Cessationism or Continualism?

So, are you a “Cessationist” or a “Continualist”? For those who might not understand the terms, a “Continualist” is someone who believes that the so-called sign gifts of the Spirit are as strong today as they ever were, while a “Cessationist” believes those sign gifts are no longer with us because we have something the early church did not have: the Bible.

In general, Continualists include charismatic churches while Cessationists are non-charismatic. This is not absolute, but it is close enough for discussion.

Notable Continualists include such diverse preachers as Dan Betzer (former radio preacher, now in Ft. Myers, Florida), Rodney Howard Brown, and Dr. Adrian Warnock.  Cessationists would include Frank Turk, Phil Johnson, John MacArthur and others. There are also some who are sort of in the middle. John Piper is one, as was Charles Spurgeon (according to some).  

So what are we to do? How do we know which camp is the most Biblical? In 1 Corinthians 1, Paul writes:

“My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. ¹² What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas^[b]”; still another, “I follow Christ.”

^{13 “}Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? ¹⁴ I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, ¹⁵ so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. ¹⁶ (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) ¹⁷ For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.”

Paul, at least, was clear. We are to follow Christ and Christ alone. We are to preach the gospel and nothing else. In this we are to be united. Does that mean that we do not have to be concerned with other doctrines? Not at all. In fact, all of 1Timothy deals with various false doctrines and how careful we must be to select leaders who do not subscribe to them.

How, then, do we decide which doctrines are important enough to fuss over and which ones are not?

Any position can be proven if we cherry-pick scripture. Selecting a verse or a few verses here or there to “prove our point” is no way to form doctrines. All divisions of faiths that call themselves “Christian” do that. Continualists do that, as do Cessationist. Mainline Christians do it. So do Seventh Day Adventists, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses and other aberrant denominations. It is heretical to adopt one belief system over another based on selected scriptures.

In Matthew 27:5 we read: “Judas went out and hanged himself.” Then in Luke 10:37 we find: “Go and do likewise.” While in John 13:27: Jesus says:  “What thou doest, do quickly.” All three of those are exact scripture quotes. Together they justify a doctrine of suicide. Of course, that is absurd! But it is EXACTLY what almost all Christian groups do to prove that their way is the right way and all others are at least mistaken, if not satanic.

Here is how to formulate a doctrine.

Realize the purpose of the Bible. It is not a “guide-book for living” (although if you need a guidebook, there is none better). The Bible is not a history book (although if you want to know the history of God’s creation it’s the best one ever written). Neither is the Bible a psychology book (although you will not find more accurate psychology anywhere). Most of all, the Bible is not a book of religion. If you need a book on religion, you will have to look elsewhere.

The Bible is God’s revelation of His character, His love for His creation and His plan for its redemption. That redemption is provided through and only through the shed blood of Christ at the cross of Calvary. Any use of the Bible for any other purpose is both apostasy and heresy.

The unfortunate thing is, many pastors and theologians know this in the recesses of their minds, but they are so conditioned to the cherry-pick scripture approach that they end up trying to live by the Law and the Old Covenant and Grace and the New Covenant all at once. That just cannot work and always results in false doctrine.

Not too long ago there was a “debate” between Dr. Michael Brown and Dr. Sam Waldron. Each was quoting scripture at breakneck speed. Each proved to his own satisfaction his own stance on Cessationism vs. Continualism. It was all quite frantic and more than a bit laughable.

Both sides of this controversy would claim that they believe salvation is by Jesus plus nothing. Then they both proceed to add something to Jesus because each believes He is almost enough in-and-of Himself, but not quite. Both would deny that they are “legalists,” but each exhibit the essential characteristics of legalism.

The next step in formulating a correct doctrine is to understand that the Bible is not about you and it is not about me. It is all about Him. Everything you need to know about God is found in the Word of God. Nothing you need to know about God is NOT in the Word of God. Everything you THINK you know about God that’s not in the Word of God you just made up. It is all about Him and it is totally sufficient to reveal Him.

Next you need to know that the Bible is not a series of proverbial sayings to be applied for the purpose of helping you think or behave in a certain way. Under the New Covenant, God writes His Law and His Word on our hearts. The scripture gives us a record of the ancestry of, birth of, crucifixion of, resurrection of and the soon return of Christ. If you are reading it correctly, it is revealing Him, from Genesis to Revelation.

Friends, the Bible is totally unconcerned with Cessationism or Continualism…totally. If you think it has something to do with either position you have been sucked into that thinking by somebody who taught you wrong or by tradition and convention. That is true whether you were taught at the premiere seminary in the universe or the best Bible school in the nation.

At the risk of doing what I have just been railing against, may I remind you that Paul wrote: I Corinthians 2:2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” and I Corinthians 9:16 “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.” These quotes are consistent with the purpose of scripture to begin with.

The gospel is our message. We have no other message. If you are trying to fit some other message into your preaching, or if you are attempting to preach some social message or some behavioral message, you are engaging in heresy. If you think this message is boring or irrelevant, you are lost and need to get saved before you preach another word.

Not until we get this message to every living person on earth will we be in a position to widen our message. Since that will never happen, we are well advised to stick to the gospel, God’s revelation of His character, His love of His creation and His plan for its redemption through Christ Jesus, to whom all focus and glory belongs forever. That message you will find in every verse of the Bible.