God in a Box

Cessationism is the belief that the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit that were given to Christians (including such things as the power to heal, speak in another language, prophecy, etc.) have ceased to exist since the closing of the apostolic era. Charismatics, those who hold to the perpetuity of supernatural gifts, often chide their fellow cessationist brothers in the Lord for being guilty of "putting God in a box." Who are we to say what God can and cannot do? Is He not sovereign? If God wants to work in miraculous ways among his people, is it not sinful to try to limit him? Furthermore, Charismatics challenge cessationists to produce a single verse from Scripture that explicitly states that miraculous gifts will cease at a particular time in redemptive history. As a result, I Corinthians 13:8-12 is often twisted to prove things that it never was meant to say in the first place. 

Of all the objections against cessationism, this has to be the most valid. As forceful as the historical and experiential arguments are, no cessationist would have a leg to stand on if it were not proven in Scripture. We are, after all, people of the Book.  A full and detailed Biblical argument in favor of cessationism is not even close to what you are reading now (for a good start, check out Perspectives on Pentecost, by Richard Gaffin, Jr. [P&R publishing]), but suffice it to say, that not all Biblical doctrines are proven from explicit statements found in Scripture, but rather, are rightly deduced from inductive observations. One clear example is the doctrine of the Trinity.  One would search in vain in Scripture if he was trying to find a single "proof text" that would summarize all the various aspects of the doctrine we know today as the Trinity (e.g. that there is only one God in three distinct Persons). Orthodox Christians, however, have rightly held to this believe in all times and in all places. What I am trying to say is that the Bible can clearly speak on a certain subject without addressing it directly.  

When it comes to the subject of miracles, the uniform testimony regarding them in Scripture is that they are given to validate new revelation given by God. When Moses was at the burning bush, for example, he asked how he would prove that he was not just crazy, but that people would really believe him (Exo 4).  God responded by giving him miracles to perform. When Elijah and Elisha prophesied against to the Northern kingdom of Israel who had all but abandoned belief in Yahweh in favor of Baal worship, they were given the ability to work miracles to show that their God was superior (e.g. Baal was the storm god who brought rain and Elijah brought a drought for 3 1/2 years!). In the New Testament we find another deluge of miracles with the ministry of Christ and the apostles in the Gospels and Acts. In short, we find clusters of miracles given in Redemptive History whenever new and significant revelation of God is proclaimed. This is confirmed by the writer to the Hebrews who speaks of the new revelation given by Christ which was in turn "attested by those who heard" (i.e. "the apostles") and then to validate the message, we read, "God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will" (2:3-4). 

Here we find a clear Biblical teaching on the purpose of miracles: they are given to validate new revelation. If we rightly believe that the canon is closed and no more new revelation is being given by God, what purpose remains for supernatural gifts? 

Can God work miracles today? Yes, he can and he does. Are we putting God in a box? No, we are only trying to have a Biblical perspective on  how he has revealed himself and his actions. 

How'd you like another black eye?

Popular treatments of the Reformation have latched onto the sensational story of the burning of Michael Servetus in Calvin's Geneva. Indeed, this has become a proverbial "black eye" for those who identify themselves as Reformed Christians; it is not something we're terribly proud of.  Well, it may or may not come as a surprise to you to learn that this was not the only case of well-known and influential Reformers being involved in the execution of a heretic.  

To make a long story short: Johann Sylvan was a minister and superintendent in the Palatinate during the 1560's till the early 1570's. He had made the transition from a Roman Catholic priest to a Lutheran to nominally Reformed over the course of about ten years. Although there is no evidence concerning his involvement with the formation of the Heidelberg Catechism, he did take part in the translation of the  New Testament for the Heidelberg Bible.  Although his aloofness as a pastor led to popular resentment, it was the controversy over the introduction of a presbyterial church government that revealed his religious dissent. It became clear that Sylvan not only favored the Zwinglian style of church government (controlled by the magistrate), but he also revealed affinity for Zwingli's purely memorial view of the Supper. He feared that even Calvin's view of a "Spiritual presence" led to idolatry due to God's utter transcendence. 

Sylvan's demise was further solidified with his association with those who held anti-trinitarian beliefs. One of these men, Adam Neuser, was, at one point, minister of St. Peter's Church in Heidelberg. Neuser had authored a confession of faith in 1570 which explicitly denied the Trinity, labeling it unbiblical and an invention of the early church fathers. He ended up fleeing to Turkey where he converted to Islam and also was an alcoholic. Sylvan was also planning an escape, but he was not so lucky. Once in custody, Fredrick III was torn about what to do with him.  While the civic judges favored corporal punishment for Sylvan, religious leaders, including our own Olevianus and Ursinus, wanted to make an example out of him. Johann Sylvan was beheaded on December 23, 1572 in the Heidelberg market square, even after making an apparent recantation of his views. To his credit, Fredrick III vowed to care for Sylvan's wife and child.

As modern-day readers, we may be at a loss about what to make of all of this. First, I think it is important to not judge these individuals with the same standard that we have today. While not excusing their sin, understanding that these were men of their times helps us to see that their actions were not out of the ordinary or especially heinous. Heresy was often a capital punishment as it also was viewed as a type of treason against the throne, especially for those who held public office. Religious dissent was not handled all that well (to say the least). 

Secondly, it is important for us to keep in mind that the church of Christ, as it is manifested here on earth, has never been without sin or fault. This is, of course, because God has so chosen to govern his church with sinful men. There has never been, nor will there ever be in this life, a so-called Golden Age of the church where everything is pure and pristine (even the first-century church had its problems!). As Christians we should pray for those sinful men that God has chosen to rule his church that He would lead them to all truth by his word and Spirit.