The Holy Spirit Part 2

The Miraculous Gifts What are the miraculous gifts? What is their purpose? Are they still available today?

What are the Miraculous Gifts? 1 Cor 12:1-4 Wisdom Knowledge Faith Gifts of healing Miraculous powers (miraculously punish, drive out evil spirits, drink poison, not be affect by poisonous snakes) Prophecy Distinguishing between spirits Speaking in different kinds of tongues The interpretation of tongues.

Given as the Spirit determined Not all had the miraculous gifts Not everyone spoke in tongues or healed 1 Cor 12: 28-30 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?

What was the purpose of miracles in the NT or the miraculous gifts? 1.) Proof that Jesus was the Son of God John 14:11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. Acts 2:22 Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.

2.) Credentials for the Apostles 2 Cor 12:12 The things that mark an apostle— signs, wonders and miracles—were done among you with great perseverance. 3.) Confirming the messenger and message that Salvation was in Christ Heb 2:3-4 How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

4.) To Reveal All Truth John 14:26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 2 Peter 1:21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit

1 Peter 1:11-12 10Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

5.) So non believers would believe and believers would be edified 1 Cor 14:22  Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers. Acts 8:6 & 12 6When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said…12But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

WARNING Not all miracles are from God Matt 7:21-23 Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

WARNING Some will be deceived by such miracles Matt 24:23-25 At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time.

WARNING 2 Thess 2:9-11 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness

Test The Spirits 1 John 4:2-3;6 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God…. 6We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

Deut 13:1-4 1 If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, 2 and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, "Let us follow other gods" (gods you have not known) "and let us worship them," 3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.

How were Miraculous Gifts Received? 1.) Through the Laying on of the Apostles Hands Acts 19:1-7 After Paul Laid hand on the Ephesians, They spoke in tongues and prophesied. 2 Tim 1:6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

Phillip in Samaria Acts 8:4-20 Phillip performed miracles No one in Samaria had been given any ability to perform miracles until Apostle Peter came to Samaria. It is implied ( or one could infer) that they were able to then perform miracles because of the reaction of Simon

2.) Some believe that other could receive gifts by other means 1 Tim 4:14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Gal 3:5 Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?

Proposition The miraculous gifts were given to reveal and confirm the gospel, to help guide and to teach the infant church before the completion of the New Testament. As the church matured the gifts were no longer needed

1 Cor 12-14 – Paul’s instructions re: Miraculous Gifts Chapter 12 major points They are from God and not because you are better than someone else. For the common good Not everyone will have miraculous gifts Desire the greater (more useful) gifts of faith, hope and love ( 1 Cor 13:13)

Chapter13- “Love” Chapter No miraculous gift is as important as love It does not matter what gift you have, without love you are clanging cymbal, you are nothing and you gain nothing In the context of miraculous gifts, a loving spirit in the church would deal with everything Paul was concerned about with their unspiritual attitudes concerning the gifts and putting too much importance and emphasis on them.

1 Cor 13:8 Love never fails (perish, come to an end, disappear, cease) Love is eternal BUT – in contrast- Paul contrasts the permanence of love with the transitory nature of spiritual gifts Prophecies and Knowledge – will be done away (passive) (katargeo which means to be abolished, be destroyed, done away, ceased, to be made to become of no effect.) Tongues –will cease, desist (pauo means passively to force to end) He has told us two things, 1. love is eternal, it is permanent, it will never fail. 2. But spiritual gifts, even those you value so highly, will be done away with, they are transitory. Verse 8 does not say when these gifts will cease. It simply tells us that they are transitory

1 Cor 13:9-10 The point of verse 8 is that love is eternal and spiritual gifts are transitory. Why is this?. 1 Corinthians 13:9 For we know in part (meros) and we prophesy in part (meros). We know "in part" refers to the partial and incomplete revelation of the prophets. Even the apostles knew only in part 1 Corinthians 13:10 But when perfection (teleios) comes, the imperfect (meros) disappears (NIV) (NASB) When the perfect comes the partial will be done away

How you interpret the rest of this chapter is all dependent on how you interpret (teleios) “perfection” or “perfect.” Strong’s defines (teleios) 1) brought to its end, finished 2) wanting nothing necessary to completeness 3) perfect 4) that which is perfect a) consummate human integrity and virtue b) of men 1) full grown, adult, of full age, mature

Matt 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matt 19:21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." Rom 2:12 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.

1 Cor 2:6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 1 Cor 13:10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 1Cor 14:20 Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. Eph 4:13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Philippians 3:15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Col 1:28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. Col 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. Heb 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Heb 9:11 When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. James 1:4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

James 1:25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-he will be blessed in what he does. James 3:2 We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. 1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love

Having explained why gifts are transitory, Paul goes on in verses 11 & 12 to illustrate the transitory character of these spiritual gifts. 1 Corinthians 13:11 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. (katargeo) (Like knowledge and prophecies)

In light of this context it is evident that the childish things refer to the spiritual gifts and that these gifts were as the ways of a child and to last only during childhood But when one becomes a man, or mature, then childish ways are left behind. (katargeo) (Done away , ceased)

1 Corinthians 13:12 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part (meros) ; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. The gift of knowledge (revelation) is not complete revelation. He (and they) only knew in part like looking in a mirror of the day. But one day they will see face to face and know God as well as he knows them now. This is again to show the temporal nature of the miraculous gift of knowledge (revelation)

LOVE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MIRACULOUS GFTS (1 COR 13:1-8a) THERE ARE THREE THINGS THAT WILL FAIL (verse 8). Prophecies, Tongues, Knowledge These are the less important things. THERE ARE THREE THINGS THAT WILL REMAIN (verse 13). Faith, Hope and Love These are the more important things. THERE IS ONE THING THAT WILL NEVER FAIL (verse 8). Love That is why it is the greatest, the most important

Summary Miraculous Gifts are not necessary today The purposes of the gifts have been fulfilled 2.) The means of receiving them ended when the apostles died 3.) They were meant to be temporary until the perfect comes 4.) The perfect can’t be the 2nd coming of Christ 5.) Faith, Hope, and Love are far superior and necessary for the health and maturity of the church - Love being most important

NEXT MONTH The Holy Spirit still works today and gives gifts