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What does the inspired Bible say? |
Cessation of spiritual gifts Part
2: Exposition of 1 Cor
13:8-13 |
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Part 1: INTRODUCTION: Detailed theological refutation of 20th century tongues that proves tongues ceased sometime around 100 AD.
Part
2: Exposition of 1 Cor
13:8-13 |
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Gifts cease when the "Perfect comes" 1 Cor 13:8-13 |
Truth |
Gifts cease before the second coming, specifically around 100 AD |
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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
I. 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. Supernatural beginning, natural perpetuation & maintenance is Bible pattern:
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Miracles needed (Began with miracle) |
Miracles ceased (Perpetuated non-miraculously) |
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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! |
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Life on Earth |
Created by a special act of God |
Perpetuated by natural reproduction |
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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 |
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The Bible |
Written by direct inspiration |
Revelation completed. Word copied, transmitted and distributed by natural means, unaided by God. |
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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! |
3. There are only 9 gifts: "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 Cor 12:4-10)
1) Word of wisdom: purpose was to teach/edify. Wisdom arranges knowledge.
2) Word of knowledge: purpose was to teach/edify. Raw information.
3) Faith: purpose was to teach/edify. Child like trust in God.
4) Gifts of healing: purpose was to confirm the word of the performer.
5) Effecting of miracles: purpose was to confirm the word of the performer.
6) Prophecy: purpose was to teach/edify and sign to believers.
7) Distinguishing of spirits: purpose was to teach/edify. (see 1 John 4:1-3)
8) Tongues: purpose was to confirm the word of the performer and sign to unbelievers.
9) Interpretation of tongues: purpose was to confirm the word of the performer and sign to unbelievers.
4. The nine gifts can be organized into two categories:
a. 4 Confirming gifts: hearings, miracles, tongues & interpretation
b. 5 Teaching gifts: wisdom, knowledge, faith, prophecy, distinguishing of spirits
II. Only two Purposes of these 9 gifts:
A. Purpose #1: TO CONFIRM TO UNBELIEVERS, that the word of the prophet is from God
1. 4 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
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First Century apostles |
Miracles confirmed the Word: They would simply perform miracles and then people believed what ever they taught! |
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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! |
4. These sign/wonder gifts were to confirm:
a. 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."
b. 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"
c. 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."
d. 2 Cor 12:12 "The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles. "
e. 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"
f. 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"
g. 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.""
h. 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."
5. 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!
a. "Trophimus I left sick at Miletus" 2 Ti 4:20
b. "No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments" 1 Ti 5:23
c. "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
d. Why does James have the sick call the elders and not one with the gift of healing James 5:14-16?
B. Purpose #2: TO EDIFY BELIEVERS (the infant church) at a time when it needed help:
1. 5 Edifying gifts: wisdom, knowledge, faith, prophecy, distinguishing of spirits
2. These gifts were to edify:
a. "But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good" 1 Cor 12:7
b. "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
c. " o also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church." 1 Cor 14:12
d. "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
C. Both purposes were to aid the infant church in coming to maturity. Spiritual gifts were like a temporary scaffolding holding up an unfinished building. Once the building was complete, the scaffolding is not needed. Today we have the Bible as a guide in everything pertaining to life and godliness as an all-sufficient guide! We don’t need spiritual gifts today because we have the Bible.
III. Spiritual gifts are not needed: The Bible is complete
1. Apostles and prophets have been led into all truth: Jn 16:12,13
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Spiritual Gifts |
The Bible |
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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). |
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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). |
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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). |
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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). |
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The miraculous spiritual gifts were not to abide (1 Cor. 13: 13), |
but the Word of God abides forever (1 Pet. 1:23). |
2. Scriptures are all-sufficient: 2 Ti 3:16,17; 2 Pe 1:3, Jude 3
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The Word of God |
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33 - 36 AD (no books written: first James) |
36 - 102 AD (27 books being written) |
102 AD - today (last book: 3rd John) |
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All Oral- in men |
Both Oral and written |
All written - in the book |
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Spiritual gifts needed |
Gifts not needed: gifts ceased |
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New revelations: Eph 3:3-5 |
No new revelations: Jude 3 |
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Miracles needed to confirm new revelations: Mk 16:15-20 |
No miracles needed because the gospel is confirmed: Heb 2:1-4 |
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Church Immature |
Church mature: 1 Cor 13:11 |
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IV. No Apostles today: Impossible to Transmit Gifts
1. Spiritual gifts were always transmitted through the laying on of an apostle's hands:
- 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!"
