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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 248.29
EAN: 9780800791100
ISBN: 080079110X
Label: Fleming H Revell Co
Manufacturer: Fleming H Revell Co
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 159
Publication Date: 1987-09
Publisher: Fleming H Revell Co
Studio: Fleming H Revell Co

Customer Rating:
Review Summary: The myth of Cessationalism
Review: Without doubt, this book is the most efficient demolishing of the Cessationalist argument that I have yet read. I have studied many of the books published voicing the Cessation argument concerning the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, including John MacArthur, Baxter, Unger, Criswell etc., and found their arguments extremely weak Scripturally. This book by Robert Graves, provides an extremely fair and balanced Pentecostal/Charismatic viewpoint, which, (having been a Charismatic of thirty years standing, and who has now withdrawn from the present hysterical, unbiblical antics of the present day Charismatic church) I whole-heartedly agree with his summation and conclusions. Any person who has ever been questioning regarding the veracity of the Pentecostal/ Charismatic movement, should read Grave's book with a mind which is open to God's truth for His people. It is a real blessing from the Lord!

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Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Conflict Of Interest: Author Reviews Own Book?
Review: Surprise, surprise. The author of a book thinks it's perfect.

In his review, Graves states 'Scripture rules.' Agreed. But Graves the author in his book didn't REALLY believe that because he argued that charismatic views are buttressed by Scripture, church history, and personal experience. Clearly, Bob wants it both ways. He then resorts to what I've come to expect from certain religionists, the personal attack by claiming he suspects I was a cessationist.

Blame yourself, Bob. Whether I was a cessationist is irrelevant. Your book argues the same one-note repetitive shrillness (isn't that how we got Noriega to go nuts and surrender?) as your review: if a person rejects YOUR view, you call him what in the charismatic movement is a 'perjorative' term, a cessationist. You clearly hold to the either/or fallacy - one is either a charismatic who talks in tongues or a cessationist with no middle ground.

The fact is that your book uses EXPERIENCE and NOT SCRIPTURE (despite your protestations) as its final authority. How else can you explain the sudden acceptance of Roman Catholicism (by you in your book) as genuine Christianity by charismatics. Why? Well, not because of the Bible but because they SPEAK IN TONGUES (i.e. experience).

The fact of the matter is that I was a charismatic. To use what you would use as an argument if cornered (your book does this repeatedly), you were NOT there. For you to label me on the basis of my less than stellar review of your work only indicates that you are one of those people who clearly cannot accept criticism. My criticism - in the original review - was of your BOOK; yours was of me PERSONALLY.

Regarding the Church Fathers, you cite them as authoritative on gifts (Augustine for miracles for example) when it reinforces your notion; you dismiss it as their opinion when their 'church history' (that you claim backs you) doesn't include tongues. Once again, the overemphasis on tongues comes from the Pentecostal/charismatic camp.

The fact is that I read it whenever I need a laugh at how lame the arguments in favor of gibberish speaking truly are. Thank you, Bob Graves.

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Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Reader Completely Misses the Point
Review: "Praying in the Spirit" doesn't even mention MacPherson, Allen, or Hagin. So who's setting up the strawman??? San Antonio reviewer doesn't say who formulated a cessationist theology before Warfield. I don't hint Warfield was the first; I state: "The first important modern theologian to give detailed consideration to the cessation of the gifts was B.B. Warfield (1851-1921)." And I cite cessationists as contemporary as Gromacki, Gardiner, Unger, Thomas, Hoekema, MacArthur, Edgar, Dollar, Gaffin, Packer, Judisch, and a host of others. Hardly strawmen back in 1987. As for the testimony of the Church Fathers, I simply write: "It should be remembered that the writings of the early Church fathers have no more or less authority than any book written today." I still stand by this statement. Whether the Fathers be used for or against the continuity of the gifts, their words were not inscripturated. Scripture rules! I suspect San Antonio reviewer is a stealth cessationist and never was a charismatic.

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Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Completely Misses The Point
Review: As a charismatic at the time I bought this book (1990), I was hoping to find a more biblical basis for speaking in tongues. Using a historical straw man, Graves tells us - without ever explicitly saying it - that those who speak in tongues like Aimee Semple MacPherson (a known drug addict who faked her own kidnapping), A.A. Allen (a proven huckster), and Kenneth Hagin (a proven plagiarist) are more "Spirit filled" than those who denied this teaching such as Spurgeon, Wesley, and Calvin.

This book was instrumental in my leaving the charismatic movement. He denies that biblical tongues are earthly languages, hints that Warfield is the first theologian to ever formulate a doctrine of cessation, and when confronted with the evidence of Church Fathers like Augustine and Chrysosotom - who EXPLICITLY denied the existence of tongues in the fourth century - he dismisses it as "their opinion." In other words, as long as a Church Father can be cited as proof that tongues occurred, the evidence against Graves' position is ignored.

As I said many years ago: if this is the best the charismatic movement can do, it will cease to exist.

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