Are Prophets for Today or has Prophecy Ceased?
No, there are no prophets today because genuine Prophets are mentioned in the Bible – they were the foundations of the church and secondly the gift of prophecy has ceased.
The office of Prophet and Apostle was temporary…
and only necessary for the church before the completion of the Bible. The actual foundation of the church was built UPON the Prophets and Apostles (with Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone).
Ephesians 2:19-22
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,20 having been built ON THE FOUNDATION of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
The role of the prophet in the Old Testament was to foretell the future and truths about God and the coming of His Son Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ was the LAST and GREATEST Prophet
Hebrews 1:1-2
1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
The gift of prophecy has ceased.
1 Corinthians 13 (Amp)
8 Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].
9 For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect).
10 But when the complete and perfect (total) comes, the incomplete and imperfect will vanish away (become antiquated, void, and superseded)
The ‘perfect’ spoken about in verse 10 above is the Bible itself. Here we are told that when the Bible would be written and complete, prophecy would no longer be needed, neither would tongues for that matter as the Bible is Perfect in every way and the church will use the Bible instead because it contains all the prophecy you need.
But someone might say,” but what about 1 Corinthians 14:3 where it speaks about prophesying.
Well let me explain.
1 Corinthians 14:3 (AMP)
3 But [on the other hand], the one who prophesies [who interprets the divine will and purpose in inspired preaching and teaching] speaks to men for their upbuilding and constructive spiritual progress and encouragement and consolation.
This is not prophecy spoken by a Prophet my dear readers, this is the gift of inspired preaching and teaching that results in edification, exhortation, and encouragement. This is FORTH TELLING of the truth of the Word of God, not FORETELLING the future.
Once again do you see how just the smallest twisting of scripture can create an entire false religion and lead millions upon millions of people astray.
Today we have millions of false prophets running around telling churches that they have ‘heard from the Lord, this’, or ‘God has told them, that” but they speak from their own imaginations.
Jeremiah 23:16
16 Thus says the LORD of hosts: ” Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; They speak a vision of their own heart, Not from the mouth of the LORD.
Jeremiah 14:14
14 And the LORD said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.
Sometimes some of these false prophets prophecies come true, but it’s not due to the fact that they are Godly men or woman, oh no! Many of these prophets dabble in occultism and Satan can make things go his way that they correspond with the said prophecy. In fact you find prophets in all religions. Satan is also not stupid, his intelligence far exceeds mans and he knows how to play mankind and get them right where he wants them. A so called prophet within todays ‘Christian’ circles is non other than a soothsayer and they are an abomination unto the Lord.
Deuteronomy 18:9-13
9 “When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations.10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. 12 For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you. 13 You shall be blameless before the LORD your God.
Brilliant! This makes a lot of sense. Thanks for posting.
But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or
that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
Deu 18:21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?
Deu 18:22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is
the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be
afraid of him. If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,
Deu 13:2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other
gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;
Deu 13:3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your
God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
Deu 13:4 Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice,
and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
Deu 13:5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn
you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house
of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put
the evil away from the midst of thee.
Deu 13:6 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy
friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou
hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers;
Deu 13:7 Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee,
from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth;
Deu 13:8 Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither
shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him:
Deu 13:9 But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and
afterwards the hand of all the people.
Deu 13:10 And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he hath sought to thrust thee away from
the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
Deu 13:11 And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you
Hi Deborah, There is NO BIBLICAL passages that refer to cessationism, How would you interpret the whole of 1 Corinthians 14? Paul clearly says to desire spiritual gifts, in v 1, and as for the verse regarding the following,
8 Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].
9 For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect).
10 But when the complete and perfect (total) comes, the incomplete and imperfect will vanish away (become antiquated, void, and superseded)
Means that when Christ returns and we are made perfect THEN the gifts will cease!
