Once upon a time, a rich uncle was visited by his nephew who had heard from his cousins of the absolutely wonderful experience they had when they visited. Unfortunately, the uncle and wife were just about to embark on a trip. But before leaving, Uncle Bigbucks insisted that Nephew Naive, for those were their names, should feel completely at home and help himself to anything that was available on both floors of the three-floor building. He also permitted him to freely call him if he needed anything that wasn’t already provided for.
When the kind Uncle returned a week later, he found out that his nephew had only been eating the cheapest bread available, and drinking water and a couple of cheaper soft drinks. These were taken from two fridges among the twelve fridges found on both floors. The variety of rich loaves with raisins or fish or something else, and pastries of every sort, had been ignored. In the other fridge were all kinds of juices and sweet drinks and water. Still, the other ten fridges had all kinds of local, continental, and even rare and exotic dishes. All that one had to do was take or warm any of them and eat.
Why didn’t he? Was he humble? Or disbelieving?
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MODERN DAY CESSATIONISM
Have you ever considered that the nation of Israel had the most fantastic supernatural experiences: from seeing ten plagues come on Egypt, to the parting of the Red sea, manna falling daily, the sun standing still? Despite all of this, before Jesus was born, some of them had become Sadduccees – religious people who did not believe in the supernatural?
Today, this is called ‘Cessationism‘ and there are large groups who believe the same way. Cessationism is a doctrine that spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues, prophecy, healing, and other miraculous things, ceased with the passing of the 12 apostles and Paul.
Many cessationists believe there’s a dark realm and there’s a devil who can perform signs and wonders, so they attribute all signs and wonders to the workings of the devil. The question that arises from there is “Is Satan powerful enough to heal, but God isn’t?” And of what use is deception which mimics what is no more in existence? Why did Jesus warn against deception?
READ ALSO: THE KINGDOM OF GOD
1 Cor. 14:1 Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.
John 14:12 I tell you for certain that if you have faith in Me, you will do the same things that I am doing. You will do even greater things, now that I am going back to the Father.
These scriptures seem to be proof to the contrary.
The ‘Great Commission’ is proof that God expects us to walk in the supernatural wherever we spread the gospel. The supernatural workings of God confirm the word of God – Where the word of a king is, there is power (Eccl 8:4).
What do you think?
READ ALSO: THE RETURN OF JESUS
