Additional Episodes:
- Episode 1, the Perfect.
- Episode 2, the apostles.
- Episode 3, prophecy.
- Episode 4, the closed canon.
- Episode 5, extra biblical reasons.
- Episode 6, only the apostles had all truth.
- Episode 7, there were only limited periods of miracles.
- Episode 8, tongues.
- Episode 9, the work of the Holy Spirit.
- Episode 10, does God speak only through the Scriptures?
- Episode 11, what about impressions?
- Episode 12, what is discernment?
- Episode 13, the sufficiency of Scripture.
- Episode 14, Was the purpose of miracles restricted to the authentication of the apostles?
- Episode 15, Is revival excluded because of apostasy?
- Episode 16, is prophecy subjective?
- Episode 17, Could only the apostles confer miraculous powers or gifts?
- Episode 18, are charismatics functional cessationists?
- be from the Bible
- Not appeal to contemporary expressions of charismata
- Not appeal to silence
- Not appeal to events or practices of history
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Introduction
A cessationist is a Christian who believes that the "supernatural" gifts of the Spirit, including prophecy, tongues, words of knowledge, as well as signs and wonders, did not continue after the death of the last apostle. This is contrasted with a charismatic, or perhaps, a continuationist, who is a Christian who believes the Bible's descriptions of the "supernatural" gifts of the Spirit apply to today's church and should be embraced.
From this they conclude that the Bible is the complete and final revelation of God, and thus He speaks only through the Scriptures today.
Part of the reason they make this claim is if they can restrict the supernatural only to the apostles' ministry, they can invalidate the idea that the supernatural persists to present day.
A cessationist is a Christian who believes that the "supernatural" gifts of the Spirit, including prophecy, tongues, words of knowledge, as well as signs and wonders, did not continue after the death of the last apostle. This is contrasted with a charismatic, or perhaps, a continuationist, who is a Christian who believes the Bible's descriptions of the "supernatural" gifts of the Spirit apply to today's church and should be embraced.
Cessationists also believe that the supernatural existed largely or solely to validate the apostle's ministries, so that their teaching, eventually contained in the NT, would be attested to. With the completed canon of the Bible, there would be no longer a need for these supernatural validations, and thus these things ceased. The reason, they say, is that since signs and wonders had the sole purpose of validating the ministries of the apostles, they are no longer needed because the apostles are gone and we have the completed Bible.
Part of the reason they make this claim is if they can restrict the supernatural only to the apostles' ministry, they can invalidate the idea that the supernatural persists to present day.
This series will examine these and other claims.
What is it With All Truth?
Today we deal with a somewhat peculiar assertion some cessationists make, that the Apostles were the only ones to receive "all truth." This assertion is based on their inferences gained from Jn. 16:13:
Thus the Holy Spirit guided the apostles into "all truth" in order for them to write the holy Scriptures and establish the Church. They conclude that this level of Holy Spirit was temporary, available to the apostles only. And because they wrote the Scriptures, they communicated "all truth." The Scriptures are now "all truth."
And for the Church today, they would say that the Scriptures should be enough.
The Context
We read farther and find some of the greatest and most precious passages of Scripture, culminating in the promise given in John 16:13 that He will send the Holy Spirit. We must conclude that, absent contextual information to the contrary, that these universally-stated promises and statements and encouragements belong to all of us, not just the Apostles, except when the context demands otherwise.
The Fullness of the Holy Spirit is not Selective
Interestingly, Peter then recalled John the Baptist's words from Lk. 3:16:
So the questions we need to ask are, did these gentiles receive a scaled back Holy Spirit? Was this a temporary thing, and not for succeeding generations? Where does Scripture teach this?
Therefore, we also are receiving "all truth" from the Holy Spirit.
Actually, They Did Not Have "All Truth"
Let's look at 1Co. 13:12:
And John (again, he wrote the "all truth" statement in his Gospel) had to have things explained to him:
The Apostles Weren't the Only Ones Who Wrote the NT
But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but what ever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.
