[Pastor Isaac Peters]

Dear friends:

You may have heard from liberal cafeteria Christians and their feel-good pastors that the gifts of tongues and healing described in the New Testament, just like any other part of the Bible that they don't like, were "meant for the church back then." This particular doctrine is called cessationism. Don't be fooled: Cessationism is an un-Scriptural heresy, and the gifts are still in effect. In fact, cessationists' favorite proof text demonstrates that cessationism is wrong.

Cessationsists say that "tongues shall cease" (1 Cor. 13:8) and misinterpret this teaching to "prove" that the gift of tongues has passed its pull date. However, this teaching is embarrassingly ripped out of context. Let us consider the context:

1 Cor. 13:8-10: Charity 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. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

So yes, tongues will cease, but they will do so when "that which is perfect is come," not before. Since the Second Coming has not yet happened, tongues have not ceased.

Let me put it another way. If tongues have ceased, then knowledge must also have vanished away. Has knowledge vanished away? Well, the cessationists' knowledge has vanished away, but ours hasn't.

Finally, cessationists claim that the gifts were meant only for the apostolic age of the church, to show that the church was indeed Christ's institution. However, the fact that the gift of healing was also given in Old-Testament times completely blows their argument out of the water. The Mosaic covenant goes into considerable detail about what can only be described as faith healing; indeed, later in the Old Testament, we read what happened to those who declined this gift:

2 Chron. 16:12-13: And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease [was] exceeding [great]: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians. And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.

[Pastor Ezekiel]

Shonda la HONDA!!

[handmaiden]

Some people use that same kind of reasoning to explain that only women of the first century church have to cover their heads in church and remain silent.

They argue that it was a cultural thing specific to that time period. Women weren't educated enough conduct themselves in church, they say. The new freedom given by Christ's love confused them and they kept piping up in church. All women back then covered their heads when outside the home or they were considered "fast". Today's Christian women don't need to wear head coverings in church because it doesn't mean the same thing in the modern world. And they can speak and teach and preach now, because things are "different" now than they were in the first century.

Yeah, right. Things are so "different" now that Jesus doesn't require His followers to do anything but sing about love to everyone. We can walk around naked, have sex with anyone or anything we please, and work on the Lord's Day. Murder, lying, stealing, talking back to one's parents, tatooes, flag burning, Jesus is okay with all of that. That's what comes from ripping out one or two pages of the Bible. Pretty soon, you're down to "God is love" and you think that you know all there is to know about Christianity.

Indignantly Yours,

Handmaiden

[Rev. Edward Clement]

Amen! You are preachin' now Pastor Isaac!

I have also noticed that the scripture is implying that the gifts of the Spirit are there to "profit" withall.

1 Corinthians
12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to "profit" withal.

It appears that a hefty fee is involved when one, or all of these gifts are in operation.
Does this mean that those who do not charge for Holy Ghost Power, and Manifestations are not filled with the real Holy Ghost? It appears this way to me.

[Levi Jones]

Amen, Pastor! I have been known to have the spirit overtake me from time to time.

Mark 16:17-18 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.

Kalla ma sone, da fa kooka shores. It kin da la key la shone da la kene!

Oh yes, LORD! You are mighty!