It is only after many hours of research that I have come to a conclusion on this topic that seems to be as hot a debate today than ever. After checking in on both sides of the issue fairly thoroughly (as there is enough literature on this topic to keep one busy for years) and having taken in account of both sides of the debate it would seem to a logical and open mind that some gifts have never ceased.
That is also to say that if one says that there are demons at work in the world (which most would agree there are) there then has to be the Holy Spirit at work in the world as well guiding things along according to Gods plan and in some way countering ever the forces of evil ensuring all things unfold according to Gods plan.
So in coming to this conclusion one would have to admit that gifts of some nature still do exist even today.
Here's the catch due to the unfortunate P.T. Barnum approach of Evangelical and Charismatical ministries (with all good intent aside) and the many denominational fractures going all the way back to the first church at Antioch when Paul said "when I am gone there will be those who shall come in among you as wolves among the sheep and will spare not the flock"
We can see with our historical glasses that every time man pulled away from God and did not follow his commandments that God would punish him for his sins. There are so many examples without looking at scripture in the last 2000 years let alone including it as well. For example;
434-453 A.D. Attila the hun scourges all of the baltic countries going as far as the Rhine river and northern Italy but failing to take Rome and Constantinople though.
Was this divine punishment to the Christians of the day for their lack of faith or just another heavyweight of his day conquering for the sake of conquest itself?
800 A.D. Charlemagne conquers most of Europe and is crowned Holy Roman Emperor.
When looking at this try to see it from an outside perspective looking in.
Was this merely a King conquering empire or was it divine in nature?
Was it nothing more than pope leo III trying to save his own skin or did God intervene to protect the church for a greater purpose as yet not revealed
1200A.D. The mongol hordes of Ghengis Khan ravage the asian continent and into Europe as far as Modern day France building what remained the largest Empire ever built until The height of the Victorian era when it was said that the sun never set on the English empire.
Was Ghengis really sent by God as he himself stated as the great slayer of wicked men lost in their pride and lust?
Were the Christian people of the day punished for falling away from God as the jews who were exiled to Babylon for their falling away?
Yet the church and the teachings of Christ survived none the less.
1600 A.D. The great split in the Catholic church with the age of enlightenment and reformationist period in full swing and Protestantism becoming widely accepted in Germany, England,France etc.
Was this a manifestation in itself coming to save the church yet again for what some of the day considered heresies I.E. selling of indulgences , purgatory etc.?
Did Wycliffe actually prophesy about Martin Luther?
It would seem to an intellectual mind that even though the Word has had its share of detractors and attackers, those whose sole purpose was to destroy it, that it is very much alive and well and thriving.
This could not happen unless there were an unseen force which most men cannot see (yet some may feel) that was directing it all along ergo THE HOLY SPIRIT IS VERY MUCH AT WORK EVERY DAY.
If we do not see evidence for this, that's because of one of several reasons;
1 We refuse to see it because of our beliefs or interpretations of said doctrines therefore it doesn't exist and we only focus on that, that we wish to see or have been taught..............Lack of desire for the Holy Spirit to manifest itself in yourself due to taught doctrine that it cannot be so.......(cessationism?)
2 We haven't looked for it in earnest because we do not believe we will find it ergo..... lack of faith
In saying this though we have to be very vigilant of false doctrine (which if Sola Scriptura is applied with understanding and a true love for the spirit of the Word is recognizable for what it is)
To say to a man who believes he has been healed of a sickness or depraved character by faith alone (his faith or someone elses) "that is poppycock" is to gainsay his faith (judge not lest ye be judged) or deny that the spirit is in him at all
Unfortunately as I said earlier the Evangelical and Charismatical movements and their P.T. Barnum approach to spiritualism have done much damage to this Idea of Moderate Continuationism and in so doing have "not spared many of the flock" and caused further divisions within Christianity as a whole.
In conclusion I would have to say gifts of some magnitude most certainly exist today to refute the existence of said gifts is to deny that the Lord has authority over the world which is obviously not the case and to deny that the holy spirit is at work for the purpose of Gods greater glory.
