Cessationists claim that the usefulness of the gift of prophecy was withdrawn from the church after the New Testament canon had been written.
But even in Bible-times, the simple gift of prophecy, as it was in use in the Corinthian church for example, was not used to introduce, establish or write New Testament doctrine for the first time. New Testament doctrine was established upon the witness of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb and confirmed by the council at Jerusalem. The simple gift of prophecy only involved speaking-out the same things which the Apostles and elders taught and confirmed.
The person prophesying was speaking under Divine inspiration. The things they were speaking may also have been revealed to them directly by the Spirit. However, the doctrine contained within their utterances would not have been brand new: it would have confirmed what one of the Apostles was already teaching, and what the council at Jerusalem eventually formally seconded.
Paul's Gospel was revealed to him directly - but he submitted it to the Apostles and elders at Jerusalem, who confirmed Paul's doctrine and call.
No doctrine written in the New Testament scriptures is derived solely from a transcript of a prophecy, or an individual's revelation. All writings and doctrines of the New Testament were written and are derived with consensus from the Apostles and elders or their teams. The gift of prophecy was just another way of learning and expressing the Apostles' doctrine. A prophecy wasn't in itself taken as authoritative without first being judged - even in Bible times.
So there is still a need for the same function of the gift of prophecy today. We can still be edified through individuals, inspired by the Holy Spirit, speaking forth things which are revealed to them, things which are an expression of and consistent with New Testament doctrine.
But even in Bible-times, the simple gift of prophecy, as it was in use in the Corinthian church for example, was not used to introduce, establish or write New Testament doctrine for the first time. New Testament doctrine was established upon the witness of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb and confirmed by the council at Jerusalem. The simple gift of prophecy only involved speaking-out the same things which the Apostles and elders taught and confirmed.
The person prophesying was speaking under Divine inspiration. The things they were speaking may also have been revealed to them directly by the Spirit. However, the doctrine contained within their utterances would not have been brand new: it would have confirmed what one of the Apostles was already teaching, and what the council at Jerusalem eventually formally seconded.
Paul's Gospel was revealed to him directly - but he submitted it to the Apostles and elders at Jerusalem, who confirmed Paul's doctrine and call.
No doctrine written in the New Testament scriptures is derived solely from a transcript of a prophecy, or an individual's revelation. All writings and doctrines of the New Testament were written and are derived with consensus from the Apostles and elders or their teams. The gift of prophecy was just another way of learning and expressing the Apostles' doctrine. A prophecy wasn't in itself taken as authoritative without first being judged - even in Bible times.
So there is still a need for the same function of the gift of prophecy today. We can still be edified through individuals, inspired by the Holy Spirit, speaking forth things which are revealed to them, things which are an expression of and consistent with New Testament doctrine.
It is an ongoing function of the Holy Spirit to reveal already-established Gospel-truths to new-comers; to remind mature Christians of aspects of the truth; and to give guidance to specific persons in a specific place at a specific time and in specific circumstances through specifically applied truth. One way the Holy Spirit does so is through the gift of prophecy, through inspired utterance.
True Christianity is not just a matter of intellectually sorting-out one's doctrine: but a living relationship with the Spirit of Christ.
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