[Link to Part 1 below]
OK, I think I know what many of you are going to ask here – what is Cessationism? Others of you will already know what it is and hold differing views on it. Some of you will not be sure about it one way or the other, in turn, some will be wholly against it and others wholly persuaded and for it.
However, before we press on with the pros and cons, another essential question arises out of this very important subject, and that question is: what has Cessationism got to do with being Baptised into Yashua Messiah’s (The Lord Jesus Christ’s) name alone? I believe it’s everything to do with it, and it fully explains why we have the issue of Cessationism in the first place, and people who consequently believe in it. Equally, we must not discount those who do not believe it, because at the same time they are believing in something that I believe is totally false, as well, and I will return to this aspect of it later. Needless-to-say, it’s no coincidence that this phenomenon is just a copy of the scenario we have with Libertine (Progressive) Christianity versus Fundamental Christianity, for both parties are wrong. (Please see link No. 2 below). Both pro and anti Cessationism people are deceived. How can that be I hear you ask? Well, the answer to that is all tied up in the error of Baptism into The Trinity (See link No. 3 below) and I will now explain.
First, I will deal with the Cessationists and their false ideas. Cessationists believe that the Spiritual gifts and wonderful miracles performed by Our Lord Yashua Messiah and The Messengers (apostles), in the first century, were a one off. As far as they’re concerned, they were solely for Yashua Messiah and The Messengers (apostles), that is, for their time only and not for anyone else who was born of God (born again) after their generation. This means they believe that for one thousand nine hundred and seventy years, no one in the Church of God has been blessed with these amazing Spiritual Gifts.
Now for me this has always been a very sweeping or generalised statement and one that cannot be proven one way or the other, so this alone makes it ridiculous. Furthermore, and to be perfectly frank, this is a topic that I had shelved in the back of my mind several years ago. I was one of those people in the middle and that was simply because I didn’t know whether Cessationists were right or wrong. As it happened, I didn’t think it was crucial to our salvation anyway, so considered it a minor issue, but of course when we take on board the subject of the validity or, rather, the invalidity of our Baptism this throws a giant spanner into the works of our previous understanding.
You probably know what I am going to say here, but for those who may need some extra help, let me throw this in the air and see if any of you are willing to catch it. My belief and understanding now is that my original Baptism is invalid. This is due to the fact I was not Baptised into Yashua Messiah’s (the Lord Jesus Christ’s) name alone but, rather, into the name of The Trinity as allegedly ‘commanded’ in Matthew 28:19, which in part one I proved was false, due to the verse being partly spurious. This means, not just my Baptism, but all those in mainstream Christianity down through the ages, (apart from the few who are baptised into His Name) are invalid. Like me, they are, or were, not Baptised into Yashua Messiah’s (the Lord Jesus Christ’s) name alone, so this tells us much about how the erroneous concept of Cessationism came into being.
If we think about it for a while it’s obvious isn’t it? How can we expect to see the gifts of The Holy Spirit and the wonderful miracles if we have not been properly Baptised. All The Learners (disciples) were Baptised into Yashua Messiah’s (the Lord Jesus Christ’s) name alone, and after the Lord’s ascension into Heaven were baptised with The Holy Spirit in the upper room when tongues of fire were seen to descend upon their heads. The Messengers (apostles) were not Baptised into the Roman Catholic Trinity for it was not conjured up by Tertullian until circa 200 AC. If they had been there would have been no visible displays of The Holy Spirit in action at all, that is, speaking in tongues, prophecies and/or miracles.
I hope you can now see how the Cessationist movement sprang up. They knew, and still know, the huge majority of mainstream Christians couldn’t do, and still can’t do, the things The Messengers (apostles) did so looked for a reason why and called it Cessationism. To compound it they even used Holy Scriptures to support their views, but in reality this is just twisting the meaning of certain verses in order to try and prove their case and I will quote a few here just to expose their errors.
1 Corinthians 13:8-12 (KJV) Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
Here in this passage of Holy Scripture, which they use to support their ideas, we can see what they believe to be an end of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which they then apply retrospectively to the end of the first century. Is this true or is it correct? Notice, in verse 8 we can see an end of knowledge mentioned here too, but there has never been an end to knowledge and as we know man has more knowledge now than he’s ever had before. What these verses are referring to is a time yet to come in the future when knowledge will “vanish away”, when prophecies will fail and tongues shall cease – why? Easy, because there will be no need of them in the Kingdom of God, when we are powerful Spirit beings. Notice how Paul refers to it as looking through a glass darkly; as believers we know those days will come, but we do not yet understand what they will be like for it is a mystery, but one thing we do know, charity (love) will be there, for it never fails. This passage of Holy Scriptures has nothing to do with cessation of the Spiritual gifts in this age, and Cessationists have completely misapplied and misunderstood these verses.
