Acts 20:17-24
1 Tim 1:5
1 Peter 3:15
I. Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men unexcusable;[1] yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of His will, which is necessary unto salvation.[2] Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal Himself, and to declare that His will unto His Church;[3] and afterwards for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing;[4] which makes the Holy Scripture to be most necessary;[5] those former ways of God's revealing His will unto His people being now ceased.[6]
II. Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testament, which are these: Of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I Samuel, II Samuel, I Kings, II Kings, I Chronicles, II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, The Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. Of the New Testament: The Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, The Acts of the Apostles, Paul's Epistles to the Romans, Corinthians I, Corinthians II, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians I , Thessalonians II , To Timothy I , To Timothy II, To Titus, To Philemon, The Epistle to the Hebrews, The Epistle of James, The first and second Epistles of Peter, The first, second, and third Epistles of John, The Epistle of Jude, The Revelation of John. All which are given by inspiration of God to be the rule of faith and life.[7]
III. The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine inspiration, are no part of the canon of the Scripture, and therefore are of no authority in the Church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved, or made use of, than other human writings.[8]
IV. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, and obeyed, depends not upon the testimony of any man, or Church; but wholly upon God (who is truth itself) the author thereof: and therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God.[9]
V. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the Church to an high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scripture.[10] And the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is, to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man's salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it does abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God: yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.[11]
VI. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men.[12] Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word:[13] and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature, and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.[14]
VII. All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all:[15] yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation are so clearly propounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them.[16]
VIII. The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which, at the time of the writing of it, was most generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and, by His singular care and providence, kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical;[17] so as, in all controversies of religion, the Church is finally to appeal unto them.[18] But, because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God, who have right unto, and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded, in the fear of God, to read and search them,[19] therefore they are to be translated in to the vulgar language of every nation unto which they come,[20] that, the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship Him in an acceptable manner;[21] and, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, may have hope.[22]
IX. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself: and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly.[23]
X. The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture.[24]
I. There is but one only,[1] living, and true God,[2] who is infinite in being and perfection,[3] a most pure spirit,[4] invisible,[5] without body, parts,[6] or passions;[7] immutable,[8] immense,[9] eternal,[10] incomprehensible,[11] almighty,[12] most wise,[13] most holy,[14] most free,[15] most absolute;[16] working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will,[17] for His own glory;[18] most loving,[19] gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin;[20] the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him;[21] and withal, most just, and terrible in His judgments,[22] hating all sin,[23] and who will by no means clear the guilty.[24]
II. God has all life,[25] glory,[26] goodness,[27] blessedness,[28] in and of Himself; and is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which He has made,[29] nor deriving any glory from them,[30] but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them. He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things;[31] and has most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them whatsoever Himself pleases.[32] In His sight all things are open and manifest,[33] His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature,[34] so as nothing is to Him contingent, or uncertain.[35] He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works, and in all His commands.[36] To Him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience He is pleased to require of them.[37]
III. In the unity of the Godhead there be three Persons of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost.[38] The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; [39] the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son. [40]
I. God from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass;[1] yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin,[2] nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.[3]
II. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions;[4] yet has He not decreed anything because He foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.[5]
III. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels[6] are predestinated unto everlasting life; and others foreordained to everlasting death.[7]
IV. These angels and men, thus predestinated, and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished.[8]
V. Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to His eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, has chosen, in Christ, unto everlasting glory,[9] out of His mere free grace and love, without any foresight of faith, or good works, or perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions, or causes moving Him thereunto;[10] and all to the praise of His glorious grace.[11]
VI. As God has appointed the elect unto glory, so has He, by the eternal and most free purpose of His will, foreordained all the means thereunto.[12] Wherefore, they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ,[13] are effectually called unto faith in Christ by His Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified,[14] and kept by His power, through faith, unto salvation.[15] Neither are any other redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only.[16]
VII. The rest of mankind God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of His own will, whereby He extends or withholds mercy, as He pleases, for the glory of His sovereign power over His creatures, to pass by; and to ordain them to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the praised of His glorious justice.[17]
VIII. The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care,[18] that men, attending the will of God revealed in His Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election.[19] So shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, reverence, and admiration of God;[20] and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the Gospel.[21]
I. It pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,[1] for the manifestation of the glory of His eternal power, wisdom, and goodness,[2] in the beginning, to create, or make of nothing, the world, and all things therein whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days; and all very good.[3]
II. After God had made all other creatures, He created man, male and female,[4] with reasonable and immortal souls,[5] endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, after His own image;[6] having the law of God written in their hearts,[7] and power to fulfil it;[8] and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject unto change.[9] Beside this law written in their hearts, they received a command, not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil;[10] which while they kept, they were happy in their communion with God, and had dominion over the creatures.[11]
I. God the great Creator of all things does uphold,[1] direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things,[2] from the greatest even to the least,[3] by His most wise and holy providence,[4] according to His infallible foreknowledge,[5] and the free and immutable counsel of His own will,[6] to the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.[7]
II. Although, in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first Cause, all things come to pass immutably, and infallibly;[8] yet, by the same providence, He orders them to fall out, according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently.[9]
III. God, in His ordinary providence, makes use of means,[10] yet is free to work without,[11] above,[12] and against them,[13] at His pleasure.
