~ from email ~

Some of the criticisms against the charismatics from Reformed and Evangelical people are indeed justified. However, their own doctrines and policies regarding the spiritual gifts are much worse than the charismatic errors and excesses, and amount to a conspiracy against God’s power. The heresy of cessationism is more dangerous and destructive than the heresies of the charismatics.

Some cessationists admit that God might still perform miracles, but he no longer performs these feats through spiritual gifts or endowments granted to believers. Then, some cessationists insist that God has completely stopped performing miracles. This position claims that all the reasons for God to perform miracles have been fulfilled and are now inapplicable, especially since the Bible has been completed.

Cessationism in either form is unbiblical, blasphemous, and demonic. The cessationists allow God only several reasons to perform miracles, but the Bible indicates a number of other reasons. God performs miracles not only to authenticate his messengers and to confirm new revelations, but there are other reasons, such as his desire to confirm old revelations and to show himself to people, as well as his compassion to the suffering and oppressed in every age. Moreover, God could perform miracles for reasons unknown to us. He does not need our permission or understanding. It is foolish and dishonest to claim that God would no longer perform miracles or that God would no longer grant miraculous abilities to his people because the Bible has been completed. The doctrine is demonic because it resists God’s purpose, and because cessationists not only refuse to walk in God’s power, but they also forbid others to walk in it.

God does whatever he wants. The Bible shows us a God who often wants to perform miracles, such as healing the sick, and he often does it in answer to prayer and through the hands of men. On the other hand, some people think and behave as if this has become a deistic world after the death of the apostles. A deist is much worse than an unrefined charismatic. Christians should affirm that God’s power is active in this world, and that he does whatever he wants, including miracles, for the glory of his name and for the good of his chosen ones.

Christian life should be characterized by spiritual power. Charismatics sometimes make a lot of noise without an actual demonstration or experience of this power, but cessationists make unbelief their creed and rebellion their orthodoxy, and in the name of Christ they persecute those who live otherwise.