Do spiritual gifts exist today?

[AgnosticBoy]

Here's an interesting article that argues that the spiritual gifts have ceased.

It is fascinating to read about the apostles laying hands on early Christians, in order that they might receive a miraculous endowment of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14-18). It is exciting to know that a variety of these gifts were thus imparted, including the working of miracles, healings, prophecy, tongues, direct knowledge of divine will, etc. (1 Cor. 12:7-11). It is significant to note that the purpose of the early Christians possessing and exercising these gifts was to “confirm the word” they were speaking was, in fact, the word of God Himself (Mark 16:20; Heb. 2:3-4).

The question that must be answered is—are miraculous, spiritual gifts still in existence today and being exercised by followers of Christ? Scripture is our only source of authority to answer this question, and the most extensive section of Scripture that discusses spiritual gifts is in First Corinthians 12-14. While we think of chapter 13 as extolling the greatness of love, the emphasis of the chapter is the abiding nature of love in contrast to the temporary nature of spiritual gifts.

Scripture emphatically affirms the end of the spiritual gifts. While “love never fails,” the miraculous endowments of the Spirit would “fail,” “cease,” “vanish away” and “be done away” (13:8-10). God could have combined these thoughts and just used one word, but in order to emphasize His point, He accentuated the ending of the gifts multiple times.

Source: https://www.pblcoc.org/bulletin-articles/spiritual-gifts-have-ceased/

1 Corinthians 13:8-11

8 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. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11

Those of the Pentecostal denomination would say that spiritual gifts exist today. Which view is correct?

For Debate
Do spiritual gifts continue to exist today or have they ceased? Is the above perspective incorrect, if so, why?

 

[Scooter]

I believe the answer to your question is both Yes and No. The gifts of speaking in tongues and healing are no longer given just as Paul indicated. Those gifts were given at a time before there was any written record of Jesus and the Gospel. They were used as verification of the Gospel the Apostles were preaching. BTW, the gift of tongues was not a gift of babbling made up sounds and syllables. Tongues were actually languages. Notice Acts 2:4-6 "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language."

There are, however, spiritual gifts still given today for the edification of the church: I Cor.12:1-8; 28-30 and Eph.4:11-12 lists several spiritual gifts many of which are still used by the saints today. The gifts of wisdom, discernment, teaching, preaching, evangelism are gifts given to believers in order to spread the Gospel and build up the faith of believers.

 

[AgnosticBoy]

I believe the answer to your question is both Yes and No. The gifts of speaking in tongues and healing are no longer given just as Paul indicated. Those gifts were given at a time before there was any written record of Jesus and the Gospel. They were used as verification of the Gospel the Apostles were preaching. BTW, the gift of tongues was not a gift of babbling made up sounds and syllables. Tongues were actually languages. Notice Acts 2:4-6 "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language."

There are, however, spiritual gifts still given today for the edification of the church: I Cor.12:1-8; 28-30 and Eph.4:11-12 lists several spiritual gifts many of which are still used by the saints today. The gifts of wisdom, discernment, teaching, preaching, evangelism are gifts given to believers in order to spread the Gospel and build up the faith of believers.

I like your answer because it factors in some points that both sides would bring up. I think the views that simply say that all spiritual gifts have ceased or that all continue today aren't nuanced enough to explain all of the relevant passages on this issue. I'm reading up on one site that categorizes each side into two camps which are the 'cessationist' and non-cessationist.

Those who hold that certain gifts were only temporary are known as cessationists. Those who believe all the spiritual gifts listed in the New Testament are still to be exercised by believers are called non-cessationists.

Source: https://www.blueletterbible.org/Com...s-have-been-given-for-sign-gift-cessation.cfm

Reading up right now to see if I can come up with a solid answer, and definitely keeping your view in mind.

