The Cessation or Continuation of Miraculous Gifts

Posted on by kevinjandt

Introduction

The growth of Reformed Theology in the last two or three decades has profoundly impacted Christianity today. It has been positive in some respects, but there are also negative aspects. The movement has also ushered in a resurgence of cessationist[1] views. This paper will provide an overview of the two primary views on miraculous gifts: continuationism and cessationism. Each view will be examined from the primary passage, 1 Corinthians 13:8—10, seeking to understand and explain how these viewpoints reach their conclusions. Based on the supporting biblical texts, each position will be fleshed out and evaluated for strengths and weaknesses.

Moreover, an alternative position will be argued for, most adherents of which are not firmly in either the continuationist or cessationist camp. This position is open to the possibility that miraculous gifts still occur in unique and special circumstances. Seeking to engage with the different viewpoints of the arguments will allow the reader to form biblically based decisions. Additionally, this paper will present and examine some arguments of prominent theologians with differing views on the topic at hand and seek to understand how each argues for their preferred position.

[1] Cessation is derived from the word ceased, indicating that spiritual gifts no longer operate as described in the New Testament. Continuation means the gifts are still operable in a normative sense. Additionally, there is an issue regarding canon and whether revelation has ceased and is firmly established in the books of the Bible, with no further revelation being authoritative.

Continuationism

How should a believer in the 21st century view the continuation of the spiritual gifts described in the New Testament? This is not an easy question to answer. First of all, what are the gifts being referenced? The New Testament contains many examples of gifts. For example, in Romans 12:6—8, Paul mentions prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, generosity, leadership, and mercy. Paul dives a little deeper into 1 Corinthians 12:1—11, introducing gifts of the miraculous kind, healing, working of miracles, prophecy, distinguishing spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues. The website GotQuestions.org offers a succinct definition of continuationism:

Continuationism is the belief that all the spiritual gifts, including healings, tongues, and miracles, are still in operation today, just as they were in the days of the early church. A continuationist believes that the spiritual gifts have “continued” unabated since the Day of Pentecost and that today’s church has access to all the spiritual gifts mentioned in the Bible.[1]

Much of the debate involves the interpretation of 1 Corinthians 13:10, “But when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.”[2] More attention will be given to the verse and the various interpretations, but in the parlance of the continuationist movement, “the perfect” comes at the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, anything listed as a miraculous gift is still active worldwide. Wayne Grudem comes to this conclusion.[3] Grudem states, “1 Corinthians 13:10, therefore, refers to the time of Christ’s return and says that these spiritual gifts will last among believers until that time. This means that we have a clear biblical statement that Paul expects these gifts to continue through the entire church age and to function for the benefit of the church until the Lord returns.”[4]

Grudem further clarifies his position regarding “the perfect” coming. He says:

The main point of the passage may well be that love lasts forever, but another point, and certainly an important one as well, is that verse 10 affirms not just that these imperfect gifts will cease sometime, but that they will cease ‘when the perfect comes.’ Paul specifies a certain time: ‘When the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away.’[5]

John Piper indicates that prophecy and tongues will continue until Christ returns. He points out verse 9, “…as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues they will cease…,” and he comes to this conclusion, “So this text is a pretty clear argument, I think, that the gift of prophecy and tongues will continue until Jesus comes back.”[6] Piper has also stated that he desires the gift of speaking in tongues but has never done so other than attempting to will himself to do it, and he feels as though his approach was not genuine.[7]

Gordon Fee is a well-respected New Testament scholar and formerly a professor at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, and an ordained minister in the Assemblies of God denomination. Fee’s commentary on 1 Corinthians is considered one of the best studies of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. Fee agrees with Grudem that verse 10 refers to the end of the age. He says, “Thus the basic verb chosen to describe the temporal, transitory nature of the charismata is an eschatological one, used elsewhere in the letter to refer to the ‘passing away’ of what belongs merely to the present age.”[8] Fee argues that the verb choice recurs in the following sentence and that the contrasting nature has to do with eschatology and not with maturity, which is one of the competing interpretations. What that means, in short, is that the perfect coming could mean the church matures enough that the gifts pass away. Fee is clear in his assessment and understands this is not a consistent exegesis of the text.

The continuationist position hinges on this understanding of the perfect coming, which is the return of Christ at the end of the age. They provide convincing arguments that the continuation of the gifts flows naturally with the plain reading of the text and an understanding of the gifts being linked to the eschaton. Fee is also careful to identify the significance of the gifts as edifying to the church community. In his footnote speaking about prophecies, he states, “Not because it is superior to any of the others, but because it is representative of intelligible utterances, which can edify, in contrast to uninterpreted tongues, which cannot.”[9] Here is an important distinction in properly understanding charismatic gifts compared to some wild abuses of extreme Pentecostalism.

Cessationism

The second viewpoint to examine is that of cessationism. Cessationism is the belief that the miraculous gifts of prophecy, healing, and tongues have ceased at the end of the apostolic age. The Cessationist argues from the same passage as the continuationist but with a different emphasis. Rather than the focus being 1 Corinthians 13:10, the emphasis includes verse 8b, “As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.” Given the previous commentary by Gordon Fee, verse 10 completes Paul’s thoughts on verses 8 and 9, thus contextualizing the passage and offering a valid argument that to claim verse 8 as proof of cessationism would qualify as proof-texting or using it out of context.

