Are the Gifts of the Holy Spirit still in operation today?
OK, so I've been giving this a lot of thought recently. As many of you know, I am a missionary and I work with missionaries. Time after time, trip after trip, interview after interview, I keep meeting people, hearing stories and seeing things for myself that confirm the fact that the nine Gifts of the Spirit are as alive and active today as the nine things listed as the Fruit of the Spirit. Why is it so easy to accept the fruits and not the gifts? Both are ours for the taking.
I would have to say beyond any doubt that the answer to the question above is YES! Why? For starters, the Bible gives ZERO evidence that the Gifts of the Spirit should not be in operation today! In fact, I see just the opposite in scripture:
- In the last days (which we are clearly in) God promises: ...I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants and women alike. - Joel 2:28-29
- Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit...For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. - 1 Corinthians 12:4-11
- And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. - 1 Corinthians 12:28
These are things scripture CLEARLY illustrates have been given to us by God. What other gifts have we been given?
- Ephesians 2:8 teaches that we are saved by grace through faith and that it is a gift of God.
- Ephesians 3:7 says that even grace itself is a gift!
- Romans 5:15-17 also talks about our salvation being a gift as well as righteousness.
- Romans 12:6-8 talks about the gifts of prophesy, service, teaching, encouraging, giving, leadership and mercy.
Are we to question all of these gifts too? Why are we able to accept and preach eternal security in the other things God has given to us and yet somehow reject the Gifts of the Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians? It makes no sense whatsoever.
In Romans 11:29, Paul says that the GIFTS and call of God are truly irrevovable so why should anyone believe that certain Gifts of the Spirit have been revoked???? The answer is simple. We shouldn't!
Many teach that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit passed away with the Apostles. There are at least five fundamental problems I have with that teaching.
- As stated above, these (IRREVOCABLE) gifts are of the Holy Spirit - they are not the Gifts of the Apostles. Peter confirms this in Acts 3:11-16 "Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus... By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see." Peter makes it very clear that the gift of healing came not through him (an apostle) but through faith in the name of Jesus. Therefore, the gifts could not have passed when the apostles passed, because they have nothing to do with them! The gifts (that God has given and therefor will not revoke) have to do with faith in the name of Jesus!
- There were more than 12 apostles. If 1 Cor. 12:28 is true, then apostles are appointed by God for the church today just as they were back then. We can't pick and choose the ones we think should still operate in the church today when clearly God has established that He has given more than just teachers, administrators and workers who help people in His church (as stated above).
- NO WHERE does scripture teach the doctrine of cessation occuring anytime prior to the coming of that which is perfect. If we were to conclude that the Bible is the "that which is perfect" spoken of in 1 Cor. 13:10 then we have some big problems because knowledge must also then cease. But that flies in the face of reason as clearly knowledge is INCREASING (as Daniel predicted it would in the last days). Besides, the Bible as we know it didn't come into being for a couple hundred years after John died! So even in that case, we see that the Apostle argument is void. And once again, we can't pick and choose the ones we like and disgard the others. If prophesy and tongues have ceased, then so also must knowledge by that logic. No. Scripture is very clear. That which is perfect has not yet come. Therefore, all of the gifts are still in effect. Prophesy, tongues and knowledge have NOT ceased!
- Paul seems to indicate that the gifts are to be running strong up to the time of Christ's return: "Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns." - 1 Cor. 1:7-8
- I have personally witnessed the Power of God manifesting in the Gifts of the Spirit through His saints both first and second hand in the foreign mission fields - and even to some degree here in the U.S.. Besides what I have witnessed in others, I have also personally heard and experienced things from God unlike anything I had ever known before under the dead doctrines of cessation I used to be submitted to. I cherish the new heavenly tongues I now have too. I am not basing my theology on my experiences. However, my personal witness has CONFIRMED scripture in more ways than I can count and in ways I can not deny.
Speaking of tongues...
No where does Paul teach that tongues are wrong, will cease and not be for today. If anything Paul advocates and promotes speaking in tongues! He describes an orderly fashion for how it should be done, but he is clearly an advocate for tongues and even brags about how much he does it himself! "I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you." - 1 Cor. 14:18 See also:
- Acts 19:6
- 1 Cor. 12
- 1 Cor. 13:1 - Tongues are not just human languages.
- 1 Cor. 14 - The whole chapter praises tongues while teaching the proper way to use them.
- 1 Cor. 14:5 - Paul wants everyone to speak in tongues and prophesy.
- 1 Cor. 14:14 - Paul describes "praying in the spirit"
- 1 Cor. 14:22 - Paul says tongues are a sign for UNBELIEVERS - which are those who we're trying to reach! Prophesy is for believers - which are who we're trying to encourage in church. Both are needed for ministry.
- and finally, "Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues." - 1 Cor. 14:39 Paul actually teaches NOT to forbid speaking in tongues! He also encourages the gift of Prophesy! So why are so many preaching against what Paul clearly said not to?
I am burdened by all of this because it seems to me that the church in America is doing great harm to itself in this false, Holy Spirit quenching, powerless doctrine of cessation.
