The Orthodox position on sign gifts

Ephesians 2:19-22 (NKJV)

Christ Our Cornerstone

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

The orthodox position concerning the sign gifts (speaking in tongues, visions, healings, raising the dead, and prophesying) is that they are currently not necessary or given to believers after the Canon of Scriptures was completed. 

As the verse above states; the church is built upon “the foundation of the apostles and prophets,” with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone.

This foundation reflects the unique role of the apostles in establishing the early church, and the sign gifts—such as speaking in tongues, healings, and prophecy—were given specifically to validate their ministry and authenticate the revelation they delivered.

Once this foundation was laid, these gifts were no longer necessary in the same way, as they served a unique purpose during the formative years of the church.

The foundation of the church, like any building, only needs to be laid once, and it is now the role of the church to build upon it. Hebrews 1:2 and Jude 3 emphasize that God’s revelation through Christ and the apostles is final, calling the church to preserve and continue in this established truth rather than pursuing new signs or revelations.

However, this position does not deny that God can still perform miracles according to His will.

It simply asserts that the regular operation of these sign gifts, as seen in the New Testament, is no longer needed now that Scripture provides the full and sufficient revelation for faith and practice.

As believers, our task is to remain faithful to this foundation, aligning our worship and teaching with the Word of God rather than looking for new signs or wonders.