Since the end of the apostolic age (ca. A.D. 100) and throughout church history, orthodox Christianity has strongly affirmed the sufficiency of the biblical canon. Early testimony shows that there was a growing recognition in the church for a circulating NT canon. Some of the early evidence that shows a recognition for this inspired canon comes from sources like as the following: (1) Clement of Rome (A.D. 95), (2) Irenaeus (185), (3) the so-called Muratorian Fragment (ca. 185), (4) Hippolytus (170-235), (5) Tertullian (ca. 200), (6) Clement of Alexandria (d. 215), (7) Origen (d. 254), (8) Eusebius (260-340), (9) the Synod of Laodecia (363), (10) The Festal Letter of Athanasius (367), (11) The Council of Hippo (393), (12) the Synod of Carthage (397) and (13) the Council of Carthage (419).
There is considerable evidence from both a biblical and historical perspective that with the end of the apostolic age God brought about an end to the NT revelatory gifts that brought the church the NT. Along with this He also brought about an end of the special miraculous gifts that were given to attest these prophetic messengers and the fresh NT revelation they were bringing to the church (a gift that enabled those apostles and prophets to heal at will). Christians who hold to this view are called “Cessationists.” They believe that God is continuing to give a number of different gifts to the body of Christ, but they also believe that these particular gifts have ceased.
The following paper deals with the topic of cessationism and analyzes the doctrine from three levels: (1) exegetical, (2) theological, and (3) historical. May this paper help you understand why historic, orthodox Christianity has been justified in holding to a closed biblical canon and why the church has a complete sufficiency in the completed prophetic revelation of the Old and New Testaments.
Serving Christ and His Church,
Tim
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Tags: Cessationism, Charismatic, Gifts, Holy Spirit