- 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."
- 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"
- 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."
- "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.)
- Only two exception & where gifts were bestowed without hands:
a. The Holy Spirit fell miraculously on Pentecost AD 33 upon the 12 Jewish apostles (Acts 2:1-4) and upon the first gentile converts (Acts 10)
b. Cornelius' household received the Holy Spirit directly because God deliberately made an exception to rule to prove to Peter that the Gentiles could be saved.
c. In Acts 10:44 Peter was amazed that the Holy Spirit fell directly upon the Gentiles, when all others spoke in tongues after having an apostle lay their hands upon them.
d. This direct falling of the Holy Spirit was to show the Jews that God himself approved of Gentile converts: Acts 10:34; 11:15-18.
3. Let any man who claims to be an apostle today verify they have the same credentials as an apostle:
a. Apostles were formal eye-witnesses of the resurrected Christ. Twelve: Acts 1:21-26; Paul: Acts 26:15-18. Paul was last person Jesus showed himself to: 1 Cor 15:5-8
b. Learned gospel directly from Christ not from men or the Bible: The twelve: Acts 1:21-26; Paul: Gal 1:1,11,12; Acts 26:16.
c. Timothy had spiritual gifts but learned Gospel from Paul: 2 Ti 2:2
d. Christ chose Apostles to be pre-eminent above all others: 2 Cor 5:5; 1 Cor 12:28
4. No apostles since the first century Gifts ceased with the "apostolic age"!
V. Many Bible passages condemn Modern Pentecostalism
1. Jesus prophesied and condemned modern Pentecostalism in Mt 7:21-24:
a. 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.'
b. The Bible prophesied the rise of modern Pentecostalism. These people are believers in the divine Lord Jesus Christ and trust in his blood for salvation, but are condemned in Judgement.
c. 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!
d. Notice that Jesus NEVER knew them. Not that they were saved and lost, but NEVER SAVED!
e. This passage is identical to 2 Thess 2:9-12
2. 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."
a. Ultimately, Satan is the God of modern Pentecostalism. Who else claims to be true Bible believers in Jesus AND have apostolic signs and wonders!
b. Pentecostals base their faith on feelings, not the Bible. They bow to the idol of their feelings and spurn God's word of truth!
c. God will allow them to continue to believe they are saved, when in fact they are condemned.
d. 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
3. 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.'
a. Charismatics walk around claiming to be prophets of God when God never spoke to them.
4. Col 2:18 " taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind"
a. Paul clearly stated that some believers in Christ was false claim to have supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit.
b. Notice that they boldly affirm God gave them a vision, yet God says it was self delusion.
5. 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."
a. Even while Paul lived, men were falsely claiming to perform miracles and be apostles!
b. Modern Pentecostals fit this description perfectly.
c. “Spirit Filled/Full Gospel” churches appear to be genuine Christianity but are deluded.
d. “Spirit Filled/Full Gospel” church leaders appear to be from God but they lie.
e. “Spirit Filled/Full Gospel” churches claim inspiration from God just like Paul but are unable to prove it through a miracle.
f. There have been no apostles since the first century, yet many falsely claim to be apostles today!
6. 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"
a. "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!
b. Yet God here states that their claims of inspiration were nothing more than the "deception of their own minds".
c. Notice that those who accept these false prophets as God's messengers will also suffer doom!
7. Jer 23:21"I did not send these prophets, But they ran. I did not speak to them, But they prophesied."
a. Exactly describes modern Pentecostalism.
b. Charismatic preachers falsely claim God is speaking through them and this deceives those who attend.
8. 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"
a. Charismatics 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!
9. 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.
a. Notice that anyone who claims to speak for God, when God did not speak directly to them, are CONDEMNED!
b. 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."
c. The members of Pentecostal churches receive NO BENEFIT from the Lord at all! But are condemned along with their leaders!
10. 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."
a. Exactly describes modern Pentecostalism.
11. 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.
a. Exactly describes modern Pentecostalism.
b. Pentecostal leaders offer assurance of salvation to the members, yet God says, "THERE IS NO PEACE"
c. Let every Charismatic closely examine these verses!