 

[AgnosticBoy]

@Scooter

You seem to lean towards the non-cessationist side (spiritual gifts exist today), but I think there is one objection before you conclude that certain gifts don't exist anymore:

"there is no specific passage in the Bible that says that certain spiritual gifts were only temporary in nature while other gifts are permanent. This has to be inferred from the text. In addition, there is no list that separates the temporary from the permanent. No distinction is ever made between sign gifts and other gifts."

Source: BlueLetterbible

So with that said, I'd ask what are your reasons for claiming the gift of healing no longer exists? Is it stated in the Bible or is it inferred? Any passages?

I do admit though that your view also goes better with the reality today in that no one today is considered a credible miracle worker, and that's even by Christians. Sure, you might have one group that says their pastor can work some things, but I question if that even holds up with other Christians. Then there are so many fraudsters out there that it's hard to believe any of them.

As an extra, here's an excellent summary of the spiritual gifts:

Is there a biblical spiritual gifts list? | GotQuestions.org

Is there a biblical spiritual gifts list? How many spiritual gifts are there? What are the different spiritual gifts that the Bible lists?

www.gotquestions.org

 

[AgnosticBoy]

Do spiritual gifts continue to exist today or have they ceased? Is the above perspective incorrect, if so, why?

Without biblical evidence and strong inferences, I believe the biblical position is that spiritual gifts can exist today just as they existed back then. I won't go as far as saying which gifts exist and which ones don't because there is no good biblical basis for that as far as I can tell. I think this is the most reasonable position to take anyways because it makes less assumptions.

I think the strongest objections I encountered from the cessationist side is that spiritual gifts were done by the apostles, and therefore it was for them. ANd of course, since they are long gone then so are the spiritual gifts. I disagree with that view because Paul writes to the Corinthians (in chapter 14:1) to desire the spiritual gifts, and of course those in that Church weren't apostles. Then there's this shadowy figure performing miracles while not being part of the apostles in Mark 9:38-39:

38 “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because
he was not one of us.”

39 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40

Yes, and of course, I'd also want to know why these miracles aren't occurring today on the scale that they were back then. Or is it that too much fraud drowns them out?

 

[Scooter]

@Scooter

So with that said, I'd ask what are your reasons for claiming the gift of healing no longer exists? Is it stated in the Bible or is it inferred? Any passages?

The Apostle Paul had the gift of healing: Acts 14:8-10 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.

As the NT was being written, I believe Paul lost the ability to heal. Notice his statement about his friend in his last epistle: 2 Timothy 4:20 Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick. I believe if Paul still had the gift of healing he would have healed Trophimus.

 

[AgnosticBoy]

@Scooter

So with that said, I'd ask what are your reasons for claiming the gift of healing no longer exists? Is it stated in the Bible or is it inferred? Any passages?

The Apostle Paul had the gift of healing: Acts 14:8-10 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.

As the NT was being written, I believe Paul lost the ability to heal. Notice his statement about his friend in his last epistle: 2 Timothy 4:20 Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick. I believe if Paul still had the gift of healing he would have healed Trophimus.

That's a good point. He also would've healed himself since it seems he suffered from some sickness late in life.

I forgot to mention the gift of super strength although that's an Old Testament gift given to Samson. At least, that's one example where God can give a gift to someone for reasons beyond just spreading his message.

 

[Scooter]

So now that the scriptures are complete, I believe the gifts given for signs have ended. Gifts for edification, however, I believe are still given to believers.

 

[AgnosticBoy]

One Christian told me that we're living in an era of low faith so God hasn't found anyone suitable to give the gift to. I don't completely buy that and I think another issue might be legal liability. I remember a minister by the name of Benny Hinn use to broadcast on live television, people being healed from various conditions. People in wheelchairs were able to get up and walk again, blind people were able to see. Now I don't see that being broadcasted anymore and I wonder why.

Were there some false claims being made? Did the claims not hold up to scrutiny?

 

[Scooter]

Yeah I personally think those people were charlatans. If they really had the gift of healing why weren’t they at St. Jude healing all those children with cancer?