Jwfacts said: This is yet another of your false arguments, that no doubt you think is accurate, yet again because of indoctrination. The Bible does not say that these things would be done away with "after the restraint of the Apostles", that is what the Watchtower says. The Bible shows that the gifts would not be done away with until “that which is complete arrives” and we see “face to face”, which is a reference to going to heaven.
Actually, this is not a false argument at all. We will now show from 2 Thessalonians exactly what Paul meant and why the gifts would be done away with. 2 Thessalonians 2:2-4 "we request of YOU 2 not to be quickly shaken from YOUR reason nor to be excited either through an inspired expression or through a verbal message or through a letter as though from us, to the effect that the day of Jehovah is here.
3 Let no one seduce YOU in any manner, because it will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness gets revealed, the son of destruction. 5 Do YOU not remember that, while I was yet with YOU, I used to tell YOU these things?"
Paul is addressing the brothers and reminding them that they should not be mislead that the day of Jehovah is near, and that he has told them these things on previous occassions.
Now, he says "And SO NOW YOU KNOW THE THING THAT ACTS AS A RESTRAINT.." Yes, Paul is adjusting and correcting the brothers thinking so that they are not deceived by this man of lawlessness/apostasy. The other apostles who write letters to the congregations do a similar thing as well, they admonish and remind the brothers to keep spiritually awake.
Verse 7 "True, the mystery of this lawlessness is already at work; but only till he who is right now acting as a restraint gets to be out of the way. 9 But the lawless one’s presence is according to the operation of Satan with every powerful work and lying signs and portents.."
After the restraint excercised by the apostles, the lawless one will be revealed. He will deceive with 'every powerful work' and 'lying signs' and 'portents'. Notice Paul says that 'the mystery of this lawlessness is ALREADY AT WORK'. Why is there a need for this letter to be written? Because the brothers have been deceived by verbal expressions (tongues, prophesying) and false, forged letters from false apostles (who would prove their authority with their ability to perform these miracles). The lawless one's presence is marked by EVERY POWERFUL WORK. There will no longer be a distinction of the false gifts from the true gifts after the apostasy sets in and that is why they will be done away with.
Acts 2:15-18 “These people are, in fact, not drunk, as you suppose, for it is the third hour of the day. On the contrary, this is what was said through the prophet Joel, ‘”And in the last days,” God says, “I shall pour out some of my spirit upon every sort of flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy and your young men will see visions and your old men will dream dreams, and even upon my men slaves and upon my women slaves I will pour out some of my spirit in those days and they will prophesy.’”
Paul describes the features of the last days in extensive detail in 2 Timothy 3. He describes these last days as a future event, meaning they have not yet come. Peter does a similar thing in 2 Peter. That is why the prophecy was quoted, because it was being fulfilled at Penecost 33 C.E, not the last days that correlate to Christ's parousia. Paul tells us the presence of the lawless one and the apostasy will be marked by powerful works and signs and portents. Jesus says many will say to me in that day 'did we not prophesy in your name' and 'perform many powerful works in your name?'. The Bible does not show that miracles/signs are a prerequisite to show God's backing and that is where you blundered.
...OUTLAW