Cessationsit Model: The Gift Of The Holy Spirit

Throughout my years as a believer I have been a member of and visited some interesting churches to say the least. I have visited some churches that have an old fashion Baptist church feel to it. I have visited churches that are more modern in their presentation. And again, I have visited churches that have a very charismatic feel to it. I currently reside at a church that leans toward the cessationist model of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is this model that I have also drawn a favorable understanding of as well. While the Cessationsit model may be my view, there are many brothers and sisters in Christ who hold to a more “charismatic view of the work of the Holy Spirit. Dr. Sinclair Ferguson, author and Reformed theologian, has authored …show more content…
Ferguson, in chapter three lays out the giving of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts, while chapter 4 is more centered around not only the giving of the Holy Spirit during Pentecost, but also the transition of the holy Spirit from Jerusalem, to Judea and then Samaria. Chapter three captures the intricate detailed differences between the work of the Holy Spirit in the book of Luke and the book of John. According to Ferguson, the Lukan giving of the Holy Spirit was more of an out pouring of the Holy Spirit to all that believed, regardless of ethnic background, which was a sign of the redemptive historical power of the geographical out pouring of the Holy Spirit. As for the Johnnanine view, the breathing of the Holy Spirit, by Christ, on to the disciples, was more metaphoric than literal. It was a symbolic gestured that implied the beginning of new life, according to Ferguson. In chapter four Ferguson explains that coming of the Holy Spirit to Cornelius house in Act 10 was the overarching moving of salvation into the Gentile …show more content…
I do know that we all start from a presupposition, and Ferguson’s is Reformed theology, but I feel that I would have got more out of it if he dealt with the cessationinst continuationist issue on a more balanced scale. But with that being said, his lack of balance to some degree does not take away from the overall substance of this book. I really appreciated the age old discussion of the work of the Holy Spirit as it concerns the order of salvation. The regenerative work of the human’s heart. This is ago old argument upon which many throughout the years have disagreed, but it is always refreshing to hear the overarching steps that are being progressed through the salvific work of Christ. Though we are not to really look at it as “steps” it’s always something to consider, and I feel Ferguson did a great job of putting this on display. Though I did think it got a little to lengthy on the subject. If this title was supposed to be an overall systematic breakdown of the work of the Holy Spirit (person, duties etc...) why then spend so much time on this subject? Especially considering he did not spend serious amount of time referencing the different gifts of the Spirt that we find in 1 Corinthians 12. There definitely could have been time spent of the differing aspects of the gifts of the