How else is God able to communicate with us? Jesus sent the Holy spirit so we can call upon him to hear God’s voice, That the medium in which we hear God. I know we have the Bible as God’s spoken word, I know the Bible is God’s truth. If what we “hear” from God isn’t matching with scripture we can reject it, if what we receive does match scripture we can accept it.
James ch1v5 says “if any of you lack wisdom let him ASK of God, that giveth to ALL MEN liberally , and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him” (KJV)
So that says God is able to speak to us directly through the holy spirit words of wisdom we ask for. When we are stuck.
If you think all supernatural gifts have ceased then you might as well say the supernatural gift of the holy spirit has creased as well and the supernatural gift of redemption and grace! COME ON! let us use our heads! Ask the Holy Spirit for confirmation, discernment and wisdom!
Helen
>> Means that when Christ returns and we are made perfect THEN the gifts will cease!
BLLLLEEEEEEP! Wrong. That which is perfect is the bible 🙂 read the comments ABOVE where I explain this MORE CLEARLY.
Let me offer a comment:
For the sake of argument, let’s take the view that the Bible is unclear and so there could be prophets today.
Fine. But if this is the case, we’d expect to see genuine cases where people prophesy things that come true. And we don’t see any, either in church history or the present day.
Ditto for speaking in tongues and healing.
It is a valid and accepted theological approach to use tradition, experience, and reason in situations where we have to choose between multiple possible interpretations of scripture. And this all suggests cessationism. It’s not certain, but it’s more likely than not.
Cessationism, for the sake of Helen, is the view that certain miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit existed to for a short period prior to the completion of the New Testament. It’s got nothing to do with salvation.
anastasis
>> But if this is the case, we’d expect to see genuine cases where people prophesy things that come true. And we don’t see any, either in church history or the present day.
Exactly.
Deborah (Discerning the World) wrote:
What makes you think that which is made perfect refers to the bible?
That which is made perfect NOT that which is perfect! Made perfect- The Bible is perfect the word of God, so how could it be made perfect? maybe I’m being thick here !
Don’t get all silly and go Wrong blllleeep like a child ! We are adults not childern! Sorry to sound all cranky but I hate it when people do that! It is not necessary. I don’t do it to you!
Helen
I told you to READ THE COMMENTS ABOVE where it’s EXPLAINED very very CLEARLY why. If you don’t want to scroll up and read the exegesis as to why it’s NOT Christ, but the BIBLE, then please, don’t.
And I am sorry that you don’t have a sense of humour. BLEEEP!
IF THAY HAVE ENDED THEN WHY NOT EVANGELISTS WHY NOT TEACHERS WE HAVE THE TEACHER THE HOLY GHOST JUST ASKING
Do you guys think it important to also consider the prophesies in Zechariah 12-13:6 which talk about prophesy ceasing “in that day”?
The answer to Pastor Mark Chinchen’s comment, which is a fair enough question, is rather simple: because God tells us so in the Bible! The prophets were until John, according to Jesus Himself [Luke 16:16]. Are we going to argue with Him?
I have heard many prophecies given by people claiming to speak for God. I can’t remember one, whether for a single person or the church or the world at large, to come true. As they were spoken in the Name of the Lord, those who spoke them were false prophets.
Benny Hinn set a date when God would destroy all the homosexuals in California. The date he gave passed years ago. California’s still full of homosexuals. Of course, maybe Hinn was actually correct and the rest of us are simply hallucinating. But I don’t think so.
If Jesus said the Law and the Prophets were until John, that’s good enough for me.
Martin
Oh yes indeed… 🙂
Luke 16:16 “The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.”
Hi All
@Deborah: I am a cessationist, definately, the scripture teaches that the gifts will end, just not at the time you think it will end. Did Paul not write in 1 Cor 1v7 “…that you would come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”? This text explains the term in 1Cor 13v10. The scriptures cannot contradict itself, and context determines meaning. The text in 1 Cor 1v7 and “until that which is perfect is come” is the same event as both these texts speak of the gifts, and both these texts indicate a time of ceasing, written by the same writer, to the same audience, a couple of chapters apart. It is as if the Holy Spirit through Paul preempts the controversy over the timing of the cessation of the gifts, and gives us the answer in no uncertain terms before the question, so to speak. Don’t you just love the bible!
