10 Reasons I'm a Cessatonist
I hate the term Cessationist. To me it’s like marrying the girl of your dreams then choosing to describe yourself as 'de-engaged’. It places the emphasis solely upon the fact that something has ceased - overlooking the profound reason that that something has ceased. Namely because something new and beautiful has taken it’s place. For a newly-wed the tortuous engagement period has ceased. It has ceased because it has been replaced by a new and beautiful period - marriage. No longer is the relationship characterised by incompleteness, uncertainty and waiting but rather the opposite - fulness, security, certainty, wholeness and peace.
So too with Cessationism. What has ceased is the period in which God’s revelation was incomplete. And it has ceased because God has spoken fully and finally through His Son (Hebrews 1:1).
With that said - until I can come up with a better term I do describe myself as a cessationist. Now before give you a few reasons why first a couple of definitions and a disclaimer...
Definitions
When I use the term ‘Continuationist’ I am referring to those who believe the revelatory gifts have continued and normal Christian life involves direct, extra-biblical and authoritative revelation from God. When I use the term ‘Cessationist’ I am referring to those who believe the revelatory gifts have ceased and God’s direct and authoritative special revelation resides solely in scripture.
Disclaimer
The following list is not a list of things I think continuationists are guilty of and cessationists are not guilty of. Instead the list it is an effort to say why, when I consider the matter of revelatory gifts in light of other key doctrines, I land on the side of historic cessationism.
So here are the 10 reasons I’m a Cessationist:
1. The Doctrine of the Sufficiency of Scripture
Is the bible enough for us to know what pleases God or do we need more messages? Jesus didn’t seem to think we did - He said all a man needed to be “truly His disciple” was His word. Cessationism says the Bible is enough.
2. The Character of God
Is God the kind of Father who leaves His children guessing about His voice or does He love them enough to speak clearly? The picture of God painted by the Bible is a caring Father who wants His children sure about who He is and what He wants. Cessationism says God loves us enough to communicate clearly.
3. The Centrality of the Gospel
Could God give us a more beautiful message than the one He has already given us? While we obsess over getting a message communicating ‘God’s will for our lives’ the angels obsess over the message of the Gospel. Cessationism says the best thing God could ever tell us He already has - and He wants us to focus there every day.
4. The Nature of the New Covenant
Should we expect the mechanics of the New Covenant to be essentially a recapitulation, albeit a mystical one, of those of the old? Jeremiah said the New Covenant, in direct contrast to the Old, would be marked by God taking His will (His law) and writing it upon our hearts. He did not say it would be marked by Him taking His will and whispering it in our ears or “prompting" us with it whilst leaving our hearts unchanged. Cessationism says the mechanics of the New Covenant are exactly what the Bible promised they would be - an inversion of the Old - God doesn’t leave His law outside us but puts it inside us.
6. The Trajectory of Eschatology
Does the Bible warn us that in the last days Christians would apostatize because they ignore subjective impressions and devalue subjective experiences? Almost the opposite - mass downfall occurs because a love of experience replaces a love of truth. Cessationism says the only safehouse as the night of deception approaches is the written word.
7. The Nature of Sanctification
Does the Bible place a premium on our progressively being made more like Christ or not? Biblical sanctification is our being conformed to Christ’s image - reasoning, feeling and acting like Christ - none of which is necessary if the Christian life works by God telling us directly what to do at every given point. Cessationism is loathe to short-circuit this process of sanctification.
8. The Function of the Law of God
Am I bound to do God’s all the time or only when I feel subjectively compelled? One of the dangers of locating the expression of God’s will in the subjective (still small voice, promptings etc) is the inevitable attitude one adopts that says 'provided I don’t feel subjectively moved one to do something I’m not disobeying God.’ This completely undermines one of the main functions of God’s law - to show us our sin and drive us to see our need for a saviour. Regardless of feelings or otherwise I’m permanently obligated to the law of God revealed in the bible.
9. The Freedom of the Law of God
This is the other side of the coin of the previous point. Am I free where the bible gives me freedom or not? While a person might feel like they’re obeying God when their not - the opposite danger is equally apparent - a person can feel like they’re disobeying God when they aren't. When you allow your conscience to be bound where the bible hasn’t bound it - let’s say believing God told you to marry a certain person - you fall prey to the belief that to not marry that person would be sin. This is to curtail your God given freedom and call something unclean that God has called clean. To forbid what God hasn’t forbidden, even in your own life, is a very serious thing (Galatians 5:1).
9. The Nature of General Revelation
The Bible heartily implores us towards getting messages from God outside of the Bible. But instead of directing us inward it points us toward nature. Everyday God gushes forth speech through what He has made (Psalm 19:1). When our eyes are lifted from our bibles Cessationism helps place them not on subjective impressions but on God’s creation to behold His grace and glory.
