Some extremely bizarre and radical behaviors accompany some of today’s so-called exorcisms. A fifty-one-year-old Chicago woman called the police after she had been severely bruised and beaten by her husband and by a Presbyterian minister.
Why had they abused her? They said they were trying to rid the woman of evil spirits. In the Los Angeles area an even more horrifying experience occurred, purportedly in the name of Christianity. A group of preachers allegedly stomped a woman to death as they tried to remove demons from her (Robert Lightner, Angels, Satan, and Demons, page 148).
Casting out of demons in the life of Christ was part of the temporary sign gift of healing (Mt. 15:21-28; Lk. 9:42; Acts 10:38). Because the temporary sign gifts are ceased, the gift of exorcism is not for today.
Spiritual gifts fall into two areas: Temporary sign gifts and permanent service gifts. 1 Cor. 1:22 states that the Jews require a sign.
There have been three periods in the history of Israel when there have been sign gifts performed because Israel refused to believe God’s messengers and their God given message:
1. Moses and Joshua (Exodus 4:1-9; 12:12; Numbers 27:18; Deuteronomy 34:9)
2. Elijah and Elisah (1Kings 17:17-24; 2 Kings 4:18-37)
3. Christ and the Apostles (Matthew 8:1-18; 10:8; 12:22-32; 2 Corinthians 12:12)
Just as sign gifts did not follow Moses and Joshua and Elijah and Elisha eras, sign gifts did not follow Christ and the Apostles because in the last era the canon of Scripture was completed.
The phrase “that which is perfect is come” in 1 Cor. 13:10 is a reference to the completion of the canon of Scripture. The context proves that “perfect” means the completion of the canon and not the return of Christ. In verse nine Paul said that the sign gifts through which God revealed knowledge were still in effect because revelation was incomplete: “for we know in part and we prophesy in part.” But in verse 10, Paul referred to the completed canon when revelation would no longer be incomplete: “but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.” Also the word “perfect” (Greek teleiov) is a neuter noun. If perfect were referring to Christ the noun would have been masculine. Teleiov has a wide semantic range in meaning. One of the common meanings of teleiov which fits this context well is “complete” as in Hebrew 5:9. Christ was made complete in His incarnation in order to be our High Priest after the order of Melchisedec. When the canon was complete, the sign gifts were no longer necessary as a means of revelation.
Now for the explanation of specific sign gifts not operative today
1. The gift of apostleship was a foundational gift for the early church (Eph. 2:20; 2 Cor. 12:12) not needed today. Through the preaching and writing of the apostles we have the Scriptures. To be an apostle one had to have seen the resurrected Christ (Acts 1:22; 1 Cor. 9:1) which is no longer possible after the ascension of Christ.
2. The gift of prophecy was a gift of the first century when God was giving revelation which included the mystery of the Church (Eph. 3:5). In 1 Cor. 13:10 this gift cease with the canonization of Scripture as explained before.
3. The gift of miracles was performed by the official apostles who witnessed Christ in His resurrection body and that office is no longer in existence as argued earlier. An example of the gift of miracles is in Acts 13:1-12 on the Church’s first missionary journey. Paul, instead of healing the Jewish false prophet’s blindness, judged him with blindness.
In Mark 16:17-20, after the ascension, the apostles “went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with miraculous signs following.” But in Hebrew 2:3-4 the author stated the confirmation of the apostles with the gift of miracles was past.
4. The gift of healing is no longer operative today because this gift also was an apostolic sign gift which has ceased like the other apostolic sign gifts. The apostolic gift of healing included the ability to raise the dead (Acts 9:36-43; 20:6-12). The dead are not being raised today by faith healers who claim to possess the gift of healing.
5. The gift of tongues. Paul declared that “whether there be tongues, they shall cease.” As argued before the Jews required a sign. God is no longer dealing with the Jews as a nation according to Romans 13:11-18 and therefore signs are not necessary today. In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul was only regulating the legitimate gift of tongues until that gift ceased with the passing of the official apostles and the canonization of Scripture. Church history confirms cessation.
Other reasons the gift of exorcism is not for today?
Christ could cast out demons because it was a sign of His messiahship which Matthew recorded in Matthew 8-11 as credentials of the messiah. Christ proved His messiahship by exercising power over physical maladies (Mt. 8:1-18), over nature (Mt. 8:23) and casting out demons (Mt. 8:28-34).
The apostles could also cast out demons as a sign of their apostleship to the nation of Israel because the Jews require a sign (Mt. 10:6-8). Peter and Paul could also cast out demons because they were apostles (Acts 5:16 and 19:11-12) and the sign gifts had not yet ceased (1 Cor. 13:10). But this sign gift like all sign gifts ceased with the close of the canon.
