Continuationism - Were The Gifts Temporary?

Were The Gifts Temporary?

Referring to I Corinthians 13, some cessationists as well as continuists say that "when perfection comes" (v.10) refers to the second coming of Christ. Yet the word teleio (Greek for "perfect") was never used as a name for Jesus. The continuists' explanation of this passage would be that Paul was analogically referring to the spiritual gifts ceasing (in comparison to immaturity ceasing) when Christians are spiritually mature, having reached perfection. He is not saying the gifts will cease before the perfect comes, but when Christians reach that perfect state. Paul does not say in any of his writings that certain gifts are temporary, simply that they are now "in part", meaning that when the "perfect", or, complete glorification of the believer arrives, i.e., at the rapture, then those gifts will no longer be in "part" but in full. They will not cease, only the partiality of the gifts will cease since we will no longer know "in part", but in full. For example, "knowledge" will not cease, but the partiality of the gift of "knowledge" will cease and we shall "know even as we are known." Tongues will not cease, only the gift "in part" will cease, for then we shall know all languages. Christians will then be made perfect and love will never cease. Paul actually commands the church to "covet" ( a strong word) the "gifts" of the Spirit (1 Cor. 14:1) as they continue to have them until Jesus returns (1Cor.1:7-8). If these gifts were temporary, he would have instructed the church to know when or how certain gifts would die out, but instead he emphasizes their importance.

Some cessationists would go as far as saying that utilizing such gifts today is actually "demonic activity" (Cottrell). Paul would have warned Christians of the cessation so as not to allow satan to work among them in this way, for he often warned the church regarding satanic activity. To say that demons still speak is accepting a current supernatural activity of demons. The Bible does not indicate that the Holy Spirit would cease to manifest Himself in supernatural occurrences while the demons carry on doing so. The Holy Spirit has not changed, nor have the activities of evil spirits. However, human access or supply of the Spirit of God has indeed changed since He came (Jn. 16:7). These miraculous gifts of the Spirit did not come until after Pentecost. It is not stated by Paul or anyone else in the Scriptures that the Spirit was going to cease his distribution any time after that. A Christian cannot believe in the physical manifestations and supernatural occurrences of evil spirits and deny those of the Holy Spirit.