The Gifts Have Not Ceased

Why Cessationism Fails Beyond the Tongues Debate

In a previous post, we discussed the biblical case for tongues as an ongoing gift of the Holy Spirit. That discussion was necessary because tongues are often the first—and loudest—point of contention in conversations about cessationism. Instead of re-arguing that here, this post focuses on the larger theological claim behind cessationism: the idea that any supernatural gifts of the Spirit were temporary and are no longer active in the Church today.

The issue before us isn’t whether abuses have taken place. They have. The issue isn’t whether discernment is necessary. It is.
The true question is this: Does Scripture teach that the gifts of the Spirit have ceased?

The answer, when Scripture is allowed to speak for itself, is no.

Cessationism: A Conclusion Scripture Never States

Cessationism holds that gifts like prophecy, healing, miracles, discernment, and tongues were limited to the apostolic era and were withdrawn after the New Testament was finished or when the apostles died.

The problem is straightforward: the Bible never teaches this.

There is no verse stating that the gifts would cease with the closing of the canon.
There is no passage linking the activity of the Spirit to the lifespan of the apostles.
There is no instruction telling the Church to expect a future without supernatural empowerment.

Cessationism is not a biblical doctrine—it is a theological conclusion imposed on the text.

“When the Perfect Comes” — A Brief but Necessary Clarification

Cessationists often cite 1 Corinthians 13, arguing that spiritual gifts would end “when the perfect comes.” However, Paul clearly defines “the perfect” with unmistakable clarity.

• We will see face to face
• We will know fully, even as we are fully known

That is not a description of the New Testament canon.
It is a description of the return of Christ.

Until believers see Christ face to face, the condition for the cessation of gifts has not been fulfilled. Paul’s contrast is not between partial Scripture and complete Scripture but between life now and glory then.

If we are still living by faith and not by sight, the gifts remain necessary.

The Gifts Were Taught as Normal Church Life

One of the strongest arguments against cessationism is found not in a single verse, but in the assumptions of the New Testament letters themselves.

Paul writes to ordinary churches and instructs them to:

• Earnestly desire spiritual gifts
• Not despise prophecy
• Test prophetic words
• Lay hands on the sick
• Walk in discernment
• Allow the Spirit to distribute gifts as He wills

These instructions are not framed as temporary measures. They are presented as ongoing aspects of Christian community life.

Importantly, Paul does not eliminate gifts when problems occur—he corrects their misuse. Correction assumes ongoing use. Regulation assumes inherent value. You do not regulate what God intends to remove.

The Promise of the Spirit Is Generational

At Pentecost, Peter describes the outpouring of the Spirit by quoting the prophet Joel. He then makes a key statement:

“The promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far off—as many as the Lord our God will call.”

The promise of the Spirit was never limited to one generation. It was explicitly extended to future believers, connected to God’s ongoing call.

As long as God is still saving people, the promise remains in force.

Scripture and the Spirit Are Not in Competition

A key concern of cessationism is the fear that spiritual gifts challenge the authority of Scripture. While this concern is understandable, it is based on a false assumption.

The Bible never presents the Word and the Spirit as rivals.

The Spirit inspired Scripture.
The Spirit illuminates Scripture.
The Spirit empowers believers to live out Scripture.

Spiritual gifts do not add to doctrine. They do not alter the truth. Instead, they support the Word by expressing it with power, conviction, and clarity. Scripture guides the gifts—but it never replaces the Spirit.

The answer to abuse is not denial. It is biblical alignment.

The Cost of Denying the Spirit’s Work

When the Church functionally denies the ongoing work of the Spirit, the results are predictable:

• Orthodoxy without power
• Knowledge without transformation
• Structure without life
• Faith reduced to information rather than encounter

Scripture warns of a form of godliness that denies its power. The issue is not emotionalism versus intellect; it is obedience versus control.

The early Church did not expand only by well-crafted arguments. It expanded through truth preached and power shown.

A Necessary Transition

If the gifts of the Spirit have not ceased, then an unavoidable question follows:

What about the ministries Christ Himself gave to equip and mature the Church?

That question points straight to Ephesians 4—and to the ongoing importance of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.

That discussion belongs in Part Two.

Until then, this much is clear:
The Spirit has not withdrawn.
The gifts have not expired.
And the Church was never meant to operate on yesterday’s power.