What Cessationism is Not
There are few debates within the church liable to hurt more feelings than whether the miraculous spiritual gifts belonged to the NT Apostles or to the whole church. Those who believe the former are called "cessationists" because, to some degree, they believe the gifts ceased in the first century. Those then who believe the latter are, of course, "non-cessationists" or "continualists."
The debate devolves quickly into name-calling and un-Christian behavior in general. Some cessationists cite the most bizarre examples like the antics of Todd Bentley as the normative, demonic practices of each and every non-cessationalist church. On the other hand, a few non-cessationists lob grenades called "cold intellectualism," "Holy Spirit haters," and one preacher's claim that "cessationism is worldliness" and akin to atheism. Ouch.
Alright, debates of real value tend to shed tears (sometimes they shed more than that, as the Reformation taught us). Yet, folks should endeavor to inform themselves before embarrassing themselves and their Lord. With all that in mind, I point you to a Cripplegate post on what cessationism is NOT. Read, become informed, and then go forth in your atheistic enlightenment.
The debate devolves quickly into name-calling and un-Christian behavior in general. Some cessationists cite the most bizarre examples like the antics of Todd Bentley as the normative, demonic practices of each and every non-cessationalist church. On the other hand, a few non-cessationists lob grenades called "cold intellectualism," "Holy Spirit haters," and one preacher's claim that "cessationism is worldliness" and akin to atheism. Ouch.
Alright, debates of real value tend to shed tears (sometimes they shed more than that, as the Reformation taught us). Yet, folks should endeavor to inform themselves before embarrassing themselves and their Lord. With all that in mind, I point you to a Cripplegate post on what cessationism is NOT. Read, become informed, and then go forth in your atheistic enlightenment.
