Three Minutes in Theology Cessationism

The Final Word in Christ and the Apostles

Welcome to Three Minutes in Theology, I'm Allen Nelson, pastor of Perryville Second Baptist Church in Perryville, Arkansas. Today we're going to be tackling the subject of is the gift of prophecy still in effect.

Today?

Are the revelatory gifts of the Holy Spirit still in operation in the church today? Things like prophecy, speaking in tongues, etc. My answer is no, they are not. And the scripture I want to turn to for that is in Hebrews chapter 1, verse 1 and 2.

Author of Hebrews says, Long ago at many times and in many ways God spoke to our fathers by the prophets. But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

Now understand that in three minutes time I'm not going to necessarily convince somebody one way or the other, but I want to begin to put a thought into your mind about this subject. And the thought is this, that God has given us a final word in his Son, in the Lord Jesus Christ, and by extension his apostles.

We put their ministry as one and the same in the terms of a message from God. In fact, Jesus didn't write any books of the Bible, his apostles did, right? Or close associates of the apostles. So God has given us a final word in the ministry of Christ and by extension in the writing of his apostles.

The Sufficiency and Finality of Scripture

There's nothing else that we're waiting for. Long ago and in many times in diverse manners, God spoke to the Jewish people in a variety of ways. He spoke to Moses through the burning bush. He spoke to Joseph in dreams.

Many ways in different manners. But in these last days, these final days, he's spoken to us in Christ and in the ministry of the apostles. And so that is a final word and the Bible is all sufficient, authoritative, clear, necessary.

The Bible is all we need to know God and live for God. Let me read to you Owen's quote about this, John Owen. He said, since the finishing of the canon of the scripture, the church is not under that conduct as to stand in need of such new extraordinary revelations.

It doth indeed live upon the internal gracious operations of the spirit, enabling us to understand, believe, and obey the perfect, complete revelation of the will of God already made. But new revelations it hath neither need nor use of.

And to suppose them or necessity of them not only overthrows the perfection of the scripture, but also leave with us uncertain whether we know all that is to be believed in order unto salvation or our whole duty, or when we may do so.

For it would be our duty to live all our days in expectation of new revelations, wherewith neither peace, assurance, nor consolation is consistent. So brothers and sisters, God does not continue to speak in an audible voice to people and prophetic visions to people.

Cessationism and the Completed Canon

God has given us a final and complete word in the completed canon of scripture, a sufficient word in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Trust the word, get in the word, learn the word, believe the word, love the word, live out what the word says.

This is Soli Deo.