A Biblical Case for Cessationism: Why the Miraculous Gifts of the Spirit Have Ended

by Tom Pennington

Did God intend for the miraculous gifts, so powerfully present during the ministry of the apostles, to continue throughout the church age? This crucial question has massive implications for every follower of Jesus Christ. Sadly, the debate over this issue has often produced more heat than light. But in the end, only one factor should determine how we answer that What does the Bible say? In A Biblical Case for Cessationism , Tom Pennington carefully considers seven primary biblical arguments for the cessation of the miraculous gifts of the Spirit. As a seasoned pastor and faithful expositor, Tom will help you consider what Scripture teaches about an issue that affects every aspect of the Christian experience—from your view of Scripture and philosophy of church ministry to your daily walk as a disciple of Jesus Christ and your relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Genres: Theology, Nonfiction, Christian

214 pages, Paperback

Published August 21, 2023

Reviews

[Todd Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is brief, but thorough. It's extremely well organized. It is simple enough for a child to understand.

Brother Pennington lays down a very thorough Biblical defense of the doctrine of cessationism. All believers would do well to read this.

[Sebastian Danilet · Rating 5 out of 5]

In contextul tot mai frecvent al feluritelor practici pretinse miraculoase ale multor, chiar prea multor creștini din zilele noastre, cartea “O perspectiva biblica despre cesationism”, vine cu o clarificare ferma, clară și cât se poate de biblica referitor la încetarea darurilor miraculoase odată cu încheierea perioadei apostolilor. Cu toate acestea, este subliniata importantă prezentei Duhului Sfânt in viata credinciosului pentru multe alte aspecte. Prin prezentarea logica a argumentelor acestei cărți, nu iese in evidentă nimic mai mult decât suficiența Scripturii ca revelație și nimic in plus, aceste aspecte având susținere și confirmarea chiar și din partea celor mai de seama teologi încă de la părinții Bisericii și pana in prezent.

Este o carte care poate fi parcursa cu foarte multă ușurintă, nu conține ambiguități, astfel este accesibila publicului larg și recomand citirea ei oricui are neînțelegeri cu privire la acest subiect și nu numai

[Christopher Desruisseau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written, I can highly recommend this book as a starter, I do wish he had a few more chapters as I was left with some unanswered questions, but I understand he was trying to keep the book short.

[The Book Distiller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic, from start to finish! A quick short read. Thorough research and great biblical exegesis.

[Emanuel V. Drăgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recomand cu încredere!

[Canceok · Rating 5 out of 5]

Foarte bună!

[Blue Morse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tom Pennington makes a clear, concise, & compelling argument for cessationism grounded in scripture & history, yet does so in a humble way that sets itself apart from the “scorched earth” methods of many on the reformed side. This is a book you could easily recommend to a brother in Christ who leans toward continuationism without tossing his worldview into the extreme depths of charismatic chaos.

In summary, Tom uses the following 7x arguments to support the Biblical case for cessationism:

1. The unique role of miracles in the Old & New Testaments
2. The ending of the New Testament gift of apostleship
3. The foundational role in the early church
4. The real nature of the NT miraculous gifts
5. The NT rules for the miraculous gifts
6. The sufficiency of Scripture
7. The testimony of church history

I think the first and last points were the most compelling of the 7. By the end of this short book it’s difficult to see how one could argue continuationism from either scripture or history.

Some quotes:
- “My desire is not to be divisive. Rather … be clear, concise, and definitive and to show that, in the end, my arguments are not so much about what cessationists are against as what we are for.”

- “Scripture records only three brief periods in which God worked miracles through uniquely gifted men” … 1. Moses & Joshua, 2. Elijah & Elisha, 3. Jesus & Apostles (each period lasted approx 70 yrs).

- “The primary purpose of miracles has always been to confirm the credentials of a divinely appointed messenger.”

- “Miracles do not appear on the pages of Scripture vagrantly, here, there, and everywhere indifferently, without assignable reason. They belong to revelation periods.” - BB Warfield

- “Miracles, which the Lord willed to be brought forth for a time, has vanished away in order to make the new preaching of the gospel marvelous forever.” - John Calvin

- “This visible outpouring of the Holy Spirit was necessary to the establishment of the early Church, as were also the miracles that accompanied the gift of the Holy Spirit… Once the church had been established and properly advertised by these miracles, the visible appearance of the Holy Ghost ceased.” - Martin Luther

- “Be careful not to overreact and unintentionally downplay the crucial role of the Holy Spirit in your life… don’t minimize the importance of the Spirit in your walk with Christ - nothing of eternal value happens in your life apart from the work of the Holy Spirit.”

