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What does the inspired Bible say?

Cessation of spiritual gifts
Intro and various foundational arguments
(Part 1 of 3)

Part 2: Exposition of 1 Cor 13:8-13
Part 3: Pentecostal arguments refuted

　

Detailed theological refutation of 20th century tongues that proves tongues ceased sometime around 100 AD.

Gifts cease when the "Perfect comes"

1 Cor 13:8-13

Truth

Gifts cease before the second coming, specifically around 100 AD

False view

Gifts cease at the second coming

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Sometimes Truth makes Love hurt
"You are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth" Jn 8:40
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  1. introduction
    1. This study does not question the power or ability of the Holy Spirit to perform tongues through people today. Rather it questions whether He has chosen to perform tongues through men today. The purpose of this study is not to belittle the Holy Spirit in any way or deprive His of any of His power, personality or divinity. We are not belittling the Holy Spirit, we are elevating the scriptures. They are the "sword of the Holy Spirit", "the power of God for salvation". The scriptures reveal everything we need to know about doctrine or moral conduct. Since this "all sufficient guide book" is completely understandable, we have no need whatsoever for spiritual gifts in this age.
    2. Montanist movement, 150 AD was a revival of spiritual gifts after they ceased. The fact that the church in 150 AD condemned this movement (identical to modern Pentecostalism) is STAGGERINGLY SIGNIFICANT! They had first hand memory of the TRUE Charismatic gifts AND COULD SEE THE DIFFERENCE! It is totally unbelievable that the entire course of Christianity would fall into such apostasy within the same generation of the apostles. Montanism was condemned because it represented heresy! All Modern Pentecostalism (and we mean ALL) is merely a resurrection of this ancient heresy!

Acts 4:16

Comments

"the Council, they began to confer with one another, 16 saying, "What shall we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it."

Notice that during the apostolic age, when the 9 spiritual gifts were actually happening, not even the enemies of Christ could deny that Christians were performing miracles. In 150 A.D. Montanus claimed to have the same supernatural gifts that the apostles had here in Acts 4, yet he was rejected by CHRISTIANS! Think hard about this fact!

The Bible prophesied the rise of modern Pentecostalism:

Jesus Prophesied and condemned modern Pentecostalism!

passage

Comments

Matthew 7:21-24 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. 22 "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'

These people are believers in the divine Lord Jesus Christ and trust in his blood for salvation, but are condemned in Judgement.

Jesus foresees modern Pentecostals and Charismatics. These believers were SHOCKED that they were lost! They considered themselves the spiritual elite! They thought they cast out demons and performed miracles. This applies PERFECTLY to all Charismatics today!

Notice that Jesus NEVER knew them. Not that they were saved and lost, but NEVER SAVED!

This passage is identical to 2 Thess 2:9-12

Other Passages that condemn Modern Pentecostalism

Deut 18:20 'But the prophet who shall speak a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he shall speak in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.'

　

2 Thess 2:9-12 "the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness."

Ultimately, Satan is the God of modern Pentecostalism. Who else claims to be true Bible believers in Jesus AND have apostolic signs and wonders!

Pentecostals base their faith on feelings, not the Bible. They bow to the idol of their feelings and spurn God's word of truth!

God will allow them to continue to believe they are saved, when in fact they are condemned. If you are one of the few Pentecostals who actually read this outline, OPEN YOUR EYES BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE! This passage is identical to Mt 7:21-24

Col 2:18 " taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind"

Paul clearly stated that some believers in Christ was false claim to have supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit. Notice that they boldly affirm God gave them a vision, yet God says it was self delusion.

2 Cor 11:13,14 "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds."

Even while Paul lived, men were falsely claiming to perform miracles and be apostles! Modern Pentecostals fit this description perfectly: 1. appears to be genuine Christianity 2. leaders appear to be from God 3. claim inspiration from God just like Paul. There have been no apostles since the first century, yet many falsely claim to be apostles today!

Jer 14:14-16 Then the Lord said to me, "The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name. I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own minds. 15 "Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who are prophesying in My name, although it was not I who sent them-yet they keep saying, 'There shall be no sword or famine in this land'-by sword and famine those prophets shall meet their end! 16 "The people also to whom they are prophesying will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem"

"Prophesying falsehood" = "I didn't say anything through them" Modern Pentecostals are constantly claiming God is speaking through them, when God NEVER SAID ANYTHING THROUGH THEM! Such claims are literally rampant among Charismatics!

Yet God here states that their claims of inspiration were nothing more than the "deception of their own minds".

Notice that those who accept these false prophets as God's messengers will also suffer doom!

Jer 23:21"I did not send these prophets, But they ran. I did not speak to them, But they prophesied."

Exactly describes modern Pentecostalism.

