In need of some guidance/information

SGM is certainly the way to go to find fellowship you are seeking. Wayne Grudem is both Reformed and Continuationist. He is an outstanding scholar and you should check out his Systematic Theology.

But don't take that as a full endorsement, I believe my Grudemistic brethren are definitely wrong on the sign gifts. As someone said earlier, they were for the infant church during the apostolic age. But let each man be fully persuaded.

 

Just When Did the Church Grow Up ???

I can't help but ask you, just when did the church grow up ?!? It seems to me that the church is still in its infancy (with all the bickering, gossip, hate, division, etc.). If we have truly moved out of the Apostolic Age, than please explain when that was (per Scripture) and what we do with Paul's letter to the Ephesians, particularly - 4:11 (Amplified Bible) "And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (inspired preachers and expounders), some evangelists (preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries), some pastors (shepherds of His flock) and teachers." And, how come we only have pastors, teachers and evangelists ?!?!?

Did the final verse in Revelations 22 signal the end of some of the other offices of the church ?!?!?

I'm having a hard time understanding how some of us can (1) Boldly proclaim that the church is no longer in its infancy stages. I believe the church will always be in a stage of infancy, because it is still struggling to get it right. And while it struggles, it remains MHO, that the church is still an infant. Furthermore, the church will probably be in a stage of infancy until we are raptured. BTW, your Avatar demonstrates that the church is still locked in a stage of infancy, or, at least a toddler. No disrespect meant. I just found your choice of avatars interesting in regard to this "infancy" thing. Don't you agree ??

(2) How can todays church proclaim that Paul's list of offices in the church are no longer ordaining Apostles, and Prophets ?!?!? Where is the Scripture that signals the ending of these offices in the structure of the church ?!?!? Please show me how you arrive at this conclusion.

Shalom,

Pastor Paul :type:

 

So Adam, has knowledge passed away too? I just find this passage as a real stretch for the cessationist position.

 

Good points brother. The fact that individual church members (some of them pastors) behave like infants does not mean the Church is still in its infancy.

The Church is being built upon the foundation of Christ (the Chief Cornerstone) and the apostles. Once the foundation is laid, the infancy is over. One might reasonably tie the completion of the canon into this, but I chose not to do that. Very simply, there was an apostolic age which represented the completing of the foundation. Though the Church continues to be built, it is not in "infancy".

I believe there are only twelve legitimate Apostles, as evidenced by the reference to "the twelve" in certain places, especially "the names of the twelve Apostles of Christ" in Revelation; and although others may be referred to as "apostles" in the functional sense, that is only appropriate during the apostolic era. People that call themselves "apostle" today are making it up out of thin air.

By the way, an argument can be made that adolescent or even adult behavior is worse and infant behavior!