PERPETUITY OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS.
In approaching this subject we are aware that we shall be met with unbelief, and, by many, with settled prejudice. Popular opinion, and almost universal feeling, upon the subject, are against us. Many feel very strongly opposed to the doctrine that the gifts were designed for the entire Christian dispensation, and they know not why. There is a most singular propensity to unwarrantable liberality in the men of this generation to carry back those things which belong to them, and give them to the people of past ages. The Universalist gives all the threatened judgments of the Almighty to Old Jerusalem, and most all are agreed in giving the Sabbath to the Jews, and the gifts to the first generations of Christians. But it is a scriptural fact that God has appointed a day in which he will judge the world—not the Jews only, but the world, and that decree has not been revoked. Jesus announced the fact that the Sabbath was made for man—not for the Jews alone, but for man, for the race. It is also a scriptural fact that the gifts were put in the church, to remain in the church till the perfect day shall come, when hope shall be lost in fruition, and faith in sight. We present as the ground-work of the scriptural doctrine of the perpetuity of spiritual gifts, the Mark xvi, 15-20. “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: in my name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them, they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then, after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” Matt. xxviii, 18-20. “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” This high-commission relates to the gospel, to faith, to baptism, to salvation, and to spiritual gifts. The gospel was to be preached as long as there were sinners to hear it. Faith is equally requisite throughout the Christian age. Baptism is a perpetual ordinance in the church, and the ministers of the nineteenth century baptize “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,” because the original commission requires it. The terms of salvation stated in this commission were to be held out as long as sinners might be saved. Running parallel with all these, we find in the same commission, spiritual gifts. In the absence of proof that the gifts were to be restricted to any particular age of the Christian church, this commission alone is sufficient evidence of their perpetuity. Some make a distinction between the apostles, and those who should believe on their word, on this wise: the apostles had the gifts, the believers were not to have them; and they think they see this distinction between the two classes in our Lord’s prayer. John xvii. We reply to this by quoting the words of our Lord in the original commission, as follows: “And these signs shall follow them that believe.” Or, as Dr. Geo. Campbell translates, “These miraculous powers shall attend the believers.” Or, as Wakefield translates, “These signs will accompany believers.” When it can be shown that to believe was required of the first Christians only, then it may be proved that the gifts were for them alone. The gracious promise of our Lord in this commission, when he says, “And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world,” is the strongest proof of the perpetuity of the gifts. He was not to be personally with his people, no; but how was he to be with them? The inspired record states that after the Lord was received up into heaven, “they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.” This promise cannot be restricted to the lifetime of the chosen twelve, nor to the Christians of the first century, for it extends to the end of the world [αἰών], age. “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world,” to the end of the Christian age. If it be said that the Jewish age is here meant, we reply, That dispensation closed with the death of Christ forty-two days before this commission was given. We give two passages as proof. Col. ii, 14. “Blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.” Dan. ix, 27. “In the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease.” This prophecy was fulfilled at the death of the Messiah, in the middle of the last of the seventy weeks. There the Jewish typical sacrifices ceased to be of any virtue when the great antitypical sacrifice was offered. Christ gave this commission just before his ascension [Mark xvi, 19], which was at least forty-two days after his crucifixion. Again, to suppose that the end of the world here means the close of the Jewish age, would be to carry back the gospel, with all the other specifications in the commission, to the Jewish age, to close with that dispensation, and leave the present dispensation without it. This view is too absurd to need any further comment. We now come to the testimony of Paul. Eph. iv, 4-13: “There is one body and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) “And he gave some, apostles, and some, prophets, and some, evangelists, and some, pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” The apostle first presents the subject of unity, in the declaration that there is one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all. He then presents the gifts as the means by which God designed to secure the unity of the church. He refers to the period of his ascension, when he led up to heaven a multitude of captives from their graves, as the time when the gifts were bestowed. He then mentions some of the gifts, all of them given at the same time, all given for the same objects, and all to extend to the same point of time. It will be admitted that evangelists, pastors, and teachers were to extend to the end of the Christian age. Then why not the others? If it be said that the state of unity and perfection described by the apostle, is in the past history of the church, then we reply that evangelists, pastors, and teachers ceased with that happy state of things. But he who admits the perpetuity of these, must acknowledge the perpetuity of the others. It is worthy of notice that Paul’s letter to the Ephesians was written A. D. 64, and that from that point it looks to the future for that unity and perfection of the church to be accomplished by the gifts. “Till we all come in the unity of the faith,” says the apostle. If Paul could not see this unity and perfection in his day, or in the past, certainly we cannot see it in the past history of the church; hence the perpetuity of the gifts, and their revival in the last days in great power to unite and perfect the church ready for translation to heaven at the second coming of Jesus Christ. Paul in his letters to the Corinthians, has spoken very definitely upon this subject of spiritual gifts. In 1 Cor. xii, 1, he says: “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.” He regarded this subject as one of the highest importance, and urges an understanding of it. But in all he has said relative to it, he has not once intimated that the gifts were to cease before the perfect day of glory should come. The apostle proposes to instruct the Corinthians on the subject. He would not have them ignorant in regard to it. Therefore if the gifts were designed for the first Christians only, we might expect to find somewhere in his epistles to them some instruction to the point. We affirm that there is not an intimation of the kind to be found in his letters to them. But Paul does clearly point out the time when the gifts will cease. 