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News From Israel MagazineSigns and Wonders - Part II
The Miracles of the Apostles Are Signs
“Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to usward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered” (Psalm 40:5).
In the time of the Church in which we live we have to distinguish two completely different periods: the time of the apostles, which includes the first century and the post-apostolic time, which is marked by the Word of God in writing. We live in the post-apostolic time and it will remain unchangeable until the Church has been raptured on the Day of Jesus Christ.
The time of the apostles was special and it includes the first century of the Church until the death of the last apostle. The apostles have a very special position in the history of Church. We read that the Church has been built “upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20).
Our Lord Jesus has chosen and called the disciples He called “apostles.” They were with Him during His ministry on earth. They heard His words, saw His deeds, and were eyewitnesses of His glory, His death on the cross, His resurrection and His ascension. Before His ascension, Jesus gave the apostles — with the exception of Judas Iscariot — a special commission to preach the Gospel unto every creature. He promised that special signs would confirm their proclamation, and said to them: “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” (Mark 16:15-18).
The preaching of the apostles was confirmed as true by the signs the Holy Spirit gave them and also to those who believed through their word. The message preached by the apostles was the word of the cross, the word of resurrection, which was an offense to the Jews and was foolishness to the Greeks. It was extremely necessary that the preaching of the apostles be confirmed as true by the signs they performed. There was no other proof before the Jews and the heathen, for the New Testament had not yet been written. We read in the report of the inspired Word of God: “and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles” (Acts 2:43) and “by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people” (Acts 5:12).
In the book of Acts we read many descriptions of the wonders of the apostles. Peter healed the lame man at the door of the temple (Acts 3:6). He healed Aeneas (Acts 9:34). He raised Tabitha from the dead (Acts 9:40). Stephen and Philip also performed miracles as coworkers of the chosen apostles: “And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people” (Acts 6:8), “Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed” (Acts 8:5-7).
At this time, the risen Lord called Saul of Tarsus to be an apostle as he traveled to Damascus. Saul testified, “And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (1 Corinthians 15:8-9).
Paul emphasized he had received the message from Jesus Christ Himself just as the other apostles had. He wrote, “But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:11-12).
Paul defended His apostleship with special power and testified that the signs of an apostle were done by the One who confirmed him as an apostle: “for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing. Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds” (2 Corinthians 12:11b-12).
The Acts of the Apostles contains a record of the apostolic time of the Church that not only underlines the deeds and miracles of Peter, but also those of Paul. “And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them” (Acts 19:11-12). In Troas, Paul raised the young man named Eutychus from the dead (Acts 20:9-10). When he was bitten by a poisonous snake on the island Milita, “He shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm” (Acts 28:5).
It is important to know from the Holy Spirit-inspired Word of God that Paul was a true apostle who was confirmed by the signs of the apostles. His letters comprise most of the New Testament. If Paul is an apostle, then all of his writings are godly in authority. If he is not an apostle, then his letters have no more value than that of a subjective witness. They would be of certain value, but they would not be necessarily binding. The apostles have given us the written Word of God, which stands under the testimony of the Holy Spirit: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Timothy 3:16).
This revelation of God in the New Testament is concluded with the time of the apostles and nobody can add as much as one word. The New Testament is the Word of God and as such it needs no signs and wonders; its godly authority is incontestable and does not need to be proven. Therefore, with the apostles also vanishes the time of the signs and wonders that accompanied them.
Today, we not only have Moses and the prophets, but also Jesus Christ and the apostles to prove the truthfulness of every proclamation and preaching; therefore, we no longer need signs and wonders. In fact, it is even very dangerous to long for signs and wonders. Jesus Christ warned: “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matthew 24:24).
It seems to be a sign of the endtimes that so many people, including believers, long for something special and are not satisfied with the glorious Word of God. They could easily fall under the judging word of Scripture that states: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit to the Church Are Not Signs
We live in the post-apostolic time of the Church. The Holy Spirit lives in the spirit of every single believer who has been washed in the blood of the Lord Jesus and has been born again. First Corinthians 6:19 is true for every believer: “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”
This fact needs no proof, but the believer only needs to give to the Holy Spirit, who lives within him, the rightful position as God and Lord so that he is free to produce the Fruit of the Spirit in his life. This Fruit of the Spirit is not a sign or a wonder, but exemplifies a Christ-likeness: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith” (Galatians 5:22).
