Spiritual Gifts

I love 'em, hopefully you do too. Some of you are probably sick of hearing me discuss this, but I had a conversation with Luke Dent tonight in which God revealed something to me while I was speaking.

Let me begin by saying that I believe in all the Spiritual gifts for today, in all places and all throughout the entire church age. I believe in apostleship, prophecy, miracles, healing, tongues, interpretation, knowledge, wisdom, pastor, teacher, evangelist, exhortation, discernment, mercy, giving, faith, service, and administration. All 18 Spiritual gifts at all times in church history. (See 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Romans 12:6-8; 1 Peter 4:10-11)

There is more controversy surrounding Spiritual gifts in North America than anywhere else. Many of us are quick to accept the healing of a blind man in Mexico, but just as quickly argue that this type of thing doesn't happen here. Why?

I think there are two reasons for this:

1. We are proud rich North Americans who don't have faith in God to perform miracles
2. Our teaching on Spiritual gifts is biased and skewed because of this.

Let's look at number one. Though we hate to admit it usually, we are quite rich compared to other places in the world. In our first world country we are blessed with food, shelter, money, medicine, and lots of distracting entertainment. We are self-sufficient, self-reliant, and proud. Frankly, we don't know how to have faith in God. Our faith is a self-centered faith that focuses on our prosperity, our emotions, our desire for power. We focus on God's love but not his sovereignty. This is epidemic in North American churches. Our lukewarm apathy has led to different movements / denominations that have tried to remedy our problems. The two movements from which we receive the most divergent views of the Spiritual gifts were created to combat pride and apathy around similar times, but they each focused on different aspects of God leading to different doctrines.

These movements are fundamentalism, which primarily focuses on the sovereignty of God and going back to the "fundamentals" of the faith, and charasmaticism, which focuses on the lost passions for godliness and the miraculous. These movements are really brothers, but quickly grew to disagree and cause division.

The different views on Spiritual gifts are partially caused by different interpretations of scripture and are partially reactionary.

1 Corinthians says, "8Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known." (NASB)

Fundamentalists teach that the "perfect" is the completed word of God including the whole New Testament, and therefore the gifts have ceased, and charismatics teach that the "perfect" is the second coming of Christ, and therefore the gifts continue. I personally believe the latter view because although the word of God is perfect, it does not make imperfections in our knowledge of God disappear, and certainly we do not see face to face. This is all I will say about this issue because I would like to spend more time on the reactionary issue which I consider more prominent.

Fundamentalists have seen charismatics as crazy; the "charismatic chaos," and charismatics look at fundamentalists as legalistic (I have been on both sides of the issue). Both stereotypes are justified because they are often true because we are self centered. Our North American "me" focus comes out like this:

For charismatics the Spiritual gifts become a status symbol of spirituality. The one who displays tongues, prophecy or miracles openly is clearly a very successful and spiritual Christian. There is nothing wrong with using the Spiritual gifts (we are called to desire them), however displaying these obvious gifts can lead to a sense of proud accomplishment. The focus of the gift of healing ceases to be on God's power to heal and moves to the one using the gift. A sense of expectancy is born. A view of so-and-so as a great healer instead of focusing on God. This is the reason for so many scandals involving false healing and prophecy. Certain people get reputations and begin to maintain the status quo, becoming greedy and not wanting to lose their status, leading to false prophecies and healing. The moment the focus is on man the Spirit leaves.

Fundamentalists however, seeking humility and a reverence for God forsake the Spiritual gifts all together. Instead they value theological knowledge and bible teaching to the detriment of anything experiential. People who seek the Spiritual gifts are frowned upon. The word of God crosses the fine line and becomes an idol.

These are clear stereotypes and not everyone is like this, but they do hold truth. I would like to see the reconciliation of these feuding brothers. I would like to see solid biblical teaching lifted up alongside the Spiritual gifts. I would like to see all glory given to Christ and humility in the church. Let's forgive our differences and seek to mend our damage done. Let's learn from each other. Let's lift up all the Spiritual gifts and not idolize the more exciting ones. Let's not ban Spiritual gifts based on the sins and abuses of certain people.