Now having said that, am I happy about how most misuse the gifts no, but niether was Paul, he never denied the gifts its place, he just wrote what he did to make sure it is done decently and in order. In fact he again says that we should covet to prophecy and forbid not the speaking in tongues (1 Cor 14 v38). And he writes this as a command of the Lord, And what does he say to those who would despise it “Let those who want to be ignorant, be ignorant!” Classic! I love the scriptures!
In Christ
g.
Just to share my thoughts.. Continuing to read the 1 Cor 13, it says.. And only three things remain, faith Hope and love. If perfection refers to Second coming of Christ.. There will be more confusion.. When Christ comes, Hope and Faith is not necessary as we are already seeing what we believe and the promise has already come.
Remember that every knee will bow when He comes as we will all witness Gods glory.
Dear Deborah and dear Martin Horan,
I do not agree with your argument based on your deduction of Luke 16: 16.
« The answer to Pastor Mark Chinchen’s comment, which is a fair enough question, is rather simple: because God tells us so in the Bible! The prophets were until John, according to Jesus Himself [Luke 16:16]. Are we going to argue with Him?…»
Can we discuss this other proclamation made by Jesus when John the Baptist ministry had already ended:
Matt 23:34 — New International Version (©1984)
« Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.»
You also agree with me that the book of Revelation is a book of prophecy, which is not ”less prophetical” than the book of Esaiah.
Yet, my dears, the author of Revelation, John the apostle, lived and exercised this prophetical ministry by the end of the first century, many decades after John the Baptist and Jesus had gone.
Now, tell me how you put Matt 23:34 and the book of Revelation together with what you are claiming !
The shame of our christianity to day, is the fact that people try to teach on topics that they don’t know or know very little.
I was trying to see a bit more into what Deborah wants to teach in her article, but I was suddently choked by the fact that in stead of correcting you Martin Horan, she reacts to your argumentation by saying this:
« Oh yes indeed… :
Luke 16:16 “The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.” »
Does Deborah just want people who support her with any kind of argument, or people who present the truth accurately from a profound and consistent knowledge of the topic ?
Please see below, the same verse of Matt 23:34 in almost all the translations: Our lord is clearly calling them PROPHETS, and John the apostle was clearly just one of them. Then, if you are humble, then you will agree that that you need the Holy Spirit to help you understand what the Lord was saying in Luke 16:16.
MATTHEW 23:34
New International Version (©1984)
Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.
New Living Translation (©2007)
“Therefore, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers of religious law. But you will kill some by crucifixion, and you will flog others with whips in your synagogues, chasing them from city to city.
English Standard Version (©2001)
Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town,
New American Standard Bible (©1995)
“Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city,
King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
International Standard Version (©2008)
“That is why I am sending you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will whip in your synagogues and persecute from town to town.
Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
Because of this behold, I am sending to you Prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will murder and you will crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and you will persecute them from city to city
GOD’S WORD® Translation (©1995)
I’m sending you prophets, wise men, and teachers of the Scriptures. You will kill and crucify some of them. Others you will whip in your synagogues and persecute from city to city.
