Sign Gifts Are Sign Gifts for Today Essay

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Sign Gifts

Are sign gifts for today or have they ceased? What is the purpose of the sign gifts, and if they are being practiced today, are sign gifts being practiced in a biblical manner?

Debate among Christians ranges on whether the spiritual gifts entailing; miracles, healing and prophecy are for today. There is consensus among Christians that the gifts were part of the first century church. The latter is a held in consensus among believers that the Bible is the word supreme being (God). The debate on Gifts and Signs for today looks at the more visible occult gifts which leave people asking does perform miracles through the special emissary individuals. The debates do not question whether God is still powerful, rather whether he demonstrates his powers through those who claim to be doing his work. The argument among this people is what signs the gifts are meant to depict.

Assessment of whether the Signs and Gifts are for today

The people who argue that sign Gifts are for today attest that sign and gifts of the 20th are similar to signs and Gifts of the 1st century. The argument is held a normative Christianity to the extent that what is taught today on signs and gifts was taught in the early days. This is said drawing arguments from Acts of the Apostole and the New Testament (Books in the Bible) . The argument's implication is that the lack of spiritual richness will only mean failure to experience and believe in these gifts

The people who argue that signs and Gifts are not for today hold the position that there is has been a discontinuity

The discontinuity between the last apostle's work and those of today's church leaders brings in the dispute on authenticity. Therefore argument holds that the signs and gifts are not for today since there is no message clearly being communicated and those who are communicating the message have no way of ascertaining authenticity. It is also argued the false hood from the signs and gift in display in today's world came up as a result of there being a gap and lack of continuity

Sign gifts are what can also be called 'Gifts of the holy spirit' example healing, speaking in tongues and kindness. Due to modernity, the traditions are being done away with and this even brings doubts as to whether God exists in the first place and therefore the sign gifts with him. Theologists argue that the events in the bible were written after they happened and therefore they are just but a myth. When the Pentecostal revival began, the Pentecostals believed that Holy Spirit Gifts are in effect to date; this brings out the doctrine taught that the Holy Spirit blesses a second time.

Purpose of the Biblical Sign and Gifts

The gifts and sign were meant to confide a greater meaning and reinforce believes among believers. In Exodus 4, the first signs and gift is seen when Moses was instructed ob his deliverance of the Israelite from Egypt. Moses had to perform a series of miracles and actions to make the Egyptians and the Israelites believe there is a greater power that them. This brought an assurance on to the Israelites that God will be on their side. The signs and Gifts that come from a greater power are meant not only to show power but also to convince people of the need to confide in a the power. The demonstrations changed believe of the people of Israel to follow Moses.

In the day-to-day signs and Gifts are used to guide and correct the behavior of people and the attitude that they lead their life. Religious leaders use the signs and gifts to entrench belief. They are used to change how people look at things and also assist in evaluating how best to coexist. There are those in the church who use these gifts to mislead other into evil way or deceit others to actions contrary to biblical teachings.

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The religious leaders in some cases use the signs and gifts to misguide the believers in to doing those actions that will favor them

The gifts and Signs are meant to convince and just as Elijah was confronted by the false prophets on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18), similar is happening in the world today. The prophecy and signs being given currently by the leaders are meant to strengthen fellowship and also supposed to remove doubt in a particular ministry. False prophets in this instance are fighting to keep the signs and miracles occurring to ensure that their followers do not fall out.

Practicing the Gifts

The Signs and Gifts can be evidenced in modern day practices of worship and prayer. The practices are seen through speaking in tongues, healing and prophesy. The question arises whether they are in accordance to the teachings of the bible. These signs will be assessed using what is seen and the arguments for which have been given to support that they are indeed authentic or not Prophecy, Miracles and Speaking in Tongues

When revelations are given to try and predict a certain occurrence, they are supposed to be in accordance to cannons given. The revelations are supposed to be in accordance to the teaching about God, Christ and man and sin. The teaching touches on salvation and guidance towards the Kingdom of heaven. Though Prophecy is not listed in Mark 16, as a sign gift, there are certain elements of the prophecy are temporary. In the world today there is limited motivation to undertake prophecy and to proclaim happening since its agued what was to be has already been

There is no greater happening than that which has already happened. Past that it is not within the powers of any human being to correctly foretell the plans of God. In order to make prophecy, the guides require that it be guided by the ministry or the religious Biblical teaching. Arguments against this are that the false prophets have a way to turn the gospel teaching to include the lies they intend to pass. The convictions given to today's followers are similar to the teachings of the olden day preaching and the Biblical interpretations of a ministry. There has been preaching on false prophets and this has come to be in modern day preaching as was predicted that discrediting them

As Paul's letter to the church advices on the use of prophecy and speaking in tongues, it shows that continuity of the gifts and signs was expected and accepted.

"Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders [pastors] of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him."

The biblical teaching on speaking Tongues say the those who spoke in tongues dint know they were speaking in tongues and they could communicate with those who believe in what was uttered. The teaching tells us it the powers of the spirit that make people speak in tongues. In the modern world what is observed are proclamations of tongue speaking where the believers do not understand

When Jesus was confronted to give signs by the Pharisees, Jesus said to them that it is the Evil and Adulterous generation that seek for a sign. To dismiss them he said no sign shall be given to them apart from the sign of Jonah. This should be the basis of assessing the signs shown by those who believe.

When looking at the occurrence of a gift and Sign….....

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