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Friday, July 15, 2016

Cessationism - Episode 3: Prophecy

Our next Episode in the cessationism series.

Additional Episodes:
Our criteria for the cessationism debate is that the argument must
  1. be from the Bible
  2. Not appeal to contemporary expressions of charismata
  3. Not appeal to silence
  4. Not appeal to events or practices of history
That is, any defense of cessationism must be Sola Scriptura.
--------------------

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.

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.

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.

This series will examine these and other claims.

Prophecy

Cessationists believe that there is no contemporary prophetic gift, that all the "supernatural gifts" of the Spirit ceased at the death of the last apostle. Cessationists therefore deem all contemporary prophetic utterance as either faked, mistaken, or from the devil.

Typical cessationist assertions that arise from this:
  • Prophecy is words from God, so as such if legitimate it is authoritative, and needs to be added to the Bible
  • The purpose of prophecy was to validate the apostles' ministry, and thus has ceased
  • Agabus was 100% correct
  • Prophecy needs to be 100% accurate
  • Prophecy has not changed from the OT to the NT
Does Prophecy Need to Be Added To the Bible?

Does any and all prophecy, whether contemporary or in biblical times, need to be added to Scripture? That is, is there a scriptural requirement that all prophetic expression be included in the Bible? This is a central point made by many cessationists, but we can find no verse that suggests such a thing. We can find no reference such a thing must take place. The claim is presumed, but never documented.

This requirement is not found in the Bible.

To the contrary, we see all sorts of prophecy, miracles, and other supernatural events that didn't make the cut, as it were. For example, some of the great exploits of King Solomon were not deemed worthy of inclusion in the Holy Writ. Readers are directed to the "annals of Solomon," something we do not have today:
1Kg. 11:41 As for the other events of Solomon’s reign — all he did and the wisdom he displayed — are they not written in the book of the annals of Solomon?
King Saul prophesied to the extent that the people wondered if he was included among the prophets. However, we don't have any of those prophecies:
1Sa. 10:10-11 When they arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit of God came upon him in power, and he joined in their prophesying. 11 When all those who had formerly known him saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, “What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?
Agabus was a N.T. prophet worthy of special note in the Church. It is interesting that only one of his prophecies was included in the narrative (and a summary of another), while any other prophecies he might have spoken were omitted:
Ac. 21:10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
Agabus' famine prophecy is only a summary, not the actual prophecy:
Ac. 11:27-28 During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world.
There are a number of prophets identified by name in the NT, yet we don't have any prophecies from them. Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, and Manaen:
Ac. 13:1-2 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
Notice there came forth a prophecy, but the narrative doesn't mention who spoke it. 

We also do not have any prophecies from Judas or Silas, even though they said much:
Ac. 15:32 Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.
And these twelve men prophesied, but we don't have a record of their prophecies:
Ac. 19:6-7 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.
Philip's daughters prophesied, but that all we know:
Ac. 21:8-9 Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
Even Jesus, as critically important are His words and deeds, was subject to editing by the Holy Spirit:
Jn. 21:25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.
We do not wish to belabor the point. Why would contemporary prophecy have the requirement imposed on it must be included as Scripture, when so much of the prophetic mentioned in the Bible was not? Conclusion: It's an unbiblical claim.

We address this issue further in Episode 4, the closed canon.

Was Prophecy to Validate the Apostles' Ministry?

We look at the idea that the miraculous validated the apostles' ministry here.

We search the Bible in vain to discover a single verse that tells us the prophetic was to validate the apostles' ministry. There are none. In fact, we don't find a single verse that tells us an apostle was pressed into engaging in an act of prophecy or healing to validate his ministry. We don't even find a Scripture that tells us an apostle prophesied. 

This is startling to us. There is no indication anywhere in Scripture that an apostle specifically prophesied, except John in Revelation does refer to "this prophecy." We know of course that there is a lot of prophetic material in the Bible. We would say the entire Bible represents one gigantic prophecy. The writers of the N.T., were definitionally prophets.

Nevertheless, we would expect something about apostolic validation via prophecy to be mentioned at least once somewhere. There would need to be, it seems, a Scripture record of NT prophecies spoken. There is not.