Jer 23:25-26 "I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy falsely in My name, saying, 'I had a dream, I had a dream!' 26 "How long? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy falsehood, even these prophets of the deception of their own heart"

Pentecostals are constantly claiming that God gives them visions and dreams, yet God says that these dreams are nothing more than the deception of the human emotions!

Jer 23:31 "Behold, I am against the prophets," declares the Lord, "who use their tongues and declare, 'The Lord declares.' 32 "Behold, I am against those who have prophesied false dreams," declares the Lord, "and related them, and led My people astray by their falsehoods and reckless boasting; yet I did not send them or command them, nor do they furnish this people the slightest benefit," declares the Lord.

Notice that anyone who claims to speak for God, when God did not speak directly to them, are CONDEMNED!

Reckless boasting! WOW! Pentecostals are very smug and arrogant about how much better they are than non-charismatic churches. They boast, "We have the Spirit and are not dead like those other churches who do not practice tongues and claim God speaks through us."

The members of Pentecostal churches receive NO BENEFIT from the Lord at all! But are condemned along with their leaders!

Ezek 22:28 "And her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, 'Thus says the Lord God,' when the Lord has not spoken."

Exactly describes modern Pentecostalism.

Ezek 13:6 "They see falsehood and lying divination who are saying, 'The Lord declares,' when the Lord has not sent them; yet they hope for the fulfillment of their word. 7 "Did you not see a false vision and speak a lying divination when you said, 'The Lord declares,' but it is not I who have spoken?"'" Therefore, thus says the Lord God, "Because you have spoken falsehood and seen a lie, therefore behold, I am against you," declares the Lord God. 9 "So My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will have no place in the council of My people, nor will they be written down in the register of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel, that you may know that I am the Lord God. 10 "It is definitely because they have misled My people by saying, 'Peace!' when there is no peace.

Exactly describes modern Pentecostalism. Let every Charismatic closely examine these verses!

Pentecostal leaders offer assurance of salvation to the members, yet God says, "THERE IS NO PEACE"

Supernatural beginning, natural perpetuation & maintenance is Bible pattern:

　

Miracles needed

(Began with miracle)

Miracles ceased

(Perpetuated non-miraculously)

Universe

Created by supernatural power

Stands as a monument of God's work by natural means without additional help since God rested on the 7th day!

Life on Earth

Created by a special act of God

Perpetuated by natural reproduction

Tabernacle

Men were spirit filled and endowed with supernatural skills and knowledge to build tabernacle: Ex 35:30-35

After Moses time, the Tabernacle and temple were maintained without the need or aid of miraculous powers, skills or wisdom

The Bible

Written by direct inspiration

Revelation completed. Word copied, transmitted and distributed by natural means, unaided by God.

The Church

began by miracle on Pentecost

Men have started new local churches since the first century without the need or aid of Supernatural gifts. They ceased in the first century!

There are only 9 gifts: 1 Cor 12:4-10
  1. word of wisdom
  2. word of knowledge
  3. faith
  4. gifts of healing
  5. effecting of miracles
  6. prophecy
  7. distinguishing of spirits
  8. tongues
  9. interpretation of tongues

"Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 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."
  1. Only two Purposes of these 9 gifts:
    1. Purpose #1: TO CONFIRM TO UNBELIEVERS, that the word of the prophet is from God

      1. Confirming gifts: hearings, miracles, tongues & interpretation

      2. Illustration: You must wear red sox to be saved! Lets say a man walks up to you and says, "you got to wear red sox to be saved." Your first question would be, "Where in the Bible does it say that?" He replies, "this is new revelation!" You are not convinced because you have no way of being sure he really is a prophet from God. But then he takes you down to the hospital and heals everyone inside! Each time he heals another, he says, God is confirming to you that my word, "you must wear red sox" is true! Having witnessed this, you would have no choice but to conclude that God had added the requirement of wearing red sox! The Miracles confirmed the message of the man to be genuine!

        3.

        "Pentecostals" today do the very opposite to what occurred in 1st century

        First Century apostles

        Miracles confirmed the Word: They would simply perform miracles and then people believed what ever they taught!

        Pentecostals today

        The Word confirms miracles: Pentecostals don't perform miracles today, they only claim to be able to do it! They quote the Bible to prove they can perform miracles! How absurd! The Apostles didn't go around quoting bible passages to prove they had the power of God! They just demonstrated it!

      3. These sign/wonder gifts were to confirm:

        4. Heb 2:3,4 "how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will."

        Mk 16:20 "And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed"

        Acts 14:3 "Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands."

        2 Cor 12:12 "The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles. "

        Jn 20:30,31 "Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God"

        Bible examples: Acts 13:8-12 "But Elymas the magician was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 But Saul ... said, "You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, ... behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time." And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord"

        1 Ki 17:21-24 "Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and called to the Lord, and said, "O Lord my God, I pray Thee, let this child's life return to him." 22 And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah, and the life of the child returned to him and he revived. 23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down from the upper room into the house and gave him to his mother; and Elijah said, "See, your son is alive." 24 Then the woman said to Elijah, "Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.""