VI. Witness of History: Gifts ceased!
1. AD 172: Montanus claimed the same supernatural gifts that the apostles yet he was universally condemned by the church as a heretic. Think hard about this fact!
a. “Montanus, a Phrygian Christian, began to prophesy in the small village of Ardabav in Phrgyian Mysia about A.D. 172. Two women, Priscilla and Maximilla, who also prophesied, became his devoted followers and were influential in the dissemination of his teachings.” (ABD, Montanism)
b. In AD 325 Eusebius quotes Apollonius who wrote about Montanus in AD 210: “When the so-called Phrygian heresy was still flourishing in Phrygia, Apollonius, an ecclesiastical writer, also undertook its refutation and composed a special work against them, proving word for word that their prophecies which were in circulation were false, and reproving the character of the life of the leaders of the heresy. Listen to him as he says the following, in these very words, about Montanus: ‘But who this recent teacher is, is revealed by his works and his teaching. This is he who taught dissolution of marriages, who made laws for fasting, who gave the name of Jerusalem to Pepuza and Tymion, (these are small towns in Phrygia), desiring to bring people together there from everywhere, who established collectors of money, who contrived the receiving of gifts under the name of offerings, who provided salaries for those who preached his doctrines, that its teaching might prevail through gluttony.’ This, then, he says about Montanus. After proceeding a little further, he writes this about his prophetesses: ‘Now we show that these first prophetesses themselves, from the moment they were filled with the spirit, deserted their husbands. How, then, they did lie when they called Priscilla a virgin.’ Then he continues, saying: ‘Does all Scripture seem to you to prohibit a prophet from receiving gifts and money? When, therefore, I see that a prophetess has received gold and silver and expensive clothes, how shall I not reprove her?’ And again, after going on further, he says this about one of the confessors of their time: ‘Moreover, Themiso, who was clothed with plausible covetousness, who did not endure the sign of confession but cast off prison bonds for much wealth, when he should have been humble on this account, boasting that he was a martyr, in imitation of the Apostle he had the temerity to compose a kind of catholic letter to instruct those who had more faith than he, and to contend with babbling words and to blaspheme against the Lord and the Apostles and the holy Church.’ And again, about another of those who were honored in their time as martyrs, he writes thus: ‘But not to speak about more of them let the prophetess tell us the story of Alexander, who calls himself a martyr, with whom she feasts, to whom himself even many pay reverence. Of his robberies and the other crimes for which he has been punished we should not speak, but the record house contains them. Who, then, forgives the sins of whom? Does the prophet the robberies of the martyr, or the martyr the avarice of the prophet? For, although the Lord said: “Do not possess gold, nor silver, nor two coats,” these in complete opposition have offended as regards the possession of these forbidden things. For, we will show that those among them who are called prophets and martyrs make gain not only from the rich but also from the poor and from orphans and from widows. And if they have confidence, let them halt at this point and discuss these matters, in order that, if they are convicted, they may cease in the future to give offence. For it is necessary to test the fruits of the prophet, ‘for by the fruit the tree is known.’15 But, that the story of Alexander may be known to those who wish, he was convicted by Aemilius Frontinus, proconsul in Ephesus, not because of the Name,17 but because of his daring robberies, since he was already an offender. Then, by laying false claim to the Name of the Lord, he was released, having deceived the faithful there, and his own diocese, from which he came, did not accept him because of his being a robber, and those who wish to learn all about him have the public records of Asia at hand,19 and the prophet does not know him, although he lived with him for many years. By exposing this man we expose also the argument of the prophet. We can reveal the same in the case of many; if they have the courage, let them stand the test.’ And again, in another part of his work, he adds this about the prophets of whom they boast: ‘If they deny that their prophets have accepted gifts, let them confess this, that, if they are convicted of having accepted them, they are not prophets, and we will present countless proofs of this. But all the fruits of a prophet must be tested. Tell me, does a prophet dye his hair? Does a prophet pencil his eyelids? Does a prophet like adornment? Does a prophet play with tables and dice? Does a prophet lend money at usury? Let them admit whether these things are possible or not, and I will show that they have taken place among them.’ This same Apollonius, in the same book, relates that at the time when he wrote his book it was actually forty years after the time when Montanus attempted his fictitious prophecy. And, again, he says that Zoticus, whom the former writer also mentioned, when Maximilla pretended to prophecy in Pepuza, resisted her and tried to refute the spirit that was working in her, but was prevented by those who agreed with her. And he also mentions a certain Thraseas among the martyrs of that time. Furthermore, he says, as if from tradition, that the Saviour ordered His Apostles not to be separated from Jerusalem for twelve years, and he made use also of quotations from the Apocalypse of John, and he relates that by divine power a dead man was raised by John himself in Ephesus. And he says certain other things by which he adequately and very fully discloses the error of the above-mentioned heresy. So much for Apollonius.” (Eusebius, Hist. eccl. 5.18, 325 AD)
