There are so many different opinions out there, but so far no one has proven to me one way or another.
2006-09-14 20:07:00 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Okay--some people didn't understand my question--I'm not asking if the Holy Spirit exists, I'm asking if the "gifts" are still relevant, such as speaking in tongues.
2006-09-14 20:21:50 · update #1
I'm looking for Scriptural evidence. Please respond only if you can help me. There are die-hard Christians I know that are on either side of the argument--I belong to a church that believes in them. Even though I have prayed for them, I don't seem to get them.
2006-09-14 20:30:43 · update #2
So 1 Cor 13:8-10 says gifts will come to an end when perfection comes, and imperfection will disappear. Imperfection hasn't disappeared . . . so why do people say the gifts stopped with the apostles? On the other hand, if they did stop, why do people appear to still have them?
2006-09-14 21:04:51 · update #3
In 1 Corinthians 12 and 14 Paul talks about how people are to use their spiritual gifts and "eagerly desire them". To me, this implies that Paul expected "normal" church people to have spiritual gifts, not just the apostles. Spiritual gifts are linked to the presence of the Holy Spirit, and not to the presence of the apostles.
If you've been praying about your own spiritual gifts and feel like you just don't have any I would strongly encourage you to keep praying about it. This might also be a good time for you to get involved in different kinds of ministries in your church to experience the gifting that God has given you. Sometimes people discover their gifts best through actually using them. My church has used a multiple choice test in the youth group to give people a chance to think about what the gifts look like in daily life and get a better idea of what their gifts might be. Its kind of like those personality tests, but is aimed at giving you an idea of what your gifts could be. There are several avaliable online that you could try. One is at www.spiritualgiftstest.com and will take you 10-15 minutes to complete. I hope this helps you in some way.
2006-09-14 21:50:21 · answer #1 · answered by theology_chick 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Just because God worked in a certain way at a certain time in history, doesn't mean he will always work in the same way. I personally don't believe that the "spectacular" gifts of healing and tongues is being given today. Yes, there is some healing, but it's usually (in my experience) given to a new believer to help them with their faith. The manifestations of these gifts that you see, are I believe, largely counterfeit. The test for tongues, is as Paul requested, that another person can interpret it otherwise it only edifies the speaker.
Why do we want these gifts anyway? Is it because we don't have faith, or are we looking for some human acclaim? Both are wrong; as Paul said, the greatest gift is LOVE. Why don't people want this gift, then, and only seem to desire the gifts that will impress others?
Do you see what I'm saying?
2006-09-14 21:21:13 · answer #2 · answered by Rude 4 U 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely Gifts are real today. hahahaa. How could God Bless you with certain things and they not be gifts?
I think someone has got Gifts and spiritual gifts confused.
The Gifts of God are irrevocable. (not spiritual gifts).
There are several types of Gifts, and "spiritual gifts". There are several types of "power". Jesus passed this power to the apostles. These powers were from the King Himself. Apostles had the power to heal and raise the dead, from Jesus Himself. The apostles passed this power to NOBODY.
Several powers, ended with the last apostle.
The bible tells us, certain gifts will cease, when the "perfect" comes. The "perfect" has come.(perfect-Greek=Word) It's the perfect WORD of God, called the Holy Bible. The ONE Truth..ONE faith..ONE doctrine..ONE Baptism..ONE Chruch..ONE Body..ONE Gospel.
We can pray for someone to heal them. It's through the Holy Spirit. When Jesus laid hands on you, YOU were healed. period. He did not fail to heal or cure anyone. It didn't take 8 or 15 tries to do it.
Now. I'm not here to convince you of anything. You show me scriptural, where the apostles passed ANY of these powers to who and when did they do it?
To just make this rather simple to understand. A person has these powers and gifts, or they don't. They had the power to raise the dead. So.......I'll meet anyone at any cemetary, and you raise the first one from the grave, and I'll raise the 2nd one from the grave. There were things that happened in the book of Acts, for a reason. That is why it is called "ACTS". The acts of the apostles and Holy Spirit. The entire book demonstrates the power of the Holy Spirit and the apostles.
Great Q*
.
2006-09-14 20:27:38 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have been for 32years and i have never heard what you have said here in your question, .....but i can tell you that what ever source you heard this from is very inaccurate,.......we as christians can not survive in such evil times without it's comfort, protection, and guidance.......it is ours to be with until the end.......God states in the Bible that no spiritual gift that has been given by Him will ever be taken back under any circumstances they are ours and that does not exclude the power of the Holy spirit that Jesus left for us to utilize and commune with him......there is no christianity without it,....we need all three, God the Father, Jesus, and The Holy Spirit,........my own personal comment is that I am nothing without The Trinity and all that it has to sustain us.
God Bless you and much love!
2006-09-14 20:16:42 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
In acts the gifts of the spirit were given to men as the Holy spirit wanted. There is nothing to suggest that that ended with that age and I know first hand that they haven't ended. You can believe or not believe, if you choose not to believe , you will never have to worry because you will never be healed, speak in tongues or have the gift of prophesy and etc.. The Holy Spirit would never force Himself on anyone so you will never get any gifts. Gifts are kind of like your being saved, you must believe and you must embrace a gift to receive it.
2006-09-14 20:16:11 · answer #5 · answered by Godb4me 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are received by christians even today. We
do come across christians operating Gifts of prophecy, healing,etc...and people are being blessed by it.
2006-09-14 20:31:20 · answer #6 · answered by betty 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wether or not you heard Christians say that or those of differing beliefs, that is not TRUE AT ALL! This is a fact. I can prove it to you right now. Just look at the world around you; people committing suicide, depression, people using and dieing from drugs, into the occult, demonic possesion, adultery, murder, violence at schools, road rage, work place violence, domestic violence, etc. etc. etc. Do I need to say more? Think about what I just said. Hope I helped. I'm not here to rack up points!
2006-09-14 20:15:12 · answer #7 · answered by Mr. Happy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ignorance is the only thing that I can think of..because they are deffinately relevant today.
2006-09-14 20:26:38 · answer #8 · answered by Judah's voice 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
my opinion ... which gift is not for today's world ?
2006-09-14 20:09:18 · answer #9 · answered by trademefx 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