Equpping the Saints: Spiritual Gifts (Part 4)


Diversity of Teaching on Spiritual Gifts


A.   Cessationism (Dispensationalism): Teaches that the gifts ceased with the Apostles and the completion of the Biblical cannon.  Once the Church was firmly established and the writings of the N.T. complete, these signs and wonders were no longer needed.  They don’t believe that God can’t or won’t work through gifts, merely that He has withdrawn them since the purpose for them has passed. This is primarily a Southern Baptist view though not all Baptists adhere to this view. (Thus what have been come to be know as Bapticostals)

B.   Possessionism: This view teaches that God gives us Spiritual Gifts and they become our possessions for life.  Every Christian has at least one Gift.  It becomes the responsibility of each Christian to discover their gift set and to grow in effectiveness in operating in those areas. This was common during the 50's and 50's with people like Oral Roberts and other faith healers

C.   Distributionism:  God distributes gifts to those who have need.  In this viewpoint we become dispensers or conduits of the gifts rather than possessors of the gifts.  For example, the gift of healing is given to the one healed rather than to the one praying for the healing. John Wimber and the Vineyard movement are proponents of this view.

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