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Here again is the sixth and final point the Cessationists claim prove that
the gift of tongues have already ceased. The whole list is found on post #2073.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6) Current observation confirms that the miracle of tongues has ceased. If the gift were still available today, there would be no need for missionaries to attend language school. Missionaries would be able to travel to any country and speak any language fluently, just as the apostles were able to speak in Acts 2. As for the miracle gift of healing, we see in Scripture that healing was associated with the ministry of Jesus and the apostles (Luke 9:1-2). And we see that as the era of the apostles drew to a close, healing, like tongues, became less frequent. The Apostle Paul, who raised Eutychus from the dead (Acts 20:9-12), did not heal Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25-27), Trophimus (2 Timothy 4:20), Timothy (1 Timothy 5:23), or even himself (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). The reasons for Paul’s “failures
to heal” are 1) the gift was never intended to make every Christian well, but to authenticate apostleship; and 2) the authority of the apostles had been sufficiently proved, making further miracles unnecessary.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How would you answer the Cessationists?
It will require more than one post to address this mess. Let's work through it one point at a time.
Here's the next one.
"If the gift were still available today, there would be no need for missionaries
to attend language school. Missionaries would be able to travel to any country and speak any language fluently,
just as the apostles were able to speak in Acts 2."
This is a ridiculous conclusion on their part.
And shows complete ignorance of the gifts.
Here's the text they are referring to.
Acts 2:1-4
When the day of Pentecost came,
they were all together in one place.
2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven
and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to
speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
They didn't speak in tongues because they "were able", the Spirit enabled them.
As you hopefully recall from previous posts, there are at least five different kinds of tongues.
The Cessationists are limiting their definition to only one kind. And ironically, to the
kind of tongues that most Evangelical churches still recognize as a gift of the Spirit.
Five Different kinds of tongues
1) Personal prayer language - Speaking to/with God
2) Intercessory prayer language - Praying for others in the Spirit
3) Prophetic prayer language - Addressing the whole church/preferably with interpretation
4) Singing in the Spirit - Singing in tongues/worship activity
5) Evangelistic language - Speaking the message of God to a people in their own language (not yours)
As proof that the gift of tongues is no longer in existence, they choose the kind of tongues
that is used most infrequently. Tongues as an evangelistic language. Claiming that if tongues were still for today, missionaries would not need to attend language school. Sure, just fly to another country and spend years speaking in tongues having no idea what you are saying. That seems reasonable, right? I mean, come on, do you have the gift or don't you? (not a clue)
And what about the interpretation of tongues?
Where does that fit in their narrow definition of tongues?
Nowhere in the primary text about spiritual gifts is tongues defined as they use it.
Do any of these references fit their definition? (nope)
1 Corinthians 14:2
For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God.
Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 14:4
Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves,
but the one who prophesies edifies the church.
1 Corinthians 14:6
Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues,
what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or
knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction?
1 Corinthians 14:26-28
What then shall we say, brothers and sisters?
When you come together, each of you has a hymn,
or a word of instruction, a revelation,
a tongue or an interpretation.
Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.
27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most
three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret.
28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep
quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.
1 Corinthians 14:39
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy,
and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
The primary text about the gifts of the Holy Spirit begins by saying:
"Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters,
I do not want you to be uninformed." - 1 Cor.12:1
And ends by saying: "... do not forbid speaking in tongues." - 1 Cor.14:39
But what do the Cessationists do and say?
They are uninformed about spiritual gifts and forbid speaking in tongues.
How much farther off the mark could they be?
Here's another link to Manifestations of the spirit in Church History.
These references are to more recent revivals. The 1700s-1900s.
the gift of tongues have already ceased. The whole list is found on post #2073.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6) Current observation confirms that the miracle of tongues has ceased. If the gift were still available today, there would be no need for missionaries to attend language school. Missionaries would be able to travel to any country and speak any language fluently, just as the apostles were able to speak in Acts 2. As for the miracle gift of healing, we see in Scripture that healing was associated with the ministry of Jesus and the apostles (Luke 9:1-2). And we see that as the era of the apostles drew to a close, healing, like tongues, became less frequent. The Apostle Paul, who raised Eutychus from the dead (Acts 20:9-12), did not heal Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25-27), Trophimus (2 Timothy 4:20), Timothy (1 Timothy 5:23), or even himself (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). The reasons for Paul’s “failures
to heal” are 1) the gift was never intended to make every Christian well, but to authenticate apostleship; and 2) the authority of the apostles had been sufficiently proved, making further miracles unnecessary.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How would you answer the Cessationists?
It will require more than one post to address this mess. Let's work through it one point at a time.
Here's the next one.
"If the gift were still available today, there would be no need for missionaries
to attend language school. Missionaries would be able to travel to any country and speak any language fluently,
just as the apostles were able to speak in Acts 2."
This is a ridiculous conclusion on their part.
And shows complete ignorance of the gifts.
Here's the text they are referring to.
Acts 2:1-4
When the day of Pentecost came,
they were all together in one place.
2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven
and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to
speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
They didn't speak in tongues because they "were able", the Spirit enabled them.
As you hopefully recall from previous posts, there are at least five different kinds of tongues.
The Cessationists are limiting their definition to only one kind. And ironically, to the
kind of tongues that most Evangelical churches still recognize as a gift of the Spirit.
Five Different kinds of tongues
1) Personal prayer language - Speaking to/with God
2) Intercessory prayer language - Praying for others in the Spirit
3) Prophetic prayer language - Addressing the whole church/preferably with interpretation
4) Singing in the Spirit - Singing in tongues/worship activity
5) Evangelistic language - Speaking the message of God to a people in their own language (not yours)
As proof that the gift of tongues is no longer in existence, they choose the kind of tongues
that is used most infrequently. Tongues as an evangelistic language. Claiming that if tongues were still for today, missionaries would not need to attend language school. Sure, just fly to another country and spend years speaking in tongues having no idea what you are saying. That seems reasonable, right? I mean, come on, do you have the gift or don't you? (not a clue)
And what about the interpretation of tongues?
Where does that fit in their narrow definition of tongues?
Nowhere in the primary text about spiritual gifts is tongues defined as they use it.
Do any of these references fit their definition? (nope)
1 Corinthians 14:2
For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God.
Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 14:4
Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves,
but the one who prophesies edifies the church.
1 Corinthians 14:6
Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues,
what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or
knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction?
1 Corinthians 14:26-28
What then shall we say, brothers and sisters?
When you come together, each of you has a hymn,
or a word of instruction, a revelation,
a tongue or an interpretation.
Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.
27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most
three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret.
28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep
quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.
1 Corinthians 14:39
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy,
and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
The primary text about the gifts of the Holy Spirit begins by saying:
"Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters,
I do not want you to be uninformed." - 1 Cor.12:1
And ends by saying: "... do not forbid speaking in tongues." - 1 Cor.14:39
But what do the Cessationists do and say?
They are uninformed about spiritual gifts and forbid speaking in tongues.
How much farther off the mark could they be?
Here's another link to Manifestations of the spirit in Church History.
These references are to more recent revivals. The 1700s-1900s.