King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
Therefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them you shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall you scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
American King James Version
Why, behold, I send to you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them you shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall you whip in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
American Standard Version
Therefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: some of them shall ye kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city:
Douay-Rheims Bible
Therefore behold I send to you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them you will put to death and crucify, and some you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city:
Darby Bible Translation
Therefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and some of them ye will kill and crucify, and some of them ye will scourge in your synagogues, and will persecute from city to city;
English Revised Version
Therefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: some of them shall ye kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city:
Webster’s Bible Translation
Wherefore behold, I send to you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and some of them ye will kill and crucify, and some of them ye will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
Weymouth New Testament
“For this reason I am sending to you Prophets and wise men and Scribes. Some of them you will put to death–nay, crucify; some of them you will flog in your synagogues and chase from town to town;
World English Bible
Therefore, behold, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify; and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city;
Young’s Literal Translation
‘Because of this, lo, I send to you prophets, and wise men, and scribes, and of them ye will kill and crucify, and of them ye will scourge in your synagogues, and will pursue from city to city;
In Conclusion:
whether there are still prophets today is some other debate. Whether their writings can become part of the holy Bible is out of question. But to say that God has not sent any prophet after John the Baptist and Jesus, this is a misunderstanding of Luke 16:16, creating a clear contradiction with what the above verse in Matt 23:34 says and with the book of Revelation. Yet, I am not saying that all those who claim to be prophets today are prophets.
As far as I understand it, prophecy is not always about new redemptive revelation, otherwise there would be no need for it after Christ (Christ is the final redemptive revelation. However, there was prophecy after Christ which was never added to scripture (Acts 21:8).
Anyway, it’s a bit presumptuous and prideful to be discussing this issue as if it is clear from scripture. Scholars disagree – men who have studied the languages and passages for many years. Let’s not be divided as brothers and sisters over such a topic. Just because you don’t know of prophets does not mean they don’t exist. We must base our beliefs on doctrine, not experience. Likewise, just because you think you’ve met a prophet and been prophesied over doesn’t mean they do exist.
Can someone please explain the other half of Jesus’ declaration?
The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. (Luke 16:16, KJV)
If you’re trying to say that after John the Baptist there were no more prophets, then does that mean there is no more law as well? And if so, then how do you reconcile Jesus’ very next statement as well as what he said in Matthew?
And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. (Luke 16:17, KJV)
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. (Matthew 5:18, KJV)
Obviously heaven and earth haven’t yet passed away so…?
Also, how would you tie in the first part of his declaration with the second? Since that time (after John the Baptist), the kingdom of God is preached and every man presses into it?
Deborah (Discerning the World) wrote:
David Wilkerson´s 1974 book, The Vision. Almost every prophesy on that book has been fufilled and some are on their way, things that were thought impossible for that time.David Wilkerson was one of the most Godly men of our time.
Just a thought: why would Jesus warn us of false prophets if supposedly there are no real prophets in our time? wouldn´t he just have said beware of prophets? I think “when the perfect comes” refers to our transformation from these mortal bodies into eternal life with Christ in his kindgdom where prophesy won’t be needed. Isn´t everytime we receive an instruction from God about a certain direction to take, a prophesy? Or you don´t believe God speaks to his people still?
God bless!
I happened upon this site through a link.
I must confess that I haven’t read any of David Wilkerson’s prophecies, although I understand that many call him a false prophet. Sound Christian.com/Rapture Ready describe him as an accredited false prophet. I may add that I am NOT a believer in the pre-tribulation rapture.
As I understand the Lord Jesus Christ’s words in Matthew 24, Luke 21, Mark 13 etc, He warns us against deception and false prophets (we have them by the bucket load!). He never once tells us to listen to another prophet.(The canon was closed after the book of Revelation).
As said above God has spoken to us in these last days through the Lord Jesus Christ (Heb 1.2). The book of Revelation penned by John was, as my bible reveals to me God’s last revelation to mankind in this ‘Age of Grace’ or ‘Times of the gentiles’ that we are now in before the coming Day of the Lord and glorious Millennial reign.
We all have access to the Abiding Word of God and we can read the OT Prophets/NT prophetic Word in order to make sense of what is going on in this wicked world-there are many Christians that do this.
God tells us to ‘take heed’ of the prophetic Word- 2 Peter 1.19.
There were false prophets aplenty in Israel of old, how many more are there today in this Christian era?!