The Cessationist Case
Some cessationists believe that the apostles uniquely received "all truth," which they in turn communicated to us in the form of what is now the Bible. This results in a pre-eminent category for apostles. Apostles were unique and special. They had all the revelation, thus were able to teach and write down the whole counsel of God, and once they were dead and gone, revelation stopped. They had a level of access to God and a particular purpose which is no longer needed or available in our day.
Some cessationists believe that the apostles uniquely received "all truth," which they in turn communicated to us in the form of what is now the Bible. This results in a pre-eminent category for apostles. Apostles were unique and special. They had all the revelation, thus were able to teach and write down the whole counsel of God, and once they were dead and gone, revelation stopped. They had a level of access to God and a particular purpose which is no longer needed or available in our day.
Thus the Holy Spirit guided the apostles into "all truth" in order for them to write the holy Scriptures and establish the Church. They conclude that this level of Holy Spirit was temporary, available to the apostles only. And because they wrote the Scriptures, they communicated "all truth." The Scriptures are now "all truth."
And for the Church today, they would say that the Scriptures should be enough.
The Context
In examining these claims, we first need to note that "all truth" is not synonymous with "all revelation," "the Bible," "the faith," or "the canon." And as we know, reading in context is important. Sometimes the context is more than a couple of surrounding verses.
Indeed, in Jn. 16:13 we find that Jesus is speaking to more than just the apostles. This particular text is part of a much longer discourse beginning at John 14:1, right after Judas took the bread, and lasting all the way through chapter 17. To suggest that only the apostles received all truth is to imply that these four chapters in John are only for the apostles.
But as we read we discover that Jesus makes several universal promises, that is, promises that are beyond the Apostles.
Indeed, in Jn. 16:13 we find that Jesus is speaking to more than just the apostles. This particular text is part of a much longer discourse beginning at John 14:1, right after Judas took the bread, and lasting all the way through chapter 17. To suggest that only the apostles received all truth is to imply that these four chapters in John are only for the apostles.
But as we read we discover that Jesus makes several universal promises, that is, promises that are beyond the Apostles.
For example, Jn. 14:12:
I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
And Jn. 14:21, 23:
Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him. If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him."Anyone." "Whoever." That's not just the apostles.
We read farther and find some of the greatest and most precious passages of Scripture, culminating in the promise given in John 16:13 that He will send the Holy Spirit. We must conclude that, absent contextual information to the contrary, that these universally-stated promises and statements and encouragements belong to all of us, not just the Apostles, except when the context demands otherwise.
Lk. 11:13
If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”Ep. 5:18
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.Ac. 10:47 and 11:15-17
Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.
As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: `John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?Regarding this last passage, Peter had returned to Jerusalem to tell the apostles what he experienced. The circumcised believers (Acts 11:2) didn't like the fact that Peter hung out with gentiles. So he related a story about some gentiles who believed and were baptized with the gift of the Holy Spirit. He exclaimed, "God gave them the same gift as he gave us..." In other words, "what happened to us also happened to them, exactly the same." That gift is identified as the Holy Spirit.
Interestingly, Peter then recalled John the Baptist's words from Lk. 3:16:
John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."It says that John the Baptist answered them all. Everyone in earshot heard this, not just the apostles. Peter uses this statement to establish that salvation has gone out to the gentiles as well, and they received the exact same Holy Spirit the apostles did.
So the questions we need to ask are, did these gentiles receive a scaled back Holy Spirit? Was this a temporary thing, and not for succeeding generations? Where does Scripture teach this?
We don't think it does.
Every Believer has Access to "All Truth"
Next let's consider what John (he also wrote the Gospel of John, remember) wrote in his first letter.
These verses are strangely reminiscent of not only the subject verse, Jn. 16:13:
Next let's consider what John (he also wrote the Gospel of John, remember) wrote in his first letter.
