WHAT WOULD THE GIFT OF PROPHECY LOOK LIKE TODAY? - A LOOK AT PROPHECY, PART 5 OF 5

The Prophet, woodcut by Emil Nolde

 
Let me repeat this for those who have followed this series: What would the gift of prophecy look like today? 

So why are you looking at me? Do you expect me to have the answer?

Yes, I believe God still can use the gift of prophecy. Have I ever seen it where I'm convinced it is God speaking to us? No. Do I have the gift? No.

There have been times I've been in churches that fit in the Charismatic/Pentecostal category that I have heard someone give what would be called prophecy. Each time, though, it is a positive affirmation that sounds like a blending of Scriptures. Could they have opened their Bible and read a verse with the same message? Yes. As the cessationist rationale I mentioned previously in this series says, "If it agrees with Scripture, it isn't necessary." If it was from God, I believe it would be given for a specific purpose, and I'd sense a power. In fact, my opinion is that the true gift of prophecy would either be rebuke to a disobedient church that they don't want to hear, or a clear promise to those who are suffering something specific. Likewise, I didn't remember what the message was. I think I'd remember if God clearly spoke through a prophet/prophetess.

One thing we need to remember - God chooses the prophets, not the other way around. Some, like Isaiah, say, "Here I am, send me." Others, like Moses, say, "Here I am, send Aaron." (Some may remember this was the title of a 1984 book by Jill Briscoe.) 

Not only that, but remember Jesus saying to the Priests and Pharisees, "Which prophet did your fathers not persecute?" Let me put it a different way: ALL the true prophets were persecuted. Not only that, but they were persecuted by the people God sent them to. If that is true, wouldn't we expect the prophets of the church to not be the most popular members of the congregation? Would you invite a prophet to a party?

My opinion - some people want the gift of apostle or prophet because they want to be considered a spiritual authority. Cessationists have been given ammunition by those who claim these offices. But more often than not, true prophets are ignored. Remember when the remnant from the fall of Jerusalem asked Jeremiah whether they should go to Egypt or not? When the prophet told them to stay there and not go to Egypt, he added that they already made up their mind to disobey. And the remnant said, "God didn't speak to you," and did what they wanted to do.

Would I want the gift of prophecy? To be honest, I'd rather have the gift of encouragement or teaching or helps (to support a brother in the Lord), or maybe the gift of discernment of spirits (though that may not be any more popular than a prophet would be). But if God gave me the gift of prophecy, I'd have the heart of Isaiah. But to me, it's not the gift that matters - it's a desire to be obedient to God.

You have my thoughts. You might agree. You might disagree. I'd like to hear your thoughts on the topic.

P.S. I mentioned in the first blog of this series that most churches operate on two or three of the gifts listed in Ephesians 4:11 for the equipping of the saints (depending if you consider pastor and teacher to be one or two gifts). I made the case for us having a place for prophets. But didn't the gift of Apostle die out in the first century? That's one of three views I've seen dealing with that gift. Church growth specialist C. Peter Wagner defined that gift as being a pastor's pastor, a gift for a denominational leader. A more likely view of that gift is that of a church planter, particularly those who do pioneer missions work and bring the gospel to a people who never heard. If you define the gift of apostle as a church planter, I'd accept it. Because in those case, it's people wanting to fulfill the Great Commission, but not wanting to be considered an authority.

SANCTIFIED DEISM, ENTITLEMENT AND LOW BARS - A LOOK AT PROPHECY, PART 3 OF 5

Joseph Interprets Dreams, by Friedrich Wilhelm Schadow

"But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills." 1 Corinthians 12:11, NKJV

Raise your hands if you believe this verse concerning Spiritual Gifts. Okay, looking into this computer screen I see everybody's hand raised. But do you know what God's will for gifts for the church? Ah, I think I see some hands start wavering. They probably should.

The focus on this series is the gift of prophecy. We need to remember, though, that prophecy and tongues are the gifts primarily focused on in the debate on Spiritual Gifts today, because of their mention in 1 Corinthians 13:8 as failing and ceasing.

If you paid attention to the title, you'll notice my first mention is "Sanctified Deism." Most of you will know that "sanctified" means "set apart." I have a hunch that some of you may not be as familiar with the term "Deism." It is a view that God got this world started, then sat down and watched what will happen. A popular version of that is the song "From a Distance."

I know enough about cessationism to not put everybody in the same box. There are cessationists that believe God is still at work, that the Holy Spirit directs our lives, and that while some gifts have ceased because they were for a sign to the 1st century Jews, God still gives spiritual gifts today. 

However, I've heard some who basically believe the Holy Spirit isn't doing much today. Related - one book pointed out that the Spiritual gifts that haven't ceased (e.g. giving, helps, mercy, administration) can be exercised without the Spirit's activity.

Cessationism puts God in a box. But are Charismatics guilty of the same thing? Yes, it is a bigger box, and God is allowed to do more, but it's still a box. 

I've heard some ask why the early church had gifts like prophecy, tongues, healing, and miracles but we don't. They probably think it deals with not limiting the Spirit, but I hear something else: Entitlement. That we're just as entitled to the showy gifts as they were in Jesus day.

Really? Yes, God is capable of giving those gifts. But is He obligated to? 

One other thing I've noticed from both continuists and Charismatics is setting a low bar on defining the gifts. With prophecy, it is drawing a line between Old Testament prophecy and New Testament prophecy. That line cancels the test of true prophecy in Deuteronomy 18:20-22, where it states that if the prophecy does not come to pass, it is not of God.

I have a friend who has a reason why Deuteronomy 18 was applicable to the Old Testament but not to the New: because we're no longer under Law but under grace. Interesting point, but why did God have that stipulation? Because God's Word is to be trusted to be true, and errant prophesy undermines that image. Has that changed between the Testaments? No. The reason for Deuteronomy is because the word of God, whether written or spoken by a prophet, is truth. 

Believe it or not, I believe that the bar lowering for the gift of tongues is allowing it to be a non-human language. But isn't that allowing heavenly languages? Ah, but how do I know it's a heavenly language? But if, as in Acts 2:5-11, tongues are known languages, then you have a means of verification, just as the listeners at Pentecost knew what was being spoken. 

Related, allowing the speaker of the message in tongues to interpret is another means of lowering the bar. But wouldn't it make sense if God wanted us to have a message, He'd speak it the first time so we all can understand it? 

To me, nothing would be more of an evidence of the Spirit at work than for this guy with a southern drawl to speak in a different language, followed by a Asian lady struggling with English to interpret it, and then this bewildered Hispanic say that the first guy gave a message in the dialect of the South American tribe his parents grew up in, and the lady accurately translated it. 

So let's get back to the verse. Both the cessationist and the one who believes all gifts need to be in exercise today are imposing their will on God. One is convinced God has limited Himself from using the sign gifts today, or in the future for that matter. The other believes God is required to allow the same gifts as He did in the Apostolic Age, and simplify things so it's easier to credit the Spirit for what could be done in the flesh.