NT Wright: Cessationism & why I pray in tongues // Ask NT Wright Anything

Tom talks about his own experience of praying in tongues and why he disagrees with the view that the charismatic gifts of the Spirit ceased with the closure of scripture.

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Ask NT Wright Anything is the regular podcast that connects you to NT (Tom) Wright’s thought and theology by allowing you to ask the questions. Presented by Justin Brierley and brought to you in partnership with Premier, SPCK & NTWrightOnline

[Jakhaleesis]

I loved the last point about corporate wisdom. Gifts are never just for the individual, but rather for the building up for the church. In the other direction, the church helps us learn how to use our gifts.

[Vpy]

To cessationists I always say - " iam by no means able or even have the right to declare the mind of God, who am I, of all things in this universe, to decide what God is going to do?" There are miracles that are happening, I have met several Muslim brothers in India who came to Christ after He appeared to them in their dreams. I have myself personally been shown the troubles that were going to befall me years before they happened. The Lord is always at work!!

[poppyozark]

This blew me away! I have been praying about these things and this popped into my search as I was searching for a completely different person. God is amazing!

[dw]

Pointing out that people can disagree and still be in the Spirit is a profound truth I think we have lost sight of in the church today.

[kennethisbell]

As a Pentecostal Christian, I find N.T. Wright´s position wise and thoroughly biblical. I can agree 100% with everything he says.

[megalopolis]

This is one person I could listen to all day.

[lancelewis]

Wow I just discovered NT Wright someone in whom I find much agreement with and praise God he is not a cessationist! ( Pastor Lance Lewis )

[gabriellavictory]

My aunt used to minister weekly in a nursing home. She met a lady who did not speak any English and she felt God lead her to speak in tongues to the lady. She prayed for the woman in tongues still not aware that the woman was understanding everything that my aunt was saying in a conversation with her, but the lady began to speak back and my aunt understood everything the lady was saying in her native language. Thus they carried on a conversation, my aunt in an unknown tongue, and the lady in her native tongue. My aunt shared the Gospel of Jesus with her and she received Christ as her Savior. The lady wept with joy and expressed gratitude to my aunt and to God. And my aunt warmly embraced her rejoicing in her new birth. The next time when my aunt returned to the nursing home she asked about the woman and the staff lady reported she had died and was from Eastern Europe and she did not speak or understand English. The only person who ever came to see her was her daughter. ... I can vouch on the veracity of my aunt's character. She would not fabricate this story. And she would not try to carry on a conversation in tongues with anyone, much less a complete stranger, except that the Holy Spirit led her this direction. This was the first and only time she had experienced this supernatural phenomenon.

In my experience if you believe tongues is gibberish, made up for the intention to deceive, or insanity, you will not be convinced by hearing of this miraculous gift being used in the life of another, even if you purport to be a Christian.

Like salvation, it is miraculous. The carnal mind does not comprehend the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness to him. You can also be so set in your theology or denominational view of Scripture that you will not have an open mind and heart to study Scripture and seek God for yourself. In that case it really is a waste of time to try to convince you.

And then there are those who mock N.T. Wright for not giving an exegesis on the topic. Maybe he has on another platform. Regardless, if you have already determined it is quackery, there is no way to convince you. Paul received the Gospel by revelation. Revelation comes through an experience and it is supernatural and based on Scripture.

The revelation of this gift is also supernatural. Sorry, if you choose to harden your heart and stiffen your neck due to your own preconceived set beliefs, you are missing out on a gift which is part of Scriptural teaching, narrative, history and practice in the New Covenant and available to God's redeemed today.

I have a question for you: Have you gone directly to God and asked him about this gift? Paul exhorts believers to earnestly desire the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Are you a believer and do you do as you are exhorted to?

What if you are wrong in your cessationist theology and the millions of believers who speak in tongues are right?

And if you are not born again, will you go directly to Jesus and ask Him to reveal Himself to you?
I challenge you to do it. What if you are wrong and He is God and you die without the forgiveness, and eternal life Christ died to give you? Can it hurt to acknowledge you are not perfect in knowledge and are fallible? Shouldn't you be sure? Because this God I know will meet you where you are and He will reveal Himself to you, if you will humble yourself and ask Him to.

