So I guess that I am not a cessationist, either.

We have the Spirit today: We have gifts today. It seems pretty straightforward…

And yes…heh…”conservative” is indeed something I noted on my own.

I still have difficulty, though, following how they think the gifts given at Pentecost would not apply, today.

From the latest issue of “Arise”:

Moses’ vision was the vision of Joel, the reality of Pentecost:

“Peter stood with the other eleven apostles. He raised his voice and declared, ‘Judeans and everyone living in Jerusalem! Know this! Listen carefully to my words! These people aren’t drunk, as you suspect; after all, it’s only nine o’clock in the morning! Rather, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your young will see visions.
Your elders will dream dreams.
Even upon my servants, men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy’” (Acts 2:14-18, CEB).

On Pentecost, Peter declares, the day has come in which the wish of Moses is realized. There is no stinginess in the outpouring of the Spirit.

So then, I am left asking, the last days of what? Since apparently their understanding is that the phrase applies to some period of time that has been over for a number of years. Yet we are still receiving the Holy Spirit! I’m not a gymnast, and feel that I should be in order to understand from the scripture that we are given the Holy Spirit now, yet the giftings listed were given only in the past. I don’t see where that’s coming from, unless I count the fact that the denomination is not Pentecostal. But even so, I believe there can be some middle ground….

In the context of the recognition of the event as a fulfillment of prophecy with the recognition of it being part of “the last days”, I don’t see how they reach that conclusion. Among other arguments I have with that understanding. It just seems really weird to me…

Thoughts? He may be mistaken (though since he grew up in the PCA…), I may have an incorrect understanding of “the last days”…..
??

Thanks!

Michelle, I’ve also wondered if a lot of churches opt to downplay this event because it points to gender equality within the Church. I used to attend a church that celebrated Palm Sunday annually with palm branches and references to Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem through music and scripture reading. Yet at this same church, I don’t remember any special celebration for Pentecost. Ever.

I’m glad to hear that the Messianics and Methodists are already celebrating this event.

I, too, believe it is cause for celebration.