Have The Sign Gifts Ceased?

Has God's Word Changed? No. So the sign gifts have not ceased.

The following is based on part of a letter I have recently written to a Dispensationalist.

Now there is one thing I must point out regarding the verses you shared about the sign gifts. You argue that the sign gifts (Prophesy, Healing, Miracles, Speaking in Tongues) are no more at all, but as proof you present verses which merely give examples that at some places they will not be. There is a big difference between examples where there were no sign gifts, and saying that there are no sign gifts. Can you see the distinction I’m pointing out?

You said that there is lots of evidence that the sign gifts have been withdrawn. I am pointing out that there is no evidence that they have been withdrawn, only evidence that they are not in existence in every Christian or in every place. There is quite a big difference between the two.

It has been said “If the sign gifts are still in effect why is Luke a Physician?” (implying that doctors would not be needed because God's people would heal everyone) That point is irrelevant because of two things. First, do you remember the condition for the working of the sign gifts? One condition is Faith, or belief. For many the sign gifts are of no use as far as miracles and healings, because they do not believe such a thing is possible. Notice in Matthew 13:58 and Mark 6:5 that Jesus did not do as many miracles and healing because the people did not believe. The modern western man is conditioned to believe that these types of healings and miracles are impossible, and so they greatly are because of his unbelief. Second, not every believer has every gift. Simply because we are a true believer, it is not the will of the Holy Ghost to give each of us every gift (1 Corinthians 12:4-12). Further, when you say that the sign gifts have ceased you are putting together a false (or incomplete) church, because you are cutting off some of its members (1 Corinthians 12:13-31). This is a serious error, and is part of the reason why the church in North America is declining (as it did in Europe), and why it is reportedly growing in Asia, and Africa, and Central America (and maybe South America also?).

I agree completely that there will be (and are) many false prophets (Matthew 24:24, Mark 13:22, 1 John 4:1). I also agree that any prophet who teaches anything contrary to God’s word (the Holy Bible), or who makes predictions that do not come true is a false prophet. But the scriptures are so clear that the gift of prophesy will continue, to believe other wise is in contradiction to the clear word of God. Perhaps it is you who believe false Prophets and their unbiblical teachings? Perhaps the answer to the question “What is a Prophet?” would clarify this issue. A prophet is someone who hears from God and speaks and does what God has told them to say and do. Because the Prophet hears God, they can also have knowledge of things they would normally not have, because God has told them. Thus, this is their means for prophesying the future. By the scriptures we can tell a true prophet from a false prophet. True prophets lead men to repent, to turn from wickedness, and to worship God. True prophets warn of the destruction coming to sinners. There are two ways to know a false prophet as given in Deuteronomy 13:1-5 , Deuteronomy 18:9-22, Matthew 7:15-23, and 1 Corinthians 14:32, 37, 39. First, if they make a prediction which later comes true, but they also lead men away from God and teach them to worship other gods, or if they bare bad fruit, leading men in wicked ways (into sin) they are false prophets. Second, if they make predictions which do not come to pass then they are false prophets. So to be a true prophet they need to do two things 1. They need to speak according to Gods word (not teaching anything unbiblical), and 2. They need to prophesy and there prophesies must never fail to come to pass. (And of course they must have been given the gift to prophecy by the Holy Ghost.)

Some Dispensationalists have professed that "The prophetic time clock has been put on hold, Peter did not know that and was in error when he said that the last days had begun."

To which I respond...

Do you realize that you are calling the Apostle Peter a liar? Peter said that the last days had come (Acts ch. 2) (Also see Hebrews 1:2 and 2 Timothy 3:1). If your theological view leads you to disbelieve the teachings of scripture than your theological view is corrupt and is based upon false teachings. Perhaps you have a different definition of “the last days” than the Bible does, but when discussing Biblical things you should use the same definition the Bible uses.

Also, do you not realize what the Apostle Paul says in the verses below? It sums things up and really cuts right to the point.

If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. - 1 Corinthians 14:37-39

Interestingly, there is a great similarity between the way God spoke to prophets through the Holy Spirit, and the way he now speaks to believers. Many verses and biblical stories attest to this fact, but one verse in particular that comes to mind is Matthew 5:12. Through the Holy Spirit in us today God communicates things which we could not know without Him, he allows us to know so that we may serve Him better and ultimately bring Glory to His name. Taking the sign gifts out of Christianity is taking the supernatural out of Christianity and turning it into nothing but a belief system. It is a belief system, but it is more, it is also a system of Revelation, Miracles, and Regeneration. For example, many answered prayers are miracles. And for myself I am convinced by the many answers to prayer I have received.

