1

For this reason we must hold ever so much more closely to what we have

heard, lest we drift away.

2

For if the word spoken through angels was

confirmed, and every transgression and disobedience received a just

penalty,

3

how could we escape if we neglect such a salvation, which was

first received as spoken through the Lord, and was confirmed to us by

those who heard,

4

God joining in witnessing with them by signs and

wonders and various miracles and divisions of the Holy Spirit, according

to his will? (Hebrews 2:1-4)

1For this reason we must hold ever so much more closely to what we have heard, lest we drift away. 2For if the word spoken through angels was confirmed, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, 3how could we escape if we neglect such a salvation, which was first received as spoken through the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4God joining in witnessing with them by signs and wonders and various miracles and divisions of the Holy Spirit, according to his will? (Hebrews 2:1-4)

1

Therefore, I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you, walk worthily of the calling in which you have been

called,

2

with all humility and meekness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

3

rushing to

keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace:

4

one body, and one Spirit, just as also you were called

into one hope of your calling,

5

one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6

one God and Father of all, who is

over all and through all and in all.

7

But to each one of us grace was given, according to the measure of

the gift of Christ.

8

Therefore it says, “Ascending on high he took captivity captive, he gave gifts to

humans.”

9

But why is it “he ascended,” unless because he also descended into the deepest part of the

earth?

10

He who descended is also the one who ascended above all the heavens, in order that he might

fill all things.

11

And he gave apostles, and prophets, and evangelists, and shepherds, and teachers,

12

to

prepare the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ,

13

until we all

attain to the unity of faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to the complete man, to the measure

of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

14

that we might no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by

every wind of teaching by the trickery of men, by cunning in deceitful schemes,

15

but speaking the

truth in love, we will grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ,

16

from whom the whole

body is being fitted together and drawn together through every supporting ligament, according to the

proportional working of each individual part, he makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

(Ephesians 4:1-16)

1

Concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.

2

You know

that when you were Gentiles you were led after voiceless idols, however you were led.

3

So I am making known to you that nobody ever speaks by the Spirit of God, saying,

“Jesus is accursed,” and nobody is able to say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy

Spirit.

4

Now, there are divisions of gifts, but the same Spirit,

5

and there are divisions

of services, but the same Lord,

6

and there are divisions of things worked, but the same

God, who works all things in all.

7

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for

the common good.

8

For to one wise speech is given through the Spirit, to another

knowledgeable speech according to the same Spirit,

9

to another faith by the same

Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,

10

to another miraculous works, to

another prophecy, to another discerning spirits, to another various kinds of tongues,

and to another the interpretation of tongues,

11

but all these are worked by the one

and the same Spirit, dividing to each individually just as he wills.

(1 Corinthians 12:1-11)

12

For just as the body is one, and has many parts, and all the parts of the

body, being many, is one body, so also is Christ.

13

For we all also have

been baptized in one Spirit into one body, both Jews and Greeks, both

slaves and free, all have been made to drink the one Spirit. (1 Corinthians

12:12-13)

14

For the body is not one part but many.

15

If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I

am not part of the body,” does it cease to be part of the body because of that?

16

And if the ear

should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” does it cease to be part of

the body because of that?

17

If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the

whole body were an ear, where would the smell be?

18

But now God has placed the parts, each

one of them, in the body just as he willed.

19

And if they were all one part, where would the

body be?

20

So now there are many parts, but one body.

21

It is not possible for the eye to say to

the hand, “I have no need of you,” or for the head to say to the foot, “I have no need of you,”

22

but much to the contrary, the parts of the body that seem most weak are necessary,

23

and as

for those which seem to be the most dishonorable in the body, to these we assign greater

honor, and our indecent parts have more decency,

24

whereas our decent parts don’t require

this. But God has composed the body, giving greater honor to those who were lacking,

25

in

order that there should be no division in the body, but that the parts might remember each

one the others,

26

and if one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, if one part rejoices, all the

parts rejoice with it. (1 Corinthians 12:14-26)

27

Ya’ll are the body of Christ, each part for its part.

