There are topics in the church that spark instant debate. Cessationism and the debate over spiritual gifts is one of them. This topic can spark enthusiastic disagreements, especially in the social media space. Yet for all the posturing, is it helping people understand or approach the issue any better? My suspicion is probably not. That’s why my assignment today is to help you understand cessationism and, more importantly, how to address this when someone has the opposing view.
What Is Cessationism in Simple Terms?
The word cessationism comes from the word cease, which simply means to stop. Cessationism is the belief that some of the supernatural gifts we see in the Bible stopped after the time of the apostles, which is basically the end of the first century. According to this view, God gave certain spiritual gifts for a specific season in the early church to help confirm the message of the gospel and to show that the apostles were truly sent by Him.
The purpose of the gifts was to establish the foundation of the church and to demonstrate God’s power as the message of Jesus spread. Cessationists believe that once that foundation was laid and the New Testament written, those gifts were no longer needed and ceased. Because we have the complete Bible, those gifts have fulfilled their role and are no longer active today.
Which Gifts Do Cessationists Believe Have Stopped?
Cessationists believe the Holy Spirit is still active today, guiding, teaching, and strengthening believers. They also believe that many spiritual gifts are still operating, especially those that help build up the church through service, leadership, and encouragement. In Romans 12, we find what are often called motivational gifts like teaching, giving, leading, and showing mercy. These are widely accepted as being alive and active, even by those who hold to cessationism.
The real debate lies with the miraculous or sign gifts, often referred to as manifestation gifts, found in 1 Corinthians 12. These include speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, healing, miracles, and prophetic revelations beyond Scripture. Cessationists believe these gifts were the ones specific to the early church, which confirmed the message of the gospel and the ministry of the apostles. However, once that was established then the purpose of the gifts had been fulfilled and therefore they ceased.
What Scriptures Support Cessationism?
The arguments for cessationism are based on a few key Scriptures. Here are three core arguments and the Scriptures that support them.
1 - Paul predicted the gifts would cease
"Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears." (1 Cor. 13:8-10)
The principal argument here is that the gifts were only to be given for a specific period, and then they would stop. The completeness here speaks to the completion of Scripture, at which time there would no longer be any need for these manifestation gifts.
2 - The gifts authenticated the apostles' ministry
"How shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will." (Heb 2:3-4)
The essential argument is that God used the gifts to establish and authenticate the apostles. Once that was done, the gifts ceased.
3 - The completeness of Scripture
"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Tim. 3:16)
Since the Bible gives us everything we need to be equipped, there is no further need for the manifestation gifts
How Is Cessationism Different from Continuationism?
The fundamental difference between cessationism and continuationism comes down to one simple question. Have the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit stopped, or are they still active today? Cessationists would say they have stopped. Continuationists would say they have not.
Continuationists believe the same gifts we find in Scripture are still active and available to believers today. They hold that the Holy Spirit continues to work through all the spiritual gifts, including the miraculous ones, for the building up of the church and the spreading of the gospel. They see the Holy Spirit continuing to move in the same ways he did in the early church, empowering believers to serve, minister, and share the gospel through both natural and supernatural means.
It is important to note that both groups agree that the Holy Spirit is at work. The difference lies in whether or not all the gifts of the Spirit, especially the supernatural ones, are still in operation today.
Why the Debate between Cessationism Vs. Continuationism Matters
I want to tell you why this matters not from the perspective of who is right, but from the perspective of what if they are not right. There is an issue within this debate that cannot be ignored and goes beyond just a theological disagreement. Understanding the work of the Holy Spirit shapes everything about how we live as followers of Christ. Regardless of which side of the argument you fall on, consider the gravity of what it means if either view is wrong.
If cessationism is incorrect, then those who follow it are limiting the work of the Holy Spirit. They are holding back, dare I say, quenching the Holy Spirit and closing the door to how he may still want to move, speak, and minister in and through the church today.
However, if continuationism is incorrect, then we have a serious problem because what is the true source behind some of the manifestations we see? If it’s not the Holy Spirit, then are we just creating confusion, or are people being deceived by emotional experiences that may be spiritual, but they are not coming from the Holy Spirit?
That’s why, as we approach this topic, we don’t need more dogmatic people arguing for their position. We need to pursue truth with humility, recognizing that we need to do our best to understand how the Holy Spirit is working in the world today. We do that by humbly referencing the Word of God and knowing the character of the Holy Spirit to discern what is the Holy Spirit and what is not.
Can We Resolve the Debate Between Cessationism and Continuationism?
Resolving this debate doesn’t begin with choosing sides. It begins with understanding. We are talking about two groups of believers who love God, are trying to honor his Word, and are filled with the Holy Spirit. This should be the basis for which you approach this topic. Bring your humility and not your hostility.
The best place to start is with points of agreement. Both cessationists and continuationists believe the Holy Spirit is active today. The difference is not believing he works, but how he works.
This is where grace becomes essential. Since we shape our perspectives by how we interpret Scripture, and since both views have biblical support, we should hold to our convictions firmly but not sacrifice the unity of the body of Christ.
I know that some objections to the continuation of spiritual gifts are not theological, but operational. Some cessationists reject the misuse of the spiritual gifts and not necessarily the spiritual gifts themselves. Honestly, that is fair criticism because there have been real abuses of the manifestation gifts and we should all reject those. I have seen things done in the name of the Holy Spirit that he had nothing to do with, so I get it. However, this is a poor reason to reject the idea of continuationism. Have you seen people who profess to be Christians live in a manner that does not even remotely reflect Christ? We all have and despite this poor representation, has it changed how you feel about Jesus?
In the end, this debate matters, but it doesn’t have to divide us. We must remain anchored in the truth of God’s Word, be led by the Spirit, and walk in love with those who see things differently. Unity means honoring one another as we pursue clarity and truth together. It does not mean we will always agree.
Conclusion: Seeking Clarity on the Gifts of the Spirit
I am going to make a confession and leave you with some food for thought. I am a continuationist who fully believes all the gifts are in operation today. However, I have a problem with the way many continuationists operate in those gifts. We elevate the gifted person or only seek euphoric experiences, and sometimes the experience takes precedence over the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. When this is the norm, then no one is truly edified. However, this should not diminish the reality of the work of the Holy Spirit in the world today.
The bottom line is Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit, which he did, and we cannot live this life as Christians without his help. The Holy Spirit works in us and through us to help us become more like Jesus and to make us more effective witnesses for him. While there can be a lot of talk about the gifts and the manifestations of the Holy Spirit, that is the wrong emphasis. The prize is not the gifts; the prize is having more of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit working in your life. When he is working in you, it is not really about the gifts; it is about the fruit. His most important work in you is not to make you more gifted, but to transform you so that the way you live, think, and act makes you look more like Jesus. When you seek more of the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life and combine that with being a student of the Word of God, you are set up to grow and mature in Christ. That, my friends, is the true gift of the Holy Spirit working in your life, and hopefully that is something we can all agree on.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/ipopba
