There is a portion of the church that believes miracles, signs, wonders, and healing have ceased, and God no longer uses people to heal the sick as in Biblical times. They believe God can heal if He wants to, but no believer should expect that they can pray for the sick and see the sick person healed. Those who hold to this teaching are called Cessationists.
ChatGPT gave the following definition of cessationism:
Cessationism is a theological belief that certain spiritual gifts, especially those mentioned in the New Testament such as prophecy, speaking in tongues, and healing, ceased or ceased to be normative after the apostolic era or the completion of the biblical canon. It suggests that these gifts were limited to the early church and are no longer present or necessary in the modern era. Cessationists argue that the purpose of these gifts was to establish and authenticate the message of the Gospel and the apostolic authority, which are considered to be accomplished in the early church.
This definition is excellent and describes the research I did on the topic. Let’s look at the various aspects of this teaching and see if it aligns with Scripture. I’ll state the cessationist viewpoint and then give my response.
Miracles Validate the Message
Cessationists believe God performed miracles through the apostles to confirm their message. Each miracle proved that what they were saying was true. The message was from God, and He reached out His hand to perform signs and wonders to show it was true. Once the message was accepted, there was no longer a need for the miraculous. The miracles had done the job of confirming the message.
Here are a few Scriptures they use to make their point:
20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed. (Mark 16:20)
6 The crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing. (Acts 8:6)
3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will. (Heb 2:3-4)
I absolutely agree that God used signs to validate His word. The question is, why do they think we don’t need the same miracles today? How do miracles that happened over two thousand years ago, that no one has seen with their own eyes, validate the proclamation of God’s word today? It doesn’t.
Matthew informs us that Jesus called the twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority to do signs and wonders.
1 “Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.” (Mt. 10:1)
7 “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. (Mt. 10:7-8)
Jesus doesn’t limit this call to healing and deliverance to only the twelve. He calls 70 others and gives them similar instructions.
1 Now after this, the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come. (Lk. 10:1)
8 Whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you; 9 and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ (Lk. 10:8-9)
The seventy returned from their ministry time with great excitement. They were excited by how the power of God flowed through their lives. They said:
“17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” (Lk. 10:16-17)
There are other mentions of miracles and signs being done by Stephen (Acts 6:8), Philip (Acts 8:5-7), by Ananias healing Saul, the Corinthians not lacking in any gifts (1 Cor. 1:7), and then the mention of the gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:4-10) to which each Corinthian was encouraged to earnestly desire (1 Cor. 12:31 and 14:1). The Galatians were experiencing miracles in their midst by the power of God (Gal 3:5).
Jesus’ authorization for the miraculous ministry did not stop with these groups or individuals. He opened it up to every believer in what is called The Great Commission. This commission is to preach the gospel in all the world. He told them the miraculous would follow those who believed.
15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. 17 These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mk. 16:15-18)
This opens up the realm of signs and wonders to every believer today. Jesus said that those who believed would do the very same things that the twelve and the seventy were doing. The keyword in this call is “believe.” Cessationists do not believe they can pray for the sick and see them healed; therefore, they do not see miracles or healing in their lives.
The Great Commission is still active, and so is God’s promise of signs following those who believe. We should expect God to move through us as we preach the gospel until His return. Signs and wonders are still God’s ways of verifying His word.
Miracles Validate the Messengers
Those teaching Cessationism also believe that miracles proved that the messenger speaking for God was legitimate. The Apostles were given the ability to heal the sick and cast out demons to prove their authority and their authenticity. The Apostle Paul actually used this argument in defending his ministry to the Corinthians. He said:
12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles. (2 Cor. 12:12)
It’s good to remember that Paul is making this statement in an argument against the false apostles the Corinthians were following. They were leading the Corinthians astray to the point that Paul asked them to examine themselves to see if they were in the faith. (2 Cor. 13:5)
Paul was not saying that only apostles can perform signs, wonders, and miracles. As we saw in Mark 16, all those who believe can do them. Paul knew that the false apostles were not operating in these amazing God-given gifts and was making a point that he was.
Some Cessationists teach that the Apostles were given the authority to heal at will, which means that everyone they pray for must be healed. Jesus healed everyone who came to Him, and the same was true for those He gave this power and authority. But is this true? Did the Apostles receive the power to heal at their will?
Peter prays a powerful prayer after being imprisoned for healing the lame man at the Gate Beautiful. The authorities have threatened them to stop preaching in the name of Jesus. Peter prayed,
29 And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, 30 while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:29-31)
Peter’s prayer shows that he believed God was the one healing. Peter asked for two things: 1) for God to give them the confidence to speak the Word of God, and 2) that God would stretch out His hand to heal and do signs and wonders in Jesus’ name.