Also much discernment must be shown when recognizing these gifts for what they are and to give thanks and glory to him whom whom has bestowed them namely God and to rebuke those who would perform trickery in place of good works so as to further their own imaginings of glory instead of Gods.
Selah
That is also to say that if one says that there are demons at work in the world (which most would agree there are) there then has to be the Holy Spirit at work in the world as well guiding things along according to Gods plan and in some way countering ever the forces of evil ensuring all things unfold according to Gods plan.
So in coming to this conclusion one would have to admit that gifts of some nature still do exist even today.
Here's the catch due to the unfortunate P.T. Barnum approach of Evangelical and Charismatical ministries (with all good intent aside) and the many denominational fractures going all the way back to the first church at Antioch when Paul said "when I am gone there will be those who shall come in among you as wolves among the sheep and will spare not the flock"
We can see with our historical glasses that every time man pulled away from God and did not follow his commandments that God would punish him for his sins. There are so many examples without looking at scripture in the last 2000 years let alone including it as well. For example;
434-453 A.D. Attila the hun scourges all of the baltic countries going as far as the Rhine river and northern Italy but failing to take Rome and Constantinople though.
Was this divine punishment to the Christians of the day for their lack of faith or just another heavyweight of his day conquering for the sake of conquest itself?
800 A.D. Charlemagne conquers most of Europe and is crowned Holy Roman Emperor.
When looking at this try to see it from an outside perspective looking in.
Was this merely a King conquering empire or was it divine in nature?
Was it nothing more than pope leo III trying to save his own skin or did God intervene to protect the church for a greater purpose as yet not revealed
1200A.D. The mongol hordes of Ghengis Khan ravage the asian continent and into Europe as far as Modern day France building what remained the largest Empire ever built until The height of the Victorian era when it was said that the sun never set on the English empire.
Was Ghengis really sent by God as he himself stated as the great slayer of wicked men lost in their pride and lust?
Were the Christian people of the day punished for falling away from God as the jews who were exiled to Babylon for their falling away?
Yet the church and the teachings of Christ survived none the less.
1600 A.D. The great split in the Catholic church with the age of enlightenment and reformationist period in full swing and Protestantism becoming widely accepted in Germany, England,France etc.
Was this a manifestation in itself coming to save the church yet again for what some of the day considered heresies I.E. selling of indulgences , purgatory etc.?
Did Wycliffe actually prophesy about Martin Luther?
It would seem to an intellectual mind that even though the Word has had its share of detractors and attackers, those whose sole purpose was to destroy it, that it is very much alive and well and thriving.
This could not happen unless there were an unseen force which most men cannot see (yet some may feel) that was directing it all along ergo THE HOLY SPIRIT IS VERY MUCH AT WORK EVERY DAY.
If we do not see evidence for this, that's because of one of several reasons;
1 We refuse to see it because of our beliefs or interpretations of said doctrines therefore it doesn't exist and we only focus on that, that we wish to see or have been taught..............Lack of desire for the Holy Spirit to manifest itself in yourself due to taught doctrine that it cannot be so.......(cessationism?)
2 We haven't looked for it in earnest because we do not believe we will find it ergo..... lack of faith
In saying this though we have to be very vigilant of false doctrine (which if Sola Scriptura is applied with understanding and a true love for the spirit of the Word is recognizable for what it is)
To say to a man who believes he has been healed of a sickness or depraved character by faith alone (his faith or someone elses) "that is poppycock" is to gainsay his faith (judge not lest ye be judged) or deny that the spirit is in him at all
Unfortunately as I said earlier the Evangelical and Charismatical movements and their P.T. Barnum approach to spiritualism have done much damage to this Idea of Moderate Continuationism and in so doing have "not spared many of the flock" and caused further divisions within Christianity as a whole.
In conclusion I would have to say gifts of some magnitude most certainly exist today to refute the existence of said gifts is to deny that the Lord has authority over the world which is obviously not the case and to deny that the holy spirit is at work for the purpose of Gods greater glory.
Also much discernment must be shown when recognizing these gifts for what they are and to give thanks and glory to him whom whom has bestowed them namely God and to rebuke those who would perform trickery in place of good works so as to further their own imaginings of glory instead of Gods.
Selah