IV. The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God so far manifest themselves in His providence, that it extends itself even to the first fall, and all other sins of angels and men;[14] and that not by a bare permission,[15] but such as has joined with it a most wise and powerful bounding,[16] and otherwise ordering, and governing of them, in a manifold dispensation, to His own holy ends;[17] yet so, as the sinfulness thereof proceeds only from the creature, and not from God, who, being most holy and righteous, neither is nor can be the author or approver of sin.[18]
V. The most wise, righteous, and gracious God does oftentimes leave, for a season, His own children to manifold temptations, and the corruption of their own hearts, to chastise them for their former sins, or to discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption and deceitfulness of their hearts, that they may be humbled;[19] and, to raise them to a more close and constant dependence for their support upon Himself, and to make them more watchful against all future occasions of sin, and for sundry other just and holy ends.[20]
VI. As for those wicked and ungodly men whom God, as a righteous Judge, for former sins, does blind and harden,[21] from them He not only withholds His grace whereby they might have been enlightened in their understandings, and wrought upon in their hearts;[22] but sometimes also withdraws the gifts which they had,[23] and exposes them to such objects as their corruption makes occasion of sin;[24] and, withal, gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan,[25] whereby it comes to pass that they harden themselves, even under those means which God uses for the softening of others.[26]
VII. As the providence of God does, in general, reach to all creatures; so, after a most special manner, it takes care of His Church, and disposes all things to the good thereof.[27]
I. The Lord Jesus, as king and head of His Church, has therein appointed a government, in the hand of Church officers, distinct from the civil magistrate.[1]
II. To these officers the keys of the kingdom of heaven are committed; by virtue whereof, they have power, respectively, to retain, and remit sins; to shut that kingdom against the impenitent, both by the Word, and censures; and to open it unto penitent sinners, by the ministry of the Gospel; and by absolution from censures, as occasion shall require.[2]
III. Church censures are necessary, for the reclaiming and gaining of offending brethres, for deterring of others from the like offenses, for purging out of that leaven which might infect the whole lump, for vindicating the honor of Christ, and the holy profession of the Gospel, and for preventing the wrath of God, which might justly fall upon the Church, if they should suffer His covenant, and the seals thereof, to be profaned by notorious and obstinate offenders.[3]
IV. For the better attaining of these ends, the officers of the Church are to proceed by admonition; suspension from the sacrament of the Lord's Supper for a season; and by excommunication from the Church; according to the nature of the crime, and demerit of the person.[4]
I. For the better government, and further edification of the Church, there ought to be such assemblies as are commonly called synods or councils.[1]
II. As magistrates may lawfully call a synod of ministers, and other fit persons, to consult and advise with, about matters of religion;[2] so, if magistrates be open enemies to the Church, the ministers of Christ, of themselves, by virtue of their office, or they, with other fit persons upon delegation from their Churches, may meet together in such assemblies.[3]
III. It belongs to synods and councils, ministerially to determine controversies of faith, and cases of conscience; to set down rules and directions for the better ordering of the public worship of God, and government of his Church; to receive complaints in cases of maladministration, and authoritatively to determine the same; which decrees and determinations, if consonant to the Word of God, are to be received with reverence and submission; not only for their agreement with the Word, but also for teh power whereby they are made, as being an ordinance of God appointed thereunto in His Word.[4]
IV. All synods or councils, since the apostles' times, whether general or particular, may err; and many have erred. Therefore they are not to be made the rule of faith, or practice; but to be used as a help in both.[5]
IV. Synods and councils are to handle, or conclude nothing, but that which is ecclesiastical: and are not to intermeddle with civil affairs which concern the commonwealth, unless by way of humble petition in cases extraordinary; or, by way of advice, for satisfaction of conscience, if they be thereunto required by the civil magistrate.[6]
6 comments:
I've read Dr. Waldron's argument. It is clearly meant to be brief. I have to say - I don't buy it. He asserts all kinds of biblical certainty on several key steps of his argument but cites 0.