Gospel, Repentance, They Should Have Known

The following is written in a effort to make known some lies/misunderstandings taught by certain dispensationalists, and to make the truth plain by bringing the scriptures into our knowledge.

It has been claimed that “God does not today preach repentance as part of the gospel as he did to Israel, today repentance is not part of the Gospel of Grace.”

In Acts 17:18-30 Paul is preaching to the philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks. He is not preaching to the Jews, but he says to these philosophers in verse 17:30 …“But now God commands everyone, everywhere to Repent.” How can you say repentance is not taught today? Clearly it is, there are also many more examples, if you would read your Bible.

In Acts 17:1-17 Paul preached to the Jews. “Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.: (verse 17:3) Paul reasoned with them out of the scriptures and, “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” - Acts 17:11

What scriptures was it that they searched to see if Paul was telling them the truth? Not the New Testament scriptures.

In Acts 8:30-35 the Ethiopian eunuch did not know the gospel until Philip explained it to him. And notice the scripture which Phillip explained - Isaiah 53:7-8.

It has been claimed that “repentance is not taught today because the flesh cannot please God, so we have to become a Christian and be converted, Before we can repent. All we need to do is believe”

The flesh has never pleased God. If we understand what Christ did we cannot do anything but repent of our sins. How can we believe if we do not understand what we believe?

What is it that you think Christ has done for us? He has bore our iniquities. God bruised Christ and accepted him as a offering for our sin. We are justified before God by Christ because He bore our iniquities (Also see 2 Corinthians 5:18-24). How could one accept this and not repent? They cannot. Somebody had to pay for our sins with their life! Only Christ, the very Son of God was pure enough to be an offering. Only through His shed Blood could our sins be forgiven, because He who was without sin bore our sins.

With the old testament the Jews should have understood this. The fact that they crucified Christ was a testimony that they did not know their own scripture (As said Jesus in John 5:46). Because if they had know it they would have recognized Christ, they would have known that the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin. They would have know that God would be sending a messiah to take away the sins of His people. How would they have known? Because the Prophets and the other old testament scriptures declared it!

They learned from the Prophets (or should have learned) that God desires obedience rather than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22) and desires mercy rather than sacrifice (Hosea 6:6). They should have known about Christ’s coming and that he would save the people from their sins, by bearing their iniquities. (Isaiah 53, Isaiah 9:6–7, Zechariah 9:9, Micah 5:2, Isaiah 7:14)

“For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” - Psalm 51:16-17

“To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.” - Isaiah 1:11-17

Also see Amos 5:12-24, Isaiah 66:3, and Jeremiah chapter 7.

See a related Post "Works? Faith? Repentance? Old Testament Salvation?"

See a related post "The Prophecy of the Crucifixion of Christ"

http://www.chick.com/information/general/repentance.asp

click here to see some thoughts of Desiderius Erasmus related to this subject, especially see page 80 (Note: since this post was originally posted page 80 has become unavailable, as of 4/14/2011)

Works? Faith? Repentance? Old testament Salvation?

Part of a letter below;

Now I will respond to some of the answers you gave to my questions. First the wrath from which Jesus has delivered us and the tribulation are not the same thing. In the book of Revelation the tribulation comes first and the wrath comes later (it also appears that the tribulation is caused by the ungodly and is against the believer, and that the wrath is from God and is poured out on the ungodly). Now I will come to a point we both agree on and go from there.

