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Spiritual
Gifts
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PFRS Home > Doctrinal Studies > Spiritual Gifts >
Spiritual Gifts
PFRS articles on the role of spiritual gifts should be viewed in light of our basic philosophy described in the PFRS Philosophy and Methodology section. Understanding the role of the Apostles of Christ in founding His Church is a prerequisite to understanding our position on spiritual gifts. In a nutshell, we believe that
part of Jesus' mission to earth was to deliver the Father's message (John
7:16, 8:26). Jesus trained and sent His chosen Apostles to the nations to
proclaim and establish the Christian Faith. The signs were intended to validate
the Apostolic ministry and message, as well as their testimony of His resurrection.
That is, the supernatural gifts were given primarily through the Apostles'
hands as a testimony and confirmation of those twelve men (the Eleven plus
Paul) as the personal ambassadors of Jesus Christ. The Apostles were entrusted with the responsibility
of laying the foundation of Jesus' Church. Towards this end, they were trained
by Jesus Himself. And after the ascension, the Holy Spirit completed their training
just as Jesus promised them, (John 14:26, 16:13). In this way, the Apostles fully established
the Christian Faith in its entirety in their lifetimes, as revelation was progressively given to the Church through them. Once the mature
Christian Faith was fully established and deposited in Apostolic local churches,
the confirmation of supernatural signs and wonders were no longer necessary,
because there was no further need of new revelation. Our view is "cessationist"
regarding the gifts, but only in the sense of acknowledging what history clearly records: that
the original gifts ceased when the generation that knew the Apostles died. We seek to explain why this occurred
based on what the Bible says about the purpose of the gifts. The gifts did cease.
And we believe the New Testament tells us why.
We take no definite position on whether God has or may at some point give similar gifts.
But, we see nothing in Scripture to indicate a prophesied restoration of the gifts in the end times.
The exception, of course, being the "two witnesses" in Revelation who will prophesy for 1,260 days, as forerunners to Christ's second coming.
The gifts recorded in the New Testament were permanent abilities given to specific people by the Spirit through the Apostles'
hands. Despite the cessation of the gifts, God has always worked among His people in supernatural ways.
He still heals and does all kinds of supernatural things. However, in the absence of the New Testament gifts,
modern interventions by God are typically responses to prayers of faith rather than acts done by "gifted" persons. |
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