Is It Passe?

Even if it is accepted that there may be a biblical basis for such a phenomenon as the "baptism of the Holy Spirit," it has sometimes been argued, such things are passe. The argument most often put forward for this view is that such occurrences were necessary and helpful in the early days of the church. But we do not need them anymore. Besides, it is often said, Paul has already told the Christians in Corinth, when speaking of the spiritual gifts, "when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears" (1 Cor 13:9). Today we have the 'perfection' of God's Word in Scriptures; we no not need the imperfect gift associated with the "baptism of the Holy Spirit" anymore.

I find this argument, at best, strange, and at worst, spurious. It may be argued that, given my background, I am naturally biased. I am. My experience as a young Christian, as I had described in the introduction, bends me naturally away from such an argument. But, let us look at the rational side of the argument. First, the argument assumes that "perfection" has come with the final revelation of the New Testament and the conclusionof the canon of Scriptures. But has "perfection" of understanding of which Paul was speaking come? The fact that we are having this discussion is proof that such a perfection has not, even with the final installation of canonical Scriptures. We still only know in part. Besides, when Paul speaks of "perfection," was this what he had in mind? That he was speaking of the completion of the canon is a possibility, but not a certainty. We are expansively audacious to assume that this is what Paul had in mind and to suggest, from there, that these gifts are no longer necessary. Finally, it is the acme of desperation to use Scriptures as the axe to hack down what Scriptures itself so enthusiastically encourage, and report what the apostles were so determined that their disciples should know with certainty.

If we live in the real world of spiritual warfare, of which the NT makes clear is what the Christian life involves, then all the more will we realize how desperately we need the Holy Spirit and all the gifts He would confer upon us to fight the good fight. Spiritual wars can only be fought with spiritual enabling. As long as we have the devil to content with, and where such contention is the shapest and fiercest, we will need such empowerment, not less. We are wont to quote lovely texts like "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labour in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain" (Psm 127:1). Nowhere is this declaration more relevant than in the field of spiritual warfare. The completion of the canon diminishes not a dint the necessity for such empowering and gifts; it encourages it. We need those gifts more than ever today, not less.