What Scripture says
The New Testament describes spiritual gifts, including tongues, prophecy, healing and miracles:
- At Pentecost, the disciples “began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance”, and visitors heard them in their own languages (Acts 2:4–11, ESV).
- Paul lists gifts including “prophecy… various kinds of tongues… the interpretation of tongues” (1 Corinthians 12:8–10), and says, “earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues” (1 Corinthians 14:39).
- Paul gives rules for using tongues and prophecy in worship, such as interpretation and testing (1 Corinthians 14:26–33).
- He says, “as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease… when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away” (1 Corinthians 13:8–10).
- The church is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets” (Ephesians 2:20).
What the evidence says
Interpretation
The main views
| View | What it holds |
|---|---|
| Cessationism | Miraculous gifts such as tongues, prophecy and healing ended with the apostles |
| Open but cautious | The gifts may continue, but many modern claims are doubtful |
| Continuationism | All gifts continue today, under biblical guidelines |
| Pentecostalism | Gifts continue, and tongues are often the sign of baptism in the Spirit |
The cessationist case
- Foundation: apostles and prophets laid the church’s foundation (Ephesians 2:20), and a foundation is laid once. Miracles authenticated the apostles’ message (2 Corinthians 12:12, Hebrews 2:3–4).
- The canon is complete: with the New Testament complete, ongoing revelation through prophecy isn’t needed (see 3.12).
- History: miraculous gifts seem to have declined after the apostolic age. B. B. Warfield argued this in Counterfeit Miracles (1918).
- Modern practice: cessationists argue modern tongues aren’t real languages like those at Pentecost, and modern prophecies are often wrong.
The continuationist case
- No clear statement in Scripture that the gifts would end before Christ’s return. “When the perfect comes” (1 Corinthians 13:10) most naturally refers to Christ’s return, when “I shall know fully” (13:12), not to the completion of the canon.
- The last days: Peter said the outpouring of the Spirit with prophecy marks “the last days” (Acts 2:17), which last until Christ returns.
- Paul’s instructions for using gifts in church assume they are normal.
- Church history: reports of gifts continued in some places, and the 20th century saw the rapid growth of Pentecostal and charismatic movements, now including hundreds of millions of Christians.
What both agree
- Scripture is the final authority. No modern prophecy is equal to Scripture.
- Gifts must be exercised in love and order (1 Corinthians 13–14).
- Claims must be tested (1 Thessalonians 5:20–21, 1 John 4:1).
- God can still heal in answer to prayer (James 5:14–15). Cessationists don’t deny God works miracles today, only that individuals have miraculous gifts as the apostles did.
History
- Early church: Irenaeus (c. 180) said some still prophesied and healed in his day. By the time of John Chrysostom (late 4th century), he described the gifts as having ceased.
- Modern Pentecostalism began with revivals at Topeka, Kansas (1901) and the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles (1906).
- The charismatic movement spread these practices into mainline Protestant and Catholic churches from the 1960s.
What are modern tongues?
Linguists who have studied modern tongues, such as William Samarin (1972), found that it doesn’t have the structure of a human language. Continuationists respond that Paul describes tongues as speaking “mysteries in the Spirit” to God, not always human languages (1 Corinthians 14:2), and perhaps “tongues of angels” (1 Corinthians 13:1).
Where they meet
Cessationists say the miraculous gifts ended with the apostles; continuationists say they continue. Both affirm Scripture as the final authority and the need to test all claims.
What’s still open
Whether, and in what form, the gifts continue today.
Bottom line
Cessationists say the gifts ended with the apostles; continuationists say they continue. This is rated Debated.