Cessationism is a theological teaching held by some Christians today. Cessationists believe that some practices of the New Testament have ceased and are not to be practiced or experienced by Christians today.
There are many examples of cessationist beliefs. Often these beliefs are held by Christians who never really think about them.
Spiritual Gifts
In the New Testament, spiritual gifts were a normal part of Christian and church life. Believers spoke in tongues, prophesied, experienced miracles, and had many other supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Today, many cessationists reject spiritual gifts like prophesying and speaking in tongues. They believe that such gifts are not for today.
Baptism in the Holy Spirit
In the New Testament, after people were born again, they were baptized in the Holy Spirit. The baptism in the Holy Spirit equipped them to be effective witnesses of Jesus.
Many cessationists today reject baptism in the Holy Spirit.
House Churches
In the New Testament, believers met together in house churches.
But many Christians believe that house churches are not for today, and they think we need “church” buildings instead.
Radical Church Practices
The early church in Jerusalem did radical things like sell their properties, live in community, share their possessions, and meet together daily.
Most Christians believe that such practices are not for today. They say such practices were only for the early church, but passed away with the apostles.
Apostles and Prophets
The early church was led by apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers.
Cessationists believe that some of these New Testament church leadership positions have passed away.
Love Feasts
In the New Testament, when the believers met together in church, they usually shared a meal called a love feast which included the Lord’s Supper.
Many Christians today believe that this common meal is not necessary for the church, and has passed away.
Cessationism is not Based on the Bible
Cessationism in its many forms is not based on the Bible.
The Bible never said that any of these practices would cease. There is no verse in the New Testament indicating that any of these things would cease prior to the return of Christ.
People believe these things have ceased primarily because of three reasons:
- They have never experienced these things.
- They have seen misuse of these things.
- They do not believe that God works the same way today that he worked in the first century.
First of all, experience is not a good determiner of spiritual truth. We must base our theology on the Bible, not on our experience or lack thereof.
Second, just because the devil twists a true doctrine doesn’t mean that we reject the entire doctrine. Some people misuse the doctrine of salvation, and believe that people are saved by works. But seeing this error we don’t reject the entire doctrine of salvation. It’s the same way with other doctrines like tongues and prophecy. Just because some people misuse these things doesn’t mean we throw out true tongues and prophecy.
Third, God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He never changes, and neither does his word. He wants to do the same things among his people that he did in the first century.
Cessationist Corrals
Not based on the word of God, Cessationism is a man-made theology that creates doctrinal corrals that fence God’s sheep in. These cessationist fences block Christians from believing and experiencing important parts of the New Testament.
Cessationist fences block Christians from believing in and experiencing spiritual gifts, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, house churches, and love feasts among other things.
These sheep pens are often maintained by false teachers. They employ man-made reasoning in order to block people from experiencing the riches of God.
Trapped inside cessationist corrals, God’s sheep are often hungry and thirsty for the Holy Spirit.
Reformation Means Breaking Down Cessationist Fences
Throughout history, bold men and women of God have confronted the false teachings of cessationism and torn cessationist fences down, setting God’s people free.
One such man was William Carey.
In the 1700s, most Christians believed that the Great Commission was only for the early church but not for the Christians of their own time. There was a cessationist fence blocking Christians from evangelizing the world.
William Carey saw through this lie. He convinced the Christians of his day to evangelize the lost.
Today, thanks to Carey and others, the cessationist fence around world evangelism is broken down, and missions have become a normal part of Christianity.
The Demolition of All Cessationist Fences
Cessationist fences are broken down whenever Christians recover Biblical truth.
In the past century, the cessationist fence blocking Christians from the spiritual gifts has been broken down. Most Christians today around the world are open to the spiritual gifts.
Many churches today have knocked down the cessationist fence around the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and they recovered a Biblical understanding that baptism in the Holy Spirit is subsequent to salvation.
Today people are breaking down the cessationist fence around New Testament church practices. They are recovering house church, the love feast, and the importance of Christian community.
It’s time for all cessationist fences to be broken down. It’s time for God’s people to embrace the fullness of the word of God. God wants to set his people free by his Holy Spirit so they can run out from the dry pens of cessationism into the green pastures of God’s full word and near the still waters of his Holy Spirit. He wants his church to come into maturity, and this will only happen as God’s people are free to embrace the fullness of God’s word and Spirit and are delivered from cessationism.
Bethel Cornerstone 