2. AD 400: “In the earliest times, “the Holy Ghost fell upon them that believed: and they spake with tongues,” which they had not learned, “as the Spirit gave them utterance.” These were signs adapted to the time. For there behooved to be that betokening of the Holy Spirit in all tongues, to shew that the Gospel of God was to run through all tongues over the whole earth. That thing was done for a betokening, and it passed away. In the laying on of hands now, that persons may receive the Holy Ghost, do we look that they should speak with tongues? Or when we laid the hand on these infants, did each one of you look to see whether they would speak with tongues, and, when he saw that they did not speak with tongues, was any of you so wrong-minded as to say, These have not received the Holy Ghost; for, had they received, they would speak with tongues as was the case in those times? If then the witness of the presence of the Holy Ghost be not now given through these miracles, by what is it given, by what does one get to know that he has received the Holy Ghost? Let him question his own heart. If he love his brother, the Spirit of God dwelleth in him.” (Augustine, Homilies on First John, Homily 6, 6.10, 400 AD)
3. AD 400: “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. And why do they not happen now? Why look now, the cause too of the obscurity hath produced us again another question: namely, why did they then happen, and now do so no more? This however let us defer to another time, but for the present let us state what things were occurring then.” (Chrysostom of Antioch, Homilies on First Corinthians, Homily 29, 12:1-2, 349-407 AD)
4. AD 1900 Neo-Montanism:
a. Agnes Ozman was the first women in modern history to speak in tongues.
b. The founding of the Azusa Street Mission in AD 1906 began with a black African preacher named William J. Seymour.
c. All modern tongue speakers trace their pedigree back to Agnes Ozman or William J. Seymour.
5. Most churches today reject modern tongue speaking including the Baptist church and Billy Graham.
Conclusion:
1. Enemies of the Apostles could not deny genuine miracles:
a. "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." (Acts 4:16)
b. 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.
2. Today, however, nothing miraculous ever happens in “Holy Spirit filled churches”:
a. Tongues in the Bible was always a language. Tongues today is gibberish as language. Tongues today is actually music not language.
b. Being smacked on the head by a preacher, falling backwards into the arms of a waiting “catcher”, then doing the recently dead chicken on the ground by twitching and contorting is not a miracle.
c. Pentecostals and Charismatics behave in church the a way which normal church goers discipline their children for in the assembly.
3. Challenge Pentecostals and Charismatics to prove it! For those today who claim to attend a miraculously “Spirit filled church” we offer this advice:
a. “Show me”: Apostle Paul told fakes and frauds who claim supernatural power to “show me the power not the words”. Today’s Charismatics and Pentecostals are fakes and frauds who need to stop merely claiming power but proving it just like Paul said. Until then SHUT UP, for you are under direct condemnation of God for claiming to be “Spirit filled” or a prophet when you are not. Paul warned Charismatics and Pentecostals today to STOP BEING ARROGANT with their bold words and claims but can never perform a single miracle:
i. "Now some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant but their power." (1 Corinthians 4:18–19)
ii. "I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God." (1 Corinthians 2:3–5)
b. Stop deluding yourself. You have never seen a single miracle performed in your “Spirit filled church”. Constant claims of supernatural power by your preacher or members in the audience are mere words. Smacking someone on the head who falls backwards into the waiting hands of a “catcher” is not a miracle because anyone can do it. Speaking in tongues as gibberish (conveniently never a human language but always called a heavenly language so it is alwys “unconfirmable”) is not a miracle because many occult non-Christian world religions also “speak in tongues [gibberish]” in exactly the same way.
c. Read 1 Cor 13:8-13.
4. Go to:
a. Part 2: Exposition of 1 Cor 13:8-13 Gifts ceased upon completion of the Bible around AD 100
b. Part 3: Pentecostal arguments refuted
Holy Spirit outlines:
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Go to:
Part 2: Exposition of 1 Cor 13:8-13
Gifts ceased upon completion of the Bible around AD 100
Part 3: Pentecostal
arguments refuted
Go to 20th
Century tongues refuted section
Go To Start: WWW.BIBLE.CA