[Used by emailed permission from Dr Steven Lambert]
"Dispensationalism" as used in the following paragraph in the article above--is NOT how we typically use it on FR and in Christianity at large.
========================================================= Dispensationalism — the claim that miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit passed away — dominates traditional Christianity. Jesus said there would be no such change. Hear His words: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Matthew 28:20. Jesus fully expected the church “at the end of the age” to believe and teach “all things” that He had commanded the original disciples.
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Pentecotsals are Dispensationalists--believing that history is broken up into different DISPENSATIONS, ERAS, AGES wherein God tends to have a different focus or emphasis in His dealings with man.
While cessationism might be refuted, unfortunately cornpone fakery became its kissing cousin.
END TIMES PING LIST PING TO
a very good refutation of CESSATIONISM.
Let the games begin.
With the mess this world is in, the idea that we do not need the gifts of the Holy Spirit is comical. It’s not the Lord’s fault that we’ve dropped the ball.
Not ALL people speak in tongues; (1 Cor. 12:7-11) and that was one of the things about the Charismatic movement back in the 1970’s that put a lot of people under. However, for those who have experienced speaking in tongues; it is real. Much how to use it, I do not know.
The gifts of the Spirit were imparted first to the Apostles, without regard to their belief in those gifts, or their worthiness to receive. All were to receive the gifts of the Spirit.
So how could a lack of those gifts in the Church today be a sign that the church doesn't believe in them, or isn't worthy of them? Wouldn't that itself be a "change" in the gifts, which the author argues could not be changed?
I'm an agnostic about the gifts. At most, I am willing to accept that where they are necessary, God is still capable through the Spirit to manifest those gifts. I do not believe they are normal, or expected, amongst the church believers. My argument isn't ecclesiastic though, but more logic -- I believe there are way too many certain Christians who are certainly doing God's work who have no manifestation of these gifts to believe that the gifts are expected to be manifest in all. As I said, not very spiritual; I call it the Billy Graham rule.
But also, how to explain how the gifts would fall away if they were not intended to? The early church clearly believed in the gifts, and used them, and welcomed them, and probably even expected them. What would cause them to turn to disbelief in the gifts, assuming the author is correct and you can lose the gift through lack of belief that they can happen?
We have disbelief now because we don't see the gifts. How would we develop disbelief in an era where the gifts were the norm?
I'll admit I pretty much settled my pursuit of this issue back in my college days. I did spend a good deal of time on it, with questionares, studies, and visits with pentecostal churches and pastors. I was unconvinced then.
The Evil Army
I saw a demonic army so large that it stretched as far as I could see. It was separated into divisions, with each carrying a different banner. The foremost and most powerful divisions were Pride, Self righteousness, Respectability, Selfish Ambition, and Unrighteous Judgment, but the largest of all was Jealousy. The leader of this vast army was the Accuser of the Brethren himself.
I knew that there were many more evil divisions beyond my scope of vision, but these were the vanguard of this terrible horde from hell that was now being released against the church.
The weapons carried by this horde had names on them: the swords were named Intimidation; the spears were named Treachery; and their arrows were named Accusations, Gossip, Slander and Faultfinding. Scouts and smaller companies of demons with such names as Rejection, Bitterness, Impatience, Un-forgiveness and Lust were sent in advance of this army to prepare for the main attack. I knew in my heart that the church had never faced anything like this before.
The main assignment of this army was to cause division. It was sent to attack every level of relationship-churches with each other, congregations with their pastors, husbands and wives, children and parents, and even children with each other. The scouts were sent to locate the openings in churches, families or individuals that rejection, bitterness, lust, etc., could exploit and make a larger breech for the divisions that were coming.
The most shocking part of this vision was that this horde was not riding on horses, but on Christians! Most of them were well-dressed, respectable, and had the appearance of being refined and educated. These were Christians who had opened themselves to the powers of darkness to such a degree that the enemy could use them and they would think that they were being used by God. The Accuser knows that a house divided cannot stand, and this army represented his ultimate attempt to bring such complete division to the church that she would completely fall from grace.
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http://99.198.110.36/FQ-Protestant/TFQ-en.pdf
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The Final Quest
by Rick Joyner
The Hordes of Hell Are Marching
The Evil Army
While I think we need to be cautious of these (i.e. we must be sure that they are from God not the other guy) and I believe that even gifts such as quiet contemplation, scholastic study etc. are gifts, to say that these gifts ceased is utterly wrong.
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And why does the OPC say that The sending of the Holy Spirit is just as much an unrepeatable event as the birth of Christ was?