We cannot save ourselves. I believe that both faith and grace are gifts from God alone (neither are anything we do or can boast in). Further, repentance is merely a result of faith in God. It is God who brings us to repentance when we have faith, repentance is not something we do. If only a shallow belief was required than even the devils would be saved for “they believe and tremble” (James 2:19). Anything we do that pleases God is not an act of ours. Inotherwords we can take no credit for any good works for “no flesh can please God”(Romans 8:8) and “whatever is not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). I believe, as the Bible and the apostle Paul himself clearly teaches that when the Father saves us through faith in Christ by Grace that we have no choice but to do good works (we just end up doing them, as a result of faith, if we do have faith). Good works are a result of being saved and we cannot even take credit for doing good works BECAUSE it is NOT we that do them but CHRIST in us. I believe that the Bible clearly teaches that all men in all time have been, are, and will be required to repent and also that all men have been, are and will do good works if they have been saved. Faith/Belief and repentance have always been the way to come unto God this is shown throughout the scriptures. Now I think that perhaps when you said that repentance was not required that you misunderstood what repentance is. Please be patient by brother and consider the following scriptures. In Romans 2: 4-10 we see that “the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.” In Psalm 51 we see faith/belief in God and repentance (vs. 17) we also see that sacrifice (not done in faith) is not what God delights in, nor is it what he desires (vs.16). In 2 Corinthians 7: 9-11 we see that “godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation,” and that this godly sorrow is sorrow which need not be repented of. In Acts 2:38 we read “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” In Romans chapter 3:21-26; in verse 21 when it says being witnesses by the prophets and the law I believe this is speaking of how Christ and the salvation which would come through him was made known in the law and the prophets - so it was no new thing. And in verse 25 I believe that it means that the sacrifice of Christ and faith in his blood was set forth by God to take the wrath of God which would otherwise be on men for their sins, and that this righteousness through faith in his blood is for the sins of the past, even the old testament believer since God had forbearance (was patient) until Christ should be made an atonement for all sin. In Habakkuk 2:4 we see that “the just shall live by faith.” In Isaiah 53 we see Christ and his sacrifice for the sins of the people clearly prophesied. Two (of the many) examples are John 12:38 which quotes Isaiah 53:1 and Acts 8:32-35 which quotes Isaiah 53:7-8. In Hebrews 10:4 we read that it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. In Psalm 106:23-24 we see that the Lord wanted to destroy them because they did not believe. In Psalm 78:22 we see that God was angry with Israel because they believed not in God and trusted not in his salvation. In Psalm 73:24 we read that HE guides me and receives me unto HIS Glory. In Zechariah 9:9 we see a prophecy of Christ and the salvation he will bring. In Job 19:25-26 we see Job declaring that he shall see his redeemer in the latter days upon the earth. In John 8:56 we read that Abraham saw Jesus’ Day. In Genesis 22 we read of Abraham’s faith and his seed (compare Genesis 22:17 to Galatians 3:16) Abraham is the father of those who have faith as Abraham did. In Psalm 14:3 and Psalm 16 we see how no man doeth good and that the Lord will save those who trust in him. We see how faith saved the old testament people in Hebrews ch.11. Again in Psalm 53:2-3 we see that there is none that doeth good (meaning again that no one is saved by works). In Numbers 14:11 we see that the Lord is upset because of their disbelief in him. In 2 Kings 17:14 we read that Israel did not believe in the Lord and that because of their unbelief the Lord testified against them. In Romans 4 we read of Abrahams faith and that it was counted unto him for righteousness (also see Genesis 15:6). The sole requirement for salvation is that man exercise faith by the method which God has taught him to do. Man has been taught to exercise faith somewhat differently in different times. In Galatians 3 especially verses 11, and 19 we see that no man is justified by the law, and that the law was only temporary until “the seed should come to whom the promise was made” That seed being Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:16, Genesis 22:17) (Also see Acts 26:15-20, Romans 4: 13-25)

“Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.” - Galatians 3:19

Now again it is important to realize that faith alone saves us, but that if we are saved by faith we will do good works. In Ephesians 5:5 Paul says that No unclean person can inherit the kingdom Christ and of God. Now if you read this verse in context you will see that Paul is talking to those who have already professed Christ as there Saviour. So merely professing to serve Christ is not enough, not because it is not enough, but because if it brings about no action toward good works then it was not a true profession, it was not sincere. For in verse 9 we read that the fruit of the spirit is all goodness, righteousness and truth. If we have saving faith we will have good fruit. Jesus himself taught this same thing in the gospels.

In Titus 1:16 we also see that; they profess to know him, but in works they deny him and they are abominable, and disobedient because their works deny him. In Hebrews 5:9 we read that Christ became the author of salvation unto who? Unto them that obey him. In Romans 6:16-17 we read that we are the servant of whom we obey (either sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness). In verse 6:22 we see that we will have fruit unto holiness if we are servants of God. In Acts 10: 34-35 we see that God does not respect persons but that “he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted.” In 1 Peter 1:22 we read that Christ did no sin and that he is our example. In Isaiah 26:3 we read that he who trusts in the Lord will be kept in perfect peace.

I believe the above verses clearly show that repentance and good works are a necessary part of the faith which is of salvation (studying the above verses should allow this to be understood properly). Further these verses show that Salvation has always come through Faith (belief and trust). Salvation is a gift of God only, at the same time we cannot disregard Philippians 2:12 or 1 Timothy 4:16. But knowing it is only Christ in us through whom we are saved and we ourselves can do no good thing. The reason some of this sounds confusing is that on the surface it may appear contradictory. Because it cannot be received by nor stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God (see 1 Corinthians 2:5). But as we study the scriptures it should become clear to us, not by viewing it through some vain philosophy of man, but by the Holy Spirit. Amen.