Is cessation an observation or theology?
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It's called spiritual discernment and Christian maturity.
I suspect you claim the same blessing.
Where do you get that from? If you had said the fruits of the Spirit are God, I may have believed you but seeing as the scripture makes very clear at least three gifts will end one day, irrespective of the timing of such cessation, to say God is the gifts of the Holy Spirit, is just plain silly in my book. God will never end.
You seem to have difficulty distinguishing between attributes/character and His workings. Here, again, are some verses showing how God makes changes to how He does things. If He wants to stop giving certain gifts to people as they are no longer necessary, it does not reflect a change of nature, just a change of working.
Heb.1:1-2
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.
Acts 17:30
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
And these don't even cover the New Creation or the new way of living.
I swear im not a ego maniac but... This isn't alwa6ys true I am an intellectual and have a very high IQ. But I have spent a lot of time studying and researching the bibles narratives and miracles and overarching theologies as well as the history of Judaism and Christianity etc. What I found was that there is so much clear evidence of the narrative that it's imply believing in the miracles is believable. Primarily because there is not one shred of refutation of the miracles in any ancient literature of the time.
Even those opposed to the miracles of jesus never spoke up and documented any evidence to the contrary. Moreover, as has been said, the apostles went to thier martyrdom with thier belief. We know Jesus was real, and the most of the3 apostles were real and we know that many of the apostles died for their belief. There is no question about this being true.
Its also worth noting that Chritianity is a faith-based belief. Virgin Birth, Resurrection etc we were not there... but the overwhelming evidence and lack of ayone saying it was a lie makes this a believable and faith conviction.
Well said.
Now use this same reasoning to judge the validity of physical supernatural narrative of today.
What are you seeing that we are not seeing?
What are the names of those dead who are now walking among us?
What are the names of the blind who now seeing?
What are the names of the lame who have been healed?
Is God hiding these events from us but allowing you to witness them?
Are you really thinking this out?
Originally Christianity was NOT a faith-based belief, but witness and testimony based belief, the greatest miracle ever in human history is the Lord's resurrection, see 1 Cor. 15:1-10, his resurrection was witnessed by hundreds; during his ministry, hordes of people followed him not for anything he taught, but for the miracles he performed; Nicodemus confessed that He must be the son of God, for "no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." (Jn. 3:2) Jesus himself also defended himself in front of the Pharisees - “if you don't beleive me, believe my works." Without these signs, wonders and miracles, there would be no Christianity.
Mental problems like trauma, addiction, depression, body dysmorphia, demonic possession, identity crisis can't be healed by drugs and therapies, but can be healed by faith and community. Not necessarily in any particular pentacostal church, and not instantly, but such healing exists, it gives people hope, and I believe it. The key is what Jesus asked the blind man, "do you WANT to be healed?" 'cause lots of people acturally prefer darkness to light.
And this is what the OP is about. The Pentecostal movement is claiming the "witness and testimony" narrative is still among us.
The Pentecostal movement today still claims human resurrections are happening today.
Presidente has puts forward people such as Craig Keener and Mahesh Chavda on this thread as theologians who are aware of or have performed resurrections themselves. Presidente, Iris68, Psalm1 and those of their sort insist that the New Testament age of the miraculous have never ended.
If you believe your own words then you are in agreement with the OP.
The claims of the Pentecostals are not "either mocked, ignored or intellectualized" as you have claimed in Post# 422.
Their claims are simply false, regardless of the reason they are false.
Just as claims of Bigfoot, Space Aliens and the Loch Ness Monster.
Personally I believe it's possible for the spirit to work miracles through US however I have yet in 50 plus years ever actually see or even here indirectly of a first person experience that was valid
Unless it's interpreted as a "spiritual" revival, as in the prodigal son - "It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ” (Lk. 15:32) Ask yourself whether this counts as resurrection.
What specific "claims" are you talking about? Name one example, then judge on that example individually, rather than "signs and wonders" in a vague, general sense.
To answer the OP in a slightly tongue in cheek way, there's a reason modern day prophets aren't banned from playing the lottery. God Bless.
It's the same reason the Pentecostal "faith healers" are not banned from hospitals and morgues.
Does God Discern, Prophecy, Love, have Knowledge, Speak in a Heavenly Language we're not familiar with, and add the other Gifts you will see God does those as well?
Jesus perceived people were setting Him up the Bible claims which is Discernment...(Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit).
I can go through the entire list and show Scripture where God used each Gift.
God's Love put Him on the Cross... another Gift of the Holy Spirit.
Much of what these people (Lovette, irs68, Psalm1 and Presidente) are saying is silly.
ALL believers who pray for God's miraculous intervention in their lives cannot be put in the same category as that occult Gnostic of the First Century, Simon Magus, who was hailed as The Great Power of God. Many reports of revivals attended by the manifestations of the charismata have been made starting from the earliest centuries of the Church and continuing throughout history. In the Bible testimonies of faithful witnesses counted as evidence. Yet many of us disregard such testimony as rumors believed by gullible rubes or worse, outright lies.
You say that unmet spiritual hunger can lead to making irrational destructive choices to satisfy "surface level" needs. This is true, however, I refusing to pray for people with difficult problems because "God is no longer in the business of doing miracles" no longer seems more like a failure of faith on our part. If God does not answer our prayers there may be some spiritual block that needs to be addressed. In that case, what we need is wisdom which God has promised to give us liberally
When people came to Jesus for help with conditions that bound them did HE dismiss their cries as merely about surface level needs as if they should have only brought our DEEPER LEVEL needs to Him? When did Jesus refuse to answer prayers for healing because this need was BENEATH Him? I have never read anything of the sort.
What about revivals like the First and Second Great awakenings which some, at the time, saw as being overly emotional? Were people's reactions to those revivals due to demonic influences? Had you been there would you be insisting that, although God moved on men's hearts that way in the Bible that "age" had now passed. What about the opposite condition where men's hearts are sluggish hardened and un responsive to any move of God's Spirit? Perhaps that is preferable.
I hope you understand that merely saying other people's views are "silly" is not an answer. It is nothing more than a gratuitous assertion.