Heresy Hunters vs the Holy Spirit
HERESY HUNTERS vs THE HOLY SPIRIT (# 25)
# 25: Heresy Hunters vs Paul. Cessationists insist that our Lord Jesus has terminated the miraculous/supernatural, claiming that only apostles are so gifted. And since there are no apostles today, there are no miraculous manifestations today. No apostles today? Hmmm. Let’s listen to Paul….
Paul to the Ephesians: “He Himself [Jesus] gave some to be apostles.” Let’s stop there. Is Paul referring only to the twelve apostles and himself? Or were there apostles throughout church history? Paul continues, “[Jesus] gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.” These are ministry gifts. Their purpose? Paul writes: “Till we all come…. to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of Christ.” If you agree that we have not yet attained “the stature of Christ”, you must also agree the entire fivefold ministry is still in effect.
Apostles are obviously required today as much as prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. Now remember, cessationists teach only apostles heal. Since there must be apostles today…. and if apostles have the power to heal…. there must be healings today. That being so, isn’t it heresy to teach otherwise?
There were and there are “false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.” Who and where are today’s “false apostles”? H-hunters allege they are located in the charismatic/word-faith camps. To this I agree! But they are also in the cessationists-heresy hunters camp, perhaps in greater number.
In fact, the manifestation of the Holy Spirit was not and are not limited to apostles. Paul taught the Corinthians they were all gifted. (Paul: “Distributing to each one individually as He wills.”) One of the gifts was “gifts of healings”. Many today have been given this gift and don’t know it and will never know it. H-hunters have damaged Christ’s church with their “doctrines of demons” including their teaching that Jesus no longer does the miraculous. Sad. Very sad.