It is impossible to imagine that Peter thought he could heal people at will. He would boldly proclaim the Word of God, and God would heal.
Matthew 17 also shows us that the twelve did not possess the ability to heal or perform signs at will. It is the story of the man who brought his son to the disciples to cast out the demon that was tormenting him. The demon would cast him into the fire and water and give him terrible seizures.
They tried as hard as they could, but they could not cast the demon out. When Jesus came and the father ran to Him and asked for His help. He said,
15 “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic and is very ill; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him.” (Mt. 17:15-16)
The disciples could not heal the child, but Jesus did so easily.
18 And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured at once. (Mt. 17:18)
The disciples came to Jesus later in private and asked Him why they could not cast the demon out. His answer was straightforward.
20 And He *said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. (Mt. 17:20)
This story shows that faith is required to operate in the power and authority Jesus gives. It is not automatic, and it is not by the will of the one praying, as some suppose. Faith allows one to step out and see the miracles God promises.
Even Jesus claimed it was not He doing the miracles; rather, the Father and the Spirit in Him were doing them.
10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. (John 14:10-11)
17 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written,
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed, 19 To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” 20 And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Lk. 4:17-21)
In the first passage, Jesus states that He does nothing on His own initiative; it is the Father abiding in Him who does the works. The second passage clearly shows the Spirit of God anointing Jesus to do all that He did. Jesus Himself did nothing on His own initiative; the same is true for those who follow Him.
Miracles Will Cease
Cessationists hold two main thoughts about when miracles ceased. The first one is when the last Apostle died. The second one is when the church received the word of God in complete form.
When the last apostle dies
According to Cessationists, God gave the Twelve Apostles and those with whom they laid their hands the ability to heal people at will. They were miracle workers, and everyone they prayed for was healed. This was to prove they were messengers of God preaching the true word of God. Once this was accomplished, there was no longer a need for miracles. They had done the job they came to do.
Once the Apostles died, no one else had the authority to lay hands on people and give them this ability. Therefore, healing and miracles ceased once the last of those the apostles laid their hands upon died.
I have already shown that this position is inaccurate. Jesus gives all believers power and authority to continue the ministry of healing and deliverance. I am mentioning it here because this is one of the two main arguments for the cessation of the miraculous. There is a second timeframe for when we can now turn.
When the word of God is complete
Cessationists use a classic passage of Scripture to prove, in their eyes, that miracles, signs, and wonders will cease. It is found in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.
8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. (1 Cor. 13:8-12)
Paul says prophecy will be done away with, tongues will cease, and knowledge will be done away with when the perfect comes. But what does that mean?
What is “the perfect”? They believe it is the Bible. When the Bible was compiled and officially recognized by the church, miracles were no longer necessary to validate the apostles' oral words. But what does “the perfect” mean in this passage?
If it does, then verse twelve must be true as well. It says that we will see Him face to face and we will know each other fully, just as we have been fully known. “The perfect” is not when the Bible is completed, but when Jesus Christ returns to the earth, and we see Him as He is. At that time, we will be face-to-face, fully known, and fully known.
2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. (1 John 3:2)
When Jesus returns and we are transformed, there will no longer be a need for prophecy, tongues, or knowledge. We will see Jesus face-to-face and be in His presence. We will know fully because we will be in the presence of the perfect, which is Jesus.
Miracles Were Already Fading by the End of Paul’s Life
The Cessationists use one more thing to “prove” that healing has ceased. They point out three people the Apostle Paul was unable to heal. Since they wrongly say the Apostles could heal at will, Paul’s inability to heal his friends shows that healing was declining even before the Apostles’ deaths. The three people they use as proof are Epaphroditus (Phil. 2:25-30), Timothy (1 Tim. 5:23), and Trophemus (2 Tim. 4:20).
The assumption that healing was declining is based on the belief that when Jesus gave the Apostles authority to heal and cast out demons, they could do so at will. We have already shown that this was not the case, but I wanted to mention it because it is a stumbling block for many when seeking healing.
If God heals, why were they sick? Why didn’t God heal them instantly? Why didn’t Paul heal them instantly? The Bible doesn’t answer these questions for us.
I’ve personally seen people healed instantly, partially, or completely over a short period, or not at all. That is the mystery of healing. God calls us to participate in His kingdom. We are to preach the Good News that the kingdom of God is here and that God is still healing the sick.
Through my personal ministry, I have seen hundreds of people healed and delivered by the power of Jesus Christ. I have also seen hundreds of people not healed when I prayed for them. God has not given me the power to heal at will, but He has healed many through my prayers.
I will continue to pray for the sick because many passages of God’s word proclaim that Jesus is our healer and that Jesus's continuing ministry is our ministry today. I want to encourage you to step out in faith and pray for the sick to be healed. The ones God heals will greatly appreciate it.