[abovenbeyond]

Thank you for sharing this message. Yes we cannot do it all by ourselves - Dr. Wright. It's so true. Thanking God for his Spirit

[richardredmond]

Yep. I remember years ago a group of us were singing and worshipping and a girl in the room from Spain came up to me afterwards and said I'd been singing in Spanish. I dont know Spanish but I knew I had been singing quietly in tongues. It really blessed her! And it blessed me.

[adsdavidson]

Preach the gospel
Any gift that comes is a bonus

[selah]

I pray in tongues every morning. Especially at times when I feel confused or tired or unsure about where to direct my prayer and it always lifts me up. It’s very powerful

[juanlmontejo]

Not all the churches that believe in the gifts of the Spirit are a mess. In fact, 1 Corinthians 14 speaks against making a mess and an spectacle of the gifts. I know plenty of churches that handle the gifts with the order and respect they deserve

[PracticalFaith]

Awesome. I just posted a video walking through 1 Cor 13. I'm not aware of any Scripture that supports cessationism. Ironically, it seems that the cessationist has to add to Scripture to make the claim that the gifts are not for today.

[rajeshshetty]

NT Has been great blessing for Christians. .Thank You and God bless.

[masteringr]

So glad I found these videos with NT Wright. Familiar with his books but seeing him talk about particular Christian issues really humanizes the scholar.

[victoramogu]

Woww, I see a lot of people here are really opposed to speaking in tongues. I'm a Christian, I believe that my righteousness and salvation are due to the saving works (death, burial, and resurrection ) of Jesus Christ ALONE! Having said that, I have had the experience of praying in tongues. I totally understood what NT was talking about when he said sometimes we don't know what we should really pray for but the Spirit prays through us. My dad almost died due to a ghastly Car accident on a work trip, and that same day it happened, in the morning my mom had the urge to pray and began to pray in tongues (my mom already had been praying in tongues before this which used to seem hilarious to me sometimes). She prayed in tongues until she sensed that she had received the answer (she still didn't know what she prayed for). Just the very next day we hear that my Dad almost died. I tell you that was a surreal experience for me. My mom said it that immediately she heard the news of the accident she knew that is what she was praying about. Now my dad is alive and well and Glory to the God of miracles. So YEAH, Let's trust GOD'S word. I love praying in tongues myself now. It really enables me to communicate with God in ways that I feel isn't limited by my English vocabulary. It's a beautiful thing and it's real. The Spirit gives utterance it's not gibberish. I know this will trigger some people, but again God's word is real and it is the same Holy Spirit they had (the apostles ) that we have. It never ceased.

[MrWarmachine]

Never heard this gent before but I enjoyed his position on cessation and why he speaks in tongues

[gordonhumbled]

I have a question please. Cessationists believe that after the canon was closed, I agree the canon is closed, God does not give more revelations, does not speak.

If God gives no more revelations, then how did Cessationists know that God has given the doctrine of Cessation?

Also, there is no foundation in Scripture to support the doctrine.
The pillar verse Cessationists use is 1 Corinthians 13:10 in which Paul says that when the perfect has come the gifts will pass away. They give the private interpretation that the perfect came when the Bible was completed and canonized. However, verse 12 gives the time that the perfect comes. It is when we see face to face and know as we are known. These two phrases are 2nd coming words because it is Jesus that we long to see face to face and it is when we receive our glorified bodies that our knowledge is greatly increased so that we know as God knows us.
So, the doctrine has been added to God's doctrines, God's Word, by the Cessationists.
Also, even more so Cessation doctrine takes away the supernatural gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10.

How can they get by Moses' command, the writer to Proverbs command, and Apostle John's command, inspired by God, not to add or take away from God's Word lest one loses their salvation?

Deuteronomy 4:2
You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

Proverbs 30:5-6
Every word of God is pure;
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
Do not add to His words,
Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.

Revelation 22:18-19
For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Some people argue that the verses in Revelation only apply to Revelation. However, when one realizes that the Holy Spirit placed the same command in 3 other places (also Deut. 12:32) this put more weight upon it to be God's universal will.

[jimjim]

Wonderful, great discussion - love your spirit