I think it is also telling that John Piper is among the continuaist camp. I'm not sure there are many better examples of , Pastor/Theologian/Calvinist out there than Piper at this time.
I think it is extremely telling that one must first agree that a certain thing described in the bible "Apostles of Christ" no longer exists to be able to accept that another thing mentioned in the Bible - miraculous signs. No longer exists. I find that when an entire argument depends upon a single presumption that it rarely holds up.
As I understand his argument it runs like this:
Since we agree that item "a" in the Bible is no longer true, then it is reasonable to assume that item "b" no longer exists.
As far as Grudem goes he states my sentiments well - I've used the term "cautious charismatic" and I am nearly as comfortable with charismatics as I am with cessationalists.
Thanks for the study.
My experience is this - what you are comfortable with you will do. When I worship in a charismatic church I have charismatic experiences of God when I worship in a cessationalist church I have a cessationalist experience of God.
I have found the charismatic to be the more balanced - mind, body, and soul. While the cessationalist is much more an intellectual event. Some find this superior - i do not.
It would be interesting to get to a little deeper study but probably wouldn't attract many readers (even I may not have time for it). I would Commend Gordon Fee (not reformed though) Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God.
Bayou,
I agree that the piece was not well written. But I think his argument is more sound than it appears on the surface. The link between miraculous signs and apostleship is plain.
"The things that mark an apostle—signs, wonders and miracles—were done among you with great perseverance." 2 Cor 12:12.
Jesus did signs and wonders to establish his identity and authority:
"And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them." Luke 7:18-22
Traditional cessationists assert that the Apostles were given the same authority for the same reason.
And the idea that God has done away with one mode of revelation and moved on to another is actually found in the NT itself:
"In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son..." (Heb 1:1-2)
Thirdly, it is a viable interpretation of 1 Cor 13 that these things have ceased because their function in the church has ceased. Tongues, prophecy and knowledge are specifically mentioned earlier in the chapter:
"But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears."
Cessationists believe that God gave these gifts to the church for a short time, in lieu of the scriptures. "The perfect," then, is the completed scriptures. It is a historical fact that these gifts did disappear by the early 2nd century, and only "returned" with the Asuza St. Revival in the early 20th century. Those folks, (who were dispensationalists, a position that is at odds with historic Reformed theology) thought it marked the beginning of the "last days" mentioned in Joel 2 and Acts 1.
Finally, I have yet to hear a continuationist wrestle with the implications of having an ongoing gift of prophecy (or tongues plus interpretation, which they claim is the equivalent) that is errant and fallible. And some men are teaching their "prophecies" from the pulpit beside and even in lieu of the scriptures. I've got one of those jokers in the ministerium with me right now. God is always telling him things, but the things God is telling him contradict what God has actually told him in the scriptures. This is the same sin that Rome commits with its dogma of the Pope speaking ex cathedra.
In OT times, if a prophet spoke something that did not come true, he was to be stoned to death. If we had a few executions in church parking lots, I might take some of what they say a little more seriously.
Brain,
Thanks for the clear and cogent response. I am often neither so I enjoy seeing it at work!
Signs and wonders also were part of the ministry of the OT prophets, as well as the 70 being sent out, also the Deacons performed signs and wonders.
Your use of the Hebrews text could be used to say that the early church should not have had signs and wonders either.
1 Corinthians also is a dangerous use of the text as it would imply then - since the signs and wonders have ceased then the perfection has come. As a member of the PCUSA I would say strongly the Church has not been perfected as of yet.
As to your last point and I think the most important. I beleive there are all kinds of responses to that but understand I do not spend much time argueing the case one way or the other. I prefer to simply teach biblical Christianity. I do not train people to be charismatics, nor would I train them not to be. I train them to be followers of the Word.
I suspect a simple answer is that those prophets who exemplified the behavior you share - simply never made it into the text.
I believe there are a number of NT prophets/prophetesses refered to indirectly.
I would avoid both errors which I consider to be unbiblical:
Build your entire view of church upon signs and wonders.
Or build your view of church exclusive of signs and wonders.
And there is the one and final authority on all words - the Word. If at any time a "word" does not glorify Christ and is not consistent with the "Word" it is at best error.
