An Email To A Friend Who Asked For My Thoughts On The Subjects

She Wrote:

Emitasse,

what do you know about the cessationists? is believing you can be healed (or are healed) part of the prosperity gospel?

i am in a quandry. can you help me?

love, pc

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I Wrote:

PamCakes,

First, let me say, I'm excited to talk about such a subject. Second, I must say, my "youth group years" growing up were spent at a church who, I believe, were "cessationists". We went through Romans and Corinthians verse-by-verse. When coming across "spiritual gifts", both times, I can remember being taught the phrase "Sight was meant to establish the church; Faith was meant to sustain it". Basically identifying the gifts of tongues, prophecy, and healing as "sight". Logically concluding that visible proofs of God are not needed anymore.

Now, I fully understand this logic. I even like the phrase I was taught. I even use it in my own context when talking to youth. However, I, personally, do not agree that these 3 specific gifts have been "done away with" in order to allow faith to run it's course in sustaining the church. Why? Because, time and time again, Jesus said "your faith has made you well" and even refrained from healing the doubting. "Sight" seems to be a product of faith.

Other reasons I'm not cessationistic in my thinking:
a) I have a friend who truly has the gift of tongues.
b) prophecy is translated "speaking God's truth" ; the form of this may have changed because God does not speak to us the way He spoke to all the famous prophets. However, He does speak truth to us, through the Holy Spirit and His living word. You know those people who just seem to flawlessly communicate Truth? I believe those people have the gift of prophecy.
c) I have a friend who has a new boyfriend (I have yet to meet). He claims to have the gift of healing. He says all he does is obey. He'll be walking through a mall, and hear God tell him to pray over a person. So he will do it, when he does, the person has been healed. It sounds crazy, but that's no reason to doubt it. Hopefully I'll meet him. I'm intrigued. She has actually seen it happen. And my heart is full of joy at the thought of this. Even though my logic is skeptical.
d) I believe we, human beings as a whole, doubt too much in order to develop any of these gifts, even if we had them.

As for healing being identified with the prosperity Gospel... I would submit that being healed has as much to do with finding favour in God's eyes as not being healed has to do with not finding favour in God's eyes. Life and death are meant to be in the the hands of the Creator. His ways are so far above ours that questioning his motivations leave us exasperated and possibly doubtful. We know that His motivations are always the "good of those who love Him", that is all we need to know- death or life. Therefore, from His perspective, prosperity in wealth or in health is ambiguous. Our true life is in Him and our treasures are with Him... both complete in Heaven- so if anything wouldn't it be more appropriate to think the opposite of the prosperity Gospel?