            The cessationist position seeks to offer additional proof of why these gifts have ceased.[1] It is important to contextualize the immediate and the whole letter to the Corinthians. What did Paul desire these saints to understand? 1 Corinthians 14, verses 1 through 3 confirm the gift of prophesying is more beneficial than speaking in a tongue. It is designed to encourage and build up the church rather than edify the speaker. This indicates a progression of the gifts. As the New Testament progresses, the topic of tongues and healing, particularly, ceases to be discussed. Paul does not mention the office of healing or tongue speaking in the pastoral epistles. However, he does highlight the office of pastor/elder and preacher. In his commentary on 1 Corinthians, Tom Schreiner writes,

The purpose in context is clear: the period of childhood is compared to this present age, this present era, when spiritual gifts like prophecy, tongues and knowledge are needed. Paul does not demean these gifts in comparing them to childhood, but he does put a temporal limit on them. Just as the days of childhood are temporary, so are the gifts God has given the church.[2]

 At this point, briefly discussing the gift of prophecy is important. The gift of prophesying in the Old Testament was one of the ways God communicated His truth to the world. He had chosen men who spoke with authority, and there were distinct ways to measure the validity of their message; these men spoke, “thus saith the Lord,” and that was to be taken as the Word of God. False prophets were subject to death, “But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die” (Deut. 18:20). New Testament prophesying is speaking the canonized Word of God to edify and build up the people of God. The book of Hebrews opens its pages with these words: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (Hebrews 1:1—2). Here, it shows a turning point: the Lord Jesus Christ is the last prophet, the final word and the prophets have passed, but speaking the inscripturated words of God is still an active and important element of the Christian faith.

Like other doctrines in the Bible, cessationists appeal to multiple scriptural references and church history. Writing an article on cessationism and a response to Sam Storms continuationist views, Pastor Josh Buice says this,

As a cessationist, I’m quite aware of the fact that no Bible verse can be supplied that states “all of the apostolic gifts will cease.” Just as the doctrine of the Trinity is supplied through progressive revelation, so is the doctrine of cessationism. As we read the Scriptures, progressive revelation makes it known that some gifts do cease because they were given for a specific time period and purpose in redemptive history. The office of the prophet has ceased and the gift of the apostle is no longer given to the church in our day, as Paul clearly stated that he was the last of the apostles (1 Cor 15:8).[3]

If the canon is closed and prophecy has ceased, then it is possible that the other miraculous gifts, such as tongues, knowledge, and miraculous healings, have also ceased. In addition, it is important to note the difference between the ordinary use of these gifts and the extraordinary gifts, which will be discussed in the next section. If the gift of healing, as described in Acts by Peter and Paul, were still in place, hospitals would likely be emptied of their patients. What kind of a faith healer would not desire to see a children’s hospital void of sick children? The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith states clearly, “The Holy Scriptures are the only sufficient, certain, and infallible standard of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience.”[4] If the confession is true, then further revelation is unnecessary. Since the gift of prophesying is classified under preaching it is still relevant and necessary for the New Testament church.

Lastly, the cessationists’ argument appeals to church history as evidence these gifts are no longer commonplace. There are opposing views to this claim, notably by Sam Storms, who has written the gifts “were most decidedly not absent. They were at times less prevalent, but the same could be said about the presence of signs, wonders and miracles in biblical history as well.”[5] While Dr. Storms makes an interesting point, one would wonder how a decline in these gifts and a resurgence of the gifts in the early 20th century are intertwined. In the 2nd Century, the Montanists claimed they possessed the gift of prophecy and spoke in an ecstatic babble, similar to modern-day tongues speakers. One of the most famous Montanists was Tertullian. The Reformation period saw its own version with Zwickau prophets, and in the latter 17th Century, the Huguenots and then later the Quakers all used the ecstatic glossolalia[6] to receive a word from God.

The biggest revival of the modern Pentecostal movement began in Topeka, Kansas, in 1900, by Charles Parham, the founder of Bethel Bible College. Parham was an itinerant evangelist and faith healer. He asked his students to read the book of Acts and answer, “What is the biblical evidence of the Holy Ghost?” They overwhelmingly agreed it was speaking in tongues and quickly spread through the school. Other movements, such as the Azusa Street Revival, caused Pentecostalism to grow quickly, but like all movements, they encountered internal problems resulting in factions. Whether the ongoing work of miraculous gifts was truly miraculous through the post-apostolic era is probably in the eye of the beholder. Still, for cessationists there are real doubts about the validity of some of the movements.

There appear to be reasonable arguments from both camps that can confuse those seeking to form a doctrinal position, so where would one land if they are not fully convinced of either position? Is there another place to provide for the possibility of some of the miraculous gifts without violating the Scriptures? With that, there is an open but cautious position.

Cautious

Is it essential for Christianity to have firm views on the above positions? Or is it possible to maintain a middle-of-the-road perspective because of uncertainty? This third perspective explores that question. It is important to understand that doubts are not sinful, nor does it mean one is weak on theological convictions. Given testimonies of unusual events through the years of miraculous occurrences must be explained as demonic activity or a work of God. While it is imperative not to believe every spirit but to test them (John 4:1), is it possible that the Spirit of God continues to work in miraculous and unusual ways? Cessationism, in all fairness, does not prohibit miraculous works; the position merely articulates they are not commonplace, nor are they done in the same way they were performed by Jesus and the Apostles.

