This can be a contentious issue. There's no denying the power of God and the miraculous: we can't say, and many of us know, the Lord never works this way anymore. Probably everyday, in ways we don't know, and I've seen some things. But that said, as to so-called gifts some claim, the spectacular, public miracles of the Lord Jesus and early church expressly had to do with proving their power, authority, as coming from God, John 10:25. Those miracles were not even, primarily, good deeds, but demonstrative in purpose, like the visible aspect of the Lord's resurrection to root the faith, authenticate the faith by witness.
Take the gift of healing claims. If this were authentic, of New Testament power, a person should be able to empty hospitals of Christians. Jesus healed everybody as if right and left, out in the open, and empowered the apostles for a time to do such things. If that gift were for today, let's see that first century manifestation, then.
Well, what do you know? Benny Hinn, on investigation, isn't really healing anybody! And what of walking by faith, not by sight, the command of God, 2 Corinthians 5:7, John 20:29? If there were visible gifts being so manifest, everybody would be walking by sight, isn't that so? In the same vein, if there are those with some gifts, why don't we, therefore, see it? Why is it only some anecdote from somebody, and without even credible witnesses? Why is it that truly sick person, not an audience plant, who went up on stage, got smacked on the head and praised God for their healing, actually went on to die?
Most importantly, if there are these gifts manifest in some denomination, and not others, this makes God a respecter of persons, Acts 10:34. This makes a God who will not give such gifts to a good, fundamentalist, Bible believing church body that doesn't happen to roll in the aisles, or shout and jump up and down. We have a claim that only these bodies, actually manifesting a lack of emotional control, often disorderly, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 1 Corinthians 14:40, have the Holy Spirit, because there are many congregations manifesting none of this, but while comprised of many fully believing, solid, God fearing Christians and pastors. Also, where is there a hoedown in a Bible sermon? Where did the Lord or an apostle ever prance around, babble and work up the crowd? Paul even pointed out he didn't come as some great orator, 1 Corinthians 2:1.
Some congregation claiming to be God's special creatures is usually known as a certain type of denomination, that is, a cult. What is amazing, as to those claiming the spectacular gifts, is how they are unable to see they don't really have those gifts! And the truth be told, the emotional nature is a shallow nature, shared with unregenerates, and the Lord does not do His deepest spiritual work in our shallowest nature. There is a vast difference between spiritual awareness and emotionalism.
I'm amazed by the lack of common sense, as mentioned, if healing gifts ala Benny Hinn were for today, hospitals would be emptied of Christians. You'd also have people flocking to Christ for the wrong reason, not of faith in Him, John 6:26.
There are, therefore, huge holes in the claims of some charismatics, often including emotional rashness that is not, in fact, demonstrative of any authentic spirituality, in keeping with Bible doctrine or orderly, sane, Christian behavior, manifest of the Lord Jesus and the apostles.
