The Ordinary and Enduring Gifts of the Spirit -by William Barcley

Found here. Our comments in bold.

--------------------------

Let's quote the pertinent verses so that it's all together: 

Ro. 12:6-8 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.

It is interesting that the author chose to explain this passage and not 1 Corinthians chapters 12 - 14. He probably made this choice because 1 Corinthians is substantially more problematic to his cessationist doctrine. But even so, the author will have to find a way to explain away the gift of prophecy.

It will not be a good explanation. We must deem this Bad Bible Teaching.

---------------------

Scripture teaches that when Christ ascended, “he gave gifts” to all His people (Eph. 4:8). These gifts were given to strengthen and build up the church, the body of Christ. Some of the gifts were revelatory gifts, which were needed before the New Testament canon was completed.  We have God’s inerrant, eternal Word for His people. Now we do not need “extraordinary,” revelatory gifts. (??? The author drops in this assertion without discussion or context. Yet everything that follows is based on this undocumented statement.

First we note that the Bible does not describe certain gifts as "revelatory" or "extraordinary." All gifts are extraordinary as in they are all Holy Spirit manifestations:

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

Second, we assert that the current existence of "revelatory" gifts does not come to bear on the completed canon.

Third, it was not the purpose of NT prophecy to write the Bible.)

Most of God’s gifts in Scripture are “ordinary.” (Bible reference, please?)

Every believer has at least one God-given gift, though most have two or more. Moreover, all God-given gifts are to be used to serve the body of Christ, not to build ourselves up (1 Cor. 14:4).

We will focus on the seven gifts that Paul lists in Romans 12:3–8. Significantly, however, Romans 12 begins with an exhortation to “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God” (v. 1). One way that we do this is by using our gifts to serve Christ and His church. This requires humility. Paul begins this section with the exhortation to everyone “not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think” (v. 3). In Philippians 2, Paul uses Jesus as an example of humility. Humility is the mark of a servant, and God’s people must use their God-given gifts humbly.

The first gift that Paul lists is “prophecy” (Rom. 12:6). It is unclear in this text whether “prophecy” here refers to an extraordinary, revelatory gift, or to proclaiming (preaching or teaching) the Word of God. (No, it is not "unclear." This is the only gift the author will describe as unclear. In actual fact it's perfectly clear but problematic to the author.

Both prophecy and teaching are mentioned in the list. If prophecy is teaching, then teaching inexplicably appears twice with different words describing the same thing. That is nonsensical.)

John Calvin, along with many others, argued that it simply referred to proclaiming God’s Word. (Calvin was a cessationist and obviously needed to explain away the contradiction to his doctrine.)

Most likely, in Paul’s day, before the canon of Scripture was closed, “prophecy” here refers to authoritative, divine revelation that was given to the early church. (We do not determine doctrine by what is most likely. Let's revisit the phrase: If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith... This statement clearly has nothing to do with writing the Bible.) 

Today, the canon is closed. No one is to add to it. (No one disagrees.)

The Bible is the sole infallible source of authority given by God. (No one disagrees.) 

Preachers and teachers today are to proclaim to others what God has revealed in His Word. (The author is doing a dance. He's attempting to create a scenario that conforms to his doctrinal preconceptions. First he suggested that prophecy is teaching. He did this because he cannot have the possibility of contemporary  prophecy. Second, he goes on to try to explain why contemporary prophecy isn't possible.

He does this by use of the word "authoritative." This is a cessationist code word used to suggest that all prophecy is exactly like Scripture, and in fact needs to be added to our Bibles. Of course, there is no verse in the Bible that says this. It's a claim with zero Scriptural backing.

In fact, we see just the opposite. There's all sorts of prophecy, miracles, and other supernatural events that didn't make the canon. For example, some of the great exploits of King Solomon were not deemed worthy of inclusion in the Holy Writ. 

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 book of Acts. 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.

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 here that 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.

Because contemporary prophecy doesn't need to be added to the Bible, the closed canon is still safe, since it does not come to bear on prophecy.)

It is significant that prophecy heads the list. The preaching of the Word of God is God’s way to bring sinners to repentance. (Notice the author's thinking. Since prophecy isn't possible because of his doctrine, then prophecy must mean something else. Well, let's pick something. How about something important, like sermons? Yes, that's it. It must mean teaching. 

But as we noted, the two things are separate items in Paul's description of the spiritual gifts. Apparently the cognitive dissonance caused by the conflict between the author's doctrine and the Bible's teaching is too great to bear.)

As Paul writes, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17). Paul similarly wrote to the church in Galatia, “Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?” (Gal. 3:2). Preaching is central to God’s plan of salvation.

(...)

Dr. William B. Barcley is senior pastor emeritus of Sovereign Grace Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, N.C., and adjunct professor of New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary Charlotte. He is author of The Secret of Contentment and Gospel Clarity.