[Austin Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went back and forth on whether to give this book 3 or 4 stars. As an entry level presentation of cessationism, the book was not bad. However, I couldn’t rate it higher for two reasons:

1. As is too often done by those associated with Master’s Seminary, Pennington argues that the abuses which are (readily) seen in the modern charismatic movement **prove** cessationism. That’s a non sequitur. The abuses certainly prove that a large portion of those who claim to manifest the miraculous gifts are cooks and cranks, but it can’t prove that the gifts have ceased altogether. I’m all for pointing out the abuses and distancing myself from any teacher who is friendly with such wolves, but it seems like this argument could’ve been used in the AD 50s in the following way: The charismatic gifts are being severely abused by the Corinthians. Therefore, the gifts must have ceased. If Pennington had only used this line of argument once or in passing, I could have overlooked it. However, it comes up quite frequently.

2. Pennington has an entire chapter on the sufficiency of Scripture. While what he said about sufficiency is worthy of affirmation, his argument that sufficiency requires cessation is tenuous at best. The question becomes: Were the Scriptures sufficient before the closing of the canon? The doctrine of sufficiency holds that the Scriptures contain ample and… well, sufficient… direction for salvation, faith and life. Would Pennington honestly say that New Testament Christians didn’t have what was necessary for salvation, faith, and life immediately prior to the writing of the Apocalypse? Granted, the Apocalypse greatly strengthens the Christian’s understand and hope in the future of the Kingdom, but could we not say that Paul, for example, had everything he needed for salvation, faith, and life? A much more fruitful line of argument would be to point out that modern day prophecy makes both the doctrine of Sola Scriptura and the concept of a closed canon impossible.

Despite my criticisms, the book wasn’t bad. It seems to be aimed at the level of your average churchgoer, so it is not overly technical. The author clearly has a high view of Scripture and handles it with care. However, I wish modern cessationiats like Pennington would drop a few arguments that are all too common in these post-“Strange Fire” days.

[Joey Snodgrass · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent primer on the topic. Nothing earth-shattering, but it is helpful. Great resource to give to those with questions about cessationism.

“My intention is to be clear, concise, and definitive, . . . my arguments are not so much about what cessationists are against as what we are for.”

[Landon Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short, easy to read, biblical perspective on cessationism / continuationism. Pennington makes a strong case when he argues for a consistent view of prophecy, the foundational nature of apostles and prophets, and the biblical idea that tongues was real language.

[Chad Delhotal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good. Very simple. Very helpful.

Very good. Very simple. Very helpful. I recommend. This is probably a book to keep on hand to give to those who have questions about the charismatic gifts.

[Mark Watts · Rating 4 out of 5]

concise and really helpful.

[Jason Spadaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful resource that makes the case for cessationism from the Bible. It’s a reference that I’ll probably refer to again in the future when discussing this issue. I find it is more accessible than trying to grab a systematic theology book to find the arguments for cessationism buried inside.

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

AN EXPANSION OF HIS ARGUMENTS AT THE ‘STRANGE FIRE’ CONFERENCE

John MacArthur wrote in the Foreword to this 2023 book, “It should be obvious to anyone who observes the modern Charismatic Movement that the gifts of healing, prophesy, and speaking in tongues practiced by today’s Pentecostals are nothing like the apostolic gifts described in Acts and 1 Corinthians. Furthermore, the peculiar manifestations that have dominated that movement in recent decades (holy laughter, drunkenness in the Spirit, spiritual birthing, fire tunnels, animal noises, people being slain in the spirit, and other peculiar charismatic practices) bear no resemblance whatsoever to the work of the Holy Spirit as described in the New Testament."

