Cessationism: Episode 10: Does God speak only through the Scriptures?

Our next Episode in the cessationism 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.

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.

Sola Scriptura

We find it ironic indeed that for many cessationists, Sola Scriptura is the rallying cry used simultaneously as a bludgeon to counter charismatics and to trumpet their own fidelity to the truth. Yet in so much of their writings they appeal to non-biblical sources. Adding further to the irony, we have noticed that many cessationist defenses we have read are noteworthy for their complete absence of Scripture!

Further, we would suggest that Sola Scriptura is unbiblical as currently professed by cessationists, which essentially asserts that the Bible alone is how God speaks today.

Originally, Sola Scriptura was part of what was originally The Three Principles of the Reformation, Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, and Sola Fides (only Scripture, only grace, only faith). These principles we articulated by the reformers to distinguish themselves from the Catholic church. It wasn't until the 20th century the other two (Sola Christus, Sola Deo Gloria) were articulated. These became became known as the Five Solas.

The reformers broke from the Catholic church for a variety of reasons, but especially the practice of elevating tradition over Scripture. Thus Sola Scriptura was not intended to say that there is no other revelation but Scripture, but rather, that the reformers no longer accepted the pronouncements of the Pope as binding in the matters of faith and doctrine, but only the Bible.

Thus, the original expression of Sola Scriptura had an entirely different focus than is currently employed today.

We have already discussed prophecy and also the closed canon. Today we consider the other ways God spoke and is speaking.

Even the most ardent cessationist must admit that God reveals Himself in other ways besides Scripture. Scripture is not, and has never been, the sole revelation of God. It is clear from Scripture that God has spoken and continues to speak in multiple ways.

We shall document the Scriptural basis for the varieties of God's communicating to human kind. We believe the testimony of Scripture is sufficient to establish our thesis.

It is worth noting that not every impression or prophecy or encouraging word is necessarily God speaking. That is why we weigh these expressions as per Scriptural command.

Please note that these categories are very general. For example, although we placed God's "audible voice" in the "past" category, we do not exclude the possibility of Him speaking audibly today.

Ways God Can Speak Today

• Creation

Job 12:7-9 But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; 8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. 9 Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? 

Ps. 19:1-2 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.

Ps. 96:11-13 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; 12 let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; 13 they will sing before the LORD...

Ps. 97:6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory.

Is. 55:12 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. 

Ac. 14:17 Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.

Ro. 1:20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

• An impression

1Ch. 13:1-2 David conferred with each of his officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 He then said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the LORD our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our brothers...

Lk. 1:3 Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you...

Ac. 15:28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements...

• The unrighteous/unspiritual

(Balaam) Nu. 22:31-32 Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell face down. 32 The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.

2Pe. 2:16 But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey — a beast without speech — who spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness. 

(Jonah) Jon. 1:3 But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port.

(King Saul) 1Sa. 10:6 The Spirit of the LORD will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them...

(Caiaphas) Jn. 11:49-50 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”

• The Scriptures

Lk. 24:27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

Ac. 17:2-3 As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he said.

2Ti. 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2Pe. 3:15-16 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. 

• The prophetic gift 

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

1Co. 12:8, 10 To one there is given through the Spirit ... prophecy...

1Co. 14:1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. 

1Co. 14:3 But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.

He. 12:25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 

• Music

Ex. 15:1 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: “I will sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea..."

2Sa. 22:1 David sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.

2Ch. 5:13-14 The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: “He is good; his love endures for ever.” Then the temple of the LORD was filled with a cloud, 14 and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God. 

Ep. 5:19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. 

Col. 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

• The Body

1Th. 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

1Co. 12:7-10 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.  

2Co. 13:1 “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” [Deut. 19:15]

• Circumstance

2Co. 1:8-9 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9 Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

Ph. 1:19 for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.

1Pe. 1:10-11 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 

• Dreams and visions 

Ge. 40:7-8 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why are your faces so sad today?” 8 “We both had dreams,” they answered, “but there is no-one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”

Ge. 41:25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.

Nu. 12:6 he said, “Listen to my words: “When a prophet of the LORD is among you, I reveal myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams.

Ez. 1:1 In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.

Da. 1:17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.

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.

Re. 1:10 On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet...

• Prayer

Da. 9:20-23 While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the LORD my God for his holy hill — 21 while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. 23 As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed.

Ac. 10:30-31 Cornelius answered: “Four days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31 and said, `Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor.

Ac. 16:25-26 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose.

Ac. 22:17-18 “When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw the Lord speaking. `Quick!’ he said to me. `Leave Jerusalem immediately, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’"

Ep. 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Ph. 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Phile. 22 And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.

James 5:15-16 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

1Pe. 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer...

Ways God Spoke in the Past

• Face-to face

Ge. 32:29-30 Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. 30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

Ex. 33:11 The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend.

Nu. 12:7-8 But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. 8 With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles...

Ju. 6:22 When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he exclaimed, “Ah, Sovereign LORD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!”

• An audible voice

Is. 30:21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

1Sa. 3:4 Then the LORD called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.”

Re. 4:1 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”

Ac. 9:4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

Mt. 3:17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Ac. 10:13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”

De. 4:12 Then the LORD spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice.

• The prophets of old

Ac. 3:24 Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days.

Ac. 10:43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Ro. 3:21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.

• The NT prophets

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.”

Ac. 15:32 Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.

1Jn. 5:9 We accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 

• The apostles

Ep. 3:4-5 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.

2Pe. 3:2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.

Jude 17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.