Steelmanning the Historic Cessationist Position

Introduction: A Biblical and Historical Perspective

Among the doctrines that distinguish Reformed theology, few are as debated today as cessationism—the belief that the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit (tongues, prophecy, and miracles) ceased with the apostolic era. In an age where charismatic movements claim new prophecies, healings, and miraculous gifts as evidence of the Spirit’s ongoing work, cessationists stand firm in the conviction that God has spoken fully and finally in Scripture and that the miraculous gifts served a specific, temporary role in redemptive history.

This is not a denial of the Holy Spirit’s work, nor is it a rejection of God's ability to do miracles. Rather, it is a careful, biblical, and historically rooted conviction that God’s revelatory work through signs and wonders was never meant to be permanent but served a foundational purpose in establishing the church.

Let’s steelman the cessationist view—not by setting up strawmen, but by presenting it as its strongest proponents have historically argued it. We will consider:

1. The Biblical Purpose of Miraculous Gifts

2. The Apostolic Foundation: Once for All

3. The Closing of the Canon: The Sufficiency of Scripture

4. The Testimony of Church History

5. Does God Still Work Miracles? Clarifying the Cessationist View

   
   

1. The Biblical Purpose of Miraculous Gifts

The key question is not, “Can God still do miracles?” (All cessationists affirm He can). Rather, “What was the purpose of miraculous gifts in the New Testament?”

A. Signs Confirming the Messengers of Revelation

Scripture consistently ties miraculous gifts to God’s confirmation of His messengers of revelation:

• Moses & the Exodus (Exodus 4:1-9) – Miracles authenticated his divine calling.

• Elijah & Elisha (1 Kings 17-2 Kings 6) – Miracles confirmed their prophetic office.

• Jesus (John 10:37-38) – Miracles attested to His divine identity.

• The Apostles (2 Corinthians 12:12) – Paul calls miracles “the signs of a true apostle.”

When we examine the New Testament, miracles were never widespread among all believers. Rather, they were closely associated with Christ and His apostles as evidence that they were revealing God’s Word.

B. Hebrews 2:3-4 – A Past Tense Confirmation

One of the strongest cessationist passages is Hebrews 2:3-4, which describes miracles in the past tense:

“It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will.”

The writer speaks of miracles as something God had done to confirm the Gospel message when it was first proclaimed—not as something continuing indefinitely.

Thus, the biblical evidence suggests that miraculous gifts served a temporary function: they validated new revelation at key points in redemptive history, particularly in the apostolic era.

2. The Apostolic Foundation: Once for All

A. The Apostles as the Unique Bearers of Miraculous Gifts

Paul states that the church is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets” (Ephesians 2:20). Foundations are laid once—not continuously. The apostolic office was unique:

1. They were personally commissioned by Christ (Acts 1:21-22).

2. They had seen the risen Lord (1 Corinthians 9:1).

3. They were given miraculous signs as proof of their authority (2 Corinthians 12:12).

Because the apostles were uniquely chosen to lay the foundation of the church, their sign gifts were also unique and not meant to continue beyond their time.

B. 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 – The Fading of Gifts

Paul writes:

“Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.” – 1 Corinthians 13:8

Cessationists argue that Paul explicitly states miraculous gifts will cease. The question is when. While charismatics claim this happens at Christ’s return, cessationists argue that the completion of divine revelation—the closing of the canon—marks the fulfillment of their purpose.

3. The Closing of the Canon: The Sufficiency of Scripture

A. A Completed Revelation

Jude 3 tells believers to “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” If the faith has been delivered once for all, then ongoing revelation through prophecy is unnecessary and even dangerous.

The apostolic era was a unique, unrepeatable period where God completed His revelation through Christ and the apostles. With the canon of Scripture closed, no new revelation is needed.

B. The Danger of Ongoing Prophecy

One of the greatest concerns of cessationists is that continuing prophecy undermines the sufficiency of Scripture. If God is still giving new revelation today, then:

• How do we test it?

• Does it carry divine authority?

• If it is not infallible, how is it truly prophecy?

The Reformers stood firmly on Sola Scriptura—Scripture alone as our authority. Allowing for new revelations outside of Scripture threatens that foundation.

4. The Testimony of Church History

A. The Early Church Fathers

The evidence from history is striking:

• John Chrysostom (4th century) wrote that miraculous gifts had ceased in his day.

• Augustine (5th century) initially believed gifts continued but later concluded, “These were done for authentication of the Gospel at the time.”

• Martin Luther & John Calvin argued that miracles had ceased because their purpose had been fulfilled.

B. The Reformation and the Rejection of Charismatic Claims

The Reformers vehemently rejected the idea of new prophecy, particularly against groups like the Anabaptists. Calvin wrote:

“The gift of healing, like the rest of the miraculous powers, disappeared with the end of the apostles’ age.”

The consistent testimony of church history is that miraculous gifts faded as the apostolic age ended, confirming the cessationist position.

5. Does God Still Work Miracles? Clarifying the Cessationist View

A. God Still Performs Miracles, But Not Through Gifted Individuals

Cessationism is not anti-supernatural. God still heals, provides, and works in extraordinary ways—but He does so according to His sovereign will, not through individuals with ongoing miraculous gifts.

B. The Spirit’s Primary Work Today: The Word and the Church

Today, the Holy Spirit works primarily through Scripture and the ordinary means of grace:

• The preaching of the Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

• The sacraments (Baptism and the Lord’s Supper)

• The sanctification of believers

Rather than seeking new revelations, Christians are called to rest in the sufficiency of the Word and trust in God’s providence.

Conclusion: A Firm Biblical Foundation

Cessationism is not a rejection of the Spirit’s power—it is a biblically and historically grounded conviction that miraculous gifts were given for a specific time and purpose:

1. To authenticate new revelation.

2. To establish the apostolic foundation of the church.

3. To give way to the completed canon of Scripture.

The Holy Spirit is still active today—but He works through His Word, His Church, and His providence, rather than through ongoing prophecy and miracles.

Soli Deo Gloria.