The third position provides an opportunity for those not residing firmly in either camp. When unexplained miraculous events are attested to, how should Christians receive this testimony? As 1 John 4:1 indicates, they must be tested. John Calvin offers sound advice:

But the Spirit prescribes an altogether different way: that believers be watchful not to accept any doctrine lightly and without judgment. We should be careful not to be offended by the variety of opinion in the church; we should rather discriminate between teachers, with the Word of God as our only norm. It is enough to make it our rule not to listen indiscriminately to everyone that comes along.[1]

A Christian must judge these situations and discern the legitimacy of claims to healings, tongues, and miracles. However, it is difficult to dismiss the many testimonies describing miraculous events. A more recent phenomenon in the past couple of decades has been dreams and visions in the Muslim world. These accounts claim they are visited by the Lord Jesus Christ in a dream. Since the canon is closed, most cessationists will claim no further need for special revelation.[2] However, the biblical accounts are replete with God appearing in theophanies or dreams. (Gen. 3:18, 18:1, Ex. 3:1—4, Gen. 28:12, Gen. 15:1, Ez. 8:3—4) Dreams and visions are also seen in the New Testament (Luke 1:5—23, Matt. 1:20, 2:13, 27:10, Acts 9:10, 10:1—6, 10:9—15, 16:9—10, 18:9—11, and 2 Cor. 12:1—6).

How does the topic of the canonical text play into dreams and visions from either the Old or the New Testament? And since the canon had not yet been inscripturated, what is the relationship? Cessationists will argue that since the canon is now complete, there is no further need for revelation, which is a reasonable position to take. However, what about places where access to the Scriptures is limited or not yet translated, such as Middle Eastern and heavily Muslim countries? Pastor Tom Doyle spent eleven years as a full-time missionary in the Middle East and Central Asia. He has experienced and recounted many stories of the Lord Jesus Christ appearing to Muslim people in his book, and he writes, “Each of their stories is really His story. Jesus wants you to know what He’s doing and to appreciate the power by which He still works today…. The stories in this book are about real people I know personally or are known by my family’s closest friends in the Middle East. If we couldn’t verify the experience, we left it out -no Christian fairy tales here.”[3]

The stories in Doyle’s book are compelling and gripping. If they have no valid connection to the New Testament Jesus, they should be dismissed. But Fatima’s story confirms the dreams through a hunger and thirst to read about Christ on the pages of the Bible. Doyle recounts Fatima’s story:

And it seemed that every day she met yet another person who had dreamed about this Jesus. Each one recounted a powerful, gentle Person who overwhelmed him or her, not with unendurable shame as the Muslim leaders did, but with a pure love that reached deep inside. This idea of a loving God is what astounded her. One friend described him as a shepherd watching over and caring for His sheep. Fatima’s soul ached for such an experience of belonging and acceptance. For months, the young woman pored over the New Testament online and saw for herself the glorious love of Jesus for His disciples. He was irresistible, and one night she bowed in obedience to His call on her life.[4]

Fatima would not have had easy access to the Bible as those living in the West would. So given the limited abilities, why would it be impossible to reach these people by way of a dream, vision, or theophany? While this is not considered the normal mode of gospel transmission, denying the countless stories of such occurrences is difficult.

The topic of tongues, as seen in the book of Acts, has also been attested to by witnesses that confirm missionaries going to people groups and not knowing the language but being able to miraculously speak in a foreign tongue without any training. While cautious, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones believes the gift of speaking in tongues continues. He qualifies that these gifts occur only as the Spirit moves upon a person, not at will, and if ever to be done publicly, they require interpretation.[5]

Conclusion

It is often difficult to reconcile the practices that commonly occurred in the times of the early church or the Old Testament. While caution should be the day’s rule, the miraculous gifts’ continuation must be critiqued and evaluated. These should never be assumed, but neither should they be denied or taken as a deceptive tool of the enemy. Whether it is appropriate to accept them as orthodox is another question and one not always easily answered.

God has not left the world without direction. These directions are complete in the Old and the New Testaments. However, this does not authoritatively declare God cannot work through other means. Although these means are rare, they are not impossible. There are good people on both sides of this discussion, and there are good people who have not made firm decisions, and in it lies an opportunity for increased love for those who disagree. The cross and the gospel are the central themes of God’s design to bring glory to Himself and reconcile sinful man. God has declared the answer, which is found in the work and person of Jesus Christ. May the Lord provide clarity, wisdom, and discernment for those seeking His glory.

Bibliography

1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith in Modern English. “The Holy Scriptures,” Accessed April 23, 2024. https://founders.org/library/chapter-1-the-holy-scriptures/.

Buice, Josh. “Why Modern Prophecy Is False and God’s Word Is Inerrant and Sufficient: A Response to Sam Storms,” Accessed April 23, 2024. https://g3min.org/why-modern-prophecy-is-false-and-gods-word-is-inerrant-and-sufficient-a-response-to-sam-storms/.

Calvin, John. trans. Joseph Haroutunian and Louise Pettibone Smith, Calvin: Commentaries (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1958.

Doyle, Tom, and Greg Webster. Dreams and Visions: Is Jesus Awakening the Muslim World? Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, 2012.

