Romans 11:29 teaches us that the gifts & the calling of God are irrevocable. If that is true (and it is) the church has some explaining to do!
Yesterday we focused on the fact that anything is possible for those who believe. ANYTHING! Why then is there division over the topic of spiritual gifts? If I were to paint with broad strokes I would say that most churches are divided into two camps: 1) Those who believe the gifts of the Spirit are still available & 2) Those who believe that only certain gifts are available. I'm actually being nice here because there is a limited few who don't believe in the gifts of the Spirit. But I simply don't feel like dealing with such a limited view of God. Let's focus on the most dominant ones.
#1 - Those who believe the gifts of the Spirit are still available.
This group of believers have a simple biblical view of the Spirit filled life. We understand that God has gifted every believer with some type of spiritual gift. These gifts are not just talents that have been enhanced but rather God has chosen to give some the ability to have spiritual discernment, faith, tongues, prophecy, healing, interpretation, etc. The greatest problem we have in this camp is that there are differing views of how these gifts should be used and how they are received.
#2 - Those who believe that only certain gifts are available.
This group of believers have a more complex view of the Spirit filled life. In other words it takes a lot of explanation to remove certain gifts from the inventory that God gives us in Corinthians. For most of these believers all gifts are available except for "sign gifts" such as healing, tongues, and prophecy. Most believe in prophecy but have changed it's definition. The greatest problem in this camp is how to explain the supernatural work of God while at the same time explaining away those things that make them uncomfortable.
All of this brings me to a word that most people are unfamiliar with: Cessationism. Cessastionists are those who believe that the gifts of the Spirit have ceased (at least the sign gifts). Most of them cling to certain biblical passages that have to be interpreted to mean something they don't. Nowhere in Scripture are we taught that the gifts have ceased except in reference to the second coming of Christ. When Jesus returns for His bride there will no longer be a need for the gifts of the Spirit as His followers will be made perfect. Ron Phillips makes an interesting statement about cessationism in his book "Awakened by the Spirit": "Cessationism at best is an excuse for the church's lack of power and the awful absence of Jesus' presence." Is anybody listening?
When we cease to experience God on certain levels we have a tendency to say that God must not work that way anymore. We have not experienced healing so God must not heal. I have never spoken in tongues so God must not work like he did in Acts. I have never been given a word of prophecy so prophecy must be limited to the preaching of the Bible. The excuses go on and on. I have never understood the arrogance one must possess to take this kind of stand. Basically what is being said is: "I'm so spiritual that if God were going to do something supernatural then it would happen in me." This is especially true when we are dealing with the touchy subject of tongues.
In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul told the believers that concerning Spiritual Gifts he did not want them to be ignorant. Pay attention to these words. He did not want them to be unlearned. So he made it a point to teach them about the diversity of the gifts and the fact that God gives them according to His own choosing and not just the ability to receive. You see - it bothers both camps that I stand in the middle. I'm a believer in the gifts of the Spirit but I don't believe that we will have the same gifts. Just because I have been filled with the Spirit does not mean I will SPEAK in tongues and just because I don't speak in tongues it does not mean that the gifts are dead. God is able to give the gifts He chooses to anyone He chooses. Even if I don't get it!
Rather than trying to explain our lack of spiritual power maybe we should spend time with God seeking His face and all that He wants to give. Do you really believe that God wants His church to exist powerless? NO! God wants the church of today to continue to function as the church of the New Testament. The gifts should continue to be in operation but with the guidelines given in Scripture. What needs to happen in the church today is believers falling on their face before God asking Him to move in their congregations. If we will seek Him - God will answer. Even if it means messing with our theology.
1 comment:
Churches have demonized the Holy Spirit to the degree that one mention of the word "Holy Spirit" scares people, even believers...and yet without the Holy Spirit we are incapable of achieveing ANYTHING on our own. Jesus' death on the cross gave us salvation as we believe in Him, yet we mustn't stop with the death and it's signifigance. We must remember to look forward to the POWER that came to us as believers through His resurrection.
Jesus said it himself, "It is for YOUR GOOD that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor (Holy Spirit) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you."
The Holy Spirit is good and necessary so why do our denominations minimize His Power? When we reject the giftings of the Spirit, all of them, we are just as blind to the Holy Spirit as the Pharisees were to Jesus...right in front of us/them all along and still missing it.
What if the church of today were to embrace the Holy Spirit of the NEW TESTAMENT? WOW can you imagine if we embraced the gifts instead of shunned them? Can you imagine what would happen in the world today?..look what a Holy Spirit-filled group of 120 did that came out of the upper room...the went everywhere planting churches and spreading the gospel. There were no demonations telling them they were wrong or that God doesn't work like that. They took the promise of Jesus and followed His command to "GO". They were given power and authority to do His work in His name? And the rest is history! We STILL HAVE THAT POWER AND AUTHORITY!
The Holy Spirit is NOT HISTORY...let me say it again...is not HISTORY! The Holy Spirit is that well inside of you...the source of your "electricity" or "power" to operate as a believer. If that means God gives me the gift of tongues or of prophecy or words of knowledge or the gift of discerning spirits, then so be it. I am NOT afraid to be used by Him and allow His gifts to edify the church...NO, my biggest fear is that He WILL NOT use me, not gift me...I want to be a history maker. Don't you!
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