Author Tom Pennington wrote in the Preface, “In 2013, Strange Fire, a conference … held at Grace Community Church where John MacArthur pastors … marked a major resurgent interest in defending the person and work of the Holy Spirit… [I was asked] to present the biblical case for cessationism at the conference… My problem was the sheer extravagance of biblical material… Over the ten years since the conference, I have been … amazed at how the Lord has been pleased to use the conference … to equip… His church… Since Strange Fire, I have further developed each argument, hopefully making the biblical case for cessationism more in-depth and compelling… I have been able to give further treatment to the details of the arguments. But I also wanted to keep it short enough so that no one … would be discouraged by the book’s length.” (Pg. x-xi)

In the first chapter, he explains, “Cessationists believe the Holy Spirit no longer sovereignly gives individual Christians the temporary sign gifts, also known as the miraculous gifts, described in the New Testament… We argue that these gifts were present and active during the … apostolic era, but haven’t been in operation beyond that time period, including today… The miraculous gifts played a unique role in the Spirit’s work in the New Testament church and were never meant to be normative outside of the first-century, apostolic era... Continuationists believe the miraculous gifts either continued unabated since the birth of the church … or waned during most of the church age but were restored early in the twentieth century.” (Pg. 3-4)

He notes, “continuationists claim the New Testament doesn’t explicitly state that the miraculous gifts will cease during the church age. I agree with them… but the argument cuts both ways. The New Testament doesn’t say they will continue either.” (Pg. 15)

He reports, “In about 4,000 years of Old Testament history, there were only 130 years in which God empowered men to work miracles. Even during those years, miracles didn’t happen frequently. Why? Because everyone didn’t have the ability to perform miracles, only four God-appointed men did. And even those men---God’s prophets---didn’t perform miracles all the time. Miracles were rare even in their lives.” (Pg. 31)

He asserts, “Moses provided three criteria for determining whether one who came after him and claimed to be a prophet was truly speaking on God’s behalf. First, a true prophet’s predictions always come true… Some charismatics argue that the first-tier of prophecy is inspired Scripture but that there is also a second-tier of prophecy that is legitimate but can still contain error… A second criterion … is that his message must always be in complete doctrinal agreement with previous revelation… The final criterion is also in Deuteronomy 13:1-5. There, Moses implies that if God chose to authenticate a prophet, he would do so by empowering him to perform miracles, as He had done with Moses… On those special occasions in redemptive history when God chose to validate a true prophet, he did so by allowing him to work miracles.” (Pg. 38-41)

He argues, “Since the divine purpose for miracle-working men is consistent throughout the Scripture, it is reasonable to expect that with the death of the apostles and the end of God’s revelation through them, the human capacity to work miracles would end as well, just as miracles had ended after the ministries of Moses and Joshua, and after Elijah and Elisha… miracle-working men served a unique purpose and are no longer necessary. With the close of the biblical canon of Scripture, God’s primary purpose for miracle-working men became unnecessary and obsolete.” (Pg. 58-59)

He outlines, “The New Testament provides three essential qualifications that had to be met to be an apostle. He had first to be an eyewitness of the resurrected Jesus Christ… A second qualification is that he had to be personally appointed by Christ Himself… A third and final qualification is he had to have the ability to work miracles… In 2 Corinthians 12:12, Paul says that being able to perform ‘signs and wonders and miracles’ was part of the apostolic credentials.” (Pg. 65-66)

He points out, “Cessationists are often misrepresented as believing God doesn’t heal people today. But that’s dead wrong. We believe that God is the only One who heals and that He does so constantly… God normally uses means to heal. Most commonly he uses the body’s own immune system… He also often uses doctors with their procedures and medicines to bring healing. God occasionally intervenes supernaturally to heal. In a few brief periods of biblical history, he gave unique men miraculous power to heal. And He has often chosen to heal directly, not using any means but acting by Himself… To suggest that Cessationists do not believe God heals today is just not true!” (Pg. 123-124)

He summarizes, “The primary purpose of this book is to present the biblical arguments for cessationism. With any issue, the first and foremost question must always be, ‘What does the Bible say?' So I have sought to faithfully argue from the truth of God’s Word, rather than hearsay, tradition, experience, or even history. Cessationism stands on the bedrock of the Word of God, and I have endeavored to let the Scripture speak as the final authority. Church history must never be allowed to equal or supersede the authority of Scripture. Historical arguments must never trump what the Bible says, and historical consensus alone is not indisputable evidence for a theological position. Church history is an argument for cessationism---but it should never be the defining one.” (Pg. 159)

This book will interest those Christians seeking a concise argument for cessationism.

[Sandu Andronic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Câteva gânduri la „cald" la finalul acestei lecturi

Cartea se prezintă a fi o resursă excelentă pe un subiect „tare", dar destul de sensibil și controversat pentru unii. Ea are menirea să cauterizeze rănile deja făcute în sfera creștină și acţioneze în același timp ca un antidot la acest tăvălug hiper-carismatic despre care ştim cu toții că face ravagii în mediul evanghelic românesc - și o face cu succes. Este greu să o parcurgi și să nu fii - cel puțin - pus pe gânduri în final.

