Is it true, Jehovah Witnesses believe spiritual gifts ended with the deaths of the Apostles?

Question

I recently read this, and if it is true, this will be added to my list of unscriptural teachings by JWs. Is this true? If so, what Biblical foundation do JWs have for believing this?

If any JW has exact wording from your website about this please post, because I'm getting conflicting comments from different JWs. Some are saying the gifts ended, others are saying they have not. I would have thought all JWs would have one opinion on this.

Answer 1

It is true, Witnesses, "incorrectly" believe, Spiritual Gifts have ended. They will often misinterpret 1 Corinthians 13:8-11, to explain their reasoning. These scriptures state:

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"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. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

Note: But when that which is perfect is COME, "then" that which is IN PART shall be done AWAY.

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."

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There are four lessons to be learned from the above scriptures.....

1. God's love will never end.

2. Love is greater than any Gift.

3. Spiritual Gifts will remain until Jesus returns(see note).

4. We are babes, in comparison to how we will be in Eternity.

The above scriptures are NOT saying Spiritual Gifts have ended today. Our Heavnely Father, lovingly provided these Gifts, through the Holy Spirit, to edify and strengthen all Saints.

In these scriptures, we are simply reminded, that Spiritual Gifts are temporary, and will cease after Jesus returns(please read "note" above).

When we are provided with Eternal Life, we will no longer need Gifts of Prophecy, Knowledge, etc., because the Lord will provide us with "full" knowledge of everything these Gifts began to reveal "in part" here on earth(please see note above).

In the next chapter, to prevent Christians from stating Spiritual Gifts have ended, Paul states:

"Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order" (1 Cor. 14:39-40).

Paul is emphasizing, that Spiritual Gifts, whether they be prophecy, speaking in tongues, or other, must be implemented, respected, and utilized with Godly order.

Most importantly, Christians are constantly growing in their knowledge of God, regardless of how much we spiritually mature over the years. Only spiritual arrogance, and lack of humility, would blind one into believing, they can no longer benefit from the Gifts our God has provided.

Despite spiritual growth, we are currently still imperfect, and capable of fleshly weakness and sin. The Bible tells us, Christians who have not understood these basic needs, are babes who have not progressed beyond milk and the most basic knowledge of God.

Hebrews 5:12-14 states:

"For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."

Unfortunately, based on scripture, Witnesses who believe Spiritual Gifts no longer exist, have been misled.

Proverbs 12:15 states, "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that harkeneth unto counsel is wise."

Blessings, Miji

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Every Cult tries to think that they are the only way and will brainwash there followers and use various mind control techniques to stop them from looking elsewhere and if they do they will only see false religions as watchtower teaches. Yes Watchtower believes they are the only TRUE organization and all the rest are false. False religions do not agree with the Bible on the following issues, The Deity of Christ, the Resurrection, and Salvation by Grace Jehovah's witnesses are a Cults because they seek to "counterfeit" Biblical Christianity. Counterfeits deceive by their outward appearance. Like counterfeit money, the Cults want to look and sound like the genuine thing without having their "bogus" nature detected. This is precisely what deceives so many people when confronted by one of the above groups. The Cults will use Christian "terminology" to sound Christian, but then will redefine the terms to fit their own "man-made" theology which all claim to be Christian and claim to believe the Bible, but instead of building their teaching from what God has revealed, these organizations are claiming some new revelation, some man made teaching which they say supersedes or is greater than the Bible.

Answer 4

It's true that Jehovah's Witnesses do believe spiritual gifts ended at some point, but I'm not absolutely sure they believe it ended with the death of the apostles. But there are lots of Christians who believe this, not just Jehovah's Witnesses. I don't think I would focus on this subject if I were you. The bodily resurrection of Jesus is far more important.

Answer 5

Some Christian denominations believe that miracles ended after the apostolic age. I am not sure if the Jehovah's Witnesses is one of them.

Peace and every blessing!

Answer 6

This is an example of how they pick and choose which verses to take literally.... yes, the bible did say that the gifts would cease. However, it also said that the gifts of the Holy Spirit would be poured out in the end of times. JWs are the first to tell you the end is near, but they don't accept all scripture.

xo Anna

Answer 7

They have told me something like this as well. I think they are referring to the last days also.They seem to believe that these alleged gifts are not from God but are trickery from the devil and his demons etc. They once told me that my dreams and visions of 9/11 would be linked to the false prophet. From a certain point of view they can be right. Just because some of the things you might have visions of become true doesn't mean they are: "All True." This is where some people are mislead. JWs have done much research on these scriptures. Some of which may have been misinterpreted originally etc. Still, anyone who makes the claim that they are Gods personally chosen is also said to be scriptural but in a negative connotation. I haven't any major resentment for them but, I haven't any real desire to study with them either. Prophecy eventually reveals itself anyway, such as the signs in the heavens.

Answer 8

I am not a JW, but I believe that they would tell you that the gifts ended by now. It has to do with what we read in 1 cor 13 and 14.

Answer 9

Its sad but true none my entire family is JW i asked them and the reason they gave me because the Holy Spirit is no longer here or something like that

Answer 10

I think it is important to first understand why these spiritual gifts were necessary. The spiritual gifts from God in the first Century served a very important purpose. They were signs that God was no longer using the Jewish congregation in his service but that his approval rested on the Christian congregation established by his Son. All these gifts of the spirit served a beneficial purpose that not only contributed to the numerical growth of the congregation but also resulted in its spiritual upbuilding.

These miraculous gifts marked the infancy of the Christian congregation and were foretold to cease. Something important to note is, Jesus indicated that his followers would be identified, not by their performance of powerful works, but by their love for one another. (1Corinthians 12:29, 30; 13:2, 8-13; John 13:35.)

It is also interesting to note M’Clintock and Strong’s Cyclopaedia (Vol. VI, p. 320), it says it is "an uncontested statement that during the first hundred years after the death of the apostles we hear little or nothing of the working of miracles by the early Christians"

I hope you can see, these miraculous gifts were given the 'infant' Christian congregation. These served as “a sign” to unbelievers and as a means of building up the faith of believers. (1 Corinthians 14:22) However, nearly two thousand years later, Christianity is no longer in its infancy. The Bible has long been completed and is in circulation by the millions of copies. So true Christians today can easily direct unbelievers to its pages in support of what they teach. Miraculous manifestations are no longer needed.

So, according to the Bible they have ended. Also, not everyone answering is one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Those who are JW's are unified in belief.