1 Cor. xiii, 8-12. “Charity [ἀγάπη, love] never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known.” The apostle here contrasts the mortal state with the immortal; the present imperfect, with that which will be perfect; the cloudy present, while we walk by faith, with the open glory of the life to come. Here we know only in part, prophesy in part, there that which is in part will be done away. Here we see through a glass darkly, there face to face. Here we know in part, there we shall know, even as we are known. Charity, or love, will never end. Here it is the highest Christian grace, there it will be the crowning glory of immortals forever and forever. In this sense love will never fail. But prophecies will fail, tongues will cease, and knowledge will vanish away. The light of heaven through the dim medium of these, and the other gifts of the holy Spirit, is represented as being only in part, and is to be superseded by the perfect day of glory when we may talk face to face with God, Christ, and angels, as our first parents talked with God in Eden before sin entered. But when? This is the vital question. When were the gifts to be done away? Let Paul answer. “But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.” And let all the people say, Amen. But the skeptical objector inquires, “Where are the gifts? If your position be correct, why have they not been manifested in the church all along down ever since God set them in the church? Why are not the sick healed by faith now?” We are aware that this is the principal objection brought against the scripture doctrine of the perpetuity of the gifts, therefore it demands especial notice. We reply to it as follows— 1. The sick were not always healed by faith in Paul’s day. He says [2 Tim. iv, 20], “Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.” Again he says to Timothy [1 Tim. v, 28], “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.” God could have answered the prayers of his servant Paul, and raised up Trophimus, and healed Timothy’s infirmities, if this had been best. Hence77we conclude that God has not designed in any age of the church to manifest his power so far that there should be no sick among Christians. But in cases where it would be for the good of the afflicted and for his own glory, he has manifested his power, and will manifest it. 2. The unbelief of the professed followers of Christ in the manifestations of spiritual gifts is sufficient reason why they are not more fully manifested. It is said of Christ, “And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.” Matt. xiii, 58. There is an impious unbelief with many at this day who profess to take the Bible as their guide, which resembles that of those who, mockingly said of Christ as he hung on the cross, “Let Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” It is sometimes said in reply to the Bible evidences of the perpetuity of spiritual gifts, “Just work a few miracles, and we will believe your doctrine.” It is not God’s plan to gratify such spirits; for should they see as powerful manifestations as were seen in the days of Christ, of Paul, and Peter, they would scoffingly attribute it to the power of Satan, or some other cause besides the power of God. It is humble, confiding faith that moves Omnipotence. Those only who have this faith may expect the manifestations of the gifts. Mark ii, 5. “When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.” Chap. ix, 23. “Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” Matt. ix, 21, 22. “For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort, thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.” Chap. xv, 28. “Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith; be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.” 3. The gifts have been superseded in the popular churches by human creeds. The object of the gifts, as stated by Paul, was “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith.” These were Heaven’s appointed means to secure the unity of the church. Christ prayed that his people might be one, as he was one with his Father. Read John xvii. Paul exhorted the Corinthians in the name of Christ to be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment. Read 1 Cor. i, 10, Rom. xv, 5; Phil. ii, 1, 2; 1 Pet. iii, 8; v, 5. The gifts were given to secure this state of unity. But the popular churches have introduced another means of preserving unity, namely, human creeds. These creeds secure a sort of unity to each denomination; but they have all proved inefficient, as appears evident from the “New Schools,” and “Reformed” of almost every creed-bound denomination under heaven. Just think how many kinds of Baptists there are, how many kinds of Presbyterians, how many Methodists, &c., &c. There is not an excuse for this state of things anywhere to be found in the Book of God. These sects are not on the foundation of unity laid by Jesus Christ, and taught by Paul, the wise master-builder. And the smaller sects who have no human creeds, and reject the gifts, the great means of unity, are not a whit better off. In these perilous times how they shake to pieces. The Adventists who despise the gifts have gone into factions, God only knows how many, yet crying, The Bible! The Bible! The Bible!” All the denominations cannot be right, and it may not be wrong to suppose that no one of them is right on all points of faith. To show that they cannot have their creeds and the gifts too, that creeds shut out the gifts, we will suppose that God through chosen instruments taken from each sect, begins to show up the errors in the creeds of those different denominations. If they receive the testimony as from heaven, it would spoil their creeds. But would they throw them away and come out on the platform of unity taught by Christ, Paul, and Peter? Never! Never! They would a thousand times sooner trample the humble instruments of God’s choice into the dust. It is evident that if the gifts were received, they would destroy human creeds, and that if creeds be received, they shut out the gifts. 4. When we consider the great apostasy of the church, the corruption of her pure doctrines, and her sojourn of 1260 years in the wilderness, we are not surprised that we do not find on the pages of her sad history any clearer records of the manifestations of spiritual gifts. But we are happy here to state that in a few weeks we shall have through the press a work of about one hundred pages, a collection of well-attested facts from the first century down to the present, showing that God has from time to time visited the humble and pure in heart with miraculous powers and gifts of the Holy Ghost.