Prejudecățile confesionale împământenite sunt de cele mai multe ori o piedică în procesul de maturizare spirituală. Ne poticnim în ele atunci când vine vorba de a înțelege și de a citi într-un mod critic o lucrare, pentru că nu putem face abstracție de moștenirea culturală sau teologică ce am acumulat-o de-a lungul anilor. Suntem ținuți în loc de un dogmatism infantil, pe când noi ar trebui liberi în Cristos.

Pe parcursul cărții vom vedea cum autorul face o trecere succintă, însă una bine elaborată, prin cele mai importante argumente biblice în ce privește încetarea darurilor miraculoase date de Duhul Sfânt apostolilor și prorocilor din perioada Vechiului, cât și Noului Testament. Referințele de natură istorică au fost un plus, fiindcă ele au conferit și au întărit tot mai mult această argumentare inițială. Interesant este faptul că această doctrină este una consecventă cu cea mai mare parte a istoriei bisericii. Un aspect șocant pentru cei din tabăra opusă. Însă, uneori avem nevoie și de șocuri ca să ne trezim din amorțeala în care zăcem nestingheriți. Pentru cei care nu vor să accepte un adevăr, din alte considerente, niciun argument nu este suficient de bun.

Implicațiile practice ale celor ce susțin punctul de vedere opus sunt uriașe, după cum se poate vedea în această pledoarie, dar și în viața de zi cu zi. Chiar dezastruoase aș putea spune. Doctrina dictează practica. Teologia modelează doxologia. Avem o învățătură eronată? Ne vom închina eronat. Simplu. Deși doctrina în sine nu este una ce face parte din inima Evangheliei, ea are influența necesară să îi țină oamenii departe de Evanghelie autentică.

Este greu, dacă nu chiar imposibil, să ai o pneumatologie nebiblică și în același timp o soteorologie curată. O perspectivă distorsionată despre Duhul Sfânt nu te poate ajuta să vezi cu adevărat lumina și profunzimea Evangheliei lui Cristos, ci din contră, îți obturează vederea. Te bagă în ceață. Cei din tabăra carismatică neagă în prima instantă, apoi încearcă să minimalizeze cu toată puterea lor impactul negativ la nivel de doctrină și practică a acestei învățături, dar, roadele vorbesc de la sine și toți suntem martori a acestui lucru.

Scriptura în anumite locuri ne poruncește chiar, nu doar îndeamnă, să cercetăm toate lucrurile, pentru că în lume au ieșit mulți proroci mincinoși, care fac lucrări mincinoase și care vor ca noi ceilalți să credem ceea ce ei susțin - fără a avea drept de apel, fără a avea dreptul de a evalua sau judeca. Ei vor să îi ascultăm cu Biblia și cu gura închisă. Nu ai dreptul să spui ceva împotriva unor astfel de „apostoli" contemporani care fac vindecări pe bandă rulantă și care scot draci la fiecare minut. Câtă ipocrizie aici.

Nu tot ce zboară pe piața aceasta a ideilor este bun de mâncat. Scriptura ne învață mai multe principii universal-valabile prin care noi putem evalua dacă o lucrare este după Cuvânt, dacă un slujitor este autentic și corect teologic sau dacă o învățătură este într-adevăr una duhovnicească, biblică. Nu ne permitem să fluturăm acel vechi steag care spunea că „fiecare are adevărul lui". Acest lucru este imposibil cât timp adevărul este unul singur și absolut în natura sa. Nu există mai multe adevăruri, ci doar mai multe interpretări și perspective asupra unei idei.

Este de datoria noastră să veghem asupra sufletului nostru, asupra familiei noastre și asupra bisericii în care Dumnezeu ne-a așezat. Dacă dormim în post să nu ne mirăm că suntem furați, amăgiți, mințiți și înșelați. Eroarea se strecoară cu ușurință.

[The Reading Pilgrim · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐ 5 / 5 stars

“Our confidence in the sufficiency of Scripture is inseparable from our understanding of the work of the Spirit.”

Tom Pennington’s A Biblical Case for Cessationism is a careful, pastoral, and deeply Scriptural defense of the conviction that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit — tongues, prophecy, and healing — were temporary and have ceased with the close of the apostolic age.

