- The Closed Cessationist View: God no longer communicates through dreams and visions, now that the canon of Scripture is complete.
- The Open Continuationist View: God still communicates today through dreams and visions, so long as such subjective impressions are evaluated in light of Scripture.
- The Open Cessationist View: This position allows for the occurrence of dreams and visions as a means of divine guidance for today, while affirming the cessation of all the New Testament revelatory gifts, such as prophecy, tongues, and the interpretation of tongues.
Today for part two of this post, I would like to share why I think the open cessationist view seems to be the most tenable in light of Scripture. At the heart of the issue is what open cessationists teach regarding revelation and illumination, and how this understanding relates to visions and dreams.
Throughout history,
God has been pleased on many occasions to reveal Himself through visions and
dreams. Dreamers included the likes of
Jacob (Gen. 28:12; 31:10-11), Joseph (Gen. 37:5-8), Solomon (1 Kings 3:5, 15),
Daniel (Dan. 7:1, 15), and Mary’s husband Joseph (Matt. 1:20). Among those who received visions were Abraham
(Gen. 15:1) and Old Testament prophets (1 Sam. 3:15; Isa. 1:1; Dan. 7:2, 13;
Obadiah 1:1; Micah 1:1; et al.).
The presence or absence of visions in Israel became a gauge of the nation’s spiritual condition. When Israel was unfaithful, “her prophets [found] no vision from the LORD” (Lam. 2:9; cf. 1 Sam. 3:1). But the Lord promised through His prophet Joel that there was coming a day in which dreams and visions would be restored to God’s people. Specifically the Lord said, “I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28).
The presence or absence of visions in Israel became a gauge of the nation’s spiritual condition. When Israel was unfaithful, “her prophets [found] no vision from the LORD” (Lam. 2:9; cf. 1 Sam. 3:1). But the Lord promised through His prophet Joel that there was coming a day in which dreams and visions would be restored to God’s people. Specifically the Lord said, “I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28).
This
revelatory phenomena occurred after Jesus’ ascension, on the Day of Pentecost,
when the disciples “were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak
with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). Peter explained to the crowd what was
happening: “But this is what was spoken
by the prophet Joel: ‘And it shall come
to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out My Spirit on all
flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see
visions, your old men shall dream dreams’” (Acts 2:16-17).
Clearly,
there is a connection between the events at Pentecost and Joel’s prophecy. But this connection does not constitute a complete
fulfillment. Charles Feinberg notes,
In the first place,
the customary formula for a fulfilled prophecy is entirely lacking in Acts
2:16. And even more telling is the fact
that much of Joel’s prophecy, even as quoted in Acts 2:19-20, was not fulfilled
at that time . . . . The best position
to take is that Peter used Joel’s prophecy as an illustration of what was
transpiring in his day and not as a fulfillment of this prediction. In short, Peter saw in the events of his day
proof that God would yet completely bring to pass all that Joel
prophesied. Joel’s prophecy, then was
prefilled; it is yet (as the Old Testament passages on the outpouring of the Spirit
show) to be fulfilled.[1]
The quotation from Joel is an
example of the Law of Double Reference, by which a Bible prophecy has a partial
fulfillment at one time and a complete fulfillment at a later time.[2] The work of the Spirit that commenced at
Pentecost will culminate at the Second Advent and millennial reign of Christ. This suggests that the phenomena of dreams and
visions continues today, though in a different sense and for a different
purpose, now that the canon is closed (Rev. 22:18; cf. Heb. 2:3-4) and
Scripture is sufficient (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
The ultimate revelation of God came
through the incarnation of His Son Jesus Christ, who is the culmination of all
divine revelation, for He is “the brightness of [God’s] glory and the express
image of His person (Heb. 1:3). God used
the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit to authenticate the message of those
who heard Jesus (Heb. 2:3-4), namely, the apostles and their associates. Such gifts included healings as well as the
revelatory word gifts such as prophecy, tongues and interpretation of
tongues. Now that the canon is complete,
“the signs of an apostle” (2 Cor. 12:12) are no longer needed, thus indicating
that the revelatory gifts have ceased.
