And A Relationship Sustained By Religion
The Heart of the Gospel
The heart of the gospel is not merely forgiveness of sins, but full reconciliation and fellowship — that God the Father and His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, would make their home with us by way of God’s own Spirit, the Spirit of Truth (John 14:23, John 17:3, John 16:13).
The Bible is not an end in itself, but a testimony meant to lead us into a living, personal relationship with the supernatural God, such as that experienced by godly people recorded throughout the Holy Scriptures (John 5:39-40). Jesus taught that the Father seeks worshipers who will worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24), and He gave the Spirit of truth to His disciples following His resurrection and glorification on the Day of Pentecost (John 16:13, Acts 2:1-4).
Manifestations of the Spirit of Christ
The importance of the gifts and manifestations of the Holy Spirit is clearly seen in the fact that the Apostle Paul devoted three full chapters in 1 Corinthians (chapters 12, 13, and 14) to this subject — making it the heart of the letter.
It is ironic that many cessationists claim the main problem in Corinth was that the believers were overusing the gifts. In reality, Paul commended them, saying they came behind in no gift (1 Corinthians 1:7). The real problems among some of the saints in Corinth were: divisive pride in their favorite preachers, leniency toward a case of fornication worse than the Gentiles, calling Jesus accursed, attempts to forbid speaking in tongues, and denial of the eventual resurrection of believers.
Paul’s correction was to urge the believers not to be ignorant of spiritual gifts, but rather to earnestly desire these manifestations of the Spirit of Christ for the edification of the church as a whole and for each member individually (1 Corinthians 12:1, 12:31, 14:1, 14:12). He taught that when a person speaks in tongues, he speaks mysteries to God, edifies himself, and his spirit prays, even though his understanding is unfruitful. Jude connects this directly when he commands believers to build themselves up in their most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, keeping themselves in the love of God (Jude 1:20-21). Paul thanks God that he speaks in tongues and desires all of them to speak in tongues as well. He affirms further by saying he will both pray and sing with the spirit and with the understanding, and that to bless with the spirit is to give thanks well, even though no one understands him. Noting that praying, singing, and blessing are recognized forms of worship draws us to conclude that praying in the Spirit, singing in the Spirit, and blessing with the Spirit are forms of worship in spirit and in truth — even though the understanding is unfruitful and others do not understand what is being said.
The Purpose of the Gifts
The Apostle Paul makes clear that these manifestations of the Spirit of Christ are for the edification of the church and of individual believers in faith, hope, and love (1 Corinthians 13). Therefore, these best gifts are manifested for the stimulation and encouragement of the production of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), the first of which is love.
Throughout Scripture, from the Patriarchs and Prophets to the Lord Jesus and His Apostles, and every God-fearing person in between, the Lord confirmed His Word with signs and miracles following, often in unprecedented ways (Mark 16:20, Acts 14:3, Romans 15:19, Hebrews 2:4). God has such a longstanding precedent of performing the unprecedented that it has become the signature of the Creator.
The Central Role of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is not an afterthought. Before Jesus began His ministry, John the Baptist introduced Him as the One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11). Jesus told the Samaritan woman that the water He gives becomes a well of water springing up into everlasting life (John 4:14), and later declared that out of the believer’s belly would flow rivers of living water — speaking of the Holy Spirit (John 7:38-39).
The Holy Spirit is called the gift of God and is the down payment of our inheritance (Acts 2:38, Ephesians 1:13-14). Since one Person of the Trinity is given as a deposit, the full payment must be the complete presence of all three Persons of the Trinity making Their home with us.
Jesus taught that he who is faithful with little will be given much. Therefore we must be faithful with the Holy Spirit — appreciating His work and manifestations, and regularly praying in the Spirit — if we are to receive the full measure of what God has prepared.
Resisting the Holy Spirit
Resistance to the manifestations of the Holy Spirit is nothing new. Stephen, speaking before the Sanhedrin — men who were well-trained and highly knowledgeable in the Scriptures — boldly declared, “You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you” (Acts 7:51).
Even in the earliest church, while the Apostles were still present, Paul had to command believers, “Do not forbid speaking in tongues” (1 Corinthians 14:39); “Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophesying” (1 Thessalonians 5:19-20).
This same resistance continues today by those who champion the cessationist error.
