The biblical statement is that tongues have ceased. The question becomes who are these who claim to be operating with a gift that has ceased? Are they undiscipled believers or are they unsaved and deceived? If they are unsaved and what they are doing is the result of familiar spirits and not the Holy Spirit I can understand that circumstance. Can they be undiscipled believers and have a familiar spirit? This is the real rub for me. I do not readily accept that a believer can be under the influence of a familiar spirit and have the indwelling Holy Spirit at the same time.
For the cause of Christ
Roger
Good that you're getting into that and thank you for making it clear, this is important for the record. So according to your interpretation everyone operating in spiritual gifts is not saved because in your interpretation the gifts have ceased so you believe they are all demon possessed. It makes me sad that you would believe this, but I cant show you this only God can. Better get into why there is disagreement on the interpretation.
The Bible does not say the tongues have ceased, but precisely that they
shall cease when the perfect has come. The disagreement is about has the perfect come or not? Normally, a believer's first thought is that this pertains to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus. However, this moment in time is determined and specified in context differently: paraphrasing, "now we see dimly but
then we will know as we are known and see God face to face". Paul had already received the Holy Spirit already alongside with his audience when writing this chapter - so he cant be talking about receiving Christ. So here's the passage.
1 Corinthians 13
8Charity never faileth: but whether
there be prophecies, they
shall fail; whether
there be tongues, they
shall cease;
whether there be knowledge,
it shall vanish away. (future tense)
9 For we
know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But
when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly;
but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
Okay I used the color and underline to emphasise that Paul is continually talking about the same thing in these verses.
The question is, Do believers see God face to face right now? This is the bottom of the disagreement in interpreting that passage.
Although the passage itself is clear, there is one more witness that believers will be like Him and see Him "face to face" that also ties to this chapter... the moment in time when Father will be "all in all". Why need prophecy or knowledge or tongues then, because it is silliness and childish compared to what we will know, we will be like God, fully being one with Him... no need for spiritual gifts and revelations of any kind when being one with the mind of God! When we see dimly, we do benefit of these revelations though because they help navigate us.
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for
we shall see him as he is.
But that's just a yay side note, the chapter speaks for itself without this verse that Paul is speaking about distant future point in time.
The question, are they true disciples or not, is answered by Jesus, judge the tree by its fruit. We judge any manifestation and discern whether it is godly or demonic by its fruit. Per example the devil cannot heal although pharisees tried to say Jesus healed people with evil spirit. They blasphemed the Holy Spirit with this saying because bad tree simply cannot give good fruit. According to the Bible, the devil comes to steal, kill and destroy. He drives people further from God and is not able to do the opposite because that's who he is. However, there have been accounts on this thread and others how spiritual gifts have been Biblically used and led people to salvation. I am a witness of spiritual gifts being used to promote obedience to God, deliverance of demonic oppression, encouragment to keep trusting God in tough situation and alike.
So there are only 2 options. One is that the gifts did not cease. The other is that men force the Holy Spirit by will.
The other option falls off because God is sovereign. People might get a counterfeit spirit, and they usually do when people seek gift
above the giver. But a demonic spirit is not able to manifest Biblically nor lead people towards God, so spiritual manifestation cannot be written off as counterfeit, when it is in agrement with the Word.