Indeed, the Church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. Ep. 2:20. So the Twelve apostles were foundational. But what about the prophets? Where in the Bible are the foundational N.T. prophecies recorded? Where are the books of NT prophecy, like, say, the Book of Agabus? One would think that if the purpose of the prophetic was to validate the apostles' ministry and be the foundation of the Church, there would be numerous N.T. accounts of apostles and prophets delivering foundational prophetic words, or a biblical record of validational prophet words.

Yet there isn't.

We would assert that prophecy wasn't restricted to the apostles. Prophets were pretty much everywhere in the Church. Prophecy was encouraged (1Co. 14:39), directed (1Co. 14:26), and common (He. 2:4).

Although we can't find anything about prophecy validating the apostles' ministry, we actually do discover a different purpose for prophecy. It is to build up and encourage the people:
1Co. 12:4-7 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 
1Co. 14:3-4 But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.
1Co. 11:4-5 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. 5 And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head — it is just as though her head were shaved.
1Co. 14:31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.
1Co. 14:39 Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
In point of fact, God intended the Church to be prophetic. Prophecy had a much broader purpose than the supposed validation of the apostles. It seems the whole of the church was prophetic.

Peter appeals the prophecy in Joel as proof that God was moving right before their eyes:
 Ac. 2:17-18 "In the last days," God says, "I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy."
The prophetic is a manifestation of Pentecost, the inauguration of the Last Days. We are still in the Last Days. We still have the outpoured Holy Spirit. Thus the prophetic validates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all people.

If we are still in the Last days, how then can the supernatural gifts end with the death of the last apostle? Both women and men will prophesy in the Last Days. The universal nature of this outpouring, which continues to present day, should characterize today's Last Days Church.

Indeed, God intended the Church to continue to have a variety of spiritual gifts for the express purpose of ministering to the people of the Church, maturing us, instructing us, drawing us together into the Body:
Ep. 4:11-14  It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.
Without so much as a break in the narrative, Paul lumps all the gifts together as necessary for the proper function of the Body:
Ro. 12:4-7 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
The Spiritual Gifts (pneuma charisma) are all supernaturally endowed. 
1Co. 12:7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
Thus to focus on certain spiritual gifts as uniquely supernatural misses the fact that every spiritual gift is a supernatural enablement. We do not say that mercy has ceased, though it is just as supernatural as a Word of Knowledge. God has not stopped giving spiritual gifts. The artificial distinctions between spiritual gifts is not found in the Bible. 

We conclude, therefore, that the purpose of the gifts, no matter what they are, are as Scripture says, mainly for the benefit of the Body.

Does Prophecy Need to be 100% Accurate?

Cessationists would reject all prophetic expression. They believe this gift has ceased. If prophecy has ceased, then all claimed prophecy would be necessarily false. Further, they say that N.T. prophecy is no different than O.T. prophets. That would mean that N.T. prophecy is to be 100% accurate. 

There is no NT verse that says this.

We freely admit that the O.T. puts a 100% accuracy standard on prophets:
De. 18:20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death.”
Yet Scripture commands us to weigh and test prophecy.
1Co. 14:29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 
1Jn. 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  
"Weigh" is diakrinó; I separate, distinguish, discern one thing from another; I doubt, hesitate, waver. ...to learn by discrimination, to try, decide. In the gathering of the assembly, all the people (the others should weigh carefully what is said.) "distinguish/separate" the words and "decide/discern" the good from the bad.

"Test" is dokimazo; I put to the test, prove, examine; I distinguish by testing, approve after testing; I am fit. to test, examine, prove, scrutinize (to see whether a thing be genuine or not), as metals.

Metals are tested for purity. The bad elements are separated out during the refining process. Similarly, the elements of prophecy are separated, good from bad. This means there must be an examination of the elements of the prophecy. Some of the prophecy is good and should be retained, while other parts are not good or not relevant. Weighing suggests evaluation, which excludes an up/down yes/no. 

This requires the gift of discernment, where the mature of faith evaluate the prophetic word.