Jesus said:
- "As the Father has sent me, so I send you." - John 20:21How was Jesus sent? John 5:36 says, "...for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me." Just read the Gospels. See what Jesus did. The works He did show the character and will of His Father. So, we need never ask, "Is it God's will?" for according to Hebrews Jesus was the expressed image of God the Father. (Heb. 1:3) Whatever Jesus did is what the Father does. In John 14:19 Jesus told Philip, "If you've seen me, you've seen the Father." And Jesus said, as the Father sent me (to do the will of the Father), so we are sent to do the same.
- "He who believes in me will do the same works I have done and even greater works..." - John 14:12I'm not going to debate whether or not salvation is the "greater work" for two reasons. 1) it is not relevant to the question. 2) the word is plural not singular. The real focus as it pertains to this question is in the phrase "will do the same works I have done." Read the Gospels.See what Jesus did. We are sent to do the same... if we "believe in Him."
- "Go and make disciples of all nations... teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you..." - Matthew 28:19-20What did Jesus command His disciples to do? The first account of many is recorded in Matt. 10: "...heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons..." So, even the Great Commission tells us to do what He did!
- "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation... these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." - Mark 16:15-18Mark's version of the Great Commission lays it out in case we didn't grasp it in Matthew's version.
The entire book of Acts shows that the disciples (and many of their disciples) actually did what Jesus told them to do - which is to do what He did. And indeed, they did do some "greater works" than Jesus did. Jesus didn't heal people with His shadow. Jesus didn't pass out hankerchiefs that had touched His body and see people get healed. Prior to His resurrection, Jesus didn't "transport" from one region to another like Philip did. Jesus didn't employ the mass distribution of the power of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands as the apostles did. Jesus never traveled further than about a hundred mile radius of his birthplace - the disciples traveled to most of the known world in their day. So, at least in the sense of these examples, these men did do some "greater works" - over and above leading the lost to Christ through salvation.
In Romans 15:17-19 Paul said, "So I have reason to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesus has done through me in my service to God. Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I worked among them. They were convinced by the power of miraculous signs and wonders and by the power of God Spirit. In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum."
I submit to you that if we are not presenting the Gospel in Word, Deed, with Signs and Wonders following through the Power of God's Spirit then we are not FULLY presenting the Good News of Jesus Christ.
In 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 Paul says, "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power."
From Jesus to Paul and everyone in between we see that the Kingdom is expressed in God's power being manifested through MEN! That is the message of the Kingdom (see again Matt. 10). Over and over again you see the miraculous side by side with the mention of the Kingdom. Jesus commanded the disciples to say, "The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!" And then to demonstrate it. Take an orange highlighter to every passage that mentions the Kingdom and a yellow one to any sign, wonder or miracle. You'll see orange and yellow side by side all through the Gospels. And Jesus said that "THIS message of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations and then shall the end come."
John the Baptist and Jesus also prefaced the announcement of the Kingdom with the word, REPENT! - which literally means, "Change the way you think!" We must change the way we think if we're to truly fulfill the Great Commission and see the Return of Christ. God is waiting for us to take the Kingdom message to the world before He's going to send His Son back. We've got a job to do and the only way we're going to be able to do it is by using the Gifts of the Spirit - as Jesus and the Apostles did.
For Paul said in 1 Corinthians 4:20 that, "...the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God power."
Sadly, it is really only in North America and Europe that this weak, watered down, powerless and incomplete message of salvation exists. We have so much here. We don't need God. Our faith is in money, 401K plans, medicare, insurance, ibuprophen... in everything but the power of the Holy Spirit and the gifts He has freely given.
But in Africa, you had better have the Power of the Holy Spirit to combat the tribal spirits. In India, you had better be ready to do battle with the plethora of Hindu gods/demons. In Haiti, you had better be prepared to confront the forces of Santaria and Voodoo. The same can be said for most of the world. And they all have their religious books too by the way. So, just having a Bible and putting faith in that alone won't help you. The disciples weren't carrying around scrolls of their own writings! They were LIVING it - as we should too!
All of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are ours today just as much as they were for the apostles then. And we need them today just as much as they needed them then. But, fruits are grown, gifts are given. A gift must be received. The Gifts are freely given, yet so many do not receive because they either refuse to believe they can or should receive. I believe the Bible is clear...
All we need to do is believe and we will receive! We may not receive all of the Gifts because Paul states that the Body of Christ is made up of many parts, each with giftings related to its purpose. But Paul also makes it clear that we should NOT say to one part of the Body (who is gifted in a different way than we are), "I have no need of you." I would extend that to say to all you teachers out there who are teaching against the prophets, healers, miracle workers and tongue talkers... STOP teaching against them! The Body of Christ must be unified. You have no grounds to teach against these Gifts because scripture itself testifies to their validity.
The Gifts are real. The Gifts are still being given. The Gifts are from God. Believe, receive and use what you've been given to expand the Kingdom for the Glory of God... because that's what they are for.
Blessings!
- Rob
