Spiritual Gifts | Session 9 | Is It So?

In this thought-provoking session of Is It So?, Dr. Randy White of Taos, NM, challenges the prevailing evangelical belief that spiritual gifts are a permanent and essential part of Christian life. Drawing from Scripture, he explores their historical context, original purpose, and manifestation during the Apostolic age, presenting a case for their temporary nature.

Dr. White emphasizes that spiritual gifts, such as tongues, healing, and prophecy, were unmistakable, supernatural demonstrations of the Spirit’s power designed to authenticate the Gospel and build the early church. These gifts were immediate, verifiable, and distinct from natural talents. However, he notes their absence in the Old Testament, the Gospels, and Paul’s later epistles, questioning their permanence and necessity beyond the foundational era of the church.

He critiques modern evangelical theology for redefining spiritual gifts in subjective, unverifiable ways and for relying on secular methods, like personality tests, to "discover" them. This shift, Dr. White argues, diminishes the role of the Spirit and introduces confusion. He also highlights the commercialization of the spiritual gift movement, which exploits believers’ uncertainty to sell solutions Scripture does not demand.

Dr. White concludes that spiritual gifts fulfilled a unique role during the Apostolic age but are no longer operative today. Instead of seeking elusive gifts, believers should focus on practical service, enjoying their God-given abilities, and living out faith equipped by Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17). This session offers a liberating perspective on spiritual gifts, encouraging clarity and confidence in modern Christian practice.

[stephenfiore]

1x(1/13/25)....done thank you excellent