10. The Nature of Spiritual Warfare
Since the beginning of time Satan has been working to undermine God’s peoples confidence in His objective word. Do we need more encouragement in this direction or less?
So too with Cessationism. What has ceased is the period in which God’s revelation was incomplete. And it has ceased because God has spoken fully and finally through His Son (Hebrews 1:1).
With that said - until I can come up with a better term I do describe myself as a cessationist. Now before give you a few reasons why first a couple of definitions and a disclaimer...
Definitions
When I use the term ‘Continuationist’ I am referring to those who believe the revelatory gifts have continued and normal Christian life involves direct, extra-biblical and authoritative revelation from God. When I use the term ‘Cessationist’ I am referring to those who believe the revelatory gifts have ceased and God’s direct and authoritative special revelation resides solely in scripture.
Disclaimer
The following list is not a list of things I think continuationists are guilty of and cessationists are not guilty of. Instead the list it is an effort to say why, when I consider the matter of revelatory gifts in light of other key doctrines, I land on the side of historic cessationism.
So here are the 10 reasons I’m a Cessationist:
1. The Doctrine of the Sufficiency of Scripture
Is the bible enough for us to know what pleases God or do we need more messages? Jesus didn’t seem to think we did - He said all a man needed to be “truly His disciple” was His word. Cessationism says the Bible is enough.
2. The Character of God
Is God the kind of Father who leaves His children guessing about His voice or does He love them enough to speak clearly? The picture of God painted by the Bible is a caring Father who wants His children sure about who He is and what He wants. Cessationism says God loves us enough to communicate clearly.
3. The Centrality of the Gospel
Could God give us a more beautiful message than the one He has already given us? While we obsess over getting a message communicating ‘God’s will for our lives’ the angels obsess over the message of the Gospel. Cessationism says the best thing God could ever tell us He already has - and He wants us to focus there every day.
4. The Nature of the New Covenant
Should we expect the mechanics of the New Covenant to be essentially a recapitulation, albeit a mystical one, of those of the old? Jeremiah said the New Covenant, in direct contrast to the Old, would be marked by God taking His will (His law) and writing it upon our hearts. He did not say it would be marked by Him taking His will and whispering it in our ears or “prompting" us with it whilst leaving our hearts unchanged. Cessationism says the mechanics of the New Covenant are exactly what the Bible promised they would be - an inversion of the Old - God doesn’t leave His law outside us but puts it inside us.
6. The Trajectory of Eschatology
Does the Bible warn us that in the last days Christians would apostatize because they ignore subjective impressions and devalue subjective experiences? Almost the opposite - mass downfall occurs because a love of experience replaces a love of truth. Cessationism says the only safehouse as the night of deception approaches is the written word.
7. The Nature of Sanctification
Does the Bible place a premium on our progressively being made more like Christ or not? Biblical sanctification is our being conformed to Christ’s image - reasoning, feeling and acting like Christ - none of which is necessary if the Christian life works by God telling us directly what to do at every given point. Cessationism is loathe to short-circuit this process of sanctification.
8. The Function of the Law of God
Am I bound to do God’s all the time or only when I feel subjectively compelled? One of the dangers of locating the expression of God’s will in the subjective (still small voice, promptings etc) is the inevitable attitude one adopts that says 'provided I don’t feel subjectively moved one to do something I’m not disobeying God.’ This completely undermines one of the main functions of God’s law - to show us our sin and drive us to see our need for a saviour. Regardless of feelings or otherwise I’m permanently obligated to the law of God revealed in the bible.
9. The Freedom of the Law of God
This is the other side of the coin of the previous point. Am I free where the bible gives me freedom or not? While a person might feel like they’re obeying God when their not - the opposite danger is equally apparent - a person can feel like they’re disobeying God when they aren't. When you allow your conscience to be bound where the bible hasn’t bound it - let’s say believing God told you to marry a certain person - you fall prey to the belief that to not marry that person would be sin. This is to curtail your God given freedom and call something unclean that God has called clean. To forbid what God hasn’t forbidden, even in your own life, is a very serious thing (Galatians 5:1).
9. The Nature of General Revelation
The Bible heartily implores us towards getting messages from God outside of the Bible. But instead of directing us inward it points us toward nature. Everyday God gushes forth speech through what He has made (Psalm 19:1). When our eyes are lifted from our bibles Cessationism helps place them not on subjective impressions but on God’s creation to behold His grace and glory.
10. The Nature of Spiritual Warfare
Since the beginning of time Satan has been working to undermine God’s peoples confidence in His objective word. Do we need more encouragement in this direction or less?
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