SPIRITUAL GIFTS by R. F. C.

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 25, 1858

SPIRITUAL GIFTS.

By R. F. C.

The gift of prophecy was manifested in the church during the Jewish dispensation. If it disappeared for a few centuries, on account of the corrupt state of the church towards the close of the dispensation, it reappeared at its close to usher in the Messiah. Zachariah, the father of John the Baptist "was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied." Simon, a just and devout man who was "waiting for the consolation of Israel," came by the Spirit into the temple and prophesied of Jesus "a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel," and Anna a prophetess "spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem." And there was no greater prophet than John, who was chosen of God to introduce to Israel "the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world."

The Christian age commenced with the outpouring of the Spirit, and a great variety of spiritual gifts was manifested among the believers; and these were so abundant that Paul could say to the Corinthian church, "The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal." To every man in the church, not to every man in the world, as many have applied it.

Since the great apostasy these gifts have rarely been manifested; and this is probably the reason why professed Christians generally believe that they were limited to the period of the primitive church. But is it not on account of the errors and unbelief of the church that the gifts have ceased? And when the people of God shall attain to primitive faith and practice, as they certainly will by the proclamation of the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus, will not the "latter rain" again develop the gifts? Reasoning from analogy we should expect it. Notwithstanding the apostasies of the Jewish age, it opened and closed with special manifestations of the Spirit of God. And it is unreasonable to suppose that the Christian age, the light of which, compared with the former dispensation, is as the light of the sun to the feeble rays of the moon, should commence in glory and close in obscurity. And since a special work of the Spirit was necessary to prepare a people for the first Advent of Christ, how much more so for the second; especially, since the last days were to be perilous beyond all precedent, and false prophets were to have power to show great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they should deceive the very elect! But to the Scriptures of truth.

And he said unto them, 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. Mark xvi, 15-18.

Says Campbell's translation, "These miraculous powers shall attend the believers." The gifts were not confined to the apostles, but extended to the believers. Who will have them? Those that believe. How long? There is no limitation; the promise seems to run parallel to the great commission to preach the gospel, and to reach the last believer.

But it is objected that the promised aid was only to the apostles, and to those who believed through their preaching. That they fulfilled the commission, established the gospel, and that the gifts ceased with that generation. Let us see if the great commission ended with that generation. Matt. xxviii, 19, 20. 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.

That the preaching of the gospel under this commission did not end with the primitive church is evident from the promise, "I am with you alway, even to the end of the world." He does not say, I am with you, apostles, everywhere, even to the ends of the earth; but it is always, to the end of the world, or age. It will not do to say that the Jewish age is meant, for that had already ended at the cross. I conclude then that the preaching and the belief of the primitive gospel will be attended with the same spiritual aid. The apostles' commission belonged to the Christian age, and embraced the whole of it. Consequently the gifts were only lost through apostasy, and will be revived with the revival of primitive faith and practice.

In 1 Cor. xii, 28, we are informed that God hath set, placed or fixed, certain spiritual gifts in the church. In the absence of any scriptural proof that he has removed or abolished them, we must think they were intended to remain. Where is the proof then that they are abolished? In the same chapter where the Jewish Sabbath is abolished and the Christian Sabbath instituted—a chapter in the Acts of the Mystery of Iniquity and the Man of Sin. But the objector claims Bible proof that the gifts were to cease, contained in the following text: Charity 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. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. 1 Cor. xiii, 8-13.

Well, this text does foretell the cessation of spiritual gifts, also of faith and hope. But when were they to cease? We still look forward to the time when "Hope shall change to glad fruition, Faith to sight and prayer to praise" They are to cease when that which is perfect is come—when we shall no longer see through a glass darkly, but face to face. The perfect day, when the just are made perfect and see as they are seen, is yet in the future. It is true that the Man of Sin, when arrived at manhood, had put away such "childish things" as prophecies, tongues and knowledge, and also the faith and hope and charity of the primitive Christians. But there is nothing in the text to show that God designed to take away the gifts which he had set in the church, till the consummation of her faith and hope—till the surpassing glory of the immortal state should eclipse the most brilliant displays of spiritual power and knowledge, ever manifested in this mortal state.