        John 3:2 "Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; 2 this man came to Him by night, and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."

      4. The alleviation of suffering was a secondary benefit to the primary purpose of confirming the word. Notice all these people who had illnesses that Paul didn't heal!

      "Trophimus I left sick at Miletus" 2 Ti 4:20

      "No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments" 1 Ti 5:23

      "But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need; 26 because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27 For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow." Phil 2:25-27

      Why does James have the sick call the elders and not one with the gift of healing James 5:14-16?

    2. Purpose #2: TO EDIFY BELIEVERS (the infant church) at a time when it needed help:

      1. Edifying gifts: wisdom, knowledge. faith, prophecy, distinguishing of spirits

      2. These gifts were to edify:

        1. "But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good" 1 Cor 12:7

        2. "But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation. One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church." 1 Cor 14:3

        3. " So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church." 1 Cor 14:12

        4. "What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification." 1 Cor 14:26

    3. Both purposes were to aid the infant church in coming to maturity

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  2. Spiritual gifts are not needed: The Bible is complete
    1. Apostles and prophets have been led into all truth: Jn 16:12,13
      2.

      Spiritual Gifts

      The Bible

      Whereas the miraculous gifts were to fail, cease, and vanish away (1 Cor. 13:8)

      God's Word will not pass away (Matt. 24:35).

      They were for a time of partial knowledge (1 Cor. 13:9)

      but by the Word we have complete knowledge (2 Tim. 3:6-17; 2 Pet. 1:3).

      They pertained to a time of childish speaking and thinking which were to be put away (1 Cor. 13:11),

      whereas the Word of God provides maturity (2 Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 5: 12-6:5).

      The gifts were for a time when Christians saw darkly and knew in part (1 Cor. 13: 12),

      but by the Word we may see clearly and know fully (Eph. 3:3-5; Rom. 16:25 26; Heb. 4: 12).

      The miraculous spiritual gifts were not to abide (1 Cor. 13: 13),

      but the Word of God abides forever (1 Pet. 1:23).

      Scriptures are all sufficient: 2 Ti 3:16,17; 2 Pe 1:3, Jude 3

      The Word of God

      33 - 50 AD

      (no books written)

      50 - 96 AD

      (27 books being written)

      96 AD - today

      (last book: Revelation)

      All Oral- in men

      Both Oral and written

      All written - in the book

      Spiritual gifts needed

      Gifts not needed: gifts ceased

      New revelations: Eph 3:3-5

      No new revelations: Jude 3

      Miracles needed to confirm new revelations: Mk 16:15-20

      No miracles needed because the gospel is confirmed: Heb 2:1-4

      Church Immature

      Church mature: 1 Cor 13:11

      No Apostles today: Impossible to Transmit Gifts

    2. Spiritual gifts were always transmitted through the laying on of an apostle's hands:

        1. Acts 8:14-18 "Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. 18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, "Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." 20 But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!"

        2. Acts 19:2-6 "And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying."

        3. Rom 1:11 "For I long to see you in order that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established"

        4. 2 Tim 1:6 "And for this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline."

        5. "For they had both, in old times, been disciples of St. John the Apostle. Being then brought to him, and having communicated to him some spiritual gifts. ... all hastening to meet him, if by any means they might receive from him some spiritual gift)" (The Martyrdom of Ignatius, Chapter III.-Ignatius Sails to Smyrna.)

    3. Only two exception & where gifts were bestowed without hands:

        1. Pentecost to the 12 Jewish apostles themselves: Acts 2:1-4

        2. Acts 10 to first Gentile converts (Cornelius' household)

          1. God deliberately made an exception to rule: Acts 10:44 (Amazed)

          2. To show God himself approved of Gentile converts: Acts 10:34; 11:15-18

    4. Gifts must have ceased by 200 AD when the last "gifted" man died.

        1. Take the last living apostle (about 100 AD) who imparted gifts to the youngest possible person who lived to the oldest possible age.

    5. No apostles since the first century Gifts ceased with the "apostolic age"! Let any man who claims to be an apostle today verify the following credentials:

        1. Apostles were formal eye witnesses of the resurrected Christ.

          1. Twelve: Acts 1:21-26; Paul: Acts 26:15-18

          2. Paul was last person Jesus showed himself to: 1 Cor 15:5-8

          3. Col 2:18,19 speaks to any today who claim to have seen Christ

        2. Learned gospel directly from Christ not from men or the Bible:

          1. The twelve: Acts 1:21-26; Paul: Gal 1:1,11,12; Acts 26:16

          2. Timothy had spiritual gifts but learned Gospel from Paul: 2 Ti 2:2

        3. Christ chose them to be pre-eminent above all others: 2 Cor 5:5; 1 Cor 12:28

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