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NASB | 1 Corinthians 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Corinthians 12:1 Now about the spiritual gifts [the special endowments given by the Holy Spirit], brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. |
Subject: Am I ignorant |
Bible Note: You say something key in your question asking me do I have a definitive verse of scripture that does say these ministries will end upon the death of the Apostles! The key is, ministries! In fact, I do not think these "ministries" have ceased. That is much different then to say that there are Apostles or Prophets today. I believe the passage in Ephesians does not teach anything about apostles or prophets being given to the Church throughout the church age. I do believe that the ministries of apostles and prophets that were given to the Church live on which does indeed continue to this day to build up the Church. But the foundation was laid (Ephesians 2:20) and the faith once for all handed down (Jude 1:3). Your position seems to hang on the view that one must be living today as a prophet or apostle for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. Not so, for the fruit of their labor lives on to this day! It did not end with their death! Your argument for point 2 is irrelevant. We are not discussing any teaching of the RC church. By the way, the RC church also believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Shall we reject biblical teaching that testifies to this truth just because the RC church holds to it also? I would think not :-) So, that brings us back to what the scripture says. We need to be diligent to reason from what scripture says not from something outside of the scripture to draw meaning of the scripture. Scripture teaches what it teaches and is not dependant on anything else to validate it. Steve |