Fee, Gordon D. The First Epistle to the Corinthians. Revised. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2014.

Got Questions. “Continuationism,” Accessed April 16, 2024. https://www.gotquestions.org/continuationism.html.

Grudem, Wayne A. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994.

Lloyd-Jones, Martyn, MLJ Trust. “The Gift of Tongues,” Accessed April 24, 2024. https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons-online/john-1-26-33/the-gift-of-tongues/.

Myers, Allen C. The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1987.

Piper, John. “Are Prophecy and Tongues Alive Today?,” Desiring God. Accessed April 19, 2024. https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/are-prophecy-and-tongues-alive-today.

Schreiner, Thomas R. 1 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary, ed. Eckhard J. Schnabel, vol. 7, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries: London: Inter-Varsity Press, 2018.

Storms, Sam. “Spiritual Gifts in Church History (1)” Accessed April 24, 2024, https://www.samstorms.org/enjoying-god-blog/post/spiritual-gifts-in-church-history–1-.

[1] John Calvin, trans. Joseph Haroutunian and Louise Pettibone Smith, Calvin: Commentaries (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1958), 86.

[2] Special revelation is a way God reveals Himself using miraculous means. These can include dreams, visions, the written Word of God or through Christ Himself, such as Hebrews 1:1—3 proclaims.

[3] Tom Doyle and Greg Webster, Dreams and Visions: Is Jesus Awakening the Muslim World? (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, 2012). xiv.

[4] Ibid., 58—59

[5] Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, “The Gift of Tongues,” accessed April 24, 2024, https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons-online/john-1-26-33/the-gift-of-tongues/.

[1] It is noteworthy that this paper only discusses the continuation and cessation of the miraculous gifts. There is also considerable debate about the cessation of revelation. From this paper and this writer’s perspective, it is important to note that without the cessation of special revelation, it would be difficult to establish objective truth through God’s Word, knowing that it is subject to change. Theologians like Wayne Grudem offer explanations about the New Testament that space limits our exploration, but holding fast to the Word of God as complete is crucial to establishing the Bible as the final authority on all matters of faith and life. See Chapter 53, Systematic Theology by Grudem.

[2] Thomas R. Schreiner, 1 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary, ed. Eckhard J. Schnabel, vol. 7, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (London: Inter-Varsity Press, 2018), 280.

[3] Josh Buice, “Why Modern Prophecy Is False and God’s Word Is Inerrant and Sufficient: A Response to Sam Storms,” accessed April 23, 2024, https://g3min.org/why-modern-prophecy-is-false-and-gods-word-is-inerrant-and-sufficient-a-response-to-sam-storms/.

[4] The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith in Modern English, “The Holy Scriptures,” accessed April 23, 2024, https://founders.org/library/chapter-1-the-holy-scriptures/.

[5] Sam Storms, “Spiritual Gifts in Church History (1)” accessed April 24, 2024, https://www.samstorms.org/enjoying-god-blog/post/spiritual-gifts-in-church-history–1-.

[6] Eerdmans Bible Dictionary states the erratic speech of “glossolalia” is not an actual human language, not to be understood in those terms, but directed toward God, and is referred to as “tongues of men and angels” (1 Cor. 13:1) by the Apostle Paul. Allen C. Myers, The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1987), 1011.

[1] “Continuationism,” Got Questions, accessed April 16, 2024, https://www.gotquestions.org/continuationism.html

[2] All Bible translations are from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

[3] Grudem gives three reasons for his continuing view of miraculous gifts. 1. He says verse 12 determines the context of verse 10 as the time of the Lord’s return, as we shall see Him clearly, as face to face. 2. Paul is emphasizing the greatness of love, “To prove his point he argues that it will last beyond the time when the Lord returns, unlike present spiritual gifts. This makes a convincing argument: love is fundamental to God’s plan….” 3. Grudem interprets 1 Corinthians 1:7 as Paul tying the possession of spiritual gifts to the activity of waiting for the Lord’s return.

[4] Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. (Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 1035.

[5] Grudem, “Systematic Theology,” 1036.

[6] John Piper, “Are Prophecy and Tongues Alive Today?,” accessed April 19, 2024, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/are-prophecy-and-tongues-alive-today

[7] Ibid.

[8] Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, Revised (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2014), 713.

[9] Fee, “1 Corinthians,” 713.

What is Slander?

Posted on by kevinjandt

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with malice (Ephesians 4:31). 

Over the years I have been accused of slander. While I have no doubt those who accuse me of such a thing are searching for a way to discredit me because I’ve said a lot of things about them. What I’ve said has been pointed and sharp. I’ve been critical and used a serrated edge in many instances, but slander is a whole different thing. Actually, since I’ve written most of these things, technically, it’s called libel, but that seems to be splitting hairs, at least from my point of view. I have written hard things about them, that is for sure. They don’t like it, that’s also for sure. In one case, they disliked it so much that they wrote the elders asking them to ask me to stop.  To the credit of these elders, they investigated and replied that they didn’t believe I had done anything wrong and told us to obey our conscience.

The issue of slander is real in the church. There are people who say things or write things about others that are not true, or the truth is distorted. That might be what my accusers think, I don’t know for sure. We haven’t discussed it. No matter, they don’t appreciate it. The New Testament contains the word slander ten times. It’s a tough word. I don’t mean the word is hard to say, it’s something that can do real damage to people.

