Sign/Supernatural Gifts of the Spirit
// May 5th, 2009 // No Comments » // bible, theology
This is a pretty controversial, and often mis-understood issue in today’s Church. Many people (often from conservative baptist backgrounds like me) seem to have a big mis-understanding of how other traditions view supernatural gifts, and assume anyone who does not believe that sign-gifts have ceased would be in the realm of Benny Hinn or other radical movements. Here is an overview of the 4-5 main view of sign gifts and some adherants. First off, let me say, there are no movements to my knowledge that say sign gifts are necessary for salvation.
Note, today many churches have names that may be in this list and may believe something completely different regarding sign gifts, but this would reflect the average church under the listed names.
Hard-Cessationist
Supernatural gifts (such as healing, tongues, prophecy) were only active in the early church, for the purpose of authoritating the message of the apostles and have completely ceased from purpose of use today. They should not be practice and cannot happen in todays age.
Traditions: Very few mainline churches. Some conservative independent fundamentalist churches.
People: Some would say John MacArthur, though I don’t know if he would be this hard any more.
Soft-Cessationist
Supernatural gifts (e.g., tongues and prophecy, healing) functioned only in the early church for specific purposes of authenticating the apostles’ message, and ceased as the church became founded and the apostles died out. A soft cessationist would believe that these gifts have ceased in the sense of a person being “gifted” with it, and would not encourage their use, however a soft-cessationist would realize that God is sovereign and could so choose to have a person excercise a supernatural phenomena such as tongues or healing if he so willed. However this would be considered a miracle, not the norm, and a soft-cessationist would not expect or promote such gifts.
Traditions: Many Southern Baptists, Fellowship Baptists, Brethren, Reformed Churches, and many conservative Evangelical churches.
People: James MacDonald, John Piper, Mark Driscoll
Charismatic (Continuationist)
Supernatural gifts are available to people today, and can be practiced so long as they follow the guidelines in scripture. Many Charismatic churches might simply be open to it, or not take a stand on it but would not practice them at all or downplay their importance, and some might encourage individuals to see if they possess the gifts.
Traditions: Church of God (Anderson, IN), Missionary Alliance Church, Church of the Nazarene, often many “Full Gospel” churches, Word of Faith, some Lutherans, some Anglicans, some Baptists, many Wesleyan churches, some Reformed churches.
People: Wayne Grudem, J.P. Moreland
Charismaniac (Continuationist)
Supernatural gifts are available to every generation and all people. Contemporary revelations are, in effect, equal to Scripture, and should be encouraged/promoted.
Traditions: no mainline traditions, some independant pentecostal churches.
People: Benny Hinn, Kathryn Kuhlman?
Pentecostal (Continuationist)
Essentially the same as the charismatic position, but as a proof of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, a Christian WILL speak in tongues, just as the believers did in Acts 2. Tongues are NOT necessary for salvation, but they WILL result. Some Pentecostals might not hold to the requirement of tongues after salvation, but most do. The line between pentecostal and charismatic is often blurred, but all pentecostal churches are charismatic, not all charismatic churches are pentecostal.
Traditions: Pentecostal Churches, Vineyard Church, Open Bible Churches, many “Gospel Temples/Tabernacles”, some Wesleyan “Holiness” Churches, Church of God in Christ, Hillsong Church
People: Rex Humgard, George Jeffreys, William Seymore
For more information & research see bible.org.
