The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: - Vital Christianity

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It is God’s purpose to reveal Himself through His Word—not apart from His Word. Therefore it
is no more possible for one to have the prophetic gift now than to add other inspired books to the
canon. 17
Merit: This view preserves the unique divine authority of Scripture. 18
Problem: This view is difficult to prove exegetically. Some supporters cite I Corinthians
13:8-10, where Paul wrote: “Love never fails. 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.” The
interpretation here is that the cessation of prophecy occurs when the entire New Testament was
completed. The “perfection” that was to come is the New Testament. The “imperfect” that was to
disappear refers to the gifts of prophecy and tongues.
The problem is that Paul clearly placed knowledge in the same category as prophecy and
tongues. Are we to conclude that the gift of speaking with knowledge ceased with the completion
of the New Testament? This does not seem likely. It seems that in the context Paul was not
discussing Scripture. His contrast was more likely between the imperfect present age (when
spiritual gifts are needed) and the eschatological eternal state (when many, if not all, of the gifts
will become irrelevant). “Perfection” refers to Christ’s second coming and the eventual moving
into the eternal state. 19
Supporters of this view also cite Rev. 22:18-19, which states: “I warn everyone who hears the
words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the
plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God
will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this
book.”
It is possible that these statements warn against either adding to or deleting from the entire
New Testament. But most commentators understand these warnings to refer only to the book of
Revelation, which is more plausible. The main problem with this view is the lack of an explicit
New Testament statement that revelation has ceased with the completion of the New Testament.
Nor is there an explicit New Testament statement concerning the cessation of the gift of prophecy
at the time that the New Testament was completed. 20
4. The gift of prophecy, which does not include the receiving of contemporary divine
revelation, is a permanent gift that remains available today. However, prophecy is the
application of the principles revealed in the Word of God to human society. 21