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John B said:
... I have found it is pointless to debate these finer points of the doctrine until the main issue is clarified from scripture, and that is the question Prof Edgar raised: Are the gifts for today?

The answer is yes and no:

Yes, the offices (gifted men that God has given to the churches; pastors, teachers, elders, administrators, helpers, etc) continue here on Earth as long as the Church itself does.

No, the manifestation gifts (signs authenticating the Apostles' message) discontinued when the Apostles died. The articles you so easily dismiss explain how and why in splendid detail and with far more than sufficient Scriptural support.

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John B said:If one does not believe that the (sign) gifts are for today then whatever we see today has to be a deception and not the real thing.
But if it can be established scripturally that it is at least possible that these gifts could be manifested today then the question changes and becomes "What should they look like? How would we recognise them if we saw them? What is the purpose/point of them? How do we get these gifts? How do we use them to edify the Body of Christ?"

Since you have narrowed the term "gifts" down to sign gifts while curiously omitting the gifts listed in Romans 12:3-8 and Ephesians 4:10-12, then question is only "vain speculation."

I'll agree with you that Professor Edgar's argument from silence (there is no Scripture that says humans would visit the moon either - but that doesn't mean we didn't) is insufficient to prove cessation.

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1COR 1:7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.

We have no lack, nor did the Corinthian believers, because all things are summed up in Christ (Eph 1:10) and because we are complete in Him (Colossians 2:10). No one who has the Son lacks anything. Christ is the sum of all the Father's gifts, and He has set in the Church gifted men to bring His Church to full maturity. 1st Corinthians 1:7 is not a reference to signs, but to the wholeness of those who are in Christ.