If only these self styled ‘prophets and teachers would’ take heed of James 3.1.
Gabriela
1st) David Wilkerson had many FALSE PROPHECIES – That makes him a false prophet.
2nd) Wilkerson taught Latter Rain Manifest Sons of God teachings; He promoted five-fold restoration of prophets and apostles and an especially “holy” company of the Church taking the world for Christ before Christ can return.
3rd) At David Wilkersons Mount Zion School of Ministry there is a woman by the name of President Catherine and she bases her ‘spirituality’ on the New Age teachings of a woman by the names of Hannah Hurnard and her teachings are taught at Mount Zion’s. David Wilkerson got a lot of his ‘spiritual filling’ from Hannah Hurnard’s teachings as well.
New Age Teachings And Book Reviews Exploring Hannah’s Spreading Heresy A Book Review of, Hinds’ Feet, –Hannah Hurnard [ ]
A Book Review of, Mountains of Spices, –Hannah Hurnard
A Book Review of, Hungry for More of Jesus, — Dave Wilkerson. http:/i-Plus.net/thorpe/Zion/Hungry.htm
David Wilkerson is forward Hannah’s Quaker Theology of personal suffering unto inner purification.
Hannah, New Age and Beyond! A Book Review of, Eagles’ Wings, –Hannah Hurnard Incredible!
A Book Review of, The Inner Man, –Hannah Hurnard Unthinkable!
What others are saying about Hannah Hurnard’s heresy. and
Lastly
>> Or you don´t believe God speaks to his people still?
Yes, he speaks to his children via the Holy Spirit who points you to the Word of God (Jesus Christ)
Hebrews 1:2
“2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;” (Heb 1.2)
Some people set themselves up as God. They think they are always right. They think they know it all.
simp
The Word of God is always right and my article is based on the Word of God.
Hello. I have looked over some of your articles (a lot which are interesting) but couldn’t help but ask for explanations on this one. In the article it says Jesus was the last and greatest, of course I don’t have any problems with him being the greatest but if one looks in acts 13:1 (AMP), it reads “Now in the church (assembly) at Antioch there were prophets (inspired interpreters of the will and purposes of God) and teachers: Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger [Black], Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.” This means that there were prophets after Christ’s ascension, of course I still don’t believe that all prophets are real today. Appreciate your intentions and hope you can provide and answer soon. God bless you all.
Hello again. Forgot to mention one more thing that wasn’t in the article but was on the comments. They talked about Luke 16:16 saying that “there were the Law and the Prophets”, if I learned anything about detail and the Bible, its the capitalization. When it says prophet, its a prophet. When it says the Prophet, its Lord Jesus. When its says the Prophets, its the scrolls of the old testament prophets. The last comment was more of a question but this one is more of a statement, but when Jesus said this, he was already telling the people about grace. “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17) and then Romans 6:14 says, “For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.” This shows us that is why Jesus said “were”. It really didn’t have anything to do with prophets themselves. Thanks again for taking your time to read this. God bless you!
David
The ending of prophets and Apostles has got nothing to do with Christ’s ascension, but with the completion of writing the Word of God (the Bible) which is none other than Jesus in written Word.
1 Corinthians 13:8 (amp) ”Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].”
Jesus Christ =Truth = The Word of God (in written from)
Paul says that LOVE never fails and this leads us to the 1 commandment that Jesus spoke about in
and Jesus said
Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Mark 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
If you love Jesus with all your heart and all your soul, you will automatically love your neighbor and preach the Truth to them. The two are mutually inclusive. You can’t love Jesus and not want to love your neighbour (preach the Gospel to Him) and vice versa.
2 John 1:5 “And now I beseech you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
2 John 1:6 “And this is love, that we walk after His commandments. This is the commandment, That, as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.”
Revelation 22:18 ”if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book”.
