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 ...

How can you know which gift(s) of the Spirit you have? There is a way. Gifts of the Spirit The Apostle Paul has written a lot about spiritual gifts. To begin with, he says that “there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone” (1st Cor 12:4-6), and “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (1st Cor 12:7).  The first point is God is the One Who determines which gift is given to each person. It is not for their own good but for the church’s sake, or “the common good.” Never are gifts given for the believer’s benefit. However, it may help them develop spiritually; they are intended for the Body of Christ.  There are a “variety of activities” and “varieties of service.” Still, we must remember that God “empowers them all in everyone.” He deserves the glory for these gifts (Psalm 115:1), so both the gi...

What particular abilities has God given you? When God wove you together before you were born, and when he made you new in Christ, he chose gifts for you — special resources, experiences, and abilities for you to steward and practice. Do you believe that? If so, do you know what they are? Can you name some specific ways you’re striving to use them and grow in them? If you believe in Jesus, he has given you something of his power and ability. Whoever you are, and however “gifted” you feel compared to others, you have abilities from God that are meant to make a difference in the lives of others. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. Each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:4–7) In everyone means “in you.” To each means “to you.” Where Abilities Wither The reality is that while al...

How can you know which gift(s) of the Spirit you have? There is a way. Gifts of the Spirit The Apostle Paul has written a lot about spiritual gifts. To begin with, he says that “there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone” (1st Cor 12:4-6), and “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (1st Cor 12:7).  The first point is God is the One Who determines which gift is given to each person, and it is not for their own good but for the church’s sake, or “the common good.” Never are gifts given for the believer’s benefit, although it may help them develop spiritually, but they are intended for the Body of Christ.  There are a “variety of activities” and “varieties of service,” but we must remember that it is God “empowers them all in everyone.” He deserves the glory for these gifts (Psalm 115:1), so ...

What is Pentecost in the Bible? Most people associate it with the day God poured out his Holy Spirit on the Jerusalem church in the Upper Room, enabling his disciples to perform incredible acts—like healings, speaking in tongues, prophesying, and inspired preaching1—as told in Acts 2:1–4: When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Jesus had promised his disciples a “baptism in the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:5, 8), that he would send them a “Helper” who would “teach [them] all things” (John 14:26), and that he would not leave the disciples “as orphans” (John 14:18). That day, as about 120 disciples huddled in a room in Jerusalem, those promises ...

There is a lingering fascination with spiritual gifts in the modern church, but that doesn’t mean there is anything close to a unity concerning spiritual gifts and how they are to be practiced today. Churches run the gamut from a full rejection to a full embrace (some would argue an unhealthy embrace) of spiritual gifts. The truth may lie somewhere in between. Any serious study and pursuit of a biblical practice of spiritual gifts have to deal with these five nagging questions: 1. How many spiritual gifts are there? Are there eight? Fifteen? Twenty-four? There isn’t a uniform answer to this because the New Testament authors never give us a clear answer. We see lists given in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4, but the word for “gift” is used elsewhere, prompting some to expand the list. Others go with Romans 12 as the only legitimate list for today, rapidly narrowing the field of available spiritual gifts. How many spiritual gifts does the Bible actually list? 2. Are all the ...

Remarkably, every person reborn in Christ arrives in the local church with a supernatural bequest from a gracious God , a gift of the Holy Spirit , a special and unique talent. It could be the gift of service or teaching or faith or administration or any number of other gifts (for lists see Rom. 12:6–8; 1 Cor. 12:7–10). No gift should ever be played down; each represents a mammoth benefaction, allocated “according to the measure of Christ’s own gift” (Eph. 4:7), and each is dynamically effective, “empowered by one and the same Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:11). God strategically distributes the gifts among his people, insuring that local churches are vested with the resources necessary to thrive for his glory; he arranges “the members of the body, each one of them, just as he desires” (1 Cor. 12:18). Here is the most important thing to understand about spiritual gifts : they are given by the Holy Spirit in order to be given away, to be lavished on other members of the body for the grow...

What is a Spiritual Gift? By Wayne Grudem A spiritual gift is an ability that is empowered by the Holy Spirit and used in any ministry of the church.  This broad definition includes both gifts that are related to natural abilities (such as teaching, showing mercy, or administration) and gifts that seem to be more “miraculous” and less related to natural abilities (such as prophecy, healing, or distinguishing between spirits). Learn more    www.hopecollege.com The reason for this is that when Paul lists spiritual gifts (in Rom. 12:6–8; 1 Cor. 7:7; 12:8–10, 28; and Eph. 4:11) he includes both kinds of gifts. Yet not every natural ability that people have is included here, because Paul is clear that all spiritual gifts must be empowered “by one and the same Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:11), that they are given “for the common good” (1 Cor. 12:7), and that they are all to be used for “edification” (1 Cor. 14:26), or for building up the church. 1. Spiritual Gifts in the His...