In the verse above, Paul tells the Christians in Ephesus that they need to put away these things. They all go together. Bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice. I don’t have to define each of these words for you, most of us have a good idea what they mean. But often slander, in most people’s minds, is saying mean things about someone. That is partially true, especially from the other person’s perspective.

The definition of slander is speech injurious to someone’s good name. It is effectually designed to tear down and hurt them, but the clincher is the statements are untrue.

Here is a helpful definition from the Pocket Dictionary of Ethics,

The act of uttering false statements, or disseminating misinformation, for the purpose of defaming or injuring the reputation of another person. Technically, slander occurs when the defamatory statement is articulated in a transient form such as audible speech. When the form is more permanent, such as in writing or a public broadcast, it becomes libel, and thus potentially a criminal offense.[1]

The Catholic Encyclopedia adds that it is known the person is innocent.

Slander is the attributing to another of a fault of which one knows him to be innocent. It contains a twofold malice, that which grows out of damage unjustly done to our neighbor’s good name and that of lying as well. [2]

The warning here, and especially from Scripture, is that it is hurtful and sinful. The warnings are abundant, and Jesus says it comes from the heart (Matt. 15:19, Mark 7:22).

I wrote this in a previous article that I think outlines my point. If I said or wrote that someone was a bank robber and my intent was to harm their reputation, knowing it wasn’t true, that would qualify as slander or libel. However, if I wrote or said they were a bank robber and they had been arrested, tried, and convicted of being a bank robber, that is not slander or libel. In no way do I intend to say something untrue about them to injure them.

With the case in point, as it relates to those I’ve been accused of slandering, it is my opinion, backed up by my experience, and the facts that I have stated these people are what I’ve claimed. For example, I’ve written a lengthy article on why I believe Mike Reid and the elders of Grace Fellowship are disqualified from ministry. This is not just my opinion. It is backed up by the things I stated above. My experience, the facts, and other eyewitnesses. I have no desire to defend myself to them, that is a lost cause, but what I wish to do is make a point made by Andrew Rappaport in one of the podcasts I participated. He said, if those making the accusation of slander cannot provide the evidence of slander, then they are the one slandering. In other words, if Mike Reid claims I’m slandering him, and he does, he needs to show me where I’ve done so. If he can’t, or he won’t, then he is slandering me.

I have abundant evidence of their claim of my slander. I’d like to know where I’ve slandered them. I believe I can provide evidence of every claim I’ve made that is derogatory about them, and that is a long list. It is a list attested to by many witnesses. It’s not an off-the-cuff thing, like he is a bank robber. I take my Christianity seriously, and I don’t want to willingly slander anyone. What I know is the practices and the things that occur at Grace Fellowship are damaging to people. Countless people. And with no end in sight. If Mike wants to believe that is slander he is welcome to think that, but I think I have plenty of evidence to support my case. I look forward to hearing what he has to say, but I expect I won’t.  

Kevin Jandt

[1] Stanley J. Grenz and Jay T. Smith, Pocket Dictionary of Ethics, The IVP Pocket Reference Series (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003), 109.

[2] Joseph Delany, “Slander,” in The Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church, ed. Charles G. Herbermann et al. (New York: The Encyclopedia Press; The Universal Knowledge Foundation, 1907–1913).

A Response to Ryan Peterson’s Funeral “Sermons”

Posted on by kevinjandt

The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. 4 The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them (Ezekiel 34:1-4).

This article is a follow-up to my open letter to Ryan Peterson’s friends and family. In that letter, I desired to offer comfort and hope that Ryan’s life was properly and lovingly acknowledged. It is my deepest and most sincere desire to highlight the goodness in Ryan. The goodness that flowed to him through his relationship with his Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, I fully believe Ryan was a Christian, and as I said in my first article, that was not contingent upon his confession of sin or lack thereof but only on the work of Christ.

While I desire to be kind and gracious, what I heard from these funeral messages was grievous and unnecessary. It is the tone and tenor of which these grotesque examples of sermons were preached. It was as if they had no life experience with Ryan and didn’t believe him to be a saved man, although they didn’t dare to come right out and say it. What they did was hint around the topic and leave the audience wondering what egregious sin had taken over Ryan to cause him to end his life.

There was an agenda to this funeral service, and the only desire from those leading was to make their points with as much rigor and demand as they place on the lives of their congregants on a day-in and day-out basis. The Christian life was never designed to be under authoritarian rule. If you picked up anything from those sermons, I trust you saw the authoritarian and hostile environment GFC represents.

God has something to say about those who rule harshly, and the passage above was a firm rebuke to those shepherds of Israel who had a self-focused agenda. The passage needs little to no explanation. As for those who had to endure these sermons, I want to point out a few things about what the passage says: “The weak you have not strengthened (verse 4).” When you went to the funeral of Ryan Peterson, were you weak? Did you feel sick, injured, and lost? Was there a great loss to your soul?

Perhaps you thought you would hear good things about Ryan and his life that would strengthen or lift you, but it didn’t. It only felt condemning and harsh, “with force and harshness, you have ruled them.” What type of encouragement was this, and what was it designed to do, or who was it designed to serve?