God bless you, may you seek his will. I will leave you these words from Ephesians chapter 1:

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. (emphasis mine)

what's going on

Been listening to a lot of Marvin Gaye lately (you think is weird?) R&B isn't really my thing, but his voice is gorgeous, and the music appeals to that hidden small part of my soul that actually enjoys dancing...

I don't really have a whole lot to say... First bible study back was great, we're finally getting into the NT which brings the most relevant (and most controversial) of topics. Next week we are discussing Spirit Filling, which is John MacMillan's first study as the co-leader (and he prepared this very well given the short time he had).

I'm looking forward to sitting back and learning (as well as the rest!)

The next week I'll be discussing the first possibly controversial topic of the year, Spirit Baptism. I am going to approach this with the Socratic method... I will give both the charismatic and evangelical points of view, and then I'll give them each verse that mentions baptism in/by/with the Holy Spirit and say, "you tell me!"

Then I'll explain why I believe what I do, but only after they reach their own conviction.

Well, God bless.

soundtrack to the end of my life

...I hear the quiet voice of lonliness and fear I say, "devil disappear!" I'm still (technically) a virgin after 23 years which never bothered me before, what's maybe 50 more?

(kinda quoting Aaron Jonathan Weiss)

IMMENSE JOY!

Dennis Lee is releasing a new book of poetry in April! Even better, it's a companion piece to UN which is my favourite book by him. Yay! I'll be first in line, er, online.

all hail to the thief

So I gave up on Radiohead too soon. Their latest (2003) record Hail to the Thief is quite good, a perfect combination of the old and the new if you ask me. Apparently the burned copy I got from Brendan is a different mix than the final record, most likely a rough mix, the vocals are not as clear than on the official copy. It is also 3 minutes shorter but contains all the same songs... fun.

Rachel and I have decided to base our bible studies on John Piper's Podcast, which will give us direction and good teaching. I recommend that you listen to it.

I have been realizing the necessity of feeding myself with quality bible teaching and bible study, because without these things my heart becomes lukewarm. I don't want Jesus to vomit me out. That would be gross.

Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both the soul and body in hell. [Matthew 10:28]

the fear
the fear is what keeps us here
keeps us here

"my heart just ain't in it, sir."

[This is a song written by Radiohead. They like to call it "2+2=5" or "The Lukewarm"]

Are you such a dreamer?
To put the world to rights?
I'll stay home forever
Where two & two always
makes up five

I'll lay down the tracks
Sandbag & hide
January has April's showers
And two & two always
makes up five

It's the devil's way now
There is no way out
You can scream & you
can shout
It is too late now
Because

You have not been
paying attention

I try to sing along
I get it all wrong
'Cause I'm not
NOT
I swat em like flies but
Like flies the buggers
Keep coming back
NOT
But I'm not
"All hail to the thief"
"But I am not!"
"Don't question my authority
or put me in the dock"
Cozimnot!
Go & tell the king that
The sky is falling in
When it's not
But it's not
Maybe not.

stop whispering in the dark stop shouting what they told you

"...all that's left is me, that lamp light beaming on my face and the regular rumbling of the street cars 20minutes apart, jarring me out of whatever semblance of peace I may have-- as they should. And do they have a point as they grind to a halt? Those voices that scrap my mind-- is there any peace? Any silence? Is all that's left a pig, a shadow an empty promise little white lie of the shell of man? Is that it? Then I was wrong. Wrong about any conviction, my image of a bloody let-down christ, the white noise and simple words. I was wrong. So all that's left is surgery, the removal of anything functional-- to leave this battered little boy behind--sinking into the remnants of closure, the endless futility of grasping for enlightenment, and "be godly" is what they said." Come on please now wash your hands and leave. Don't keep waiting say goodbye.