Is There A 'Need' For supernatural abilities Today?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

GRACE_ambassador

Well-known member
Feb 22, 2021
3,210
1,612
113
Midwest
#1
"
Goal Of The Gifts​

After our Lord Rose from the dead, and before He Ascended into Heaven, He
Commissioned His apostles to go into all the world and preach the gospel
(Mark_16:15). Those who believed the gospel and were baptized would be
saved (v. 16), and empowered with certain supernatural abilities, known as
spiritual gifts:

“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My name shall​
they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; “They shall​
take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt​
them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover”​
(Mark_16:17,18)...​

While the early disciples indeed displayed nearly all of these gifts, it is obvious
to most Christians that believers today no longer possess these supernatural
powers. We believe that this is because these gifts uniquely qualified those
saints to preach the gospel safely during the Great Tribulation, but that the
coming of the Tribulation was put “on hold” with the introduction of the
dispensation of Grace.

The purpose of this article will be to show how these gifts will equip the saints
to meet the unique challenges that will be present in the Tribulation period.
In so doing, we also intend to demonstrate how in the absence of these unique
challenges, there is no need for these gifts in the present dispensation...

...brief study is not meant to be...exhaustive...we rather trust​
that the reader will add these few thoughts to the arsenal of​
spiritual weaponry with which we must equip ourselves...​
"
(R Kurth)

FULL study:
The Goal Of The Gifts

Gifts NOT for amusement.png

GRACE And Peace...
 
P

pottersclay

Guest
#2
I believe the gifts are for today...JESUS Christ the same yesterday today and forever.
But more to the point of your post. Intrested in your view on tribulation put on hold. Any scriptures to back that claim?
 

Gideon300

Well-known member
Mar 18, 2021
5,309
3,131
113
#3
"
Goal Of The Gifts​

After our Lord Rose from the dead, and before He Ascended into Heaven, He
Commissioned His apostles to go into all the world and preach the gospel
(Mark_16:15). Those who believed the gospel and were baptized would be
saved (v. 16), and empowered with certain supernatural abilities, known as
spiritual gifts:

“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My name shall​
they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; “They shall​
take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt​
them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover”​
(Mark_16:17,18)...​

While the early disciples indeed displayed nearly all of these gifts, it is obvious
to most Christians that believers today no longer possess these supernatural
powers. We believe that this is because these gifts uniquely qualified those
saints to preach the gospel safely during the Great Tribulation, but that the
coming of the Tribulation was put “on hold” with the introduction of the
dispensation of Grace.

The purpose of this article will be to show how these gifts will equip the saints
to meet the unique challenges that will be present in the Tribulation period.
In so doing, we also intend to demonstrate how in the absence of these unique
challenges, there is no need for these gifts in the present dispensation...

...brief study is not meant to be...exhaustive...we rather trust​
that the reader will add these few thoughts to the arsenal of​
spiritual weaponry with which we must equip ourselves...​
"
(R Kurth)

FULL study:
The Goal Of The Gifts



GRACE And Peace...
Not supernatural. You won't find that word in the Bible. The supernatural is the realm of the occult, not God.

We should be moving in the gifts of the Spirit. I have some of the gifts. They are not a party trick to impress others. They are for the extension of the Kingdom of God. The main obstacle is unbelief.

The Holy Spirit gives gifts as He wills. For example, in an emergency situation I received a gift of healing. I prayed for someone who had a severe toothache. I said to myself that God does not heal teeth. God said, "Yes I do!" I received an anointing and faith to pray. The young man was healed immediately. I've not anything like it since. That was about 30 years ago.
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,683
6,869
113
#4
I believe the gifts are for today...JESUS Christ the same yesterday today and forever.
But more to the point of your post. Intrested in your view on tribulation put on hold. Any scriptures to back that claim?

Agree. Just think of those who are taking the Gospel to various distant and wild places on earth. Amazon jungles to Chinas far flung lands of all types. To the Middle East where a Christian Missionaries life is always in danger, and, even to parts of the "civilized world."

These gifts........ALL THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT are still in need for the Gosple of Jesus to reach "all the world."
 