1Jn. 2:20, 27 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit — just as it has taught you, remain in him.John was writing to his "dear children"(1st Jn 2:1), which included friends (1 Jn 2:7), fathers (1 Jn 2:13), young men, and brothers (1 Jn 3:13). He was not addressing other apostles.
These verses are strangely reminiscent of not only the subject verse, Jn. 16:13:
But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but what ever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.but even more so Jn. 14:26:
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.In 1 John 2:20 and 27 John was clearly teaching that all of us are being taught all things (...that anointing is real, not counterfeit...), that is, all truth. We have the mind of Christ, and we ourselves are taught by the Holy Spirit, just as the apostles were.
All things and all truth. We would not be able to distinguish between the two, and are confident that cessationists cannot either.
Paul writes to the Corinthian church:
1Co. 2:12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.
Actually, They Did Not Have "All Truth"
Let's look at 1Co. 13:12:
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.Paul writes "we," then changes to "I." He tells us that he personally knows only in part. Why, if Paul had all truth as cessationists define it, would he include himself in such a limitation? We conclude that Paul did not believe that he or the other apostles had exclusive access to all truth, and in fact lamented his own limitations.
Further, there are mysteries that even Paul could not explain:
1Ti. 3:16 Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.
Re. 17:7 Then the angel said to me: “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns.
We would suggest that having "all truth" does not mean having every fact, understanding every mystery, or fully knowing the purpose of God. No man is or was in possession of "all truth," if we define it the way cessationists do.
Ro. 3:10-11 As it is written: “There is no-one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no-one who understands, no-one who seeks God.
The process of sanctification reveals God to us more and more perfectly. All insight and understanding comes from the Holy Spirit (1Co. 2:14), and every believer has the Holy Spirit.
The Apostles Weren't the Only Ones Who Wrote the NT
Mark, Luke, Jude were not apostles. It's not certain which James wrote the eponymous book. Scholars are unsure of who wrote Hebrews.
Therefore, it seems clear that more than the apostles had "all truth."
Conclusion
"All truth" is an action of the revelatory nature of God at work in all believers, bringing us to spiritual maturity. It is a universal condition of our Christian experience.
The Holy Spirit is leading every believer into "all truth," but we are limited in how clearly we see. We must deal with in this temporal life until such time as we are brought "face to face."
Which is why we are told to weigh prophecies and to let every matter be established by two or three witnesses. The Church is faced with the ongoing task, even to this day, of discerning the purposes and will of God through Body ministry where all the gifts are in operation for the edification of the Body.
Cessationists are looking for every angle to create an exclusive and carefully delineated apostleship so as to separate their experiences in the first century from us as run-of-the mill Christians today. But is the Holy Spirit somehow different in our day? Is the last days of Joel not our time, when the Holy Spirit is poured out on all flesh? Were the apostles given a super-duper Holy Spirit we can't have?
Our answer to these questions is a resounding "no."
Conclusion
"All truth" is an action of the revelatory nature of God at work in all believers, bringing us to spiritual maturity. It is a universal condition of our Christian experience.
The Holy Spirit is leading every believer into "all truth," but we are limited in how clearly we see. We must deal with in this temporal life until such time as we are brought "face to face."
Which is why we are told to weigh prophecies and to let every matter be established by two or three witnesses. The Church is faced with the ongoing task, even to this day, of discerning the purposes and will of God through Body ministry where all the gifts are in operation for the edification of the Body.
Cessationists are looking for every angle to create an exclusive and carefully delineated apostleship so as to separate their experiences in the first century from us as run-of-the mill Christians today. But is the Holy Spirit somehow different in our day? Is the last days of Joel not our time, when the Holy Spirit is poured out on all flesh? Were the apostles given a super-duper Holy Spirit we can't have?
Our answer to these questions is a resounding "no."
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