The objection founded upon 2 Tim. iii, 16, which some have gravely presented, deserves no more than a passing remark. If Paul, in saying that the Scriptures were able to make the man of God perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works, meant that nothing more should be written by inspiration, why was he, at that moment adding to those Scriptures? At least, why did he not drop the pen as soon as that sentence was written? And why did John, thirty years afterwards, write the book of Revelation? This book contains another text, which is quoted to prove the abolition of spiritual gifts.

For I testify to every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book. If any man shall add to these things, God shall add to him the plagues that are written in this book. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. Rev. xxii, 18, 19.

From this text it is claimed, that God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in time past to the fathers by the prophets, and, in the commencement of the gospel day, by Jesus and his apostles, hath hereby solemnly promised never to communicate anything more to man in that way. Hence all prophesying after this date must be false. This, say they, closes the canon of inspiration. If so, why did John write his gospel after his return from Patmos to Ephesus? In doing so, did he add to the words of the prophecy of that book written in the isle of Patmos? It is evident from the text, that the caution against adding to, or taking from, refers not to the Bible as we have the volume compiled, but to the separate book of Revelation, as it came from the hand of the Apostle. Yet no man has a right to add to, or subtract from, any other book written by inspiration of God. Did John, in writing the book of Revelation, add anything to the book of Daniel's prophecy? Not at all. A prophet has no right to alter the word of God. But the visions of John corroborate those of Daniel, and give much additional light upon the subjects there introduced. I conclude then that the Lord has not bound himself to keep silence, but is still at liberty to speak. Ever be it the language of my heart, Speak, Lord, through whom thou wilt; thy servant heareth.

Thus the attempt to prove from Scripture the abolition of spiritual gifts proves a total failure. And since the gates of hades have not prevailed against the church, but God still has a people on earth, we may look for the development of the gifts, in connection with the Third Angel's Message—a message which will bring back the church to apostolic ground, and make them indeed the light—not darkness—of the world.

Again, we are forewarned that there would be false prophets in the last days, and the Bible gives a test by which to try their teachings, in order that we may distinguish between the true and the false. The grand test is the law of God, which is applied both to the prophesyings and to the moral character of the prophets. If there were to be no true prophesying in the last days, how much easier to have stated the fact, and thus cut off all chance for deception, than to give a test by which to try them, as though there would be the genuine as well as the false. In Isa. viii, 19, 20, is a prophecy of the familiar spirits of the present time, and the law is given as a test. To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Why say, "if they speak not," if there was to be no true spiritual manifestation or prophesying at the same time? Jesus says, Beware of false prophets, . . . ye shall know them by their fruits. Matt. vii, 15. This is a part of the "sermon on the mount," and all can see that this discourse has a general application to the church throughout the gospel age. False prophets are to be known by their fruits: in other words, by their moral character. The only standard by which to determine whether their fruits are good or bad, is the law of God. Hence we are brought to the law and to the testimony. True prophets will not only speak according to this word, but they must live according to it. One that speaks and lives thus I dare not condemn.

It always has been a characteristic of false prophets that they see visions of peace; and they will be saying peace and safety when sudden destruction comes upon them. The true will boldly reprove sin and warn of coming wrath.

Prophesying which contradicts the plain and positive declarations of the word are to be rejected. An example is given in the manner of Christ's second coming. When Jesus ascended to heaven in the sight of his disciples, it was declared most explicitly by the angels, that this same Jesus should so come in like manner as they had seen him go into heaven. Hence Jesus in predicting the false prophets of the last days, says, If they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth; Behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. All true prophesying on that point must recognize his visible coming from heaven. Why did not Jesus say, Reject all prophesying at that time, for there will be no true prophets then?

The remnant of the gospel church will have the gifts. War will be waged against them because they keep the Commandments of God, and have the Testimony of Jesus Christ. Rev. xii, 17. In Rev. xix, 10, the Testimony of Jesus is defined to be the spirit of prophecy. Said the angel, "I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the Testimony of Jesus." In chap. xxii, 9, he repeats the same in substance, as follows: "I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets." From the comparison we see the force of the expression, The Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. But the testimony of Jesus includes all the gifts of that one Spirit. Says Paul, I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; that in everything ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the Testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. i, 4-7. The Testimony of Christ was confirmed in the Corinthian church, and what was the result? They came behind in no gift. Are we not justified then in the conclusion, that when the remnant are fully confirmed in the Testimony of Jesus, they will come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ?

The course of those who have rejected the gifts of the Spirit should be a warning to all others who are disposed to reject them. It will be much better to follow Paul's directions: Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesying. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. R. F. C.