Ascension Day Rant

The cessationists are getting under my skin. I've seen them on YouTube and some of my friends are getting influenced. Have they nothing better to do than criticise Pentecostals and Charismatics?

They are quick to point out when excesses occur in meetings of Charismatics. I want to ask them:

1. In which epistle does Paul teach on spiritual gifts more than any other epistle?

2. Are you aware of the fact that Paul rebuked that congregation for their immorality?

3. Do you think that the way they conducted their communion meetings could serve as a model for us?

4. Did you know that a definition of the gospel can be found in this epistle?

5. Did you know that Paul's doctrine on the resurrection of the dead is best expounded in this epistle?

6. Did you read that Paul said he spoke in tongues more than them all?

7. What do you think Paul meant when he said a person who spoke in tongues edifies himself?

Among the cessationists are those who have assigned themselves the role of watchmen over doctrinal purity. They mostly bad-mouth the preachers whom they judge to be peddlers of "cheap grace". I have the following questions for them: How do you interpret Mark 9:38-40, James 4:11-12 and Philippians 1:15-18?

I am not a proponent of cheap grace but we must never forget that Jesus was accused of being a "friend of sinners". He did not deny this accusation but associated with those whose sinful lifestyles caused them to be outcasts. Examples are the sinful Samaritan woman, Zaccaeus the tax collector and the woman caught in adultery. He did not condone their sin but nevertheless sided with them against their accusers who acted as self-appointed judges, juries and executioners.

Is it not possible that some preachers find it hard to make converts and therefore conclude that those who are successful must be "watering down" the gospel? Well, maybe Jesus also made it easy for anyone to follow him as in the examples mentioned above.

When he called for repentance Jesus combined it with the phrase "the Kingdom of heaven is here". This is what he meant in 21st century language: "Change your minds about religion. Your awaited Messiah is in your midst". In the beginning he told his apostles not to divulge his identity.  As far as I can tell the first "outsider" he told was the Samaritan woman. But in the last week of his life he made all sorts of outrageous claims such as being "the resurrection and the life", "the light of the world", "one with the Father" and more. His intention was clearly to draw attention to himself. He had arrived at the last lap of his journey in flesh and blood and he wanted the world to know.

If you read this and think you can get away with "cheap grace" I want to draw your attention to the parables of Jesus in Matthew 13:24-30; 13:47-50; 22:1-14.