Gifts Of The Spirit: Question

[Tinky]

Brothers and Sisters, I'm seeking opinions on this subject. I'm curious as to whether you believe certain gifts of the spirit (speaking in another tongue, raising the dead, casting out demons, prophecy, healing, etc.) ended with the apostolic age, or they continue to this day.

[Sevenseas]

Opinions or what scripture says?

[Tinky]

Opinions or what scripture says?

Well, people interpret scripture many ways.

[Guest LadyC]

i don't think the gifts of the spirit or the miracles of God have ever ceased. i just think that as a nation, we've stopped believing. even Christ couldn't perform (many) miracles in his own hometown because of the disbelief there.

[Fez]

1Co 12:4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;

1Co 12:5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;

1Co 12:6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.

1Co 12:7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

1Co 12:8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,

1Co 12:9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,

1Co 12:10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

1Co 12:4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;

Think of this. The Spirit has not and will not ever change, so why should the gifts?

Further in this scripture Paul writes that some are given wisdom, and some knowledge. Those have not been removed have they?

The bible is not a history book, it is a now book

[Sevenseas]

Opinions or what scripture says?

Well, people interpret scripture many ways.

Well, I don't know how you can interpret a list of the gifts as we see in Fez's post above...which I agree with

I have certainly seen it done though. Interpreting many different ways is not what God had in mind I don't think

because that would cause confusion and God is not the author of confusion

[gdemoss]

I concur with that which has already been said. I have no reason biblically to believe that any gift of the Holy Spirit is not functioning today even though I have not seen them all in operation personally. I believe that their use has subsided due to mans dependence upon himself to do that which the gifts provide.

When the Son of Man returns will he find faith on Earth?

Gary

[Guest LadyC]

i think i'll add to my original response.

i still believe that the reason we don't see the spiritual gifts being used today is disbelief, but also a lack of faith. this is not on the part of the unbelievers, but on the part of those who claim to believe.

so many people say they "believe" in God... but they don't have faith that He can work miracles through them. remember when the apostles were unable to perform miracles and cast out demons? why was that? it was because they didn't believe that they had the authority through Christ to make it happen.

and, to repeat what i said before, when Jesus was in his own hometown, the disbelief of the people who knew Him prevented Him from being able to perform many miracles. not the belief of those who did NOT know Him, but the disbelief of those who THOUGHT they knew Him.

and in america, 70% of the population THINKS they are christians, because they have some belief in some abstract cosmic force that is greater than they are. but that doesn't mean they actually KNOW Him.

[OneLight]

Those who do not believe are those who accept the teaching that *"that which is perfect" means the bible as we have it. I don't remember any other teaching against the gifts.

* 1 Corinthians 13:10

[Guest LadyC]

maybe. but in the end, whether it's a lack of knowledge or a lack of faith, it still boils down to the same thing. it's a trust issue.

i've had faith for forty years that God is exactly who He says He is, and that Christ is my savior (even when i didn't allow Him to be "Lord" of my life in reality.) i've got a closer walk with Him now, and a deeper understanding of who He is and what He wants, now, at this point in my life more than any other time.

and yet i lack the boldness. i know without a doubt that God can perform miracles. but whether it's faith, knowledge, boldness, or whatever other word we want to label it as, the sad truth is that i don't trust Him to do it through me.

and that's humiliating to say.... because really, it's a far more profound statement than what i said earlier. i'm glad there are people like you who do not lack the boldness. i hope one day i can be more like that.