No One is Really a Cessationist
Standing theologically opposite to charismatics, pentecostals and continuationists are cessationists. But did you know that cessationists don't believe that the gifts have all ceased or that the sign gifts are truly done?
There are some Christians who believe that all the spiritual gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12 are durative and each should be manifest in churches today. Depending on other beliefs about the Spirit’s indwelling, such a Christian may consider himself a Pentecostal, a Charismatic or a Continuationist.
Standing in opposition to these groups are people often labelled as Cessationists. They would believe that there are certain gifts (often called the sign gifts) that have ceased to be operational in the present church age. I am firmly in this camp.
The label however is a poor one. A cessationist does NOT believe that spiritual gifts have ceased. We would argue that:
- the vast majority of spiritual gifts listed in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 remain operational today
- certain gifts like apostleship, prophecy, tongues, interpretation of tongues, and healing existed to authenticate the original messengers (hence the label “sign gifts”), cf. Hebrews 2:3–4; 2 Corinthians 12:12.
- the sign gifts have not truly ceased but are rather “in timeout,” awaiting the approach of Christ’s return, cf. Revelation 11:3ff.
My goal is not to prove that certain gifts are on hold right now. It is the label that feels pejorative. No one is truly a cessationist. Nobody believes that the gifts have all ceased or even that the sign gifts are truly done.
We simply believe that your practice of them today is without biblical warrant.
