Are the miraculous gifts of the Spirit still active?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Scripture and experience show that God continues to heal and perform miracles. But are the gifts of the Spirit as described in 1 Corinthians 12–14 still happening in the church today? Does the Holy Spirit still give miraculous gifts to the church, or was the giving of spiritual gifts a "one-time deal" that applied only to the early church? It’s clear that the Holy Spirit can dispense gifts if He is willing (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). But the miraculous gifts of the Spirit—such as healing, prophecy, and speaking in tongues—were primarily given to authenticate the apostles and the early church while the New Testament was being established (Acts 2:22, 14:3; 2 Corinthians 12:12). Once the Bible was completed, these sign gifts largely ceased because the full revelation of God’s Word no longer required such confirmations (John 20:29). Today, God can still perform miracles and intervene supernaturally, but the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit are not a standard indicator of authority or salvation. Believers are called to trust God’s completed Word as the ultimate guide, rather than expecting the regular operation of apostolic sign gifts (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The Old Testament does not directly address the continuation of miraculous gifts in the church era, since the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the establishment of the church come in the New Testament. However, God gave supernatural abilities to certain people to accomplish His purposes. Moses and Aaron performed signs and wonders (Exodus 4:1-9; 7:3-5). Joshua was given courage and strategic insight (Joshua 1:5-9). The prophets performed miracles as signs of God’s authority (e.g., Elijah calling fire from heaven in 1 Kings 18:36-38; Elisha multiplying oil in 2 Kings 4:1-7).
• Gifts in the Old Testament were given to equip people for leadership, prophecy, or acts of justice and mercy. For instance, the Spirit filled Bezalel and Oholiab with craftsmanship skills to build the Tabernacle (Exodus 31:1-5). The emphasis was on serving God’s people, not personal gain.
• Miraculous signs often accompanied covenant moments or major transitions. Many miracles in the Old Testament marked God saving His people (Exodus 14:21-31), empowering His leaders (Judges 6:34), or validating His prophets (Numbers 11:25-26).

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• The apostles performed many amazing deeds, as shown in the book of Acts and the Epistles—miracles, healing, raising people from the dead, casting out demons and many other wonders. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:12 that "The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works." This statement implies that the amazing works performed by the apostles were a sort of "guarantee" of their authenticity. It is as though God was saying "I'm giving my power to these men so that you will know they are from Me."
• The same principle was used many times over in Jesus' life. In Acts 2:22 Peter describes Jesus to the Jewish religious leaders as “a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs.” Jesus’ miracles were a sort of "credential" that lent reality to His identity. In the same way, it is clear that the signs and wonders of the apostles proved their message as coming genuinely from God.
• Acts 14:3 again shows that the Gospel Paul and Barnabas preached was "confirmed" by the miracles they were able to do.
• First Corinthians 12 indicates that some "regular" Christians in the church were also sometimes given the ability to do the miraculous (1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28-30). However, there is no indication that this was common. It is likely that signs and wonders were exceptional, not experienced by all believers. In fact, the apostles and their co-workers are the only ones who are named as having the ability to do miracles, heal, etc.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

The apostles and those of their time are the only individuals Scriptures indicate as having the ability to do miracles, heal, and perform other miraculous gifts of the Spirit. Why? The Bible was not completed at the time (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The early church did not yet have the full revelation of Scripture. The Scripture was revealed to the apostles – the same apostles who by signs and wonders were proven to be authentic messengers of God. Their gifts of prophecy, knowledge, wisdom and inspiration were now added to the list alongside healing and miracles, and were given in order for the early believers to know God's will and plans. But these "revelatory" gifts, now that the Bible is finished, are obsolete. The Bible is a supernaturally-inspired book, given to the apostles, God's proven messengers. We are commanded not to add to or take away from the Word of God as revealed to the apostles (Revelation 22:18-19). Because the sign gifts were given to give credence to those receiving God's message, it is safe to assume that the sign gifts have also ceased.

However, we do see that God still miraculously heals. God speaks to us through His Word, lovingly leading our hearts and minds into the truth. At times, especially in cultures that are bereft of the Scripture, people come to Christ through God speaking to them through dreams or miraculous events. However, these events are not in the same category as the "miraculous signs of the Spirit" that were done through the apostles. Now that the canon is closed, God may use signs and wonders to further His kingdom, but miraculous gifts no longer indicate that a person is a special servant of God who should be listened to as if speaking God's words. Also, miraculous gifts should never be looked to as proof of a person's salvation. Belief in the Gospel of our Lord as revealed through His Word is enough.

UNDERSTAND

• Miraculous gifts authenticated the apostles and early church.
• The miraculous gifts of the Spirit largely ceased once Scripture was complete.
• God still performs miracles, but gifts aren’t proof of authority or salvation.

REFLECT

• How does understanding that miraculous gifts were primarily for the early church affect the way you view God?
• How can you rely on God’s Word as your ultimate guide rather than seeking supernatural signs?
• How does knowing that God still performs miracles today shape your trust in His power and care?

ENGAGE

• How can we encourage faith and reliance on God’s Word instead of expecting miraculous signs?
• How can we understand the purpose of the miraculous gifts of the Spirit in the New Testament while not limiting God’s abundant power still at work today?
• How should we discern and respond to claims of modern-day miraculous gifts in light of Scripture?