Well, it certainly didn’t bring grace to the hearer. Despite Mike Reid mentioning he was a pastor at Grace Fellowship Church, grace was never mentioned again. Grace should have been the central focus; instead, it was sin.

The topic of sin is a popular one at GFC. It is THE topic. A great deal of time and energy is devoted to rooting out the sins of the congregation. This can be done through preaching, as you just experienced, personal interaction with the pastors, or via the admonishments of the other congregants.

It is a difficult society to reside in if you have sin, which we all do (1 John 1:8-9). These sermons were a looking glass into a society that has left countless people on the brink of hopelessness as they continue to muddle through another joyless day. You are only as good as your last interaction. They seem to forget that our worth is in Christ, not in behaviors and actions. Listening to Tyler preach, I wondered the point of bringing up Ryan’s sin and why this was so important.

I hate to refresh your memory on what he said, but this is warped and twisted thinking of a man who should seek to expound the glories of a Savior. Tyler said, “In the last four weeks, there have been hidden sins discovered that Ryan had kept from everyone for quite a long time.” “The weight of unconfessed, hidden sin will destroy anyone.” [1] (30:50).

Then he makes a disclaimer. “If anyone hears this and is shocked, and it makes them think differently about Ryan, it shouldn’t because the Bible says no one is good.”

I wish I could say I don’t understand what he is trying to say. The message here is loud and clear, having spent much time with these people. For the disclaimer’s sake, this is only my opinion, as is the rest of this article, but Ryan’s memory deserves better than this.

In modern parlance, Bolkema is deflecting away from the responsibility they, as “shepherds,” bear. It’s not anyone’s fault, but Ryan’s because of his sin. His sin killed him. He was hiding it, and it destroyed him. It leaves me so empty and hollow inside thinking that this is how they cast dispersion onto Ryan and relieve themselves of any role they may have played in Ryan’s frame of mind, of which nobody truly knows except for him and God.

Here is the problem for them. They have no category for any mental illness, mental collapse, breakdown, depression, or a short-term imbalance in the brain. In GFC theology, the only answer is sin. Studying the brain and the science involved in knowing the countless scenarios that can bring a person to such an end is not a simple, black-or-white solution (See Tony Miano’s post below). It is shameful they said that Ryan decided to abandon his family, but this puts the focus on him and draws it away from them.

As one pastor I spoke to said, “You don’t minister to the living by kicking the dead,” and that is an awful burden for all those who loved Ryan to have to bear. In medical terms, this is a case of malpractice and misconduct. It is a gross case of misdiagnosis. You would think that showing grace, mercy, and compassion to those left behind and an invitation to search out the God that sent His Son to die for sinners might offer a more compassionate approach. Still, you have Mike Reid preaching the message he has preached for fifteen years: sin, judgment, and condemnation.

Who preaches a message like this, at a funeral no less, without believing these people need to be clubbed over the head rather than shown that Christ is a loving God that offers forgiveness from sin and rest from a weary world? Can the message of salvation be preached without berating and belittling?

Why can’t they say that we know Ryan was struggling, but we saw evidence of faith in his life, and we have complete confidence that he’s with the Lord?

Why?

Because sin is so important to their theology, Forty-one (41) times, Reid says the word sin or a derivation of the word in his “sermon,” now, to be fair, about six (6) of those discuss Christ as not having been a sinner, but that is still thirty-five (35) times he is discussing sin. He also uses the word wrath fourteen (14) times, condemn or condemned nine (9) times, and judgment four (4) times.  And keep in mind this was only a 15-minute sermon.

In contrast, he only mentions grace when he states he’s a pastor at Grace Fellowship Church. He uses the word mercy three (3) times (outside of the song they sing at the end), and forgiveness is only mentioned once. He uses the word love three times in the context of God’s love.  

This imbalance could not be more obvious. If I went back through all the years of Reid’s preaching nothing has changed. The imbalance here is unbearable and the primary reason we left and so many others left through the years.

In his excellent work, The Whole Christ, Sinclair Ferguson writes, “In essence [legalism] it is any teaching that diminishes or distorts the generous love of God and the full freeness of his grace. It then distorts God’s graciousness revealed in his law and fails to see law set within its proper context in redemptive history as an expression of a gracious Father. This is the nature of legalism. Indeed we might say these are the natures of legalism.” [2]

In one sentence, Ferguson mentions grace three times. The gospel is good news, but one would be hard-pressed to walk away from those sermons, having received this as good news. For anyone who would listen, it isn’t easy to endure these men’s preaching, demeanor, and tone, which tragically hinders the good news.

Sinclair Ferguson highlights how important tone can be to preaching, “[T]he same reality was noted in the life and ministry of Robert Murray M’Cheyne. It was perhaps most movingly expressed in a letter that lay unopened on his desk on the day he died at the age of twenty-nine. A correspondent writing to thank him for a sermon he had preached commented that it was not merely what he had said but the manner in which he spoke that had made an indelible impression.” [3]

It is hard to miss the “tone” that emanates out of the mouths of Reid and Bolkema. It rarely, if ever, appeals to the conscience in a way that exudes love, care, and compassion, but its focus is the legal demands of the law and a heavy conviction of sin. That is not to say sin has no bearing on the life of one coming to Christ, but for the ministry of GFC, it is an ever-present formula presented to the congregation in a fire-hose manner.

