Restoration or Continuation?

The historical problem with continuation. The signs ceased soon after the close of the Apostolic era. They did not continue. Rather these miraculous sign gifts, with the exception of a few fits and spurts in fringe groups were not to be found in the mainstream of the church in between the time of the Apostles and the rise of Pentecostalism in the early 20th century.

The Roman Catholics actually questioned the validity of the Protestant Reformation because it did not have miracles accompanying it. The response of Calvin and his fellow Reformers was to point out that the Reformation was a recovery of the central message of the new covenant and that the message of the new covenant had been attested with miracles. The Reformation was preaching nothing new, just the simple message of the Apostles and the Apostolic church, therefore there was no need for a new outpouring of miraculous sign gifts.

The counter argument is that the church quenched the Spirit and that the saints of the time between the end of the Apostolic era and the rise of Pentecostalism in the early 20th Century were less faithful. Therefore what we are talking about here is a restoration of the sign gifts. The problems with this position are many fold but just off the top:

it displays immense spiritual pride ("we are better Christians!") which is contrary to Christ's call for humility

it flies in the face of the historic data that the martyrs and faithful saints of previous days were more faithful than we

it contradicts the concept of the absolute sovereignty of God and His ability to work where and when and how He pleases

A further argument is that the gifts have been restored because these are the end-end times. This presumes of course that this is the very end of time and that the return of Christ is imminent. The problem is of course that the church in every age since Christ's ascension has presumed that the return of Christ is imminent. Also if we should expect an outbreak of the sign-gifts just before the return of Christ and Christ chooses to tarry for another millennia, what would that say about the miraculous signs we are seeing today? It would appear this is an "all or nothing" argument that risks everything on one "toss of the dice"

Arguments in Favor of Sign-Gifts being for Today

You can't argue with Personal Experience: 350,000,000 Christians are involved in Charismatic/Pentecostal churches. The Charismatic movement is on its way to being the majority report amongst evangelical Christians. Can we seriously say that they are all mislead or misguided?

The argument from Silence: The Bible nowhere explicitly says that sign-gifts will cease. Therefore they won't.

Cessation - the argument that the miraculous sign-gifts ceased because they were supposed to at the close of the Apostolic age.

The purpose of the sign gifts was foundational. Once that foundation was laid, there was no longer any need for them.

Their purpose was to:

Authenticate Christ and His Apostles and their message - this was done

Lay down the deposit of revelation that would become the scripture - this too was done

The Pauline Argument (1 Cor. 13:8-12) - when that which is perfect has come, that which is less perfect ceases

1 Cor. 13:8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part.10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

What Paul is saying is that these things were less perfect than the Scriptures that they were intended to complete - after all Prophecy, Tongues, and so on can be false, scripture cannot be. Scripture is perfect, it is complete, nothing else is necessary (2 Tim. 3:16-17) Therefore now that we have a closed, complete, and perfect canon, there is no longer any need for the sign-gifts to continue. It is perfect, therefore that which is imperfect passes away.

The church had the sign-gifts in its childhood, now that it is grown up, it no longer needs them. We crawl when we are learning to walk, now that we have learned, we no longer return to crawling. To go back to sign-gifts is to return to crawling. We once knew of Christ imperfectly, only in part, but now we have the perfect and complete rule and guide for all of our life, faith, and practice.

Therefore the Reformers in England in the 17th Century were able to confidently confess the following:

"Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation. Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his church; and afterwards, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing: which maketh the Holy Scripture to be most necessary; those former ways of God's revealing his will unto his people being now ceased."

[Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 1 section 1]

These gifts and the offices that exercised them were by the Bibles own declaration foundational (Eph. 2:20) Once a foundation has been laid, does one build, or does one continue to lay more foundation ad infinitum. Does one build multiple floors and then add a new basement?

The Pastoral letters are clearly intended to regulate the affairs of the church after the Apostles have passed away, Paul frequently tells Timothy to safeguard the deposit of faith that has been committed to Him. The assumption is clearly that there will be no new revelation after the Apostles. While many things are discussed in the proper ordering of the church, there are no instructions about how to deal with miraculous sign gifts, the clear implication being because no such instruction will be necessary.

VIII. The threat to Sola Scriptura

Many ask what harm could come of embracing the view that the sign-gifts are continuing. Many immediately come to mind, but the most serious threat is the threat to the sufficiency of scripture. The idea that revelation from God is continuing, either via prophecy or tongues, necessarily undermines the sufficiency of scripture. To say that a declaration is the word of God "Thus Sayeth the Lord" and that it is not authoritative revelation is self-contradicting. If these tongues and prophecies really are the Word of God, then Christians should be confident enough to open their Bibles and start writing them down.

Additionally due to the fact that the sign gifts can be and often are faked or used by false prophets (just as Jesus warned) they are an obvious means by which confusion, disorder, and heresy can enter into the church. False prophecies undermine confidence in the truth of God and in His declarations to His people. Additionally, when we found our assurance in something less than infallible, we are building on shifting sand rather than the solid rock of Christ. The declarations of Christ and His Apostles that are to be found in the living word of Scripture are all sure and unshakable, the promises of later day Prophets however, are not. Even if we refuse to believe that the sign gifts have ceased, the growing legion of scandals involving the Televangelists should at the very least teach us to be wary of anyone who claims to be a new prophet.

Lastly, let us remember that if we have Scripture, we have all we need. It contains everything that the Christian needs in order to be "complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." Therefore, let us not be shaken by the claims of those who state we must experience the miraculous sign-gifts in order for our Christianity to be whole, our Gospel to be full, and our lives to be God-honoring.

A Brief Bibliography of Good Books on this Subject

Most of these books can be bought online at www.cvbbs.com

Chantry, Walter Signs of the Apostles, (Banner of Truth, 1973)

Ferguson, Sinclair The Holy Spirit, (IVP, 1996) [Chapter 10 in particular]

Gaffin, Richard B. Perspectives on Pentecost, (P&R 1979)

Marston, George W. Tongues Then and Now, (P&R, 1983) [Out of Print]

Here are some sermon links to audio sermons I've done on spiritual gifts (PDFs are also available for most of them)