1 Thes. 5:-19-22:
19 ...Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.
Who was the intended audience of these admonitions? Paul's opening statement:
1Th. 1:1 Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you.
Paul, Silas and Timothy were writing to the Thessalonian church. They were telling the church what it should do. The church was not to quench the Spirit or despise prophecies. The church was to test everything.

1Co. 13:9-10:
For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.
"In part" is meros, in part, partially, i. e. imperfectly. That is, N.T. prophecy is definitionally imperfect, we prophesy in part. There is no N.T. requirement for prophecy to be 100% accurate.

Put Them to Death

Cessationists assert that the standard for NT prophecy must be the same as the Deuteronomy standard. But they don't document this claim with any Scriptures. Let's requote the OT standard:
De. 18:20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death.
Cessationists never explain why we don't put false prophets to death. If one standard (100%) applies, then the other (put to death) must also apply. We do not get to ignore scriptural commands.

So if this standard regarding prophecy has changed, then other things might have changed as well. Indeed, we would suggest that many things have clearly changed. In the transition between the old covenant and the new, things are clearly different. 

Prophecy Has Changed

This brings us to the point where we need to compare O.T. and N.T. prophecy. We shall see that there's a substantial difference. 

What has changed?
1) Prophecy was very narrowly bestowed in the OT, but it is widely distributed in the NT: 
He. 2:4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. 
1Co. 14:5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy.
2) Prophecy in the OT was mostly directed at nations and peoples, and often spoke of God's judgment, while the NT prophetic is primarily edifying: 
1Co. 14:3 But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. 
1Co. 14:12 So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church. 
1Co. 14:31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.
Ro. 1:11-12 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong — 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. 
3) Prophecy in the OT was a full articulation of what God said, but NT prophecy is incomplete and imperfect.
 For we know in part and we prophesy in part... 1 Cor. 13:9
4) Prophecy in the OT flawless, but NT prophecy is partly obscured:
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. 1Co. 13:12 
5) We don't put false prophets to death, we ignore them or correct them:
 1Co. 14:37-38 If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.38 If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored. 
2Ti. 4:2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction.
6) In the OT, the prophet was judged. In the NT, the prophecy is judged.
1Co. 14:29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.
Was Agabus 100% Correct?

And what about Agabus? He didn't get a prophecy 100% correct. Now we know cessationists nit-pick this claim, but in actual fact, if 100% is the requirement, Agabus didn't do it. 

Here's Agabus' prophecy about what would happen to Paul:
Ac. 21:10-11 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, `In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles."
Here's what actually happened to Paul:
Ac. 21:30-33 The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. 31 While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done.
This may be a minor point, but remember, we are talking about the need for 100% accuracy on every detail. Even the small ones. So, did the Jews hand him over to the Gentiles? No, they were going to kill him (vs. 31), and The Romans seized him to rescue him from the mob. Did the Jews bind him? No, because vs. 33 clearly says that once the commander saw him he ordered him to be bound.

One commentator has asserted that Paul affirmed Agabus' prophecy:
Furthermore, after Paul was arrested he appealed to the words of Agabus, saying he was handed over to the Romans by the Jews (Acts 28:17), so it's clear he didn't think Agabus made a mistake.
Let's actually quote the verse:
Ac. 28:17: After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews, and when they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
On first glance it seems Paul was affirming that the Jews voluntarily handed him over to the Roman Guard. So rather than being seized from the hands of the murderous Pharisees, Paul was delivered by them to the Romans. That would mean Agabus didn't get that detail wrong, and in fact was correct because Paul affirmed the detail.

However, the Greek word for "handed over" is paradidómi: I hand over, pledge, hand down, deliver, commit, commend, betray, abandon. It is frequently translated as "delivered," but it is also translated as "betrayed" (Matthew 10:4, John 21:20).

John 21:20 is interesting, in that Judas did not physically deliver Jesus into the hands of the soldiers, he simply facilitated the event:
Jn. 21:20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”)
It is clear that the passive act of the Pharisees is not necessarily the deliberate intent to deliver Paul to the Roman guard. Thus, we can find nothing in this verse where Paul particularly affirms Agabus' faulty detail. Paul was simply relating how he arrived in Rome.

Was Paul 100% Correct?

