NO CONTINUATION OF PROPHETS IN TODAY'S CHURCH AGE
By: Victor T. Stephens
"People often claim to hunger for truth, but seldom like the taste when it's served up."
~ George R.R. Martin
INTRODUCTION
In the New Testament, prophetic gifts were given to the Church during the time-frame of Pentecost in 33 AD and the completion of the Book of Revelation by the Apostle John in about 95 AD (some say earlier). However, much controversy and tension have arisen in the Christian Church regarding whether the existence of prophetic gifts is still valid today. Those who believe these gifts have ceased, known as "cessationists," will often receive a wail of opposition from those who have the opinion that they are still a normative function in today’s church age. The latter group is known as "non-cessationists."
Some time ago, after a brief and somewhat confrontational encounter with several non-cessationists, I elected to write this article to comprehensively challenge and refute the argument that prophetic gifts are legitimately functional in the church today. It is important that we carefully examine the evidence in our endeavors to arrive at a proper understanding of the nature and duration of prophecy. Every believer should regard the Word of God as the highest and final authority for discerning every question. We should be determined to adhere to His Word of Truth and not count on dubious reports of personal experiences of men.
Likened to other doctrinal controversies, I doubt I will permanently seal this debate despite the decisive and overriding scriptural grounds for the expulsion of today's prophetic movement. A large segment of those who are deeply devoted to the errant idea of existing prophetic gifts will attempt to force anti-biblical maxims while promptly discarding any evidence that may prove contrary to their sentiments. Moreover, egocentric individuals will typically resort to expeditious character assassination of those who dare intrude into their comfortable world and question their beliefs. Unfortunately, this sophomoric conduct is prevalent within the church today. However, such actions should be anticipated. As 2 Timothy 3:13 points out, "evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived."
DEFINING A PROPHET
The word "prophet" occurs approximately 300 times in the Old Testament and about 125 times in the New Testament. The following signs by which a true prophet was recognized are:
1) He will speak in the name of the Lord. (Deut. 18:19; Exodus 7:1-2)
2) He will be able to predict which does come to pass. (Deut. 18:22)
3) He will be able to predict signs and wonders. (Deut. 13:1-2)
4) He will receive visions or dreams from the Lord. (Num. 12:6)
5) He will be 100% accurate. (Jer. 28:9)
6) He will never give private interpretations. (2 Peter 1:20)
Now, to validate the existence of prophets today, non-cessationists have redefined prophecy in the New Testament as a less reliable form of prophecy compared to that of Old Testament prophecy. As we will discover later in this publication, New Testament prophecy was a continuation of Old Testament prophecy, and it was always completely accurate.
FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT TO THE NEW TESTAMENT FOUNDATION
In the Old Testament, God's typical means of revelation were mediated through the prophets. Moses and the other prophets testified and wrote about Jesus Christ. Acts 26:22–23 says:
"But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen --- that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles." (Acts 26:22-23)
Once the canon of the Old Testament was closed, Malachi and other prophets ceased prophesying. The prophet Malachi stated,
"I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty." (Mal. 3:1)
After the Book of Malachi, there was no prophecy for 400 years. This period of time was known as the "silent years". In the New Testament, future revelations were to come by Jesus Christ via the Holy Spirit to the apostles and prophets. Hebrews 1:1-2 states:
"In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe."
(Heb. 1:1-2)
Second Peter 3:2 says:
"I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles." (2 Peter 3:2)
Although the Old Testament came to an end, God's revelation was still incomplete. His completed revelation to the Church came by His Son through the apostles and prophets. Their prophetic gifts are demonstrated in numerous places in Acts, 1 Corinthians, and other accounts in the New Testament. In his commentary, Philip E. Hughes states:
"By the assertion that it was in former times that God spoke through the prophets, whereas it is in this final age that he has spoken through his Son. That quite distinct ages or dispensations are involved --- the one marked by incompleteness and anticipation, the other by completeness and fulfillment, the one preliminary, the other ultimate --- shows how fundamental the contrast is." (Philip E. Hughes, "A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews," Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1977, page 37)
F. F. Bruce echoes Hughes, saying:
"His word was not completely uttered until Christ came; but when Christ came, the word spoken in Him was indeed God's final word …. The story of divine revelation is a story of progression up to Christ, but there is no progression beyond Him." (F. F. Bruce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, "The Epistle to the Hebrews," Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964, page 3)
In Hebrews 1:2 and 2 Peter 3:2, take note that the writers say "he has spoken," "the words spoken." The word "spoken" is past tense. In the words of Philip E. Hughes, he comments:
"The past tense of the verb spoke indicates, further, that God's speaking is complete: this is true not only of the past era of the Old Testament prophets but also of the present age of messianic fulfillment. God's word in Christ has been spoken, fully and finally." (Philip E. Hughes, "A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews," Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1977, page 37)
Before the Bible was completed, the early church was sustained by the revelatory knowledge of the apostles and prophets. Today, it should be evident that God and His Son have already said all that needs to be said through the Old and New Testaments. What was once partial is now complete.
Next: The Foundation of the Church