In those days Paul and the other Apostles wrote and prophesied in part – in other words they did not know everything until it was give to them by the Holy Spirit.
Paul said in…
1 Corinthians 13:8-11 (amp); “9For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect). 10But when the complete and perfect (total) comes, the incomplete and imperfect will vanish away (become antiquated, void, and superseded). 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.
The perfect = The Word of God
Truth = The Word of God
Jesus Christ = Truth
David
>> one more thing that wasn’t in the article but was on the comments. They talked about Luke 16:16 saying that “there were the Law and the Prophets”, if I learned anything about detail and the Bible, its the capitalization. When it says prophet, its a prophet. When it says the Prophet, its Lord Jesus. When its says the Prophets, its the scrolls of the old testament prophets.
The KJV 1611 says lower lace ‘law’ and upper case ‘P’.
Luke 16:16 The law and the Prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. (Matt 11:12-13)
This simply means that the ministry of John the Baptist ushered in a new dispensation or era. The old dispensation was coming to an end and would end at the cross of Jesus Christ. In the meantime the Kingdom of God was preached and people were invited to repentance and faith. Many tried to press in, but in reality (like today) were not children of the Kingdom (they were false). Only a new birth, being born again, only through regeneration, as Jesus explained to Nicodemus in (Joh 3:3) can one only ever enter the Kingdom of God.
So no Words which God has spoken can fail, ever, in fulfillment, no matter how people react to the Gospel proclemation. All the demands of the law must be met either by those who come under it’s condemnation, or by Jesus Christ who came in Grace to bear the sinners curse on the cross for the whole world. God’s Word was to be carried out even to the crucifying of His own Begotten Son when He took the repentant sinner’s place.
And then came the written Word of God (Jesus Christ in Written Word, understandable by born again Christians only through the Holy Spirit)
Does thateth maketh senseth? 🙂
Debs,
Can you reply to Dr Calvin’s comment http://www.discerningtheworld.com/2011/01/17/are-prophets-for-today-or-has-prophecy-ceased/#comment-218464.
He is a friend of mine of the pentecostal-charismatic denomination I used to be member of. I sent him this article about the cessation of the offices of apostles and prophets, and he was kind enough to read it and initiate a discussion about it with you and Martin Horan.
Lol maketh senseth. Funny. Anyways I didn’t mean to say Christ’s ascension had anything to do with the apostles and prophets but merely wanted to know that since in the article it was written that Christ was the last prophet on Earth how in acts it has multiple times where it refers to prophets Acts (11:27, 13:1, 15:32, 21:10) so I understand what you say with the whole word of God being truth. For the response to Luke 16:16, I understand that the new era was coming in with the sacrifice made on the cross, was just making a clarification that they referred to the old testament. Thanks and God bless.
Paul
No problem, I will get to it, (I dunno why I missed it). Sorry, I usually answer everyone 99% of the time.
One more thing that I didn’t add because I didn’t know where it was at the time but in Revelations 2:2 (KJV)”I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.”
Question is why would the scripture even mention testing the apostles if they were supposedly stopped a long time ago? If apostles continue then how can all the ministries function except for the prophets?
Revelations 11:3,6,10 (KJV)”3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.”
“6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.”
“10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.”
Question is that if the word says prophecy will be done away with and there is no mention of it coming back, then how can it be here at the end times? If these two witnesses are called prophets, then what stops the ministry from being active today? These two have to be new prophets because even if people want to say its the return of old testament prophets then it would be the same case as when Jesus called John the baptist the Elijah which was to come (Matthew 17:12-13)
If Jesus says in Matthew 5:18 (KJV) “For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”
Then how is it possible for the scripture to be what does away with the prophets if it is still around when these prophets appear?
Very interested in hearing ur response to this and the last comment about the prophets mentioned in acts. Please get around to it whenever possible I know its a bombardment out of nowhere but I really do want to see which point of view is right so the body can move on forward in peace and unity. God bless you.