Hello Carl,
Thanks for posting this interesting topic.
I would say that the dozen examples you provided actually prove that the gifts did not cease with the death of the Apostles. The idea that the gifts ended is the opinion of Cessationists, not Continuationists, who say the gifts continued, as they should. Much to say on this topic. But I will wait until the proper time.
I would also like to address the idea of the canon of scripture being "closed". The canon of NT scripture was not a singular writing that stopped with the book of Revelation in 95 AD. The New Testament canon was a collection of books in an approved form (27 books) that was not finalized until the Council of Carthage AD 397. Late in the fourth century.
Therefore, the NT canon could not have closed in 95 AD, as it did not exist in any form until 170 AD. Which at that time did not include Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter, and 3 John.
Additionally, just to clarify, Deliverance (casting out demons) is not referred to as a gift in the Bible. Though it is dependent on a number of the listed gifts. Deliverance, I would say is a ministry. In the same category as administering water baptism, intercessory prayer, and preaching the gospel.
Deliverance may involve one or more of these spiritual gifts from the list in 1 Cor.12. A message of wisdom, a message of knowledge, faith, miraculous power, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in tongues, the interpretation of tongues.
Brother I'll continue to build on your remark that the spiritual gifts referred to in scripture are not listed in scripture as ceasing as of the date I write this comment. I do so because you didn't expound on that idea. The only scripture I am aware of that people use to assert the "gifts of the spirit" already ceased is 1Corinthians 13:10 and scriptures surrounding it. So let's look at that in context.
"
8Love never fails; but if
there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if
there are tongues, they will cease; if
there is knowledge, it will be done away.
9For we know in part and we prophesy in part;
10but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.
11When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
12For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.
13But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love."
Verse eight speaks of them ceasing, but the time period when that happens is disputed not that they cease someday. Even though Paul identifies that time period in these scriptures it is nevertheless in dispute. At vs 10 Paul wrote when the perfect (or complete ) comes the partial will be done away with. The partial is the partial knowledge and partial gifts of the spirit he and other Christians had at that time. The identity of the time period when Paul said the perfect comes is contained in these surrounding scriptures. And vs 10 claims when the perfect comes those gifts of the spirit will cease.
Paul states that he personally will be affected during the time period the perfect comes. He claims he will personally be affected by having a much more complete picture, meaning fuller knowledge about something. He claims that in vs 12. Now Paul wrote these words just a few years before he died. So what could he have meant by this perfect thing coming that would give him a far greater picture of something he didn't clearly see at that time. That complete thing coming couldn't be the completion of the Bible, like WT teaches it is, the religion I used to believe in. Why? Because Paul died well before the Bible as we know it today was complete. So, we can throw that idea out the window. It doesn't make any sense in light of Paul's scriptures.
So ask, could something have happened during the few years between the time Paul wrote these scriptures and the time Paul died that gave Paul a much more complete knowledge about what he named the perfect thing that was coming to give all Christians this superior knowledge? We have to guess, but there is no scriptural evidence that happened. Plus if it did happen some other elder like John who wrote his books way after Paul's death would have told us about it. But in John's scriptures he doesn't tell us about anything that came while Paul was alive to enlighten Christians with a much deeper knowledge. The only new information that might have done that was Revelation. But wait! Paul was dead way before John wrote Revelation, so that could not have enlightened Paul.
And remember Paul made personal application to himself. Since Paul did and it is very likely nothing enlightened him so much further while he was alive that he would cloak some human experience of his this way it's obvious he was referring to a time after he died. That idea is locked in stone considering he said all Christians would receive this greater knowledge, not just Paul. And since the Bible shows the gifts of the spirit continued after Paul's death, then we can believe with all certainty Paul was definitely referring to a time period the gifts of the spirit would cease after his death, while also teaching their ceasing would drastically increase his knowledge. Since it occurs after Paul's death the increased knowledge is obviously increased knowledge about God, the Father , Son, and heavenly things centered around God's purpose for Paul. The perfect or complete thing that was coming has to be Paul's realization of what God is when Paul has access to God's presence in heaven. But the time period could not be just when Paul died. Why? Because that perfect or complete things bringing a deeper knowledge has to come to all Christians. Because Paul applied this time period to a time that affects all Christians. See vs
9 "For we know in part and we prophesy in part;
10but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away." And Paul's death didn't affect all Christians receiving this complete knowledge of God. It has to be when they ALL experience that themselves. So why must that be? It has to be when they all experience God like Paul claimed he would, because only then could they have the same knowledge Paul claimed he would. Paul never applied these scriptures to himself only. He applied them to us, and those who remain on Earth after us. And that knowledge we have not attained yet.
Now could some of the gifts have been done away with by this time. I don't know, but I do know the scriptures above don't teach that. Also, please note the scriptures above say nothing about God ceasing to perform miracles outside Christian gifts of the spirit, or God ceasing to personally contact people. Those ideas are adding ideas that are not stated, and the only reason I brought it up is because that's what Watchtower teaches, and I know some other groups claim the gifts of the spirit were done away with when the Bible was completed like WT. So, I thought these other ideas might be taught by those other groups also.