Someday, I pray they will see the truth of what this place has done to people. They crush the spirit, wound the soul, and feed themselves rather than the people. I can only guess the food they enjoy is their quest for power and dominance. How can I make such a claim? It comes down to my experience, observations, and what the Scriptures teach us. Several key passages show us the evidence of false teaching. Listen to the words of these verses,

Jesus said, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits” (Matt 7:15—16).

False prophets are called wolves, and what do wolves do to sheep, but kill and eat them, and the fruits of their teaching evidence this. I’ve written consistently about the damage done and specifically highlighted testimonies of those damaged through the years.

Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us back into slavery— (Gal 2:4).

False brothers will destroy Christian liberty and freedoms. External appearances will always judge you, and freedom and liberty will be destroyed.

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction (2 Pet. 2:1).

The warnings are abundant, and these people will arise from within Christianity, as Paul also said in Acts 20:28. Again, he says these are wolves, and they will not spare the flock. When the flock is scattered, injured, wounded, and left uncared for, that is evidence of false prophets or wolves. Paul likely had Ezekiel 34 in mind as he said these words to the Ephesian elders.  

The leadership of Grace Fellowship has a long and illustrious track record of this behavior. For those affected by this place, you are left to pick up the pieces, you will someday want answers, and I write as one willing to try and help answer them. Those calls, emails, or messages have, will, and do come. I have responded to many of them, and I pray someday, there will be answers that can help you cope with the damage that has been done.

It is not a healthy environment. It is not a place where you can take rest and comfort. It is rightly called a high-demand group for good reason. They will demand a lot from you, they will take a lot from you, and the only way NOT to be a victim is to speak out. I pray that anyone who reads this will understand my desire to expose such evil and call it what it is.

In Christ’s love, for Christ’s true church.

Kevin

[1] https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=1113232254135642

[2] Sinclair Ferguson, The Whole Christ, Legalism, Antinomianism, & Gospel Assurance—Why the Marrow Controversy Still Matters, (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2016), 95.

[3] Ibid., 228.

Are Your Children Saved?

Posted on by kevinjandt

saved

One of the great tragedies of religion is the failure to identify and deal with the truth of biblical conversion. As I think back to my life before salvation and the different churches I had attended I was never once asked when and how I was saved. I guess it was assumed that being in a church meant I was saved.

Why would this presupposition be any different with children today?

I believe there is major deception among Bible believing churches and church attendees that don’t know how to deal with this subject. I can tell you that I didn’t know how to deal with it.

First of all, I didn’t even know that I wasn’t saved, until my salvation was challenged.   If you’ve ever asked someone about their salvation and they become offended I’d really wonder why? Isn’t this a legitimate question for Believers to ask of one another? Isn’t God brought the glory He deserves when we discuss how He saved someone?

Salvation is a super-natural work of God where He takes a dead, God-hating soul and regenerates that heart into a heart that has all new desires. It’s really here that this topic begins. We must first understand it’s a work of God. In order to be saved we must recognize we need saving.   We were, or still are, spiritually dead.

Ephesians 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins…

If we don’t understand the significance of this verse, there is no understanding of the doctrine of salvation. Paul is writing to the saints (those set apart for service and worship of God) and he is telling them Christ made them alive. Why? Because they were DEAD!

Secondly, we must understand that God does it.

The prophet Ezekiel wrote about this super-natural work and we can see the purpose and reason behind salvation. Do we benefit from salvation? Most certainly, but is it primarily for our benefit, absolutely not.

Ezekiel 36:22-23   “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the LORD God: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but my My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD,” says the LORD God, “when I am hallowed in you before their eyes.

This is God exalting, pride crushing, man debasing theology at its finest. “IF” you are saved, if your children are saved, it’s by the grace of God to bring Him glory. If you think that your salvation is about you then you need to read this again and humble yourself under the mighty hand of God.

It’s important to quickly note that Israel is not the nation state of Israel. Israel is Believers; God’s chosen people, not just Israelites, although some are included in this group. See Romans 2:28-29, 9:6-13, 1 Kings 19:10-18.

Ezekiel 36:24-25 For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.

Do you recognize your filthiness and your idols? When I think about mine before salvation and what God rescued me from, I’m overcome by the work that God has done in my life. Do you ever look back and think, “that was me, but for the grace of God?” When you go into a large public gathering do you look around and see the idols and the filthiness? Do you ever wonder who will be saved? Does it break your heart for the lost?

Ezekiel 36:26-27 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

Did you have anything to do with your salvation? Did you lead your children in a prayer or manipulate them into asking Jesus into their hearts? This verse could not be any clearer. Jesus affirmed this in John 3 when He challenged Nicodemus with his salvation.

Ezekiel 36:31 Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good; and you will loath yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and your abominations.

Jesus said it this way “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:3

If you have no recognition of your past, and your offenses against God, if you think that your children are relatively decent or well behaved children, you don’t understand the holiness of God. Without this recognition there is no chance for them to be saved.

God saves those of a humble and broken spirit (Psalm 51, Matthew 5:4, James 4:9). Broken and humbled over their sin and their offenses against a holy God; recognizing their filthiness. This applies to you, it applies to me, and it certainly applies to our children. Jesus told us the path that leads to life is narrow. Salvation is not decisional, it’s recognition of your sin, repenting and living in a manner completely different to which you were.

