Continuing Purpose of Spiritual Gifts in the Church

Devotional

Day 1: Spiritual Gifts for Edification

The gifts of the Spirit were not solely for authenticating the apostles; they were also given for the edification and building up of God's people, a need that persists today. The spiritual gifts, as outlined in 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12, serve a purpose beyond the initial establishment of the church. They are meant to strengthen, encourage, and comfort believers, fostering a community that reflects the love and power of God. This ongoing need for edification suggests that the gifts of the Spirit are still relevant and necessary in the church today. [02:38]

1 Peter 4:10-11 (ESV): "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ."

Reflection: How can you use your spiritual gifts to edify and build up someone in your church community this week?

Day 2: Beyond Apostolic Authentication

Cessationists rightly emphasize the authority and sufficiency of Scripture, but their view often limits the purpose of spiritual gifts to apostolic authentication, neglecting their broader role in edifying the church. While the gifts did serve to confirm the apostles' ministry, they were also intended for the ongoing life and health of the church. The Bible provides multiple reasons for the gifts, such as the profit of all believers, edification, exhortation, and comfort, which are still needed among believers today. [02:06]

1 Corinthians 14:26 (ESV): "What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up."

Reflection: In what ways can you contribute to the building up of your church community, recognizing the broader purpose of spiritual gifts?

Day 3: The Profit of All Believers

The Bible provides multiple reasons for the gifts, such as the profit of all believers, edification, exhortation, and comfort, which are still needed among believers today. The spiritual gifts are not just for individual benefit but for the collective good of the church. They are meant to be shared and used to uplift others, creating a supportive and nurturing environment where everyone can grow in their faith. [05:37]

Romans 12:6-8 (ESV): "Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness."

Reflection: Identify a spiritual gift you have and consider how you can use it to benefit others in your church or community this week.

Day 4: Ongoing Need for Spiritual Gifts

The foundational work of apostles and prophets in the early church does not negate the ongoing need for spiritual gifts, as these gifts serve to profit, edify, exhort, comfort, and encourage God's people. The early church laid the groundwork, but the mission continues, and the gifts of the Spirit are essential tools for fulfilling that mission. They help believers navigate challenges, support one another, and remain steadfast in their faith. [08:32]

Ephesians 4:11-13 (ESV): "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."

Reflection: How can you actively seek to grow in your spiritual gifts to better serve and encourage those around you?

Day 5: Continuation of Spiritual Gifts

The gifts of the Spirit, including the more miraculous ones, have a continuing purpose in the church today, addressing needs that have not vanished. These gifts are not relics of the past but are vital for the church's present and future. They enable believers to experience God's power and presence in tangible ways, fostering a vibrant and dynamic faith community. [09:38]

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (ESV): "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good."

Reflection: Reflect on a miraculous gift of the Spirit you have witnessed or experienced. How did it impact your faith, and how can you remain open to such experiences in the future?

Sermon Summary

In this video, I explore the fifth reason why cessationism is incorrect, focusing on the purpose of the spiritual gifts. Cessationism, the belief that certain miraculous gifts of the Spirit ceased with the apostolic age, is challenged by the understanding that these gifts were not solely for authenticating the apostles. While it is true that the gifts served to confirm the apostles' ministry, as seen in 2 Corinthians 12:12 and Ephesians 2:20, their purpose extends beyond this. According to 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12, the gifts were also given for the edification and building up of God's people, a need that persists today.

I acknowledge that cessationists rightly expose fraudulent practices within Pentecostal and charismatic circles, emphasize the importance of Scripture, and trust in its authority and sufficiency. However, the cessationist view often limits the purpose of spiritual gifts to apostolic authentication, neglecting their broader role in edifying the church. The Bible provides multiple reasons for the gifts, such as the profit of all believers (1 Corinthians 12:7), edification, exhortation, and comfort (1 Corinthians 14:3), and the building up of the church (1 Corinthians 14:12, 14:27, 14:31).

The need for edification, exhortation, and comfort remains among believers today, suggesting that the gifts of the Spirit should continue to operate. The foundational work of apostles and prophets in the early church, as described in Ephesians 2:20, does not negate the ongoing need for spiritual gifts. These gifts serve to profit, edify, exhort, comfort, and encourage God's people, addressing needs that have not vanished. Therefore, the gifts of the Spirit, including the more miraculous ones, have a continuing purpose in the church today.

Key Takeaways

1. The gifts of the Spirit were not solely for authenticating the apostles; they were also given for the edification and building up of God's people, a need that persists today. [02:38]
2. Cessationists rightly emphasize the authority and sufficiency of Scripture, but their view often limits the purpose of spiritual gifts to apostolic authentication, neglecting their broader role in edifying the church. [02:06]
3. The Bible provides multiple reasons for the gifts, such as the profit of all believers, edification, exhortation, and comfort, which are still needed among believers today. [05:37]
4. The foundational work of apostles and prophets in the early church does not negate the ongoing need for spiritual gifts, as these gifts serve to profit, edify, exhort, comfort, and encourage God's people. [08:32]
5. The gifts of the Spirit, including the more miraculous ones, have a continuing purpose in the church today, addressing needs that have not vanished. [09:38]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:32] - Introduction to Cessationism
[01:20] - Three Things Cessationists Get Right
[02:19] - Main Point: Gifts Beyond Apostolic Authentication
[03:08] - Biblical Basis for Spiritual Gifts
[03:43] - Purpose of Spiritual Gifts
[04:45] - Misconceptions About Spiritual Gifts
[05:37] - Reasons for Spiritual Gifts
[06:11] - Edification, Exhortation, and Comfort
[07:21] - Misinterpretation of Prophecy
[08:16] - Continuing Need for Spiritual Gifts
[09:01] - God's Provision Through Spiritual Gifts
[09:58] - Conclusion: Continuation of Spiritual Gifts
[10:48] - Invitation for Feedback and Discussion

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading
- 1 Corinthians 12:7 - "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good."
- 1 Corinthians 14:3 - "But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort."
- Ephesians 2:20 - "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone."

