Age SWM 5 Why Prophesying and Speaking in

Age SWM 5 Why Prophesying and Speaking in Tongues Do Not Occur Today

Signs, Wonders, and Miracles Ø Signs, wonders, and miracles are essential to the Christian faith. Ø They proved that Jesus was sent from God. (Acts 2: 22 NKJV) “… attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, . …” Ø They confirmed the prophet’s messages. (Heb 2: 4 NKJV) God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will? 2

Signs, Wonders, and Miracles—Cont’d Ø It is also essential to understand that they ended. Ø If they did not end, then: q There additional authorized messengers. q There additional authenticated messages. Ø We must heed all the words from God to man. 3

Signs, Wonders, and Miracles—Cont’d Ø The claim of continuing messages from God is a great source of confusion and digression in the religious world today. Ø We need to put that claim in clear contrast to the Scriptures. We need to be able to demonstrate from the Scriptures the end of miracles. 4

Signs, Wonders, and Miracles—Cont’d Ø The Scriptures (I Cor. 13 and Eph. 4) teach the principle that there would be a time when signs, wonders, and miracles would end. Ø That is a valid and valuable approach. 5

Signs, Wonders, and Miracles—Cont’d Ø The approach in this study for proving the end of signs, wonders, and miracles it to: q Identify the ways (modes or means) by which people received them. q Show that these modes of transmitting these abilities are no longer available today. If miraculous abilities cannot be imparted today, they are not available today. 6

First Mode: Laying on of an Apostle’s Hands Ø The first mode (or means) of imparting miraculous gifts we will investigate is the laying on of an Apostle’s hands. q q We will look at occasions on which this occurred. We will see an explicit statement from the Scriptures about this mode. 7

First Mode: Laying on of an Apostle’s Hands—Cont’d Example #1: Twelve “disciples” at Ephesus Ø Paul thought they were Christians and asked: (Acts 19: 2 KJV) … Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? . … Ø When Paul learned they were not Christians, they were baptized. Ø Then—only after they became Christians: (Acts 19: 6 KJV) … Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. 8

First Mode: Laying on of an Apostle’s Hands—Cont’d Example #2: The Samaritans Ø Among the Samaritans (Acts 8: 5 -13), the evangelist Philip: q Worked miracles. q Taught and baptized many (including Simon, a magician). Ø Simon was amazed at the miracles and signs done by Philip (Acts 8: 13). But, Simon never asked Philip for the ability to perform miracles. 9

First Mode: Laying on of an Apostle’s Hands—Cont’d Example #2: The Samaritans—Cont’d Ø Then two Apostles (Peter and John) came to Samaria and … (Acts 8: 17 NKJV) … laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Ø They received something Simon could see. (Acts 8: 18 NKJV). . . Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given. . 10

First Mode: Laying on of an Apostle’s Hands—Cont’d Example #2: The Samaritans—Cont’d Ø When Simon saw that it was through the laying on of the Apostles’ hands that miraculous abilities were transmitted, Simon asked the Apostles to … (Acts 8: 19 NKJV) … “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit. ” Simon approached the Apostles (not Philip) for the power to impart miraculous abilities. 11

First Mode: Laying on of an Apostle’s Hands—Cont’d Example #2: The Samaritans—Cont’d Ø Note Simon’s clear conclusion that the power was transmitted by the Apostles’ hands: (Acts 8: 18 NKJV) …through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given …. 12

First Mode: Laying on of an Apostle’s Hands—Cont’d Example #3: Timothy Ø The Apostle Paul had imparted a “gift” to Timothy. (2 Tim 1: 6 KJV). . . stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. Ø The eldership (“presbytery”) was present. (1 Tim 4: 14 KJV) Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. 13

First Mode: Laying on of an Apostle’s Hands—Cont’d Example # 3: Timothy—Cont’d Ø It was “by” Paul’s hands and “with” the hands of the eldership. q q The eldership was present. Paul’s hands were the means by which the miraculous abilities were imparted. Again, it was an Apostle’s hands that transmitted the abilities. 14

First Mode: Laying on of an Apostle’s Hands—Cont’d Summary of First Mode Ø The first mode (or method) of receiving miraculous abilities is the laying on of an Apostle’s hands. Ø There is not a single instance of miraculous abilities being imparted by a man (or woman) except by the laying on of the hands of an Apostle. 15