Cessationists often claim that “when that which is perfect has come” in 1 Corinthians 13:10 refers to the completed New Testament. But Paul connects this directly to the time when “we shall see face to face” and “know fully, even as we are fully known.” This can only refer to the resurrection and our entrance into the New Jerusalem, where God’s servants will see His face (Revelation 22:3-4). It has nothing to do with the completion of the biblical canon.
This pattern of rebuttal exposes a telling inconsistency. When the “completed canon” interpretation of 1 Corinthians 13:10 is shown to be exegetically untenable, the cessationist argument does not collapse — it simply relocates. The goalposts move. The claim now becomes that sign gifts were uniquely apostolic, intended to authenticate the founding generation of the church, and therefore ceased with the last apostle.
This second argument appeals to Ephesians 2:20, which describes the church as built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and to Hebrews 2:3-4, where God is said to have confirmed the message of salvation with signs, wonders, and gifts of the Holy Spirit.
But neither text carries the cessationist weight assigned to it.
Ephesians 2:20 establishes the authority of apostolic teaching as the doctrinal foundation of the church — it says nothing about a cessation mechanism for spiritual gifts. The same letter, just two chapters later, names apostles and prophets as gifts given to the church “until we all reach the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, and mature manhood, the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13). The stated duration is Christlike maturity and corporate unity — a condition no one credibly argues the church has attained.
Hebrews 2:3-4 is historical testimony, not a cessation prophecy. It records that God attested the message through signs, wonders, and distributions of the Holy Spirit “according to His will.” That final phrase is decisive: God distributes these gifts sovereignly, not according to an era. No expiration date is given or implied.
The cessationist understanding of “apostle” also quietly narrows a category the New Testament itself keeps broader. Barnabas is called an apostle (Acts 14:14), as are Andronicus and Junia (Romans 16:7), and the language of 1 Thessalonians 2:6 encompasses Silas and Timothy alongside Paul. A gift-cessation argument built on the closure of the Twelve is not a conclusion the New Testament drives — it is a premise imported from outside it.
The migration from one argument to another — from completed canon to apostolic authentication — reveals the true structure of the cessationist case: not an exegesis that arrives at cessation, but a prior commitment to cessation in search of an exegesis.
Conclusion
Cessationism undermines these clear commands and promises. By teaching believers to fear and reject the manifestations of the Spirit of Christ, it cuts people off from the very means God gave us for intimate fellowship with Him.
In summary, cessationism is not a minor theological difference. It is a serious error that weakens the foundation of the faith by removing the supernatural confirmation and relational communion that the New Testament clearly expects to continue in the church.
May our experiences with Jesus today compare with those of yesterday, as recorded by the Apostle John:
And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written (John 21:25).
We partake in eternal life through knowing God and Jesus Christ.
Joh 17:1-3 Jesus spoke these words, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that Your Son may also glorify You: 2 As you have given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.
“Knowing about” is no substitute for “knowing”.
- The Pharisees knew about both God and Jesus Christ, but they did not actually know God and did not, therefore, partake of eternal life from God.
- Same with the false prophets, wolves-in-sheep’s clothing Jesus warned about in Mat 7:15-23 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You shall know them by their fruits…. 21 Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name? And in Your name have cast out devils? And in Your name done many wonderful works?’ 23 And then I will profess to them, ‘I never knew you: Depart from me, you that work iniquity.’
- The unclean spirits and demons know about both God and Jesus Christ, but they do not have the healthy, personal relationship with God and Jesus Christ required to partake of eternal life.
- Rev 3:15-22 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot: I wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, and am increased with goods, and have need of nothing’; but do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked: 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, so that the shame of your nakedness does not appear; and anoint your eyes with eye-salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: Therefore be zealous, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: If any man hears My voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me. 21 To him that overcomes I will grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne. 22 He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
“Knowing about” can lead to “knowing”.
- Mat 7:7-8 Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you: 8 For everyone that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.
- Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him: For he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him.
- Jer 29:13-14a And you shall seek Me, and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 And I will be found by you’, says the LORD
- Deu 4:29 But if from there you shall seek the LORD your God, you shall find him, if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Forgiveness of sins is not to be wasted: it is supposed to be a step toward full reconciliation, personally knowing God and Jesus Christ to share in their eternal life.
- Mat 12:43-45 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walks through dry places seeking rest, and finds none. 44 Then he says, ‘I will return into my house from which I came out’; and when he has come, he finds it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then he goes, and takes with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: And the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so it shall also be to this wicked generation.”