28

And God set in the

church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then

gifts of healing, helps, leaderships, various types of tongues.

29

Are all

apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?

30

Do all

have the gift of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?

31

But

long for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

(1 Corinthians 12:27-31)

1

If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but I do not have love, I am a brass gong or a clanging

cymbal.

2

And if I have prophecy, and if I know all mysteries and all knowledge and if I have all faith so

that I can move mountains, but I do not have love, I am nothing.

3

And if I give away all my possessions

and if I hand over my body to be burned, but I do not have love, I receive no benefit.

4

Love endures

patiently, love acts kindly, it is not jealous, it does not brag, it is not puffed up,

5

it does not act

shamefully, it does not seek its own interest, it is not provoked, it does not impute evil,

6

it does not

rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth,

7

it bears all things, believes all things, hopes

all things, endures all things.

8

Love never falls. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to an end,

if there are tongues, they will cease, if there is knowledge, it will be brought to an end.

9

For in part, we

know, and in part, we prophesy,

10

but when perfection comes, what is partial will be brought to an end.

11

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child, but when I

became an adult, I put away childish things.

12

For we see now through a mirror darkly, but then face to

face; now we know in part, but then we will know just as also we are known.

13

So now these three

things remain: faith, hope, and love, but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13)

1

Pursue love, eagerly seek the spiritual gifts, and especially that you may prophesy.

2

For the one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to humans but to God, for nobody

hears, but he speaks mysteries by the Spirit.

3

But the one who prophesies speaks

upbuilding, comfort, and encouragement to humans.

4

The one who speaks in a

tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.

5

I wish

that all of you would speak in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; the

one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless he can

interpret, so that the church might receive upbuilding. (1 Corinthians 14:1-5)

6

So now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I help you unless I

speak to you in revelation or in knowledge, or in prophecy or in teaching?

7

But if

lifeless instrument, like a flute or a harp, should not make a distinction between the

notes, how will you understand the flute-playing or harp-playing?

8

For it a trumpet

should give an unclear sound, who will prepare for battle?

9

So also with you through

tongues, unless you should give an intelligible word, how shall what you speak be

known? For you will be speaking into the air.

10

There may be many different kinds of

languages in the world, and none are without meaning,

11

therefore, if I do not know

the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker will

be a foreigner to me.

12

So also you, since you eagerly seek spiritual gifts, eagerly seek

to abound for the upbuilding of the church. (1 Corinthians 14:6-12)

13

For this reason, the one who speaks in tongues should pray that he might interpret.

14

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

15

What then? I

will pray with the spirit, I will pray also with the mind; I will sing with the spirit, I

will sing also with the mind.

16

Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how can one is

in the position of an outsider one say “Amen” to your thanksgiving? Since he doesn’t

to know what you are saying.

17

For while you may be giving thanks well, the other is

not built up. (1 Corinthians 14:13-17)

18

I give thanks to God that I speak in tongues more than all of you,

19

but in church I would

rather speak five words words with my mind, in order that I might instruct others, than ten

thousand words in a tongue.

20

Brothers, do not be children in your mind, but be infants in

evil, and become perfect in your minds.

21

For it is written in the Law, “In other tongues and

with other lips I will speak to this people, but not thus will they listen to me, says the Lord”

(Isaiah 28:11).

22

Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, but prophecy is

not of unbelievers but for believers.

23

Therefore, if the whole church comes together as one,

and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers should come, will they not think that

you are crazy?

24

But if all prophesy, and a certain unbeliever or outsider should come, he is

rebuked by all, he is cross-examined by all,

25

the secrets of his heart will be revealed, and so

falling on his face he will bow down to God, declaring “God is really among you.”

(1 Corinthians 14:18-25)

26

What then, brothers? When you gather together, each one has a hymn, a teaching, a

revelation, a tongue, an interpretation; let all things be done for upbuilding.

