The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum What's wrong with Charismatics?

In reply to:

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What is the difference between someone such as Stephen and the many others in the book of Acts who were used in the charismatic gifts different than they may be today?

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Perhaps you could supply some specific examples of what Stephen did and some of these "others"?

In reply to:

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Do you believe that every time a charismatic gift happened in the early church, it was recorded as Scripture?

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I seriously doubt that you could point to very few instances where the actual words of someone who spoke in tongues has been inscripturated. There are several places that record that people spoke in tongues or prophesied but are not equivalent to those which are universal and pedagogical in nature as is the majority of the New Testament Scriptures.

To show how inane the question is, consider the myriad times the Lord Christ must have taught people in His earthly ministry and the number of miracles, etc. which He performed which were not included in the inscripturated Word.

John 20:30 "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:"

John 21:25 "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen."

Were the unrecorded words which the Lord Christ spoke any less "revelatory"? Were any of those unrecorded miracles which He performed any less important or indicative of His identity and authority than they others which are recorded? All originated from God and were inherently authoritative "signs and wonders" even though the Spirit chose not to include them in the Canon.

The ecstatic gifts were present in the church for a designated time and for a specific purpose; i.e., until the "foundation" was laid and the whole world (Jews, Samaritans and Gentiles were brought in. Cf. Acts 1:8).

Ephesians 2:20 "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner [stone];"

The purpose of the "sign gifts" was far greater than simply filling a "void" until the Canon was complete. They served primarily as a sign of God's universal grace to save people out of tribe, nation and tongue.