Chester

Senior Member
May 23, 2016
4,314
1,442
113
#5
"
Goal Of The Gifts​

After our Lord Rose from the dead, and before He Ascended into Heaven, He
Commissioned His apostles to go into all the world and preach the gospel
(Mark_16:15). Those who believed the gospel and were baptized would be
saved (v. 16), and empowered with certain supernatural abilities, known as
spiritual gifts:

“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My name shall​
they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; “They shall​
take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt​
them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover”​
(Mark_16:17,18)...​

While the early disciples indeed displayed nearly all of these gifts, it is obvious
to most Christians that believers today no longer possess these supernatural
powers. We believe that this is because these gifts uniquely qualified those
saints to preach the gospel safely during the Great Tribulation, but that the
coming of the Tribulation was put “on hold” with the introduction of the
dispensation of Grace.

The purpose of this article will be to show how these gifts will equip the saints
to meet the unique challenges that will be present in the Tribulation period.
In so doing, we also intend to demonstrate how in the absence of these unique
challenges, there is no need for these gifts in the present dispensation...

...brief study is not meant to be...exhaustive...we rather trust​
that the reader will add these few thoughts to the arsenal of​
spiritual weaponry with which we must equip ourselves...​
"
(R Kurth)

FULL study:
The Goal Of The Gifts

View attachment 241267

GRACE And Peace...
So, though I was quite skeptical, I began reading this article to see what I could learn.

Here is one of the paragraphs:

In the present dispensation, the filling of the Spirit is a goal as opposed to a gift (Eph. 5:18), and men are not supernaturally controlled by the Spirit as they were at Pentecost. And . since God is not filling men with His Spirit in the controlling sense today, Satan has consistently ceased his efforts to possess and control men as well. In the absence of demon-possessed men today, there is no need for God to empower believers with the ability to cast out demons. And the absence of this need is the reason for the absence of this power among believers today, for God does not give spiritual gifts for our amusement, but rather to equip believers to meet specific needs

(I highlighted the two sentences)

I needed to go no further: this is obvious heresy:
The paragraph says:

(1) God does not fill men today with His Spirit (in the controlling sense)
(2) There are no demon possessed men today
(3) There is no need today for God to empower believers to cast out demons
 
Jun 20, 2022
6,460
1,330
113
#6
we face the same enemy when God gave the Gifts. it seems only logical until the enemy is gone the Gifts will remain.
 

ResidentAlien

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2021
8,274
3,606
113
#7
No, there's no need for miraculous signs today.

Signs and wonders were used by Jesus and the early disciples as confirmation of the message. Jesus consented to showing signs so people would believe His message; but he condemned those who sought signs as an end in themselves. That's where we are today, unfortunately: a lot of people seeking signs for the sake of signs.

We have the message. It was confirmed early on by many signs and wonders. Now, we either believe the message or we don't.
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
26,074
13,773
113
#8
These gifts........ALL THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT are still in need for the Gospel of Jesus to reach "all the world."
While this sounds good in theory, in practice no church today has genuine miracle-workers. The hospitals would be empty if we had these men in every church. Today miracles are wrought through the prayer of faith (which is not the same as working miracles directly).

We should keep in mind that signs, wonders, and miracles were also called "the signs of an apostle" by Paul. The apostles (and some of their companions) were given the power to work miracles directly. They were genuine miracle workers since God was authenticating the divine origin of the Gospel at that time (see Hebrews 2), and that is how Christianity spread so rapidly throughout the Roman empire. Indeed Paul told the Roman Christians: For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ. (Rom 15:18,19) Illyricum is modern Albania, so in effect Paul was saying "throughout the Roman empire".

Today, we walk by faith and not by sight, and the Gospel is indeed the power of God unto salvation. As Jesus told the unbelieving Jews (and this also has current application): And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. (Luke 16:31). We could replace "Moses and the prophets" with "the Gospel of God".
 
Mar 4, 2020
8,614
3,691
113
#9
No, there's no need for miraculous signs today.

Signs and wonders were used by Jesus and the early disciples as confirmation of the message. Jesus consented to showing signs so people would believe His message; but he condemned those who sought signs as an end in themselves. That's where we are today, unfortunately: a lot of people seeking signs for the sake of signs.

