Did the Gifts of the Spirit Disappear?

In the Book of Acts from the birth of the Church onward we see certain miraculous events occur. On the Day of Pentecost, the Disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in other tongues. There are various accounts in Acts of healings occurring by the Apostles via many different means. Saint Paul took three whole chapters of his first letter to the Corinthians to address the subject.

The subject has become the foundation of several denominations and even pseudo-Christian cults in the Protestant Revolt. Within Mother Church there has been what is commonly called the “Charismatic Renewal” over the last 50 years since Vatican II. The Gifts of the Spirit have become a dividing point among both Protestant and Catholic alike. The first question we have to ask ourselves as Catholics is: “Are the Gifts of the Spirit still in operation today?” If we decide in the affirmative we then need to determine if they are for everyone and, more specifically, is it for us individually?

What Are the Gifts of the Sprit Scripturally?

Reference: Acts 2 and I Corinthians chapter 12-14

The first place we have to start in examining this is, of course, with the Scripture. They are the foundation upon which the Sacred Tradition of the Church is built and the chief guide for the teaching Magisterium of the Church. The first Gift we need to look at is the one that has been both a blessing and a distraction: The Gift of Tongues.

It’s important to understand that the language Gift on display on the Day of Pentecost and the Gift discussed in the 1^st Corinthians 12-14 may not be one and the same. It appears that the Tongue manifested on the birthday of the Church in Acts 2:4-13 was purely human languages based on the text that tells that all of the people gather there that day heard the Disciples speaking in their own languages. But as we will see in 1^st Corinthians they appear to be unearthly language.

If they are different, why are they different? The answer, of course, is purpose. On Pentecost their purpose was immediate and effective declaration of the Gospel message to as many people as possible…in other words for the edification of the hearers. But Saint Paul makes it clear that the Tongues he is addressing himself to with the Corinthians are not for that purpose. Also, in the other accounts of this Gift in Acts they appear to be identical to Pentecost based on the testimony of those who were present at Cornelius’ house where the salvation message was first preached to the Gentiles. In Acts 10:44-48 Saint Peter makes it clear that the decision to baptize the Gentiles into the Church was based on the evidence of what they heard and identified as being the same as their experience…which means human languages for the edification of the hearers again.

It’s important to understand this difference since the modern manifestation of the Gift is often called the “Pentecostal Experience” or having a “Personal Pentecost”. However, that would mean human languages and that notion has been dispelled by linguistic experts who have examined it. Not even the manifestation at Cornelius’ house was the full “Pentecostal experience” … note the absence of the wind and the tongues of fire.

In 1 Corinthians 14:1-4 Saint Paul makes it clear the Gift of which he speaks to them about is not human languages. He says in verse 2 that the one using the Gift is speaking to God and not men because no man can understand him. He contrasts Tongues with the Gift of Prophesy, which is the ability to clearly proclaim the Word of God rather from Scripture or by divine revelation as with Saint John on Patmos. That Gift he says is for the building up of the Church whereas Tongues edifies the person only… and then gives strict instructions how this Gift was to used.

Did They Cease with the Death of the Last Apostles?

Now that we have established that there is a scriptural basis for the Gifts the question must be answered: “Are they for today?”. To begin the answer to that we need to determine if they ceased after 100 AD. Once again leaning on the Scripture, there is no indication whatsoever that such a thing happened. There are some, mainly within Evangelical Christianity (but I’m certain some in the Church as well) who hold to a teaching called “Cessationism”.

To support that position, they misappropriate 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 and seize upon the phrase “when that which is perfect is come” and define that as the Bible which they seem to believe came into existence around 100 AD. But the history of the Bible tells another story. While there were valid letters and Gospels floating around the Empire at that time there was also fake ones as well. It wouldn’t be until the 4^th Century before a determination of the actual Canon of Scripture was made. So even if their interpretation of the verses in question were true the soonest that the Gifts would have disappeared would have been with the publication of the Latin Vulgate in 405 AD. But a careful examination of the verses makes it clear that Saint Paul is talking about the Second Coming of Christ when we no longer “see through a glass darkly” and “know even as we are known” and not the Bible.

This desire to deprive the Church of the Gifts of the Spirit (both the operational Gifts such as healing as well as the Sign Gifts) goes back to the need to attribute evil intent and corruption of the Faith by the leadership of the Church during those days. I discussed this in the articles “Crossing the Line” and “Are Christmas and Easter Satanic?” But the Lord promised that the gates of Hell would never prevail against the Church and it never will!!

Okay, Are They for Us Today?

The short answer is “yes” …but with a caveat. Since there is no indication either in the Scripture or in history that they ceased then naturally they are. But bear in mind that they are God’s Gifts, not ours. There is no “initial evidence” Gift. He wants us built up in the Faith and gives the Gift of Prophecy to those who use it to preach our homilies, teach our classes and, yes, to those of us whose calling is to defend the Faith. He still heals today, but not through showy, greedy tricksters and charlatans. Those with the Apostolic Succession have the same Gifts that the Apostles and those who followed them manifested. That’s why we have healing Masses and Shrines like Lourdes, Fatima and even Simala on Cebu Island here in the Philippines (where, by the way, we are going on Friday and about which I will be writing an article shortly).

And, yes, he gives the Gift of Tongues to those who He wills too. That’s why we have a Charismatic Movement in the Church today with the support and blessing of some of the Popes (at least one of which is presently a canonized Saint). As Saint Paul told the Corinthians, “Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order.” (1 Corinthians 14:39-40)