27

If

anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two and at most three, and in turn, and with

someone to interpret,

28

but if there is no interpreter, they should be silent in church,

and speak to their own selves and to God.

29

Let two or three prophets speak, and the

others discern,

30

and if another sitting there receives a revelation, the first should be

silent.

31

For you can all prophesy, each one, in order that all may learn and all may be

encouraged.

32

And the spirit of prophets is in submission to prophets,

33

for God is not

of insurrection but of peace. (1 Corinthians 14:26-33a)

As in all the holy churches,

34

the women should be silent in the churches, for it is not

fitting for them to speak, but to be in submission, as the Law also says.

35

But if they

desire to learn something, they should inquire of their own husbands at home, for it

is shameful for a woman to speak in church. (1 Corinthians 14:33b-35)

36

Or did the word of God come forth from you, or did it come to you alone?

37

If

someone thinks themselves a prophet or spiritual, they should acknowledge the things

I write to you because it is the commandment of the Lord.

38

If anyone does not

recognize this, he is not recognized.

39

So, my brothers, eagerly seek to prophesy and

do not forbid speaking in tongues,

40

and let all things happen decently and according

to order. (1 Corinthians 14:36-40)

This whole place is very obscure: but the obscurity is produced by our ignorance of

the facts referred to and by their cessation, being such as then used to occur but now

no longer take place. (Chrysostum, Homily 29 on First Corinthians)

Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far

manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men unexcusable; yet

are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is

necessary unto salvation. Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers

manners, to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his church; and

afterwards, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more

sure establishment and comfort of the church against the corruption of the flesh, and

the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing: which

maketh the Holy Scripture to be most necessary; those former ways of God’s revealing

his will unto his people being now ceased. (Westminster Confession of Faith 1.1)

Some spiritual gifts plainly have ceased, such as the founding office of apostle. Others

are obscure and cannot be clearly defined, such as "helps." Others are clearly seen

today, such as "teaching" and "giving." Some have received undue prominence in

recent days, such as "tongues," "working of miracles" and "healing.”

A Pastoral Letter concerning the Experience of the Holy Spirit in the Church Today

(PCA, 1975)

It seems evident that the tongues in Acts 2 were foreign languages known to the hearers there

present. It is more difficult, however, to resolve the question of the exact nature of the tongues

mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament. It is also difficult to determine with certainty the

relationship of the modern tongues phenomenon to the New Testament experience. The General

Assembly suggests, however, that:

1. Any view of the tongues as experienced in our time which conceives of it an experience by

which revelation is received from God is contrary to the finalized character of revelation in

Scripture;

2. Any view of tongues which sees this phenomenon as an essential sign of the baptism of the

Spirit is contradictory to Scripture; and

3. Any practice of the tongues phenomenon in any age which causes dissension and division

within the body of Christ or diverts the church from its mission is contrary to the purpose of the

Spirit's gifts.

A Pastoral Letter concerning the Experience of the Holy Spirit in the Church Today (PCA, 1975)

Strict Cessationism

Gaffin/Robertson

Continuationism

Grudem

Moderate Cessationism

Poythress/Duguid

Strict Cessationism:

• Richard B. Gaffin, Jr. "What About Prophecy and Tongues Today?” https://opc.org/new_horizons/NH02/01d.html

• ——, Perspectives on Pentecost: New Testament Teaching on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. https://www.wtsbooks.com/products/perspectives-on-pentecost-richard-gaffin-jr-

9780875522692

• O. Palmer Robertson, The Final Word: A Biblical Response to the Case for Tongues and Prophecy Today. https://www.wtsbooks.com/products/final-word-palmer-

robertson-9780851516592

Moderate Cessationism:

• Vern S. Poythress, What are Spiritual Gifts? https://frame-poythress.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/PoythressVernWhatAreSpiritualGifts.pdf

• Vern S. Poythress, “Modern Spiritual Gifts As Analogous To Apostolic Gifts: Affirming Extraordinary Works Of The Spirit Within Cessationist Theology,” JETS 39

(1996) 71-102.

