Cessationism - Episode 1, Introduction and the Perfect

Today we are beginning a cessationism series, topic by topic. We need to say right at the start that we are not theologians, We are simply interested in biblical answers. Unfortunately, the answers we receive from cessationists are extremely unsatisfying from a scriptural and logical standpoint. Thus, this series.

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?

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.
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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.

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.

The Perfect

Many, but not all, cessationists start their cessationism with assumptions about the Perfect, so we also shall start there.

The Perfect is mentioned in 1 Co. 13:8-10:

But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 

Many cessationists point to these verses to suggest that the Perfect is the completed Bible, and because we have the Perfect Bible, it means prophecy, knowledge, and tongues have ceased. So that makes the perfect Bible the culmination of all of God's revelation, and the things Paul identifies as ceasing have therefore ceased.

Cessationists and charismatics alike agree that these things will cease, and that this does happen at the Perfect. However, charismatics do not believe the Bible is the Perfect. Here's a cessationist author who thinks "the perfect" does not mean the Bible. Here's another cessationist with a very good discussion regarding the Perfect.

Suffice to say, the latest cessationist thinking rejects 1 Co. 13:8-10 as a cessationist proof text.

The Passage, 1Cor. 12:27-14:1

We will present the larger passage so that the flow and context of Paul's presentation can be seen. This is important for seeing Paul's train of thought. The quote starts at 1Cor. 12:27 and ends at 14:1. 

In chapter 12 Paul has been explaining to the Corinthian church how the Body of Christ ought to work and how the spiritual gifts are to operate in it. He explains the variety of spiritual gifts which are apportioned by the Holy Spirit, and how they are to work together for the common good. He now turns to his audience and tells them that he's talking about them:

1Co. 12:27-31 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.

29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts.

Paul's premise is that we together are the Body of Christ, and we need each other and cannot diminish or overlook everyone's place in it. He tells them that in the body of Christ everyone has spiritual gifts, but not everyone has all gifts. There is variety, a distribution, and in fact, a hierarchy of Spiritual gifts. 

Thus, he tells the Corinthians to pursue, ζηλόω (zeloo), to desire one earnestly, to strive after, the greater gifts.

He now sets us up for the environment in which the gifts operate: Love.

1Co. 12:31 And now I will show you the most excellent way.

1Co. 13:1-3 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Now he tells us what love is like:

1Co. 13:4-8 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails.

Paul tells us that love endures, while the gifts must manifest in love. We must be lovers of Christ and lovers of His Body in order to properly express the gifts. Paul is teaching that the gifts are inferior to love, for they will pass while love remains.

Why? Because something greater than the imperfect expression of the gifts is coming, and it's perfection.

The things that will cease at the Perfect are prophecies, tongues, and knowledge:

1Co. 13:8 But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

 We discuss Tongues in greater depth here, and prophecy here.

We would first suggest that the cessationist view is problematic. Why? Because most cessationists assert that tongues must be real human languages. But we are pretty sure that cessationists do not really believe that every tongue (human language) has ceased. Yet Paul says tongues will cease. And tongues (languages) have not, in fact, ceased.

Indeed, neither has all knowledge ceased. So if neither tongues nor knowledge have ceased, then prophecy has not ceased. The logical string for this conclusion would be:

• Premise: When the Perfect comes, tongues (human language), knowledge, and prophecy will all cease. 
• Observation: Tongues and knowledge have not ceased. 
• Extension: Therefore, prophecy also has not ceased.
• Conclusion: The Perfect has not yet come. 

What is the Perfect? 

1Co. 13:9-10 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

So "we" (Paul includes himself) have only partial knowledge and partial prophecy (Literally, In part we know and in part we prophesy.) "In part" is meros, in part, partially, i. e. imperfectly. So the coming Perfect remedies the fact that we have partial, imperfect knowledge and partial, imperfect prophecy. 

This observation, which we think is obvious from the text, ought to raise the hackles of cessationists, because they believe prophecy is required to 100% accurate. We discuss this here.

Let's examine the word Perfect itself. As mentioned, many cessationists say the Perfect is the Bible. However, cessationist Tom Pennington admits that there is no scriptural evidence that the Perfect is indeed referring to the Bible. The same with Tom Schreiner. 

We would suggest that one must approach this verse with cessationism in mind in order to conclude it is a cessationist Scripture. In fact, there are two assumptions cessationists make. One, they assume that the Perfect (teleion) means "all finished;" and two, that they assume this refers to the completed Bible.

So we should examine if teleion actually does mean "all finished," as in the Bible is "all finished," and this is what teleion is referring to. Strong's tells us that the meaning of teleion is much more than simply "finished." The definition is (a) complete in all its parts, (b) full grown, of full age, (c) specially of the completeness of Christian character.  And this is what we find when we review the uses of teleion  in the NT. "Teleion" is found 19 times in 17 verses. We will discover that there is no example of this word being used in describing Scripture:

Mt. 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. 

