was not whether you think they are important for today. It was that they ceased in the past. The gifts, genuine or otherwise, that you are referring to represent a reintroduction of the use of them in recent times.Not so. I am a man of no account and yet The Lord sustains me. I walk in The Spirit as The Lord wills. And I can tell you truly, that all the spiritual gifts are for today, as they were back then. Same Power and same Authority as back then. These gifts are Him(The Holy Spirit) in us, just as promised then and now. Not all that call themselves Christian are truly born from above. The reason that the gift of tongues for today are under attack is that praying in The Spirit(In Tongues) is very effective in Spiritual warfare. The demons hate it. I see many things on these boards but one thing I can tell you for sure, The Lord is not happy with this one. "and when The Perfect comes the imperfect will pass away" And He is coming, and He is bringing His rewards with Him.
When they don't want to move forward and are quite simply satisfied with what they have, that's rejecting it; even if they don't know they're doing it.How do you know people are rejecting a great outpouring of the Spirit? Perhaps what they have witnessed in some churches, has made them a little hesitant as they doubt the reality of such a move in other churches.
When they don't want to move forward and are quite simply satisfied with what they have, that's rejecting it; even if they don't know they're doing it.
Agreed. And then that falls unto the pastors and leaders of these churches that are supposed to the be studying the Word and pushing their congregations to what more of what the Lord has to offer.Somebody can't reject something that they don't know about. rejection by definition involves at least the knowledge of the thing you are rejecting.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?