What I appreciated most was how Pennington approaches the topic with clarity and humility. He doesn’t mock continuationists or sensationalism; instead, he builds his case from Scripture and church history, showing that the purpose of the miraculous gifts was to confirm new revelation during the foundation of the church (Ephesians 2:20). Once the foundation — the completed Word of God — was laid, those confirming signs ceased.

His emphasis on the sufficiency and authority of Scripture resonated deeply with me. In an age where “new revelations” and experiences often take center stage, Pennington calls us back to the unshakable reality that God has already spoken fully through His Word (Hebrews 1:1–2). It’s not a denial of the Spirit’s work, but a defense of His true ministry — illuminating, sanctifying, and preserving the saints through Scripture, not through ongoing revelation.

From a Reformed perspective, this book is a refreshing reaffirmation that our faith does not depend on visible signs but on the finished work of Christ and the completed revelation of His Word.

Favorite aspect: Pennington’s calm, exegetical approach and pastoral tone.
Least favorite: At times, I wished he interacted more deeply with specific charismatic scholars — but the brevity keeps it accessible.
Verdict: A much-needed, biblically grounded, and deeply edifying book that restores confidence in the sufficiency of Scripture and the Spirit’s ongoing, quiet work through the Word.

[Devin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a cessationist (yet) but lean in that direction. I was expecting a bit more from this book, though. Cessationists speak with so much confidence that I was anticipating the charismatic position to be completely destroyed with a book like this, but this was not that strong of a biblical case; it was solid, but not as robust as I was anticipating. When certain verses were used, I could see them being interpreted another way; Pennington left the door open for me to doubt his interpretation of some of the major passages.

The best thing this position has going for it is its historicity (I enjoyed the quick survey through church history showing that many of the major church teachers throughout the ages have clearly maintained that the sign gifts ceased) and the fact that virtually everything claimed to be miraculous by charismatics today is verifiable nonsense and completely unbiblical. Pennington did a good job contrasting how charismatics move the goal post for prophecy, tongues, and healing. I like how he didn't merely go for low hanging fruit like Kenneth Copland or Creflo Dollar, but directly argued against Wayne Grudem, who is a serious Christian and scholar. Since this book sprang from the Strange Fire Conference, it would have been nice for Pennington to address Dr. Michael Brown because he wrote an entire book against John MacAthur's Strange Fire book.

Overall, this was a good introduction to the subject. He provided a lot of citations and resources to explore the cessationist case further, so I'll be checking those out in the future.

3.6

[Elizabeth Berteau · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who grew up in a charismatic church but always doubted what I was seeing and hearing, this book has been a great introduction to the doctrine of cessationism. I really appreciated the basic introduction and biblical explanation for the position. I generally felt the argument was strong and thought the different historical aspects were important to strengthening the position. I finished the book feeling comfortable with the cessationist position although I would like to read more regarding the topic to strengthen my understanding and topic and to solidify the position for me.

My only complaint, the author, like many in the Calvinist/reformed position, overgeneralizes the charismatic movement and often treats them as unbelievers. While I agree there are many in the charismatic movement that don't teach or preach the true gospel and instead pervert it, I know from my years in churches who held the charismatic position that there are genuine, true believers who bear the fruit of the spirit. I find the overgeneralization harmful to the argument.

Overall though, I thoroughly appreciated the treatment of the topic and look forward to expanding my knowledge on the topic of Cessationism.

[Ron Scheese · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished "A Biblical Case for Cessationism" by Tom Pennington. The author addresses whether miraculous gifts like prophecy, tongues, and healing are still active in the church today. Through a careful examination of Scripture, Pennington makes a compelling argument for cessationism, the belief that these miraculous gifts ceased with the apostolic age. While the book is brief, the author offers a thoughtful, thorough, and clear argument for cessationism.

Pennington’s focus is firmly on cessationism, with only brief references to any counterarguments. For readers looking for a robust, theological, scriptural foundation supporting cessationism, this book is an excellent resource.

The case is built around seven biblical arguments, walking the reader through scriptural passages and the historical context of the early church to support the cessationist viewpoint. For the reader interested in deepening their understanding of cessationism, "A Biblical Case for Cessationism" is a thoughtful, well-argued, and enlightening read.

Check it out!