Signs, Wonders, and Miracles Ø But, there are two (and only two) occasions recorded when the miraculous abilities were imparted without the laying on of anyone’s hands. Ø These two instances demonstrate a second mode (or method) by which miraculous gifts were received. 16

Second Mode: Baptism with the Holy Spirit Example #1: Apostles on Pentecost Ø On the Day of Pentecost (AD 30), the Apostles … (Acts 2: 1 ASV) … were all together in one place. (Acts 2: 2 -3 ASV) And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them. (Acts 2: 4 ASV) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 17

Second Mode: Baptism with the Holy Spirit—Cont’d Example #1: Apostles on Pentecost—Cont’d Ø On the Day of Pentecost (AD 30) … q The Apostles received the ability to speak in tongues. q But, those abilities were not imparted by anyone’s hands. q They came “from heaven” (Acts 2: 2) and “fell” (Acts 11: 15) upon the Apostles. 18

Second Mode: Baptism with the Holy Spirit—Cont’d Example #1: Apostles on Pentecost—Cont’d Ø This was in fulfillment of a promise: q That Jesus made just 10 days earlier that. . . (Acts 1: 5 NKJV) … you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. ” q That Peter said was fulfilled when Jesus, … (Acts 2: 33 NKJV) … having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. This was baptism “with the Holy Spirit. ” 19

Second Mode: Baptism with the Holy Spirit Example #2: Cornelius’ household Ø While Peter was still preaching… (Acts 10: 44 NKJV) … the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. Ø Peter observed that those Gentiles had. . . (Acts 10: 47 NKJV) “… received the Holy Spirit … Ø And, as a result they did … (Acts 10: 46 NKJV) … speak with tongues and magnify God…. 20

Second Mode: Baptism with the Holy Spirit—Cont’d Example #2: Cornelius’ household—Cont’d Ø What happened at Cornelius’ house in AD 40 was a rare event: q q For a precedent, Peter related it to something that had happened before to the Apostles. Peter said those of Cornelius’ house had. . . (Acts 10: 47 NKJV) “… received the Holy Spirit just as we have? ” 21

Second Mode: Baptism with the Holy Spirit—Cont’d Example #2: Cornelius’ household—Cont’d Ø What happened at Cornelius’ house in AD 40 was a rare event: —Cont’d q For a precedent, Peter related it to events on Pentecost AD 30. q Peter said the Holy Spirit fell on them. . . (Acts 11: 15 NKJV) “…as upon us at the beginning. q Peter said God gave them. . . (Acts 11: 17 NKJV) “…the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. … 22

Second Mode: Baptism with the Holy Spirit—Cont’d Example #2: Cornelius’ household—Cont’d Ø What did happen at Cornelius’ house? q Peter connected the events at Cornelius’ house with a promise of baptism with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 11: 16 NKJV) “Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit. ’ 23

Second Mode: Baptism with the Holy Spirit—Cont’d Example #2: Cornelius’ household—Cont’d Ø What did happen at Cornelius’ house? — Cont’d q Peter connected the events at Cornelius’ house with “the baptism of the Holy Spirit” on Pentecost. (Acts 11: 15 NKJV) “And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. This was baptism “with the Holy Spirit. ” 24

Second Mode: Baptism with the Holy Spirit—Cont’d Summary of Second Mode Ø Those Apostles on Pentecost (AD 30) and those of Cornelius’ household (AD 40) received visible, miraculous abilities, just as did: q q The twelve Ephesians upon whom Paul laid his hands, and Those of Samaria upon whom Peter and John laid their hands. 25

Second Mode: Baptism with the Holy Spirit—Cont’d Summary of Second Mode—Cont’d Ø But the mode (or method) of imparting the gifts was completely different. q q No laying on of hands was involved. On Pentecost and at Cornelius’ house, the abilities seem to “fall” from heaven (Acts 10: 44, 11: 15). q Jesus, the one who baptized with the Holy Spirit (Mark 1: 8), was in heaven (Acts 2: 33, Col. 3: 1, I Pet. 3: 22). 26

Signs, Wonders, and Miracles Ø There were two modes (or means) by which miraculous abilities were transmitted: q q The laying on of an Apostle’s hands. “Baptism with the Holy Spirit” by Jesus. Ø There are no Apostles today (none meet the qualifications—Acts 1: 20 -23, I Cor. 15: 8 -9). Ø There is no “baptism with the Holy Spirit” today (Paul says there is “one baptism” in Eph. 4: 5, written AD 62). 27