This is not to say, however, that God
no longer reveals Himself through visions and dreams. This may seem like a
contradictory statement, but not if it is understood in light of the Holy Spirit’s
present work in the life of the believer.
What is needed is not more revelation, but illumination.
The problem with the open
continuationist view is that dreams and visions are seen as types of the New
Testament gift of prophecy. Grudem
“suggests that when God providentially brings a thought to the believer’s mind,
that is the New Testament gift of prophecy in operation. Thus he has elevated mental impressions to
the level of prophetic revelation.”[3] It does no good to change the preface of such
“prophecies” from “Thus says the Lord ...” to “I think the Lord is putting on
my mind that ...”[4]
because the former is the language of the prophets. They truly did speak God’s inerrant, authoritative
word. There was one divine, infallible
level of prophecy. To suggest that a secondary level of prophecy that is human
and fallible in nature is scripturally inconsistent, confusing, and potentially
dangerous.
“There is, however, an opposite
danger, although it may not be equal in magnitude,” writes Sinclair
Ferguson. “It is possible for
cessationists to reject genuine illumination
precisely because it is (falsely in their view) presented in terms of the
formula of revelation.”[5] This is the problem with the closed
cessationist view. It does not allow for
legitimate expressions of the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit, as attested
by Scripture and also human experience.
God does not give any new revelation
concerning Himself outside of Scripture.
Everything that God wants us to know about Himself is revealed through
His Word. But God does provide to the
believer further revelation that accords
with His Word, that sheds light on His Word, that helps the believer to rightly
apply the Word to his life. This is
illumination.
Though revelation and illumination
are distinct phenomena and can be seen as such in Scripture (Psalm 119:18; 2
Tim. 2:7), it is also true that the same terminology (“revelation”) may be used
of both. We see this in Paul’s letter to
the Ephesians. In chapter three Paul
refers to the special “revelation” that God gave “by the Spirit to His holy
apostles and prophets” (vv. 3, 5). Yet
in chapter one, Paul prays for believers in general “that the God of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being
enlightened . . .” (vv. 17-18a). The
context indicates clearly that Paul is
referring to the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit. “A categorical distinction exists
between the lasting authority which attaches to apostolic revelation and the
subjective ‘revelation’ or illumination which comes to all the people of God
through the Spirit.”[6]
The latter work of the Spirit
continues in this present hour and includes means of personal guidance to
believers as they seek to apply God’s Word specifically to their own
lives. Peter Masters reminds us, “The
entire narrative of Paul’s journeys is the record of a ministry under the
constant superintendency and direction of the Holy Spirit.”[7] The Macedonian call (Acts 16:9-10) is a
marvelous example of this.
The psalmist prayed, “Let the
morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in
you. Show me the way I should go, for to
you I lift up my soul” (Ps. 143:8). In
committing his way to God, the believer should always seek for wisdom through
channels that God has provided: prayer, Bible study, research, counselors, past
experience, and personal reflection.
Special guidance may be sought, but it may not be granted, for it is not
promised. Yet if God in His marvelous
providence chooses to provide further guidance through a vision or dream, then
this is perfectly in accordance with Scripture and of glorious benefit to the
believer.
Scripture Undermined
This would be the objection of the
closed cessationist who is concerned that the “revelatory” nature of dreams and
visions undermines the authority and sufficiency of Scripture. This objection can be addressed by
reiterating the kind of revelation being given.
It is that which is referred to by Paul in Ephesians 1:17, which is
really the Spirit’s work of illumination.
This in no way undermines the authority and sufficiency of
Scripture. The Spirit’s illuminating
work is never disengaged from Scripture but directs the believer in accordance
to Scripture. For this very reason,
emphasis was placed in the last section on the believer’s need to make use of
the ordinary means God has provided for spiritual guidance (Bible study,
prayer, counsel, etc.). MacArthur
writes, “When knowledge of Scripture is at . . . an ebb, this is the worst possible time for believers to be
seeking divine truth in dreams, visions, and subjective impressions.[8]
This is
true. But is not a counter-caution also in
order for the more “objective,” biblically knowledgeable believers? For them it is the best possible time - and probably their greatest need - to have the
“balancing influence of a more vital ‘subjective’ relationship with the Lord in
everyday life. And these people are also
those who have the least likelihood of being led into error, for they already
place great emphasis on solid grounding in the Word of God.”[9]
Distinction Unimportant
Why make a big deal over the
prophecy debate? Practically speaking, does
it really matter whether or not prophecy ceased at the close of the apostolic
era and the completion of the New Testament canon? What difference does it make whether dreams
and visions are connected to prophecy as opposed to some other analogous
operation(s) of the Spirit for the purpose of illumination? Both continuationists and open cessationists
believe that God still communicates through visions and dreams. Isn’t that all that really matters?
