Quote:
Originally Posted by houston
This is funny. I lean reformed. There are many reformed that are not cessationist. Why? Because that is not a logical conclusion. Many reformers were not cessationist. Sola scriptural is not false doctrine. Even while operating in spiritual gifts- the message has to line up with scripture.
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That's why I tried to use the term "historically".
In recent years some leading Reformed teachers have opened the door to the spiritual gifts. Good Reformed men like John Piper, Wayne Grudem, Mark Driscoll, and others haven even testified to their believing that this gifts are "real"... although they almost universally testify that they have not personally experienced them, while downplaying their importance. A part of this is due to the overwhelming prevalence of the Charismatic renewal movement. Catholics, Lutherans, Baptists, Reformed, Episcopals, Presbyterians, etc. have all
historically denied the validity of such gifts... with the Reformed screaming "SOLA SCRIPTURA!" the entire time. But within the past 70 years we've seen how members of all of these denominations have experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit and have experienced the gifts. And this Charismatic renewal movement is so prevalent in American Christianity that it is evident that should they take a hard line against the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gifts, they will find themselves in the minority rather quickly. The Holy Spirit (the Spirit of Christ) has brought them to their knees and caused them to open the door to His reality. Yet, in most Reformed circles who "claim" to believe in it... just try to practice it. You'll be shut down in a New York minute.
The notion that a divine utterance beyond the Word's of Scripture can be given, received, or experienced is not Sola Scriptura as it was historically understood. That's the leading reason why they historically opposed speaking in tongues since the beginning of the Pentecostal revivals in the early 20th Century.
When I see a Reformed teacher, preacher, or believer who states that they believe in the gifts, it's like seeing a person in a classically Cessationist tradition... with egg on their face, admitting that the Pentecostals were right... while they continue cling to their traditional Reformed theology out of pure stubbornness. lol
And even worse yet... I see Apostolics drifting into their classical Cessationist theology!
I have a theory as to why though.
We've neglected a systematic theological perspective of the doctrines of grace... from a purely Apostolic perspective, centered on
Acts 2:38. Which is what I have presented above and have been working on for 11 years.