No one has the gift of exorcism today because nowhere in the Epistles are believers commanded to exorcise demons. Casting out of demons was part of the apostolic commission in Mark 16:17-20 which also included speaking in tongues, taking up serpents, drinking deadly poisons, and healing the sick. All of these must be practiced not just one or two of them if a person is an apostle with this apostolic gift. Also as discussed before the writer of Hebrews 2:2-3 considered these confirming signs as past.
When Paul explained how believers could stand against the wiles of the devil in Ephesians 6:10-18, he did not mention exorcism as part of the whole armor of God so we can stand. Demons are cast out by the gospel not a gift. Paul informed the Colossian believers that because they had experienced the gospel (1:6) they had been delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of the Son of His love (1:12-14).
I had never put together the correlation between the three periods of signs. This is certainly an area I will investigate more and an very interesting point. Having not continued then why do we suggest that they are to continue today. Excellent, thank you.
Based on this article I would have to say that there is no gift of exorcism. What was brought in this article about sign gifts was interesting and I had never thought about those gifts that way before. I will now take some extra time and study what has been said about the sign gifts and hopefully come to a solid understand about them. I have friends and family that think many of these gifts still exist today and exorcism is one of the things that has been talked about.
Based on the scriptural evidence, I would agree that there is no gift of exorcism today. Of all teh commandments and commands made to us by Christ, there is no place that we are instructed to go forth and cast out demons. It is true that especially after Pentecost, the disciples cast out demons, but even when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we have not been asked to do so.
Dr. White,
I agree with your view and the biblical support for there not being the gift of exorcism in today’s times. My question is, what would you say to one who has witnessed what they believe is an exorcism?
This has certainly been learning ground for me. Mr. Welborn gave his Acts class an outstanding description of the sign gifts in the early church, their purpose and the ceasing of these gifts. I don’t remember exorcism being mentioned but frankly, I am glad this is no longer a gift of the church. Most believers have enough of a battle just resisting the flesh and the world, much less having to csat out demons. God has supplied all the gifts necessary for the curent age of service.
Today many people look at casting out demons as exorcism. But really it is defending ourselves with His Word as our SWORD. We are giving the power to cast out demons in Jesus name and have authority over them. We need to spread the news of what we are doing. It is not by us but by Jesus in us that we are able to do anything. So do I believe in exorcism today, no I do not but I believe that we can cast out demons and fight them with His Word. But in fighting since we need to come together as believer to fight them.
Great stuff, I along with many others who have read this, know or are close with someone who holds to the mentioned gifts as used today. It is always great to read scripturaly based truths that further our understanding into false doctrines that have taken hold on so many professing Christians.
The article brings up an interesting point that we are not commanded to exorcise demons in the Epistles. I never thought of that. In light of that and other things mentioned here, I would say that prayer would be the only way of exorcism today. Remember when the demon possessed man attacked the disciples and Jesus said that this kind can only be removed by prayer? I will look into this further.
I guess with the renewed interest in angels, it has brought this subject up. It is amazing to see how many movies that are put out concerning some sort of demon possession.
I wonder if demons are possessing people the way they did in the New Testament. I know that we can’t cast them out but I have heard some people say that Christians as well as lost people can be possessed. I find it hard to believe that a Christian could be.
I wish I had read this before talking with a friend of mine last week. We were discussing the gift of tongues. It is clear that people that believe in these gifts are going by “experiences” and not by the Word.
The gift of exorcism was directly linked with the office of apostleship, and was not given to common Christians. After the completion of the cannon, there is no need for Christians to possess the gift of exorcism as a proof of apostle authority.
Indeed, Satan exists and evil spirits hurt people. How shall we deal with them? According to McArthur (1992), Christians do not need to find someone empowered with the gift of exorcism to deal with the evil spirits. What we need to do, is merely obey the teaching of the Scripture, especially 2 Corinthians 2:10-11, Ephesians 6:11-18, 2 Timothy 2:25-26, James 4:7, and 1 Peter 5:7-9.
McArthur, John F. (1992), Charismatic Chaos. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publish House.
I believe the gift of exorcism is no longer in use. The gift was for the use of the Apostles to show their gift given to them through Christ and to show the power that Christ had through His father. Exorcisms today are for show, people will do anything for attention.
Like others have said, “I wish I knew or had this information before.” But I still wonder is it truely possible for a “non-believer” to demon possessed today?
I think the explaination of the sign gifts was very helpful. I really liked the statement “No one has the gift of exorcism today because nowhere in the Epistles are believers commanded to exorcise demons.”
I would have to also agree with DR.White on this issue. There are no exorcisims today being performed. I like the view or “fact” that the sign-gifts were only used for different dispensations of church history, but because the Canon of scipture is complete, signs are no longer needed.
Further, I believe exorcism is not true, because this would give man an opportunity to glorify himself rather than God.
“Some extremely bizarre and radical behaviors accompany some of today’s so-called exorcisms. A fifty-one-year-old Chicago woman called the police after she had been severely bruised and beaten by her husband and by a Presbyterian minister.Why had they abused her? They said they were trying to rid the woman of evil spirits. In the Los Angeles area an even more horrifying experience occurred, purportedly in the name of Christianity. A group of preachers allegedly stomped a woman to death as they tried to remove demons from her.”