If we, as parents, can understand the gravity of salvation there is a much better chance for our children to be saved as we accurately present the gospel. In the end there is nothing more important.

Kevin

Lust of the flesh

Posted on by kevinjandt

rocks and waterWhat does it mean when the Bible talks about the lust of the flesh?  This seems pretty obvious to most Believers but I wonder just how seriously we take this in our everyday lives.

Galatians 5:16-18 I say then:  Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

The word “walk” in Greek is peripateō – From G4012 and G3961; to tread all around, that is, walk at large (especially as proof of ability); figuratively to live, deport oneself, follow (as a companion or votary): – go, be occupied with, walk (about).

Our desire to “walk” in the Spirit is what a Believer should be occupied with, what are the affections of your heart and mind, do you desire the Spirit or your flesh?  When those moments of temptation creep in, how do you handle them?

Today I’m going to introduce a dear brother and friend to this blog.  I’ve wanted to post some of his writing for some time now.  He is an extraordinary thinker.

So welcome Tyler Bolkema to Uncommon Faith.  Recently Tyler wrote an email to some of the brothers in our assembly that have been struggling with the sin of idolatry in tobacco use.  I’m hopeful this will stir in each reader to look at sins they tolerate, we all have them don’t we, what’s yours?

Don’t you know that Christ lives in you?  How can you possibly walk according to the flesh if you are in the Spirit?

Only two options exist.  You are in rebellion, or you are NOT saved.  I trust you won’t fail the test.

Kevin

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God has put each of you on my heart these past few hours. I know each of you have struggled and our somewhat currently struggling with chewing tobacco/nicotine craving. As I have briefly discussed this with each of you and listened to you talk about it, I see how hard it is for you to completely put this out of your life because you so easily want to justify and rationalize this in your life. As I read God’s word, this became clearer to me and I hope that His word will deepen your repentance in this area and grant you a non-swaying opinion of this in your lives. 

Romans 13:11-14 “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” 

Verse 14 really stuck out in my mind, that we would make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts. I thought the Wuest translation was also quite telling: “But clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and stop making provision for the sinful nature with a view to a passionate craving.”

As you think about your chewing tobacco ask yourself one thing, “Is this a desire from God that He has given me to grow in my faith in holiness?” If yes, then I would expect each of you to put a big dip in next time you sit down on the Lord’s Day to prepare to worship God. I think you all see ridiculousness of that. If no, then ask yourself this question, “Is this a passionate craving of my flesh that I continue to want to make provision for?”

If your flesh still desires to make provision for this in your life and still tell yourself that this is not sin, then read further down in Romans.

Romans 14:23 “But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.”

You would all attest that your chewing is not a result of your faith in Jesus Christ, but a habit of your old fleshly man. Again if your flesh desires to disagree here, then you ought to be able to bring this into the church of God and worship Him with it.

Paul is very clear, in this context he is talking about food and those things that are sacrificed to idols. I do not think that the food Paul discusses here is a parallel with your chewing, it is the last sentence that I desire you to meditate on – For whatever is not from faith is sin.

John Calvin explains this passage well,  “The reason for this condemnation is, that every work, however splendid and excellent in appearance, is counted as sin, except it be founded on a right conscience; for God regards not the outward display, but the inward obedience of the heart, by this alone is an estimate made of our works. Besides, how can that be obedience, when any one undertakes what he is not persuaded by is approved by God? Where then such a doubt exists, the individual is justly charged with prevarication; for he proceeds in opposition to the testimony of his, own conscience.”

Brothers, you gave testimony from your own conscience that you ought stop chewing in obedience to Christ, but then the more you continued to rationalize, justify, and make provision for the flesh you allowed your conscience to be seared. You have not cut this craving off as the craving for the immoral woman, but in your mind you continue to “walk by her house”, as Proverbs 6:5-8 warns, on this fleshly craving of yours. 

One of your consciences was so convicted that He had to hide this habit from those closest around Him in order to hang onto it.

I praise God that he is working brokenness over this in some of you, and yet as I talk with each of you, I see your flesh still want to justify, rationalize, and make provision for your fleshly desire. Brothers, let it not be so. Make no provision for your flesh and its lusts, but let us press on in fellowship with one another for the furtherance of the Gospel, that you would lay this off and put it away from you. That you would cut off that old man and live in the light of Christ at all times throughout each day. Please see how this affects your testimony, your wives, your children, and your church body. For the sake of them, cut off the old fleshly man, so the power of Christ might shine in your life.

Each morning I wake up and fight to get on my knees to put to death the Tyler that desires sexual immorality, laziness, and pride. And each morning I war against the desires of my flesh to put them to death. I do not do this perfectly, but by the grace of God I do not justify these things when they manifest in my life.

Use the tools God has given us to deny ourselves and our flesh. Fast until God has dealt true brokenness and repentance in this area of life, seek the Lord in prayer until He has changed your mind, preach the word to your wicked heart that so easily deceives you, and come humbly into the fellowship of God’s people to share and receive God’s grace in your life.

I love you each dearly, please turn from making provision for this fleshly craving and let us go forward together in ministering to the saints. And as you see my flesh rear up and make provision for it, may you help me put it to death with the same warlike attitude that we have done away with the other sin in our lives.

Love you all, 

Tyler

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