Another example, this from Paul’s voyage to Rome:
Ac. 27:10 “Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.”
Paul actually makes a prediction, based on the circumstances, and pronounces a disasterous end. Then when faced with the predicted outcome, an angel appears to Paul with a new message:
Ac. 27:21-24 After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. 22 But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. 23 Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me 24 and said, `Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’"
Paul's prophecy was corrected by no less than an angel.

What About The Two Witnesses?

In Revelation we find that God will raise up two prophetic witnesses.
Rev. 11:3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.
Depending on your eschatology, believers in some form be around for this. Since cessationists summarily reject prophecy, they are setting up the scenario where Christians living at the time of the Two Witnesses would reject them for doctrinal reasons.

2Pe. 2:1:
But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.
Here we see false prophets and false teachers are mentioned together. Do we say that there is no teaching today because some teaching is false and knowledge has ceased? No, of course not. Teachers are human, operating in their understanding, experience, training, strengths and weaknesses. Should a false teacher be put to death in the manner of a false prophet? No, of course not.

A false teacher is different than a teacher who teaches something false or incorrect. Likewise, a false prophet is different than a prophet who prophesies something false or incorrect. The Body allows room for people to make mistakes and grow in what God has gifted them. Therefore, the prophetic ministry is something that must be refined and nurtured.

Miscellaneous Counterclaims
  • God still does miracles, though apart from the spiritual gifts
We have found a number of cessationist commentators who who maintain that they believe in the miraculous, but not the "miraculous" spiritual gifts. They try to cover for their doctrinal inadequacies by claiming that God still does miracles at key moments, but does not do them through specifically gifted Christians.

This means God still will heal, but the gift of healing no longer exists. God will still intervene in situations, but not because someone has prayed for it. 

This must lead us to a necessary conclusion: If God still does miracles, albeit not through the spiritual gifts, then God would also still provide prophecy, but again not through the gift of prophecy. But a cessationist would not assent to this idea. Prophecy has completely ceased, so there is no prophecy at all. 

This means the excuse is not valid, because cessationists pick and choose which miraculous things are allowed and which of them are not.
  • Scripture does not teach that anyone can learn how to prophesy.
In fact, prophecy can indeed be taught:
1Co. 14:32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.
The literal translation is of the verse is, "and spirits of prophets to prophets are subject." 

"Subject" is hupotassóto, submit to one's control; to yield to one's admonition or advice: absolutely... The Greek word is hierarchal. It is an authority arrangement within the group of prophets, where young prophets are trained and honed. That is, the prophetic ministry was facilitated, advised, and overseen by the prophets. This is specifically for training and direction in the prophetic activity of the church. 
He. 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
This refining of the gift of discernment means one can learn to discern. By extension, other spiritual gifts can also be honed by training and practice. 
  • Spiritual gifts are only distributed by the Holy Spirit and therefore cannot be learned (1 Corinthians 12:11). 
Then how is it that we are to desire to excel in certain gifts?
1Co. 14:12 So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.
The prophetic gift, like any gift, can be "eagerly desired."[1Co. 14:1]. We can "fan into flame" spiritual gifts [2Ti. 1:6]. 
  • Prophets must be godly and mature
This was not universally true in the Bible. Mostly, prophets were respected, godly men in ancient Israel, but not all of them were. For example these men were not:

Saul: 1Sa. 10:10-11 
Balaam: Nu. 24:1
Jonah: Jon. 4:1

In the NT, it is certainly true that anyone who has authority in the Church must be mature and godly. And generally speaking, our observation is that those in the prophetic ministry tend to be some sort of leadership in the church.

However, there will be younger people who are just beginning to discover their spiritual gifts. They should be governed and trained by the mature people in the church (1Co. 14:32). Therefore, these younger ones will likely be prone to mistakes. 

Further, since a spiritual gift is not an indicator of maturity (witness the Corinthian church), we also know that the prophetic gift will operate through a person in unrepentant sin. This is a difficult thing. We don't want to affirm the ungodly in their sin simply because they speak forth prophetic truth. But we don't want to ignore the fact that God does in fact use unholy vessels to speak His word.

It is a matter of careful consideration by those who are mature and spiritual leaders.
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