The Duration of Prophecy: How Long Will Prophecy Be Used in the Church? (Part 2) by Wayne A. Grudem

13. The view that miracles died out early in the history of the church was argued at length by Benjamin B. Warfield, Miracles: Yesterday and Today, True and False (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1953), formerly published as Counterfeit Miracles, 1918. It should be noted that Warfield’s argument, though frequently quoted, is really a historical survey, not an analysis of biblical texts. Moreover, Warfield’s purpose was not to refute any use of spiritual gifts among Christians like those in much of the charismatic movement today, whose doctrine (on all matters other than spiritual gifts) and whose church affiliation put them in the mainstream of evangelical Protestantism. Warfield rather was refuting the spurious claims to miracles which had come from some branches of Roman Catholocism at various periods in the history of the church from various heretical sects. It is open to question whether modern-day cessationists are right to claim Warfield’s support when opposing something far different in doctrine and life from what Warfield himself opposed. Warfield’s position has come in for criticism from evangelical historians as well. See Max Turner, “Spiritual Gifts Then and Now,” 41-43, with notes to other literature; Donald Bridge, Signs and Wonders Today (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 1985), 166-177; and Ronald A. Kydd, Charismatic Gifts in the Early Church (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 1984).

“The Duration of Prophecy” is Chapter 12 of The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today by Wayne A. Grudem, Copyright © 1988, 2000, Revised Edition, Pp. 400. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois 60187. Publisher’s page.

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Category: Spirit, Summer 2001