That is insane. I however do believe that the gift of casting out demons could still be in affect today. I do not believe that this is the method however. Christ told his apostles that they would cast out demons in his name. What makes us different? Sign gifts are said to be complete with the perfect comes. Christ is the only one who is perfect, has he come yet? Nope. So I believe that the sign gifts are still in believers today.
I was always taught that “that which is perfect” is speaking of the Bible – God’s perfect Word, not Jesus Himself – although He, too is perfect. If this is is the correct interpretation, and we know that the Bible is here, and it is complete, then the sign gifts have ceased. Any thoughts on this idea?
You make an interesting thought, but here is the problem. First off, as Dr. White stated, history confirms the former notion that signs were done away with, because for nearly 1800 years there was silence in the realm of spiritual sign gifts. Only in the recent charismatic movement have such gifts been awakened extensively enough to be recorded. The word, “perfect” in the Greek is neuter (τέλειον), and as Dr. White says, such a translation of the word is faulty.
I hope this doesn’t come off as stand offish or provoking, but what Scripture can you share with me that states that casting out demons could still be in affect?
This is directly from Dr. Whites article:
“No one has the gift of exorcism today because nowhere in the Epistles are believers commanded to exorcise demons. Casting out of demons was part of the apostolic commission in Mark 16:17-20 which also included speaking in tongues, taking up serpents, drinking deadly poisons, and healing the sick. All of these must be practiced not just one or two of them if a person is an apostle with this apostolic gift. Also as discussed before the writer of Hebrews 2:2-3 considered these confirming signs as past.”
Having said that I would like to note that during this course and previous courses I have always been of a sound mind that my opinion does not in any way shape or form matter, however what we have been learning through the duration of this course I believe is the systematic process with an exegetical mind set of interpreting Scripture with Scripture. That is the take away I get from this article.
During this entire article I feel what Dr. White was doing was to show us that in fact that it is not present today. Much like Ryrie what Dr. White is doing is using Scripture to back up why it is not in affect today.
There are no assumptions involved when we interpret the Bible only mistakes on our part. The best we can do is formulate a hermetical standard when it comes to interpretation. Anything else is pure conjecture.
You stated:
“Christ is the only one who is perfect, has he come yet? Nope. So I believe that the sign gifts are still in believers today.”
Frankly, I must admit I disagree with you. I do not believe that the sign gifts are still in believers today. The proof of this is in Scripture.
This is a very good explanation as to why we do not believe in the exorcism of demons today as well as the other sign gifts. The difficulty comes though when we have to reconcile the accounts of adroit biblical teachers who claim to have seen exorcisms and the other gifts even if they have not practiced them. One example is Walter Martin. His Kingdom of the Cults was spectacular while his accounts in Kingdom of the Occult is strange given his status in Christian academia.
This is an interesting post and very helpful. Demon possession is still active today but the only One that holds the power to cast out the demons is Christ. Many claim they have this power and that is something that is not to be messed with. I think of the passage were some other people besides the apostles were trying to cast out demons and the demons said “we know Christ but who are you?” Demons have more power than man but Christ’s blood on a man holds a power that none in heaven or earth can match.
Interesting topic, I I believe in exorcism… Well, with that I have been personally told and what I have personally seen I do feel that people can be demon possessed and I feel that people praying for the one possessed and be freed. However, with the information given on this text:
The phrase “that which is perfect is come” in 1 Cor. 13:10 is a reference to the completion of the canon of Scripture. The context proves that “perfect” means the completion of the canon and not the return of Christ.
Tells me that the canon os complete and there is no need for exorcism or any other spiritual war far gift. As I do not believe in speaking in tongues, and it fall in the same category, how can I then believe in exorcism…
This article has some interesting points. I believe that there are certain gifts that have ceased. That these certain gifts are not performed today. From the information given in this article I could possibly include exorcism to this list. However, if one can not expel a demon from a person. How in the world will they ever be free? I am very confused by this. Is there no power given by God to the believer today that could exorcise a demon should the believer come face to face with the situation?
Exorcism is a difficult concept to tackle, simply because I am unsure what the alternative solution is. If we can’t cast out demon’s in Jesus’ name, then what can we do with someone who is demon possessed? I know that my pastor has encountered possessed people. A possessed woman once attacked our associate pastor after a service when my preacher wasn’t around, and it took four men to hold her down. When my preacher showed up, she calmed down almost as if the demon knew he was a man of God. He talked to the demon, and then the woman herself came to herself, and he told her that if she wanted to be free of this demon, then she needed to show up to the church the next day and have an appointment with him. She did, and he led her to the Lord, and she continued to attend our church many years before moving away. I wouldn’t call that exorcism necessarily, but I think it was wise of my preacher to do it that way.