Not really, for at the heart of the
issue is the sufficiency of Scripture.
Teaching that dreams and visions are manifestations of the gift of
prophecy inevitably leads to confusion over the nature of biblical
prophecy. Grudem says, “Prophecy occurs
when a revelation from God is reported in the prophet’s own (merely human)
words.”[10] If this is the definition of prophecy, then
what makes the prophecy of the Old Testament any more authoritative and
infallible than prophetic utterances today?
Or who is to say, then, that the canon of Scripture is actually
closed? To avoid this dilemma, two definitions
for prophecy are required, yet there is no substantial warrant for this in
Scripture.
To recognize that dreams and
visions, along with all other subjective impressions and their reportings, are
not in any way associated with the gift of prophecy is the better way to
go. By seeing them instead as an
analogous work of the Spirit, believers can uphold the sufficiency of Scripture
while affirming the ongoing, miraculous work of the Holy Spirit.
Admittedly,
some lines that are drawn in theology may seem extremely fine. But that doesn’t mean that they are insignificant
and should be erased. When it comes to
His Word, God wants us to “cut it straight” (2 Tim. 2:15). At times doing so may be a painstaking
exercise, but it is a necessary and profitable one.
Books
Feinberg, Charles L. The
Minor Prophet. Chicago: Moody Press, 1990.
Ferguson, Sinclair. The
Holy Spirit. Leicester, England: InterVarsity Press, 1996.
Grudem, Wayne A. Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 1994.
Keener, Craig S. Crucial
Questions about the Holy Spirit. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1996.
MacArthur, John. Reckless
Faith. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 1994.
Mallone, George. Those
Controversial Spiritual Gifts. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1983.
Masters, Peter. Steps
for Guidance in the Journey of Life. London: The Wakeman Trust, 2008.
Miller, John F. B. Convinced
that God Has Called Us: Dreams, Visions,
and the Perception of God’s Will in Luke-Acts. Leiden,
The Netherlands: Koninklijke Brill NV, 2007.
Sproul, R. C. The
Mystery of the Holy Spirit. Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, 1990.
Stott, John R. W. Baptism & Fullness: The Work of the Holy
Spirit Today. Downers Grove: InterVarsity
Press, 1975.
Articles
Poythress, Vern S. “Modern Gifts as
Analogous to Apostolic Gifts: Affirming Extraordinary Works of the Spirit within Cessationist
Theology.” The Journal of the Evangelical Theological
Society 39/1 (1996) [online].
Accessed 7 June 2010. Available
from http://www.frame-poythress.org/poythress_articles/1996Modern.htm.
White, R. Fowler. “Does God Speak
Today Apart from the Bible?” The Coming Evangelical Crisis, ed. John H. Armstrong. Chicago:
Moody Press, 1996. [online]. Accessed 7
June 2010. Available from http://www.the-highway.com/God_Speak.html.
[1]
Charles L. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets
(Chicago: Moody Press, 1990), 82.
[2]
William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible
Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995), 1584.
[3]
John MacArthur, Reckless Faith
(Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1994),
182.
[4]
Grudem, Systematic Theology, 1056.
[5]
Ferguson, The Holy Spirit, 232.
[6]
Ibid., 230-231.
[7]
Peter Masters, Steps for Guidance in the
Journey of Life (London: The Wakeman Trust, 1995, 2008), 23.
[8]
MacArthur, Reckless Faith, 181.
[9]
Grudem, Systematic Theology, 1059.
[10]
Ibid., 1057.