We have the message. It was confirmed early on by many signs and wonders. Now, we either believe the message or we don't.
I believe that signs and miracles still exist. It just depends on God’s will.

The fact of the matter is that many people see the Bible as just another book on the shelf with paper pages, not unlike a cookbook or a novel.

The Bible says there are miracles. Where there aren’t miracles then that can hurt the credibility of the Bible. Why would God remove miracles? Doesn’t make sense to me.

I’ve seen miracles before. I think those like yourself who are anti-miracle are probably an affront to God so you just don’t get any I guess.
 
Jun 20, 2022
6,460
1,330
113
#10
clearly miracles are happening this very moment. people are being cured of cancer and disease through prayer, not medicine. there are violent car accidents where everyone should die but no one is hurt not even scratched. bills are paid from monies that were not in possession of the debtor. there's so many things happening we cannot mention them all.

how are miracles still happening through prayer if those Gifts have already ended? i believe some people are like joshua and need evidence God is with them. i believe we are able to fleece God to know He is with us.
 

JohnDB

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2021
6,191
2,509
113
#11
So what supernatural abilities God has given in the past would YOU want today?

Money and Empire Building like Solomon?

Prophesy like Isaiah?

Strength like Sampson?

Fighting and strategy like Gideon?

Song writing, inspiring, and Uniting like David?

Law Writing and leadership like Moses?

Betzaleel was given special knowledge of goldsmithing and the pattern of the Ark of the Covenant and Tabernacle furnishings. (Only instance in the Bible...sorry to those who claim special knowledge of theology)

To be given smarts and wisdom like Daniel?
(He created the banking system we all use today)


What supernatural gift would you like?
 

ResidentAlien

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2021
8,274
3,606
113
#12
clearly miracles are happening this very moment. people are being cured of cancer and disease through prayer, not medicine. there are violent car accidents where everyone should die but no one is hurt not even scratched. bills are paid from monies that were not in possession of the debtor. there's so many things happening we cannot mention them all.
Out of curiosity, how do you know this?
 

ResidentAlien

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2021
8,274
3,606
113
#13
I think those like yourself who are anti-miracle are probably an affront to God so you just don’t get any I guess.
You were doing so well but you just couldn't resist throwing in a personal dig for good measure.
 

Dino246

Senior Member
Jun 30, 2015
25,411
13,754
113
#14
While the early disciples indeed displayed nearly all of these gifts, it is obvious to most Christians that believers today no longer possess these supernatural powers
....
there is no need for these gifts in the present dispensation
...

...brief study is not meant to be...exhaustive...we rather trust
that the reader will add these few thoughts to the arsenal of
spiritual weaponry with which we must equip ourselves..."​
It is utterly ridiculous that a study intended to equip believers tells them that the primary piece of equipment is not needed.​
 
Nov 26, 2021
1,125
545
113
India
#20
Supernatural Miracles will continue until Christ returns: https://www.1africa.tv/deaf-muslim-gets-healed-and-turns-to-christ/

"
We live in a world where, to quote the rap community, “cash rules everything around [us]”. It’s a material and materialistic world and, sooner or later, most people find themselves caught up in the rat race. Try as most people do to get out of it, it becomes all-consuming and, in the end, life becomes meaningless and mundane.

What about the deeper issues of faith and understanding where we came from? It looks like the individual-centered lifestyle most of us lead has made us forget this.

Thankfully, every so often, we come across stories that remind us that there is a God who still gets involved in the issues of this world, loves people and wants to attend to their basic needs. Please watch this amazing testimony of a deaf Muslim man who shares his story of getting healed and turning to Christ.


Miracles still happen and the miracle of your life need not be watered down by only pursuing and living for things that you actually can’t take with you when you die. There is more to life than just money and success, though I’m not saying those things don’t matter at all.

If you are searching for meaning and want to discover a relationship with Jesus Christ, please click on the banner below and watch the video that follows. Though we don’t hear about it in the news, God is still changing lives and He can change yours too like he did for Mohammed."