THE SIN OF FORBIDDING THE GIFTS

It is a sad reality that the God instituted gifts of the Holy Spirit are forbidden in Churches today. This is not only wrong but SIN.

Major : It is SIN to VIOLATE the WORD OF GOD.
Minor : Forbidding the gifts of the Holy Spirit VIOLATE the WORD OF GOD.
Conclusion: Therefore forbidding the gifts of the Holy Spirit is SIN.

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JOSHUA MEYERS

It is a sad reality in churches today that the gifts of the Holy Spirit rarely operate. There are many excuses and reasons why people hinder the gifts from being practiced today. In spite of all their reasons it is the believer’s responsibility to earnestly desire spiritual gifts and to reverence God’s Holy Word by being doers of the word and not hearers only.
Biblical order is one of the most important elements when dealing with spiritual gifts. Many times leaders lack in exercising proper biblical correction when things are done disorderly; this often leads to disastrous problems in the Church. Some have based their whole doctrinal stance on a bad experience rather than what Scripture teaches. They will bring to their remembrance a situation done out of order, and somehow come to the conclusion that all the God instituted gifts in the Church should be forbidden. Although this seems like the simple solution, is this what Scripture teaches to do? In 1Cor. 14:40 Paul writes, “Let all things be done decently and in order.” So, Paul is saying let all things, (referring back to the spiritual gifts) be done, yet when your in the process of letting it be done make sure it is done in a orderly manner. He did not want them to throw the whole issue out, but rather wanted them to be men in their understanding by dealing with their situations.
Some teach the gifts should only be done at home. This teaching was also formulated because of disorderly conduct in the Church. The problem with this thinking is that the gifts are approved in Scripture to operate in the Church. This type of logic is wrong, “It was done wrong in the Church; therefore, do it somewhere else.” Yet correct logic says, “It was done wrong in the Church; therefore, correct it and do it right.”
Some leaders just do not want to deal with the gifts at all. One of the reasons why leaders do not want to deal with the gifts is simply because of their own ignorance. In 1Cor. 14 it speaks about two particular groups: the unbeliever and the unlearned. It is possible to be a believer, and yet still be ignorant of the gifts. In fact in 1Cor. 12:1 Paul writes, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not want you ignorant.” It’s the leader’s responsibility to earnestly study all the Scripture.
A fast growing view in some Churches is the concept of an after glow. The after glow is when they have a Church service and then directly following the service they let the gift believers stay after and pray while the rest of the Church leaves. In this concept they really do not seem to have unity within the Church. They seem to have certain parts of the body separated from the whole group. There are no scriptural examples of this concept being done in the Church.
Another major reason why leaders have forbidden the gifts has to do with fear. Fear prevents leaders from correcting errors in the church. Correcting errors can be
offensive to the one being corrected. It also can at times be intimidating to the leader who many times has to discern the operations of the Spirit versus the operations of the flesh. Sometimes when the gifts are in operation in the Church, it opens the door for all kinds of wackos to show up. Yet, when the counterfeit shows up it is so important that the genuine gifts of God operate the more. So, when dealing with the misuse or abuse of the gifts, the only right way to deal with it is according to Scripture.

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JOSHUA MEYERS

I thank you, for this well written article on gifts. The Holy Ghost only works through His gifts in the church. He does not work though the flesh. If gifts are missing power is missing too. His gifts do glorfty Jesus and not man. The only way Jesus will be glorified is through His Gifts. Satan brings fear of gifts to the church to keep it powerless. thanks again

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Ed

I recently read about a man that had some prayer cloth in the mail. The letter told him to take the cloth rub it on his forehead put it under his pillow and if he had some sick relatives wipe them with it. Then he was told to send it back in a green envelope. (Paraphrase)

I read another article about a man who wore a nice suit drove in a limo and had ten body guards……

Then you have those who say watch this video to see how evil they are…..

For some reason people feel as long as they put this first it gives them an OK to speak evil.

These are just big smoke screens, put all this junk aside and let’s see what SCRIPTURE TEACHES.