• Iain Duguid, "What Kind of Prophecy Continues? Defining the Differences between Continuationism and Cessationism” in Redeeming the Life of the Mind: Essays in Honor of Vern Poythress. https://www.wtsbooks.com/products/redeeming-life-mind-john-m-grudem-frame-9781433553035

Continuationism:

• Wayne Grudem, “Why Christians Can Still Prophesy.” http://www.waynegrudem.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Why-Christians-Can-Still-Prophesy3.pdf

• Wayne Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1988, 2000). https://www.wtsbooks.com/products/gift-of-prophecy-

wayne-grudem-9781581342437

Cessationism and the Westminster Confession:

• Garnet Howard Milne, The Westminster Confession of Faith and the Cessation of Special Revelation: The Majority Puritan Viewpoint on Whether Extra-Biblical Prophecy is Still Possible. https://www.wtsbooks.com/products/the-westminster-confession-of-faith-and-the-cessation-of-special-revelation-garnet-howard-milne-9781556358050

built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the

cornerstone

(Ephesians 2:20)

Within this picture, we must take seriously the sufficiency of the Bible and the

fallibility of post-apostolic processes. This principle holds with respect to both

inferential and noninferential processes. In the case of inferential processes, a person

might preach either sound doctrine or heresy. An intuitive hunch or a dream (when

interpreted) might be either true or false. In a post-apostolic context, neither

inferential nor noninferential processes can add teaching beyond the Bible.

(Poythress, What Are Spiritual Gifts?, p. 27)

In terms of our earlier classification, all these controversial gifts are noninferential

processes. They are controversial because their basis is more obscure and more private.

That is, the basis is noninferential or “intuitive.” By contrast, inferential processes are

uncontroversial, because they appeal to the Bible.

(Poythress, What Are Spiritual Gifts?, p. 30-1)

In an American church someone says, “I feel that our sister church in Shanghai is

spiritually struggling and undergoing attack.” During a sermon Charles H. Spurgeon

“pointed to the gallery and said, ‘Young man, the gloves in your pocket are not paid

for.’ (Poythress, What Are Spiritual Gifts?, p. 33)

How do we evaluate circumstantial content? Suppose someone claims that the church

in Shanghai is under spiritual attack? Are we to believe the claim or not? Many times

it does not much matter what we believe. We are free to remain in doubt. And we are

well advised to remain in doubt, by virtue of the fallibility of all post-apostolic

noninferential processes. We can pray for a situation without knowing for certain

whether the situation is exactly what we think it is. We can pray for the sister church

in Shanghai. (Poythress, What Are Spiritual Gifts?, p. 34-5)

20

Do not despise prophecies,

21

but test everything; hold fast what is good.

(1 Thessalonians 5:20-21)

Gaffin

Grudem

What is prophecy in the OT?

• Intercession (Genesis 20:7)

• Witness to past revelation (2 Kings 17:13)

• Singing/composing worship music (1 Chronicles 25:1-3)

• Writing theological history (1 Chronicles 29:29)

• Ecstatic utterance? (1 Samuel 10:6; 19:20-23)

24

So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. And he gathered seventy

men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent.

25

Then the Lord came

down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and

put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied.

But they did not continue doing it.

26

Now two men remained in the camp, one named

Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among

those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the

camp.

27

And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the

camp.”

28

And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My

lord Moses, stop them.”

29

But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would

that all the Lord's people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!”

30

And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp. (Numbers 11:24-5)

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons

and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young

men shall see visions. (Joel 2:28 // Acts 2:17)

And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a

great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). (Acts 11:28)

10

While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

11

And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands and said,

“Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who

owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” (Acts 21:10-11)

Small-p prophecy:

Witness, intercession, leading of the Spirit, praise

Special teaching/preaching offices

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all

wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts

to God. (Colossians 3:16)