[Robin Larson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I agree with Pastor Pennington's position on the miraculous sign gifts, and he has presented solid arguments in favor of cessationism. I wish he had been more careful in his analysis of 1 Corinthians 14 in chapter 7 of the book. He asserts that women were prohibited from speaking in tongues and uttering prophecy, yanking verse 34 out of context, something he accuses proponents of modern manifestations of the miraculous gifts of doing. In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul permits women to prophesy in public services of the church as long as their dress reflects male headship. The context of verse 34 seems to prohibit women from judging prophecy, which would have challenged male headship. Furthermore, nowhere in chapter 14 does Paul prohibit women from publicly exercising the gift of glossa.

[Dave Weathers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic. I’ve been a fan of Pennington’s preaching for its concision, conviction, and pastoral heart. I was curious to see if he’d written any books, and this was the first one to pop up in the search—apropos, considering I had recently found myself struggling to articulate why I consider myself a cessationist: that the miraculous gifts given to members of the early church—speaking in tongues, prophecy, and healing—have ceased. This book was exactly what I was looking for in distilling an elevator-pitch apologetic. Alongside that, I was encouraged in cherishing the work of the Holy Spirit and the sufficiency of scripture in the life of believers. The same draw of his preaching shined strongly in this book.

[Joel Newberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm disappointed with this book. I hoped for a more scholarly defense of cessationism to help me understand where they are getting their points from. This book on cessationism is interesting but falls into a scaffolded argument problem. If his first point isn't true, then the rest of the book has no foundation to stand on. This is, unfortunately, where I had my problem. I understood his argument, but stating that this is the true interpretation of a passage isn't a defense of why it is true. Therefore, I was frustrated with the rest of his book because I don't feel he ever proved his initial point. I did learn some things, but I will still be looking for another book on this topic that will address why and core issue.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great accompaniment to the Cessationist movie. Provides clear Biblical support for the cessation of the Apostolic gifts while fully supporting the power and work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of born-again believers. Of special benefit is the clear proof of the slowing and final cessation of the gifts in the chronology of the books of the New Testament and the testimony of the early church. The exaltation of the Holy Spirit's work through the Bible should inspire all believers to trust in its wisdom and shun the idea that Hod is providing new revelation outside of Scripture.

[John Eldreth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful Presentation

The author makes the case that the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit ceased with end of the apostolic age (i.e. near the end of the first century). Their primary purpose was to confirm the message of Jesus being the Son of God who died on the cross as a substitute for the eternal punishment our sins deserve and was resurrected from the dead to live as our King. What struck me about this presentation is how insightful it is… and once you read it, it seems “so obvious” that it is true… which means it is especially insightful (I.e. the most insightful thoughts are the ones that are so obvious they are not obvious at first).

[Jeff Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Pentecostal’s take: Short and easy to read, and while I may disagree on some points I felt the author brought up some interesting concerns and arguments I’d never heard. I very much enjoyed the book and found it challenging my own beliefs, pushing me to grow closer to Christ in a deeper relationship not based on emotion and feelings but on the power of God’s word. I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone, but those wrestling with some deeper spiritual issues, I’d gladly point them to this.

[Chelsie Hargrove · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent! It is thorough but succinct. I have been a member of Tom Pennington's church for several years now and can attest to how clear and effective he is at communicating biblical truth. This book is no exception. It lays out strong, well-supported biblical arguments for the cessationist perspective. Very helpful read for all believers, including continuationists seeking to understand the cessationist perspective.

[Joe Kitchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Biblical evidence that can't be ignored

Tom Pennington presents a convincing case, using Biblical evidence. He shows the reason God used His select people to perform miracles. He also explains the charismatic gifts, as taught in the Bible. He explains why they are no longer in operation today.

Get your Bibles and ask for illumination from the Holy Spirit as you read this book.

[Jake Gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read in our generation. There’s so much confusion and blind acceptance of charismatic workings simply bc of not wanting to deny the Spirit (whatever that might mean in the context of conversation). But this isn’t something we need to be unsure of. And this is a great resource in knowing what God intended by doing what He did in the 1st century.

[Michael Schmid · Rating 5 out of 5]

A concise but excellent biblical evaluation on the use and purpose of the miraculous gifts in Bible times and solid arguments why these gifts are no longer operative today - even with the conviction that God still works miracles today.

I found this book an great companion to the equally excellent documentary "Cessationist":

http://cessationistmovie.com/

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good brief book. A solid biblical case for cessationism. Your view of Scripture and the Holy Spirit will only be elevated by reading this book.

I just wish it was longer as he mentions he kept it brief, hopefully a longer edition is made available for those who like!