Praying in the Spirit: That Glorious Day When Tongues are Not Needed: Until Then … Part 2
Figure 3 is a chart of some post-apostolic writers or writings along with the gifts of the Spirit that were functioning at the time of the writings.
There is now no justification for denying that the gifts of healings, miracles, tongues, interpretation, and prophecy survived the twelve Apostles or their disciples. The post-apostolic church prior to AD 200 was indeed charismatic (Kydd, p.87). And the only two post-apostolic writers who are quoted by the cessationists for their explicit statements that tongues had ceased are John Chrysostom (AD 407) and Augustine (AD 430). Even here the statements of these two may suggest that they were trying to quench current practices that they disagreed with (Carroll, p.84; Burgess, p.126), somewhat like cessationists are doing today. (It should be noted, however, that Augustine does testify to healings and miracles in his time (Burgess, pp. l90-l92)).
Although early church writings are chock-full of references and allusions to the supernatural, including the controversial charismata, by the middle of the third century these gifts (or the recording of them) did begin to wane. Hunter writes that the medieval period, beginning in the fifth century and lasting into the fifteenth, yields the least evidence of tongues-speaking. On the basis of his research, however, he concludes that “there may not be a century without tongues-speech appearing somewhere among Christians” (JETS, p. 135).
Cessationist Hoekema implies that the Pentecostal doctrine of charismatic continuity through the centuries maligns God since God is to be blamed for allowing the gifts to practically die out. I believe the fallacy of this argument is apparent when we extend its logic to salvation by grace—that is, God is to blame for allowing the doctrine of salvation by grace to diminish because of teachings of the medieval church. If God is to blame, it is only in the sense that His instrument in this world—the Body of Christ—did not appropriate the power of the Holy Spirit continuously through the ages. God did not impoverish His people; they impoverished themselves!
Finally, it should be acknowledged that this cessationist argument is not based on Scripture, nor is it based on doctrinal teachings. It seems to be based upon supposed experience, or even worse, the assumed absence of records of the experience in post-apostolic literature. The anti-charismatic writings of Chrysostom and Augustine, which are widely quoted, are based on those men’s beliefs or opinions; they offer no scriptural support of the cessation of the gifts of the Spirit. It should be remembered that the writings of the early Church fathers have no more or less authority than any book written today.
A day is coming when prophecies, words of knowledge, and tongues shall cease. When that day arrives, no one will be rejoicing more ecstatically than the charismatics. But until then…
PR
Works Cited
Anderson, Sir Robert. Spirit Manifestations and “The Gift of Tongues.” Wilmington, Del.: Cross Publishing, n.d.
Barrett, C. K. A Commentary on the First Epistle of the Corinthians. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1968.
Baxter, Ronald E. The Charismatic Gift of Tongues. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1981.
Brumback, Carl. “What Meaneth This?” A Pentecostal Answer to a Pentecostal Question. Springfield, MO: Gospel Publishing House, 1947.
Burgess, Stanley M. The Spirit and the Church: Antiquity. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers, 1984.
Cantelon, Willard. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit and Speaking with God in the Unknown Tongue, rev. ed. Plainfield, N.J.: Logos International, 1971.
Carroll, R. Leonard. “Glossolalia: Apostles to the Reformation.” The Glossolalia Phenomenon. Wade H. Horton, ed. Cleveland, Tenn.: Pathway Press, 1966.
Chantry, Walter J. Signs of the Apostles: Observations on Pentecostalism Old and New, rev. ed. Edinburgh, England: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1976.
Conzelmann, Hans. I Corinthians: A Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians. James W. Leitch, trans. Hermeneia-A Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1975.
Cook, F. C. The Bible Commentary Vol. 9. 1871. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1981.
Coppes, Leonard J. Whatever Happened to Biblical Tongues? Phillipsburg, N.J.: Pilgrim Publishing Company, 1977.
Category: Spirit, Summer 2000
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