I understand that. Quite so.
It is, however, also Biblical truth that Holy Spirit will persistently try to communicate His Truth to everyone--particularly those calling themselves Christians.
He just rarely shouts vs a quiet still small persistent voice of The Lord.
And, when folks have their consciences seered or clouded over by stubborn human rationalizations and convictions born of the flesh--whether intellectualized hogwash fed by lies from hell or emotional relationship hogwash fed by demonic influence from hell--they may more easily ignore the voice of Holy Spirit.
Nevertheless, CHRIST SAID "MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE." So if folks are not hearing the Voice of The Lord, there's something wrong with their status as sheep . . . or . . . they have not obeyed the last thing The Lord told them and He's waiting for them to catch up.
Rationalizations about Cessationist hogwash are gross deceptions from hell.
Such an UnBiblical perspective is just
B) Style and methods
C) Purposes and goals
D) Habits and preferences
E) Unchangeableness
or, put another way,
Program a robust computer with very clear objective linguistic criteria for meaning etc. and ask the computer if the Bible supports Cessationism or not. It would declare emphatically that it does not.
3. an outrageous insult to Holy Spirit and Holy Spirit's God Almighty ASSIGNED operations in the CHURCH AGE.
4. Overwhelmingly thick-headed, obtuse, absurd, ANTI-Biblical in terms of the plain language of Acts 2 and I Cor 12-14 about what Paul laid out plainly as NORMATIVE BEHAVIOR and PRACTICES for Christians in life and in Christian meetings.
5. thoroughly IN DENIAL about God's intent as well as God's demonstrable operations in the current era on such scores. WHEN people TAKE GOD AT HIS WORD--signs tend to follow accordingly. When they refuse to take God at His Word, there's few to no signs following.
There was a kind of joke in China . . . the further Christians were from a Seminary--the more miracles routinely occurred.
Thanks for your kind reply.
Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities." 1 Tim. 5:23.
Why wasn't Timothy prayed for and hands layed on him to heal his "often infirmities" ? Where were the divine healers when such a great man as Timothy was in need of healing?
2. When was the last time someone in your church handled snakes? Mark 16:18 says "they SHALL". Not some of them. Or only those with enough faith. It says ALL WHO BELIEVE. They SHALL.
3. Who in your church has drank poison and survived? Once again, "they SHALL". Not a few. ALL that believe.
You cannot have it both ways. Take the verses you like and run with them, take the ones you're not so comfortable with and let them lay unanswered. Either ALL THAT BELIEVE ARE ABLE TO DO THESE THINGS, or they are NOT. OR, perhaps, there is another answer to this conundrum.