Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Am I becoming a cessationist?

I had an interesting conversation over the weekend. Someone asked me if I had become a cessationist. That's an interesting question... the more I think about it, I guess it depends on how you define "cessationist."

I suppose a "true cessationist" believes that the miraculous gifts which were in operation in the early church are no longer given today. They have ceased. If that is the case, I don't qualify...

Healing is deal-breaker for me on that one. I still believe that God can heal people. I don't believe that He absolutely must heal them if we meticulously follow a faith formula (that's a Word of Faith thing), but I do believe that miraculous healing can still take place. A true cessationist would probably deny that.

But the issue that prompted this conversation was tongues. I was talking to some people who, as far as I know, have never spoken in tongues themselves... but they are open to the possibility of it being "real" because they know & respect a few people who do.

I've been thinking about that. I know & respect some people who have had powerful experiences in Hinduism, the new-age, and even Islam. I've listened to their stories. I don't think they're making it up... they are sincere. But even though I believe that they experienced something, I do not believe that it is what they THINK they experienced. And honestly, I feel the same way now about some of my charismatic and Pentecostal friends who speak in tongues. I believe that they are sincere... but I don't believe that tongues (at least not the way it is practiced in the churches I used to attend) are real.

So does that make me a cessationist, at least on the issue of tongues? Well... not really. I don't believe that the "tongues" I witnessed in my charismatic/Pentecostal churches were even remotely close to the tongues that are described in the Bible... so in that sense, I cannot say that those "tongues" have ceased because I don't think they ever began in the first place.

So what about the genuine article, the way it happened in the book of Acts? Could that still happen today?

I suppose it could.

I also suppose God could part Tampa Bay so I didn't have to wait in traffic on the Howard Frankland Bridge...

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

"So does that make me a cessationist, at least on the issue of tongues?"

I think that would make you no longer a Pentecostal! :)

tricia said...

Thats what I am leaning toward, Some think I am going from one extreme but I am leaning toward the gifts not in operation. It is hard realizing all I have believed in the past or at alot of it is not true.
It sure makes it interesting as I still attend a UPC but dont agree with alot at all, just hard to make a break. I am associating myself more with a church of Christ here s that is where most of MY beliefs lie, I highlight MY as I am now realizing what I believe and not what others say I should believe
What makes it hard is the idea that the denial of the gifts = blasphmey, and while I no longer believe that, being taught that leaves it lingering in my mind

tricia said...

Thats what I am leaning toward, Some think I am going from one extreme but I am leaning toward the gifts not in operation. It is hard realizing all I have believed in the past or at alot of it is not true.
It sure makes it interesting as I still attend a UPC but dont agree with alot at all, just hard to make a break. I am associating myself more with a church of Christ here s that is where most of MY beliefs lie, I highlight MY as I am now realizing what I believe and not what others say I should believe
What makes it hard is the idea that the denial of the gifts = blasphmey, and while I no longer believe that, being taught that leaves it lingering in my mind