The Holy Spirit unites believers to a new spiritual oneness, the Church, which is the Body of Christ. Each be liever is a living member of this Body and as such holds a very special function to fulfill. The Word of God uses the natural body with its members as a picture of the Church and its different members: “whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness” (Romans 12:6b-8).
Paul doesn’t give an exhaustive list of all the gifts and ministries that can be found in the Church; he only identifies some of the more important ones. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul first writes a summary of the believer’s behavior and writes: “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all” (1 Corinthians 12:4-6).
The word charismata is used in this verse; that is the word from which we get the term “charismatic.” The word “charismatic” means “gift of grace” and has nothing to do with signs and wonders. Paul emphasized: “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal” (1 Corinthians 12:7).
Then he lists a number of gifts that were important just then in the local church of Corinth and were being discussed. It should be noted that Paul mentioned some gifts only in this letter to the Corinthians. For instance, he mentions the gift of speaking in tongues as the last of the gifts, together with the gift to interpret. With a simple question he makes it clear that not all believers possess this gift: “Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?” (1 Corinthians 12:30).
He expects the answer, “No, of course not,” then he admonishes the Corinthians: “But covet earnestly the best gifts” [charismata — gifts of the grace of God]” (1 Corinthians 12:31). He shows them the more excellent way of love, but he admonishes no one to speak in tongues. The question of speaking in foreign tongues led to difficulties in this young, easily stirred up Greek church, and Paul saw the great danger of divisions within the church. Therefore, He gives clear instructions for speaking in tongues in the church so that no disorder or confusion will result. In the event that speaking in tongues should take place in the church, he instructs: “If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret” (1
Corinthians 14:27). “But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God” (1 Corinthians 14:28). “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law” (1 Corinthians 14:34). (The word “speak” here is lalein, which means “speaking in tongues” not the word prophetein, which means “to proclaim.”)
These clear instructions are important today and apply to every local church. The grief that would be spared in the Church of Jesus if we observed these instructions would lessen dramatically.
Can people speak in tongues today? Yes! Everyone can speak to the Lord in his own “tongue,” or in his own way. So then we can speak in “tongues,” which we would describe today with the words, “no articulate language.” This is a personal matter between the Lord and each believer; we cannot judge. We must know, however, that speaking in “inarticulate sounds” (unintelligible) is an appearance of emotional ecstasy that is also found in many heathen religions. Every emotional person, especially women, can become caught up in speaking in tongues. That’s why the advice given by many believers to just make sounds so that one might be able to speak in tongues is very dangerous. Such a person not only can become emotionally confused, but is at a risk for coming under a demonic influence as well.
We do not want to deny that tongues are possible today. When it is done properly, it is actually praise to God that cannot be put into the words of a language; it is unspeakable. But it should be done in secret; it is meant for quiet, very personal contact with God. Referring to his own experience, the Apostle Paul wrote: “For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries” (1 Corinthians 14:2).
How much discontentment and divisions have been caused in the Church today just because many have not kept this gift behind closed doors. They have advertised it and expected it from every believer, calling it the “sign of the fullness of the Spirit.” This mentality has led to the division of the church into a “superior” and “inferior” group of Christians.
Is there an explanation? Why does this least of all gifts of grace play such a great role in so many churches today? It is certainly possible that many churches have neglected the inner lives of members. Many believers have been disappointed by the emptiness, coldness, dryness and formalism in some churches and have fled into movements that promise emotional experiences. To this can be added that in many churches, the Bible has become unknown because the deeper study of God’s Word has been neglected. That is why this emotionally emphasized movement increases in its numbers. These believers seek a new kind of worship service and desire an active participation of all members of the congregation.
One thing is certain: through these very often fruitless discussions, many are being diverted from the central focus of our faith, the cross of Jesus Christ, and will harvest personal damage. In addition to that, the chief task has been forgotten: to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the millions of lost people in this generation. The world is in flames; the judgment of God is at the door. This time of grace is limited. We must work toward one goal: to see that Jesus Christ is being preached to a lost world. Christ is the great unspeakable gift of God to His Church and the appearance of our Lord for His Church is very close. He has given us the gift of the Holy Spirit in order to prepare us for the great day of our meeting with Him in the air. A glorious future lies before us. Nothing should hold us back and we don’t want to let anything distract us from this great goal. The apostle admonished: “And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Hebrews 6:11-12).