Mt. 19:21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Ro. 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.

1Co. 2:6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.

1Co. 13:8-10 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 perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

1Co. 14:20 Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.

Ep. 4:13 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.

Ph. 3:15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.

Col. 1:28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.

Col. 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.

He. 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

He. 9:11 When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation.

Ja. 1:4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 

Ja. 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Ja. 1:25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he does.

Ja. 3:2 We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.

1 Jn. 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

The Perfect is Maturity - Christ-likeness of the Body

Generally speaking, we can see that teleion refers to maturity, completeness, being fully formed, or adult-like. Therefore, there is no reason to accept that the meaning of teleion would be referring to the Bible in the sole example of 1Cor. 13:10. Such a conclusion has to be inferred based on one's preconception, not the testimony of Scripture.

In fact, we can clearly see from these Scriptures that teleion cannot mean the finished Bible. Rather, teleion seems to indicate all grown up, mature, having arrived at a place of destination in life or in the faith, or a characteristic of obtaining what was aspired to.

This is a common concept regarding the individual believer's journey to Christ-likeness. Paul writes,

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus. Ph. 3:13-14

Peter counsels us to be the same way: 

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 2Pe. 3:14

We would also consider the process of the maturity and unity of the Body to be in view here: 

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2Co. 3:18

This all is in preparation for the Bridegroom: 

Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. Re. 19:7-18

Interestingly, right in 1 Cor. 13, Paul employs this very imagery of maturity and adulthood to describe the Perfect: 

1Cor. 13:11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.

That which is imperfect is compared to childishness, while the Perfect is compared to being a grown up man. The Bible is not grown up from childishness. Paul tells us directly that the Perfect is related to growing up to maturity, i.e., completeness, fullness.

Now Paul makes additional analogies, and he does this to describe our current state as compared to what we will be. After the mention of the Perfect, Paul immediately turns to "I" and "we," describing our present imperfect state, and what happens when maturity comes. Paul is connecting the Perfect to maturity:

1Co. 13:12a Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. 

Can we and the Bible see each other "face to face?" Certainly not. Every other reference to "face to face" (Gen 32:30, Ex 33:11, Num 12:8, Num 14:14, Deut 5:4, Deut 34:10, Jud 6:22, 2 Ki 14:8, 2 Chro 5:17, Jer 32:4, Jer 34:3, Ez 20:35, 2 Cor. 10:1, 2 Jn 12, 3 Jn 14) refers to meeting someone in person. We believe "face to face" is seeing Jesus our savior once we have fully put off our old selves (Eph. 4:22). At that time we will be raised with a spiritual body (1Cor. 15:44), for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1Cor. 15:50). That is the arrival of the Perfect, the pure and spotless bride.

At present we know in part and we prophesy in part. We don't have the full picture. We can't see perfectly clearly. We are immature in spiritual things. But at some point we will see face to face, and we will fully know. Then we will not be childish. We will be mature or complete (teleion) at that time.

1Co. 13:12b Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

Paul's use of the personal pronoun "I" is telling. Paul includes himself in the partial imperfect knowledge, and notes that when the Perfect comes he shall know fully. But Paul did not live to see the Perfect, if the Perfect is the Bible. The canon was not complete. But yet he speaks of a time when he will indeed know fully. So the Perfect cannot be the Bible, because Paul believed he would see the Perfect.

In addition, if the Bible is the Perfect, how can it fully know us? It can't. The Bible is not a person and cannot know us.

We would assert that it is clear the Perfect cannot refer to the Bible, but rather to the saints, in the process of sanctification, to be presented to the Son as a pure spotless bride, then we shall see face to face.

Even After Describing the Perfect, We Are to Continue to Desire the Greater Gifts

And finally, the last quote:

1Cor. 13:13-14:1 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.

So after telling the Corinthians about the Body and its operation, giving the context for the expressions of the Body, and then telling them that something better is coming, he tells them again to pursue (zeloo) the gifts!

In fact, he tells them in 1 Co. 14:26 that All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. The purpose of that which will cease is to build up and mature the Body of Christ.

Conclusion

Does it strike the reader as odd that Paul would spend so much time explaining and giving context about what must be done for the strengthening of the church, if those things were to be passing away soon and thus weren't really that important? After all, if the perfect Bible is coming in only a few years, why bother spending so much time on what is passing away? And even more importantly, why does the perfect Bible arrive to us including these instructions, corrections, and all sorts of explanations and rules for the supernatural gifts if the perfect Bible itself would supposedly soon supplant them?

This means there is no need for large portions of the Bible to even be there. All the instructions to the Apostles. Every mention of the spiritual gifts. All irrelevant and even nonsensical to any succeeding generation of Christians.

The Bible is simply written down prophecy. Can the cessationist explain how the imperfect becomes the Perfect simply by being written down?

It doesn't make sense, unless your presupposition is that the supernatural gifts have ceased. In other words, you must use as evidence what you set out to prove.