Observation Questions

According to 1 Corinthians 12:7, what is the purpose of the spiritual gifts? How does this align with the sermon’s perspective on the gifts being for the profit of all believers? [05:37]
In 1 Corinthians 14:3, what are the three functions of prophecy mentioned? How does this relate to the ongoing need for spiritual gifts in the church today? [06:11]
How does Ephesians 2:20 describe the foundation of the church? What role do apostles and prophets play in this foundation according to the sermon? [08:32]

Interpretation Questions

The sermon suggests that the need for edification, exhortation, and comfort has not passed. How might this ongoing need influence the way we view the role of spiritual gifts today? [06:11]
How does the sermon challenge the cessationist view that spiritual gifts were only for apostolic authentication? What broader purposes for the gifts are highlighted? [02:38]
In what ways does the sermon suggest that the gifts of the Spirit continue to address needs within the church today? How does this perspective impact our understanding of spiritual gifts? [09:38]

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you experienced edification, exhortation, or comfort from someone using their spiritual gifts. How did it impact your faith journey? [06:11]
The sermon emphasizes the importance of spiritual gifts for the profit of all believers. How can you identify and use your spiritual gifts to benefit your church community? [05:37]
Considering the sermon’s view on the continuation of spiritual gifts, how can you remain open to the work of the Spirit in your life and church? What steps can you take to foster this openness? [09:38]
How can you discern between genuine spiritual gifts and fraudulent practices, as mentioned in the sermon? What role does Scripture play in this discernment process? [01:35]
The sermon highlights the need for ongoing edification in the church. What practical steps can your small group take to ensure that everyone is being built up and encouraged? [06:44]
How does understanding the broader purpose of spiritual gifts change your perspective on their role in the church today? What actions might you take to align with this understanding? [02:38]
Reflect on the foundational role of apostles and prophets in the early church. How can this historical perspective inform your approach to spiritual gifts and their application today? [08:32]

Sermon Clips

Cessationism is wrong because the gifts of the Spirit were not only given to authenticate the apostles. Here's my point here: the gifts of the Spirit, including the more apparently miraculous gifts, were not given only to authenticate the apostles and their message. [00:02:38]

According to First Corinthians 12 and Romans chapter 12, in those sections where they list the spiritual gifts, including some of the more apparently miraculous gifts, that the gifts were also given not only given to authenticate the apostles but also given for the edification, the building up of God's people. [00:03:08]

While the need for Apostolic authentication is passed, the need to build up God's people endures to the present day. Now again, I want to emphasize the point that part of the purpose of spiritual gifts, including the manifestly miraculous gifts, is to authenticate the ministry of the Apostles. [00:03:43]

The Bible tells us that there are many more reasons for the gifts of the Holy Spirit beyond that of authenticating the Apostles. Here's a few of those reasons: first of all, in First Corinthians 12:7, it says that the gifts of the Spirit are for the profit of all, not just the prophet of the Apostles. [00:05:37]

In 1 Corinthians 14:3, he says that he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. That was the function of the gift of Prophecy as described by the Apostle Paul in the early church: edification, exhortation, and comfort to men. [00:06:11]

The purpose for even the more manifestly miraculous spiritual gifts was more than to authenticate the apostles. It was to build up, to edify the church, to, as Paul says in verse three of 1 Corinthians 14, to speak edification and exhortation and comfort to men. [00:08:16]

There is no longer a need to authenticate Apostles or prophets in a New Testament sense in the church. I would agree with that completely in an Ephesians 2:20 sense, which says that the church is built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets with Jesus Christ being the Chief Cornerstone. [00:08:32]

There was a foundational work of Apostles and Prophets that had to happen in the first century Church. Ephesians 2:20 says it, and it makes sense that God would give unique evidence of the Apostles and Prophets for that. However, that wasn't the only purpose for these manifestly miraculous gifts of the Spirit to be given to the church. [00:09:01]

There is still a great need for God's people to all be profited, all to be edified, all to be exhorted, all to be comforted, all to learn and be encouraged. Friends, here's the simple truth I'm trying to get across: those needs still exist among the people of God today. [00:09:38]

According to the New Testament, God gives those gifts of the Spirit, even those which are more apparently or manifestly miraculous, to help with those things. The needs haven't vanished, and God's provision for those needs through the gifts of the Holy Spirit hasn't ceased. [00:10:48]

I think that the gifts of the Spirit, including the more manifestly miraculous ones, have continued on to the present day, and God has a purpose for them in the church today. Why? Based on that simple point that the gifts of the Spirit were not only given to authenticate the apostles. [00:11:48]

There is a continuing need and purpose for them in the church today. That's number five in my list of 10. Hope you can hang around and give me number for numbers 6 through 10 as well, but we love your feedback, we love your comments, we love your discussion. [00:12:32]

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Continuing Purpose of Spiritual Gifts in the Church

Devotional

Day 1: Spiritual Gifts for Edification

Day 2: Beyond Apostolic Authentication

Day 3: The Profit of All Believers

Day 4: Ongoing Need for Spiritual Gifts

Day 5: Continuation of Spiritual Gifts

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Continuing Purpose of Spiritual Gifts in the Church

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