Subject: Been to every church? |
Bible Note: Greetings Raven! Thanks for the response my friend! I am glad that we are both able to find mutal enjoyement from our discussions. Allow me to summarize the points I hear you making! 1) The gifts will cease. 2) The apostles had the gifts. 3) The apostles could pass on the gifts to others. 4) The Bible can bring us to God. 5) The Bible is the only way the Holy Spirit speaks to us. 6) The Bible says that people today cannot speak in tongues. I may have missed some, but allow me to touch upon these. 1) There is no doubt that the gifts will cease. The Bible says so! However, when this will occur is not explained in any great detail. The indication is given however that this will not occur until full knowledge is obtained. I would say that the best guess (since it is not stated) would be sometime after Christ returns, probably the New Heaven and New Earth - where there will no longer be a need for the gifts. 2) The apostles had gifts, but we are never told that each one had all of them. 3) We are never told that the apostles could distribute the Gifts of the Spirit. 1 Cor. 12 says that God does this as He wills. 4) I agree that the Bible can bring us to God. 5) I would disagree that the Bible is the only way that the Holy Spirit speaks to us. It is the only authoritative way, but He also speaks through: a) Circumstances, b) Our conscience, c) Other people, d) Preaching and teaching, e) ect... 6) This one leads us back to the original question. The Bible says that tongues will cease. But, it does not say when. So, how can you say that the Bible says that there are not people today who can speak in tongues? You also said that there were no provision for the continuation of tongues, but isn't that what 1 Cor. 14 is all about? Paul gives detailed instructions about how tongues should be used in a worship service. I like your Eph. 3:4 reference. To what is Paul referring? Either a previous letter or to Eph. 1, where he writes about the mystery of God. Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |