Dr Paul Allen

Although it is common for my Calvinist, non-charismatic friends to point to church history in support of their cessationist position, it’s really a mistake for them to do so. A big mistake. Church history actually works against them. The first reason is the most obvious. Reformed cessationists, like me, are in the Protestant, rather than Catholic, camp of the church. That means that we believe that, in some very fundamental ways, much of the church lost its way through history, because of which a massive reformation was needed. Many Reformed Christians even argue that Roman Catholics are not Christians at all, meaning that roughly half of all professing Christians today are de facto disqualified. On what basis, then, does a Reformed cessationist appeal to church history, when so much of that history is rejected from the outset? If the argument is that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit which were normative in New Testament times gradually disappeared from church history, what do these ...

Ministry of the Apostles, a complex multi-figure icon with a full-height image of Jesus Christ, surrounded by sectors with scenes of His disciples' calling, ministry and martyrdom. Icon from the Yaroslavl Museum Preserve. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) We are easily frustrated by delays, when our appointment is late, when the kids are slow to get ready. We see this focus on timing and frustration with delays in our spiritual lives as well, as we wait for God to answer prayers and wait for Jesus to return. Put yourself in the disciples’ sandals in Acts 1. The Lord Jesus was shamefully crucified and then on the third day was raised. He appeared to them for forty days and showed them the significance of the Scriptures. They had no doubt now that this was the Messiah, the true King of Israel that God had promised. So then they wanted to know, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel ?” The Focus on How Jesus doesn’t directly answer this question about timing. Rath...

The Holy Spirit depicted as a dove, surrounded by angels, by Giaquinto, 1750s. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The Book of Acts shows that Paul and his fellow evangelists were filled (kept on being filled) with joy and the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:52). Persecution and trouble only made them press on with even more joy. Paul’s converts also were filled with the same joy (16:34). It was a joy that came as the Holy Spirit gave honor and glory to Jesus . Paul also gave all the glory to Jesus. His message, ministry, and personal life centered in Jesus. He never forgot that heavenly vision (26:19). Constantly, he spoke of being in Christ. He refused to try to satisfy the Jews with signs or the Greeks with (philosophic) wisdom. He simply preached Christ crucified ( 1 Corinthians 1:22, 23; 2:2). Then the signs followed in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power (v. 4). That is, signs followed, not to convince skeptics, but in response to the faith of those who believed. A good example is...

English: John the Baptist baptizing Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ . 6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was much joy in that city. 9 But there was a man named Simon , who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great.10 They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” 11 And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jes...