How to be a Cessationist.

Gideon300 said:

I was saved in 1972. The Cessasionist argument was alive and well then. I was uncertain about the "Holy Ghost". As I've said before. I knew a bit about ghosts and for sure they were not holy. it was three years before I became sure that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was a valid experience for believers.

The argument against spiritual gifts was heated to say the least. Some said that it was of the devil. At the other extreme, some claimed that people who did not speak in tongues were not saved. Both are wrong. Both rely on interpretations of scripture that are dubious to say the least.

However, since some are determined to reject spiritual gifts, let me help you:
1. Assume that gifts have already ceased.
2. Assume that the "perfect" refers to the canon of scripture
3. Claim that those who exercise spiritual gifts are deluded.
4. Seek out those who agree with you.
5. Reject any personal testimony regarding spiritual gifts.
6. Point out that miracles are rare these days and then refer back to 5.

See, it's easy to be a cessasionist. Just flood yourself with doubt and unbelief and you will be fine. It worked for the people of Nazareth. Lord Jesus did few miracles there because of their lack of faith. (Matthew 13:58)

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Sadly, the gifts have been made a circus of. False prophets, teachers, tongues speakers, so called healers and a host of other attention seeking miscreants.

Yes, it's easy and has become reliable to say 'perfect' refers to the canon of scripture, call those who believe whackos ( some are; some are not), reject personal testimony etc. I am thankful I had an upbringing in a church that did not include spiritual gifts (even though, no doubt) some were in use whether or not noticed as such) and were not convinced of the craziness that exists in so many 'gift' practicing churches these days. They have made a mockery of what is supposed to be for the edification of the church (believers) and personal gain is too often displayed as common greed and all the sins that go with it.

I have seen some things that would require someone who knows how to deal with demons to help those so infected and some things that were honest and true. For the most part, today, 'tongues' seem to be all that is offered as so called proof of any spiritual gift with the idea that if God does not heal you, then your faith is at fault. Faith is not a recipe and discernment just might be the actual perveyor of truth considering how much is fake and has people who are ignorant of a foundation, thinking emotions are the proof of anything expecially when experienced in church. Goosebumps are not a sign of the Holy Spirit.

I do believe the spiritual gifts are still being given but people need to be prepared to dig through the mess out there because, and I don't pretend tongues are proof of anything and certainly not salvation, it is a mess.

Sadly, I many who say they are cessationist will point to all the nonsense and believe they are justified in doing so.

Gideon300 said:

I was saved in 1972. The Cessasionist argument was alive and well then. I was uncertain about the "Holy Ghost". As I've said before. I knew a bit about ghosts and for sure they were not holy. it was three years before I became sure that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was a valid experience for believers.

The argument against spiritual gifts was heated to say the least. Some said that it was of the devil. At the other extreme, some claimed that people who did not speak in tongues were not saved. Both are wrong. Both rely on interpretations of scripture that are dubious to say the least.

However, since some are determined to reject spiritual gifts, let me help you:
1. Assume that gifts have already ceased.
2. Assume that the "perfect" refers to the canon of scripture
3. Claim that those who exercise spiritual gifts are deluded.
4. Seek out those who agree with you.
5. Reject any personal testimony regarding spiritual gifts.
6. Point out that miracles are rare these days and then refer back to 5.

See, it's easy to be a cessasionist. Just flood yourself with doubt and unbelief and you will be fine. It worked for the people of Nazareth. Lord Jesus did few miracles there because of their lack of faith. (Matthew 13:58)

Click to expand...

Technically you are not wrong....

But this stuff really belongs in the bdf.

1. Such threads never benefit. Nobody's mind is ever changed by an argument on an internet thread.

2. If anybody happens along who disagrees with you, such a thread is sure to start argument which cannot profit. That's why we usually keep this stuff in the BDF forum.

Lynx said:

Technically you are not wrong....

But this stuff really belongs in the bdf.

1. Such threads never benefit. Nobody's mind is ever changed by an argument on an internet thread.

2. If anybody happens along who disagrees with you, such a thread is sure to start argument which cannot profit. That's why we usually keep this stuff in the BDF forum.

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Maybe that's why he put it in misc. the bdf is chock full of threads like this and you are right about how it goes

pinebeach said:

Maybe that's why he put it in misc. the bdf is chock full of threads like this and you are right about how it goes

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So we need even more of it? Here?!

Lynx said:

So we need even more of it? Here?!

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Did I say that? smh

pinebeach said:

Did I say that? smh

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Nope. I did.

'The apostles and prophets were foundational, not perpetual.'

Actual Truth is eternal, not to be confused with the conditional truths of this age which lead to nothing in the long run.

Lynx said:

Technically you are not wrong....

But this stuff really belongs in the bdf.

1. Such threads never benefit. Nobody's mind is ever changed by an argument on an internet thread.

2. If anybody happens along who disagrees with you, such a thread is sure to start argument which cannot profit. That's why we usually keep this stuff in the BDF forum.

Click to expand...

I don't know why such threads won't benefit when they start out with gems like this: " Just flood yourself with doubt and unbelief..."

Gideon300 said:

I was saved in 1972. The Cessasionist argument was alive and well then. I was uncertain about the "Holy Ghost". As I've said before. I knew a bit about ghosts and for sure they were not holy. it was three years before I became sure that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was a valid experience for believers.

The argument against spiritual gifts was heated to say the least. Some said that it was of the devil. At the other extreme, some claimed that people who did not speak in tongues were not saved. Both are wrong. Both rely on interpretations of scripture that are dubious to say the least.

However, since some are determined to reject spiritual gifts, let me help you:
1. Assume that gifts have already ceased.
2. Assume that the "perfect" refers to the canon of scripture
3. Claim that those who exercise spiritual gifts are deluded.
4. Seek out those who agree with you.
5. Reject any personal testimony regarding spiritual gifts.
6. Point out that miracles are rare these days and then refer back to 5.

See, it's easy to be a cessasionist. Just flood yourself with doubt and unbelief and you will be fine. It worked for the people of Nazareth. Lord Jesus did few miracles there because of their lack of faith. (Matthew 13:58)

Click to expand...

Here we go again!

Gideon300 said:

I was saved in 1972. The Cessasionist argument was alive and well then. I was uncertain about the "Holy Ghost". As I've said before. I knew a bit about ghosts and for sure they were not holy. it was three years before I became sure that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was a valid experience for believers.

The argument against spiritual gifts was heated to say the least. Some said that it was of the devil. At the other extreme, some claimed that people who did not speak in tongues were not saved. Both are wrong. Both rely on interpretations of scripture that are dubious to say the least.

However, since some are determined to reject spiritual gifts, let me help you:
1. Assume that gifts have already ceased.
2. Assume that the "perfect" refers to the canon of scripture
3. Claim that those who exercise spiritual gifts are deluded.
4. Seek out those who agree with you.
5. Reject any personal testimony regarding spiritual gifts.
6. Point out that miracles are rare these days and then refer back to 5.

See, it's easy to be a cessasionist. Just flood yourself with doubt and unbelief and you will be fine. It worked for the people of Nazareth. Lord Jesus did few miracles there because of their lack of faith. (Matthew 13:58

Click to expand...

Your testimony is real — but your argument is not.
You said: “It’s easy to be a cessationist. Just flood yourself with doubt and unbelief.”
That’s not an argument.
That’s a psychological accusation.

It’s the same tactic systems always use.

“You’re not seeing it… let go so God can open your eyes.”
Systems do this when they can’t defend their position from Scripture.

Truth is not discovered by:
doubt
unbelief
emotion
experience
accusation
spiritual pressure
Truth is discovered by the text.

The New Testament does NOT teach cessationism.

There is no verse that says:
“gifts will cease when the apostles die,”
“gifts will cease when the canon is complete,”
“tongues were only for the first century,”
“prophecy ends at Pentecost,”
“miracles end after Acts.”
Not one.

Cessationism is system‑logic, not Scripture.

The New Testament does NOT teach that tongues = salvation.

There is no verse that says:
“if you do not speak in tongues, you are not saved,”
“tongues is the evidence of salvation,”
“tongues is the proof of the Spirit,”
“tongues is required for believers.”
Not one.

Pentecostal extremism is system‑logic, not Scripture.

The New Testament DOES teach that gifts continue — but not as a badge of spirituality.

Paul says: “Do not forbid speaking in tongues.” (1 Cor 14:39)
You cannot forbid something that has ceased.

He also says: “Earnestly desire spiritual gifts.” (1 Cor 14:1)
You cannot desire something that no longer exists.

He also says:“God has placed gifts in the church.” (1 Cor 12:28)
Not “had placed.”
Not “once placed.”
Not “temporarily placed.”

Placed.

Present tense.

The “perfect = completed canon” argument is not in the text.

1 Corinthians 13:10 “When the perfect comes…”
Paul never says:
“the perfect is the Bible,”
“the perfect is the canon,”
“the perfect is Scripture.”
That interpretation did not exist until the 1800s.

Paul is talking about:
the return of Christ,
the resurrection,
the face‑to‑face vision,
the end of partial knowledge.
Not the canon.

Miracles being rare is not evidence of cessation — it’s evidence of normal church life.

Miracles in Scripture cluster around:
Moses
Elijah/Elisha
Jesus
the apostles
They are not constant even in the Bible.

The argument “miracles are rare today” is meaningless.

They were rare in:
Judges
Kings
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
most of Israel’s history
Rarity is not cessation.

Matthew 13:58 does NOT teach cessation — it teaches unbelief.
This is not:
“miracles ceased,”
“gifts ended,”
“the Spirit stopped working.”
It is: “their unbelief limited what Jesus did.”
That is not a doctrine of cessation.
It is a doctrine of hard hearts.

You are right about this:
Gifts did not cease.
Tongues do not prove salvation.
Both extremes are wrong.
Both sides misuse Scripture.
Both sides accuse the other of blindness.

But your argument (“cessationists flood themselves with doubt”) is not Scripture — it’s rhetoric.

The truth is simple:
The New Testament never teaches cessationism.
The New Testament never teaches tongues‑as‑proof.
The New Testament teaches gifts continue — but under order, humility, and love.

Oh look, the thread started an argument.

Gee willikins, I never saw that coming.