Prophecy today?
Q: Are there Prophets or prophetesses today?
This verse says, "I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh and your sons and daughters will prophesy"...
A:
Not everything in the Old Testament has a direct continuation in the New Testament.
The prophetic office has ceased. The gifts (rightly understood) have not.
There are good historical and theological arguments for the this.
These gifts of the Holy Spirit do not appear today in the ways they worked in the early churches. In this case, it was a temporary special gift 👉until Scriptures were completed. It was completed, by the Holy Spirit thru the Apostles.
1 Corinthians 13:10 whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease 👈
When these gifts will cease? Paul gives the answer in the text: 👉“when completeness comes” (1 Corinthians 13:10).
the sign gifts were only in operation during the apostolic era to give special revelation 👉until the completion of the New Testament.
🧐 Before early Christians had the whole New Testament, they had to rely on words of knowledge, prophecy, and tongues to give them the full revelation of God. Once the church had possession of the full New Testament (the completeness), these gifts faded away as unnecessary. But, Faith, hope, and love continue to be in operation.😊
Even then, the Holy Spirit decides when and where to offer them. When someone offers a gift, you don't demand it is done now, at a place of your choosing, and in the method you require. It's a gift, after all. The gift giver chooses.
Prophecy has been thrown around a bit unbiblically today. Charismatics see it as a gift of the Spirit. But if they claim "God told them something", they're very highly likely a liar. Why? Scripture is completed. The Apostles wrote everyyhing God wants us to know, and closed the Canon. Today we have all 66 books God wanted ys to have, the complete special revelation from God to man. The early church didnt have it all, it was put together over time, until John penned Revelation by The Holy Spirit. It was then complete, certian gifts ceased, & the churches got copies. There's no other need for God to reveal anything else to us. We can all freely study and search the Scriptures today, to know all we need to know to live out our life rightly.
There's a good quote: If what you claim God told you doesn't line up with Scripture, it's not from God. If it does, that "word" wasnt necessary, which means it wasn't from God either, since it was already revealed." Which means either way, it isn't from God.
Today prophecy means "a biblical preacher preaching the Scriptures faithfully". He proclaims and explains the written Word of God. So any man who is an excellent preacher has this gift. So it follows with the other gifts list; the gift of knowledge is an outstanding scholar. The Gift of wisdom makes an excellent counselor. All of which is of the pastoral role.
Prophecy topics
Books on the topic
Warning.
For those who dont want to look at truth, nor examine it fully, and want to continue "clinging" on to saying they have these gifts, you are basically calling the Holy Spirit, (and God who gave the Scriptures), a liar. You are also a liar, claiming you have what you dont possess. Probably narcissism, pride, conceit and think yourself better than others. But by going along with the lies of charismatic movement you are saying also that born again believers, who are not charismatic, are not saved. Because these tongues and prophesy gifts you claim exist today, are not seen in the larger overall Church of Christianity, only among your little sect. 👈That should be enough of a red flag for you to run from it.
I would suggest you "examine yourself", and if you were deceived, duped or purposely embraced those lies, repent and turn away from charismaticism to the truth, the true God and true Holy Spirit. If not, I wouldnt want to be in your shoes on judgment day.
In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus warns, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”
Jesus says, many of them will even call Him “Lord,” but their teachings and their deeds do not align with truth nor the will of God.
Scriptures everywhere warn about false prophets and false teachers. Here Jesus also did. Don't let people dupe you into following them to Hell.
Matthew 23:15 "Woe unto you ... who travel sea and land to make one convert, and when he is made, you make him twice the son of hell that you yourselves are."
Warnings:
Proverbs 30:5–6 cautions us not to add to God’s words: “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar."
At the close of the book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, we read a similar warning: “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18–19)
As the last book to be written and Scripture closed, this verse applies both to whats in Revelation and Scriptures 66 books as a whole.
There will be no new revelation of truth outside of what He has already revealed in the Bible to the church. God has placed in the closed canon of Scripture everything we need to know about Himself, and about who we are, how we ought to live, and what will happen in the future (see 2 Peter 1:3).
Warning out of love:
2 Timothy 4:3
For the time is coming [already here] when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,
Titus 1:9
must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness
2 Timothy 4:1-2
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
Galatians 6:1
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.
Colossians 1:28
Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ
Footnotes:
Cr: some notes from Got Questions
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