Have Some Gifts of The Spirit Ceased?

More specifically, has the gift of tongues, healings, and prophesying ceased?   Right off the bat some will argue of course they have not citing some of their own witness accounts at their local church. BUT are those experiences the same as the ones described during apostolic age?

When Someone Says "The Lord told me..."

Some people will claim God spoke to them directly, either verbally, in a vision, in a dream, on their private air plane, or they were lifted up to heaven and met God face to face.  But are their claims true?  If these claims are true, what are the implications?  If they are not true, what does that mean for the person making that claim?  How can we know the trustfulness of their claims?  We need to seek God's actual word to test these type of claims.

Are There Prophets Today?

Much like Apostles, there is the Office of The Prophet and gifts of prophecy; two separate things.  We know both existed and used in the days of The Bible but did they continue on after all the Apostles of Christ died?  The word itself, prophecy can mean various things.  We need to see the biblical definitions and uses of the word, then analyze the character of its use in scripture, research church history and compare with modern claims.

The Confusion with The Prophecy Gift

Within the church we hear the phrases "they prophesied over me" or "they spoke prophetic utterances" But what does that really mean and is it of God? 

First we need to understand the word being used "prophecy" and the biblical usage of that word as well.

A)   In The Old Testament, specially selected individuals would be given divine truths from God Himself and they would relay those truths to the people.  These truths were not from or by any other means.  They would simply foreth-tell divine revelations from God.  Primarily, Old Testament prophets would proclaim the will of God.

B)   In The New Testament, something new happens.  There are no prophets but Apostles.  The Apostles made known the things of God through Jesus Christ and it was Jesus Christ that revealed the things of God. 

Do You Want To Hear God Speak?

He has spoken. 
He has been speaking for thousands of years.
He spoke and created reality.
He had man write down his words throughout history.
His written word is carries with it Himself- The Holy Spirit.
He speaks to this day, all day, every day, through out the world to all people at any moment.
Do you want to hear his voice?

Read His written word aloud and he is speaking to you!

The Jewish nation understood this and kept His words written from the moment it was necessary. 
The early church understood this and kept His words written and circulating.
The church now understands this and keeps His words open for all generations.

The Reformers understood this greatly.  They knew for a fact that Holy Scripture was God's very own words.  They understood that God influenced man to record the very things that God wanted man to know.  The accumulation of God's own words reached the beginning of time and the future all the way to eternity.  It addressed all points of human existence and nature.  They formed the principle 'Scripture Alone' to express this very issue about the God's Words- Holy Scripture.

The Montanists of 170 AD and Charasmicits of Today

The saying 'history repeats itself' is true for false teachings and pseudo-Christian movements.  A perfect example is Montanism and the Charasmatic, Word of Faith movements.   First lets took at what the Montantist believed and taught in the late 2rd century then we will look at what the Word of Faith and charismatic movements are teaching now.

Montanus, a self described Christian around 160 AD jumped to fame when he started teaching that he had visions from God.  He teamed up with two other followers, Maximilla and Priscilla, who also claimed to be receiving visions and messages form God.  Their visions were so energetic and grand that it drew a large crowd and soon become a movement.

Statement of Faith: The Holy Spirit

           The deity and personality of the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4). He regenerates sinners (Titus 3:5) and indwells believers (Romans 8:9). He is the agent by whom Christ baptizes all believers into His body (1 Corinthians 12:12-14). He is the seal by whom the Father guarantees the salvation of believers unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14). He is the Divine Teacher who illumines believers’ hearts and minds as they study the Word of God (1 Corinthians 2:9-12).

Statement of Faith: The Bible

         The Bible is made up of the Old and New Testaments; written by the Prophets and Apostles who were in fact inspired by The Holy Spirit; it is infallible, the only authoritative true Word of God (Matthew 5:18;2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Bible is inerrant in the original writings, God-breathed, and the final authority for faith and practice; it addresses the beginning of creation and future for eternity making it forever timeless and complete for all time (2 Timothy 3:16-17).