The problem IMO for most ceasationalists is that the ongoing practice of the gifts is not easily ordered (as Paul points out by his attention to ordering them)many of us in the Conservative, Reformed tradition have a high expectation of order.
As I have said elsewhere I am a cautious charismatic - the gifts rarely come into play in my daily life -but - they can and God willing they should since their existence is consistent throughout scripture I believe the only manner in which they could be overturned would be a clearly prescriptive text which does not exist.
In conclusion let me say clearly what I hope is implied throughout -this is not an essential tenet- I understand that it is much harder for a cessationist to ignore this practice of the faith than the reverse. I have almost no problems in fellowshiping with cessationists because they are in my experience such incredibly biblical people.
Bayou,
Stephen and Phillip did signs and wonders, but I don't think the text indicates that it was a general diaconal gift, and the signs done by these two were always done in service of authoritative proclaimation. Surely it is also significant that these two men were a. The first Christian martyr and b. the first man that we know caused Christianity to be carried outside of Judea/Galilee.
I am using the Hebrews text to argue that the early church did not have signs and wonders. The scriptures make no reference to the early church having signs and wonders. Only to certain individuals doing signs and wonders.
I think it is significant, for instance, that Timothy, Luke, Barnabas, Silas, and Apollos did no signs or wonders.
Now, I am separating in my mind signs and wonders from other gifts like tongues or prophecy or even possibly casting out demons. I think those are a different category of gift, though the demons thing is kind of blurred in my mind. I can't think of any responsible charismatic who would say, "The ability to do miracles is located in me, in my person, just like the Apostle Paul. If you want healing, or water turned into wine, come to me." I'm not arguing that God does no miracles from time to time, in response to prayer. I am arguing that there is no such thing as a "wonder worker" anymore. I believe those gifts were given to authenticate the gospel message to its first hearers.
As for prophecy and tongues, I still stick with my original interpretation of 1 Cor 13. Please note that I did not say the church was "the perfect." I said the scriptures were "the perfect."
Also, I do not put God in a box as much as some cessationists do. I think during extraordinary times (such as the persecution during the Covenanting times) that God sometimes does extraordinary things and gives "special providences," to quote Hodge. But these are not the norm and are not to be sought for their own sake.
As for the PCUSA, it fails (taken as a whole) the marks the Reformers laid down of a true visible church: Word rightly preached, sacraments rightly administered, discipline rightly upheld.
Lastly, I do not think that continuationism "strikes at the vitals of religion" of necessity. Many charismatics do commit gross errors that do strike at the vitals of religion, however.
Respectfully,
Brian
Brian,
I think that your distinction between the church and individuals doing these works of wonder is an important one. I too doubt seriously that there are individual "wonder workers" on the level of the original 12 apostles. I will gladly reject much of what Benny Hin teaches for example. However, ultimately the Church does still do miracles (as the Body of Christ through the power of the Spirit) and the Church is made up of individual members - so I don't think the distinction cesationists (as you describe them) are making is clear or necessary.
I appreciate all of your clarifications. I think you have clarified your possition well but I am unconvinced. I am not going to bother regurgitating the work of other much wiser men than myself. I have read broadly on the topic. And it is clear that you have as well. Call me hardheaded if you must - I won't argue.
It appears that a key part of the cessationest opinion is based not at all upon what the bible does say - but what it doesn't say. It is ultimately an argument from silence.
It is just such an argument for instance that is used by oneness pentacostals to reject the Trinitarian formula. "Since all of the baptisms that occur in the book of Acts are in the "name of Jesus" then there should only be baptisms in one name" (they conclude). I have never gotten a good answer about Matthew 28 in case you are wondering.
We both of course reject that view. It is useful to reference it in that it shows the danger of drawing conclusions from silence (even partial silence).
Ultimately I find that we have many of the same critiques/ concerns regarding the charismatic movement.
Nor do I find that cessationists reject the core of the faith although many practice a legalism that is a grave error and strikes at the core of grace - often putting theology into the category of works righteousness.
That is a blade that cuts many ways. All of our theological camps have a tendency to extremes. Charismatics are often among the easiest to pick on. But many continuationalists do not fit either into the Benny Hinn nor the Pentacostal category.
Order is the desire of many of us who would simply say we are practicing a biblical faith - I doubt our practice of faith looks all that different from your congregation's. We are both filled with awe and wonder at the power of God at display in His Church
Peace - I really do not think we disagree that much. Only at the level of the most particular.
Peace from my end as well, Brother.
Blessings,
B
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