The Highway Forums General Discussion ExCharisma This Forum's Focus and Purpose

I've been fascinated over the past 30 years or so with the arguments for cessation. They almost always seem to deal with a portion of the subject as opposed to the whole of the subject.
When Paul wrote about his prayer language it is obvious from context that he recognized 2 distinct types of utterance gifts. One to be practiced in private between the believer and God and one that had a public purpose, possibly the translation of foreign language or speaking in a foreign language, both having been not from learning, for the edification of the congregation. As to prophesy I have not seen anyone entertain the possibility that there could be prophesy for the Universal Church (Christendom) which comes from disciples ie Scripture whereas the charismatic gift of prophesy might be for the edification and guidance of the local congregation. Such as whether it was truly the Lord's will to purchase that new property, etc. Obviously all such prophesy would need to be tested against the principles of Scripture (anyone prohesying that you should lie or steal would be a FALSE prophet). I'm leery about any exegetical machinations that result in scripture being interpreted to mean something that it does not clearly state somewhere itself. I spent almost two decades in formal theological study and have seen some theologians, a few of them famous, wrench scripture around so as to satisfy the proclivities of whatever the institution was with which they might be involved.
If someone is truly healed by a person recognized by elders in a Christian bible believing church I'm not gonna be the guy to tell them they're not really healed and I wouldn't, nor should any of you, attribute that work of the Holy Spirit to "OTHER" than God, things could get really "warm" for you, if you know what I mean.
By the way I got no dog in this hunt. I haven't been blessed with any of those gifts and I'm every bit as reformed, maybe even a bit moreso, than all those famous theologians