Right, let’s have a look at another passage of Holy Scripture:
1 Corinthians 12:7-11 (KJV) But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he it will.
Notice, there is no time limit attached to the apportionment of the gifts. Paul doesn’t say after verse 11: “And after us – The Messengers, these gifts and the benefits they give will cease when we die” This is what Paul would have said if cessation was to be the case, but of course it was not. Let’s look at these verses again, if the greater gifts were to disappear or cease, that is, healings, miracles, prophesies and tongues at the end of the first century, why didn’t the lesser gifts – the gifts of discerning of spirits, knowledge and wisdom? I will correct myself here: that’s if we can actually say the gifts of discerning of spirits, knowledge and wisdom are lesser gifts – most likely not.
Moving on, here is something from a Cessationist paper written by a Thomas Edgar:
“History indicates that tongues did cease. Tongues are not mentioned at all by the Post-Apostolic Fathers. Other writers such as Justin Martyr, Origen, Chrysostom, and Augustine considered tongues something that happened only in the earliest days of the Church.”
Here is living proof that invalid baptisms were already having their negative effect because the above mentioned counterfeiters, otherwise known as ‘Post-Apostolic Fathers’ didn’t have the gifts, and now we know why, don’t we? They were not Baptised into Yashua Messiah (The Lord Jesus Christ) but, rather, into the heathen satanic Trinity of Matthew 28:19.
Finally, there is a view that Matthew 28:19 represents Godly authority only and I have copied here what could easily be the consensus of mainstream Christian thinking on this subject.
“Christian baptism is also in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). Being baptized in this manner simply means we are identifying ourselves with the Trinity.”
Right, there it is, by their own admission, the fact that they are identifying themselves with The Trinity, a blasphemous false Roman Catholic satanic addition to Holy Scripture and in direct opposition to what Yashua Messiah really taught through His Messengers (apostles).
“We belong to the Father, are saved by the Son, and indwelt by the Spirit”
No, we do not belong to the Father, we belong to Yashua Messiah (Jesus Christ) and we are saved by His Sacrifice, His Blood and His Grace, for He is in us through THE POWER of The Holy Spirit.
Mark 9:41 (KJV) For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.
We have access to the Father through The Lord’s Sacrifice.
“This is similar to how we pray in Jesus’ name (John 14:13)”
No it’s not, John 14:13 states quite clearly that whatever we ask in The Lord’s name – not The Trinity’s name, He will do and that the Father may be glorified in The Son. In turn because of what we have asked in The Lord’s name first. We are asking for nothing in The Father’s name.
“If we pray in the name of Jesus, we are praying with His authority and asking God the Father to act upon our prayers because we come in the name of His Son Jesus”
This sentence is true, but it does not mean we should be Baptised in the Father’s name or in the Holy Spirit’s name. What he is saying here is that prayers should be prayed in the Lord’s name and no other, which, if we are consistent, also points to our being Baptised solely into His name too.
So there we have it, but what about these people who are Baptised into the name of The Trinity who profess to have Spiritual Gifts? You know; the Charismatics or that group of people who have adherents who say that if we haven’t got the gift of tongues we are not properly birthed in Christ or, even, we’re not born of God (born again) at all. How’s that for blasphemous arrogant effrontery and self-righteousness? I have known worldly businessmen with less!
OK, so what’s all this about? Easy, it’s about genuine gifts of The Holy Spirit and whether these people have them or if they’re just servants of the Devil with false tongues. I have been in their company, on more than one occasion, when they’ve been uttering noises along the lines of: bab, bab, bab, bab, bab, bab, bab, and on it goes in never ending vain repetition, and at the same time supposedly all for my edification and upliftment. Well I’ve news for them, it did no such thing and just gave me a laugh at their expense. Another trick of these people is to lie on the floor and bark like dogs – unbelievable? No, it’s the truth, I’ve witnessed it, but where does all this stuff and nonsense come from? Well it certainly isn’t Yashua Messiah (The Lord Jesus Christ) I’ll tell you that.
I am pleased to inform you all that my wife and I have now been re-baptised into Yashua Messiah’s (The Lord Jesus Christ’s) name alone. Have we since experienced tongues and have we prophesied? Yes, I have the Gifts of Tongues, Knowledge and Spiritual Discernment and my wife the Gifts of Faith and Wisdom. As for the Gifts of Healings and Miracles no, but that does not mean we won’t be blessed with them in the future, as the need arises, and if we add to it the fact that Baptism into The Trinity is false, we felt it too big a risk to take the chance and leave it undone.
In Yashua Messiah’s Holy name
Messenger Charles
1. Should Christians Be Baptised Into Yashua Messiah’s (Jesus Christ’s) Name Alone? Part 1:
2. Progressive or Libertine Christianity Versus Fundamental Christianity:
3. Exposing the Trinity Lie!:
Is The Father Calling YOU to His Son, Yashua Messiah? 