06 August 2013

The no-no-no-YOU'RE-arguing-from-experience diversion attempt (NEXT! #35)

by Dan Phillips

"Continuationist": You pointing out the indisputable fact of the cessation of Biblical revelatory/sign gifts is arguing from experience.

Biblical Christian: ...said the man whose claim to fame is promising 1900+ years of a particular set of well-defined experiences, in the hopes of diverting attention from all the crickets.



(Proverbs 21:22)

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10 comments:

FX Turk said...

The accusation that arguing from experience is bad the dogiest dodge anyway.

Think about this: aren't we supposed to -experience- forgiveness and newness of life? If so, now what?

DJP said...

The point, however, is that to promise an experience, then cry foul when observers point out breach of contract, is a slick way of dodging accountability.

And it's dodging accountability that has kept "continuationism" on life-support since it was invented in 1906.

Michael Coughlin said...

Ouch on the last Scripture reference, but probably right.

DJP said...

You're probably taking it in a valid way also, but my intent was just to include it in the list of things that should have kept happening over the last 1900 years if, as promised, all things continue just like the days of the apostles. I mean, 27 books in a 50-year time-frame? How many more in 1900 years?

Dave Ulrick said...

Perhaps continuationism could be compared with the ads for prescription medication I see in the newspaper: half a page of large type and photo of happy people promising better health followed by another half page of warnings, disclaimers, ("in rare instances, death may result...") etc., in teeny-tiny little print.

Continuationism claims that we can expect da gifts to continue as they did in the Apostle's day albeit with a few minor differences: prophets and prophecy that frequently err, tongues that aren't known human languages, healings that go away if you have the slightest lapse in faith, etc.. If such gifts are "just like" the Apostle's gifts, I suppose the little econobox I drive to work is "just like" a Ferrari or a Rolls-Royce. :-)

MCC said...

AKA "fun with straw men and pseudo-Biblical argument."

Meanwhile, let's ignore our Lord's teaching in John 14:12 that "whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do."

DJP said...

Anticipating: no, readers, MCC is not a sock-puppet account, and he received no payment from me for that comment. All irony is out of my hands.

Cf. #4 here.

MCC said...

Irony sharpens irony.

Anonymous said...

As always, good thoughts Dan.

Michael T. said...

Dan, why do you always have to destroy my dreams? Rod Parsley told me I could go down to the Mercedes dealer and get in one of those things with the leather inside. I think he was talking about a car, but I need to talk to the Holy Spirit about that and get my confirmation.