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JOSHUA MEYERS

Does God change his mind about the gifts? In Rom.11: 29 it says, “The gifts and callings of God are without repentance.” God does not change his mind about his gifts and his callings. There is not the slightest inference that gifts would cease at the end of the apostolic age (Guy Duffield ). Many of those who forbid spiritual gifts teach that when Paul writes, “But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away” (1Cor 13:10), he was talking about the complete compiling of Scripture. Wallace comments on this verse in the following way:
Although there can be no objection grammatically (for the adj. would naturally be neuter if it referred to a thing, even if the inferred noun were feminine, such as graphe), it is difficult to see such a notion in this passage, for this view presupposes that (1) both Paul and the Corinthians knew that he was writing scripture, and (2) the apostle foresaw the completion of the NT before the Lord’s return. A more likely view is that “the perfect” refers to the coming of Christ. (Daniel B. Wallace 295)
According to the Scripture there is no evidence that the gifts would cease during the Church age.

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JOSHUA MEYERS

Lastly,
Some groups do not think the gifts are important today. They will make comments like, “I just want the greatest gift of love not anything else.” Although their comments sound super spiritual, they do not even understand the least of the gifts and some how always want to claim to have the greatest.” It is a known fact that Scripture teaches that Christians need to have balanced lives. I have personally been exposed to Church groups that tend to focus on one part of the Bible: it is all about worship, it is all about the word, it is all about the gifts, and these extremes go on and on. All that I am trying to say is that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are one necessary part in maintaining a balanced Christian walk.
Some say since the majority of Christian Churches do not practice the gifts, it is an indication that they do not have to allow the gifts. The problem with this thinking is that Christians should not base their obedience to God’s Word on a statistic but rather on what Scripture teaches.
Some have claimed because there is not much Scripture written about the gifts it is not important. First of all, the amount written in Scripture does not mean one part is more important that the other. If this were true than the virgin birth would not have much value, but to the contrary it is one of the foundational beliefs of the Church.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit should be practiced regularly today because of the

simple fact Christ instituted them. The gifts are not only for the recipients’ benefit but to

edify others. “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to

another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1Pet.4:10). “For I long to see

you, that I may impart some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established” (Rom.1:11).

“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal” (1Cor12:7).

Is it sinful to forbid the gifts today? It is sin to violate Scripture. Forbidding the gifts violate Scripture. Therefore it is sin to forbid the gifts. When Paul is dealing with the order of the gifts in 1Cor.14 he goes on to say in verse 37, “If any think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write you are the commandments of the Lord.” Just after Paul claims that his writings are the commandments of Lord, he writes two verses later, “Wherefore brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not the speaking with tongues” (1Cor.14:37). Paul also writes, “Despise not prophesyings” (1Thess. 5:20). So, when despising true prophetic ministry or forbidding Spirit led tongues you are not just coming against man but rather violating the Lord’s commandments. Scripture also says in 1Thess.5:19, “Quench not the Spirit.” Benjamin Keach writes the following:
If this be so, take heed you do not quench the Word or the Spirit of God; which you may be said to do: 1. By abating of the Spirit’s heat in its operations, or by diminishing of lessening the graces and good motions thereof, when the Spirit loses the vigour of his operations, as when zeal decays, convictions wear off, and affection die; this is like slaking the heat, and lessening the burn. (Keach)
Lastly, when dealing with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, it is very critical that believers rest all final authority upon what Scripture says. When people lean upon their own understanding, they often find themselves on the path of error. Although their intentions may be genuine they can still find themselves in sinful thinking. For wrong theology is sin (Fick 4). Teach, preach and practice what Scripture says and forbid only when Scripture forbids. Where Scripture is silent remain silent. As obedient servants of Christ, earnestly desire Spiritual gifts.

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JOSHUA MEYERS

FORBIDDING GIFTS = SIN

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JOSHUA MEYERS

I guess you just want some feedback?

THIS IS BIBLE DOCTRINE.
IF YOU AGREE GREAT.
IF YOU DO NOT AGREE PROVE YOUR BELIEF BY THE BIBLE!!

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JOSHUA MEYERS