Miraculous Divine Healing Today Michael Hatcher INTRODUCTION Questions and theories concerning the Holy Spirit are manifold. This is true in the Lord’s church as well as in denominationalism. Pentecostalism has made great inroads into our society and with the way it is growing it seems to be “turn[ing] the world upside down.” One of the great drawing powers of Pentecostalism is the claim of modern-day miracles and healings. Let it be clearly understood that we believe in miracles, including miraculous divine healings. The Bible abounds with miracles and miraculous healings, and we believe and accept each one. We also know that other miracles occurred during the Bible times even though they are not specifically recorded in the Bible which we readily accept (cf. John 20:30-31). Thus, we are not denying God’s power to perform a miracle. What we are denying is that those miracles, including miraculous divine healings occur today. While our specific subject involves the specific subject of miraculous divine healings it has to do with the general subject of miracles. Thus we must deal, at least in a cursory way, with the general subject as well as the specific subject of healings. It is first important to get a good working definition of a miracle. Many use the term in a very loose way. Some speak of a phenomenon of science as a miracle. Whereas these can and many times are mysterious to us, it is not a miracle in the biblical sense. Often miracle is used to describe a wonderful event or thing, anything out of the ordinary. Thus, many speak of the “miracle of birth,” or “the miracle of nature.” Some will use miracle in describing a person who escaped death or sometimes harm in an grievous accident. Some will use it in describing mundane things as a superlative action at a sporting event. These fall far short of the biblical standard of a miracle. Arndt and Gingrich define it as: “2. a sign consisting of a wonder or miracle, an event that is contrary to the usual course of nature. a. miracle of divine origin, performed by God himself, by Christ, or by men of God.” 1 Brother Tom Bright wrote, “Thus, an acceptable
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Miraculous Divine Healing TodayMichael Hatcher
INTRODUCTIONQuestions and theories concerning the Holy Spirit are manifold. This is
true in the Lord’s church as well as in denominationalism. Pentecostalism has made great inroads into our society and with the way it is growing it seems to be “turn[ing] the world upside down.” One of the great drawing powers of Pentecostalism is the claim of modern-day miracles and healings.
Let it be clearly understood that we believe in miracles, including miraculous divine healings. The Bible abounds with miracles and miraculous healings, and we believe and accept each one. We also know that other miracles occurred during the Bible times even though they are not specifically recorded in the Bible which we readily accept (cf. John 20:30-31). Thus, we are not denying God’s power to perform a miracle. What we are denying is that those miracles, including miraculous divine healings occur today.
While our specific subject involves the specific subject of miraculous divine healings it has to do with the general subject of miracles. Thus we must deal, at least in a cursory way, with the general subject as well as the specific subject of healings.
It is first important to get a good working definition of a miracle. Many use the term in a very loose way. Some speak of a phenomenon of science as a miracle. Whereas these can and many times are mysterious to us, it is not a miracle in the biblical sense. Often miracle is used to describe a wonderful event or thing, anything out of the ordinary. Thus, many speak of the “miracle of birth,” or “the miracle of nature.” Some will use miracle in describing a person who escaped death or sometimes harm in an grievous accident. Some will use it in describing mundane things as a superlative action at a sporting event. These fall far short of the biblical standard of a miracle. Arndt and Gingrich define it as: “2. a sign consisting of a wonder or miracle, an event that is contrary to the usual course of nature. a. miracle of divine origin, performed by God himself, by Christ, or by men of God.”1 Brother Tom Bright wrote, “Thus, an acceptable definition of ‘miracle’ is an observable event or happening which has set aside, i.e., overruled, the laws of nature. It was an event inexplicable by any of the laws of nature.”2 A Bible miracle is the transcendence, setting aside, overruling or interference of the processes of nature, for the moment, by a Force superior to nature, a supernatural power—God.3
What we are denying in this lesson is that miracles (as set forth in the Bible) and specifically miraculous healings take place today. However, we are not denying that God works in the universe today. Many Pentecostals, when they hear that we deny miracles take place today immediately charge us with denying the power of God. However, they are the ones who are
denying God’s power. They are claiming that the only way God can work today is through the avenue of miracles. They have unknowingly denied the ability of God to work providentially. In both miracles and providence, God is working. The difference is that in miracles God is setting aside natural law, while providence is God’s working through or by means of natural law. In providence God is manipulating the laws of nature to accomplish His divine purpose. We clearly affirm that God works this way (general providence) and that He works that way in answer to the prayers of saints (special providence). God heals people today, He does not do so miraculously but through providential means.
ALL HEALINGS ARE DIVINE HEALINGSIn light of the foregoing, we should note that any healing that occurs
today is a healing from God (divine healing). In understanding the providence of God, we first need to understand that God created all things: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). God is also the controller and sustainer of all things. Paul said to the Athenians that “in him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Christ is said to be “upholding all things by the word of his power” (Heb. 1:3). Paul said of Him that “by him all things consist” (Col. 1:17). Vine defines consist as to stand with and then adds: “It is said of the universe as upheld by the Lord, Col. 1:17, lit., ‘by Him all things stand together,’ i.e., ‘consist’ (the Latin consisto, to stand together, is the exact equivalent of sunistemi).”4 God will use these natural laws today to heal people. When He does this, it is divine healing.
Garland Elkins well put it: “We believe that God heals. However, let it be clearly stated, that though God heals today, and such is divine healing; God does not heal miraculously today! God uses his natural laws, not miracles to heal people. God has a healing team. This team is composed of doctors, nurses, hospitals, technicians, dieticians, blood donors, etc., and the prayers of the saints. (Lk. 5:31; Lk. 18:1; Eph. 6:18).”5 Bill Jackson correctly observed: “It must be first pointed out that ALL HEALING IS DIVINE HEALING! In God ‘we live, and move, and have our being’ (Acts 17:28). God has erected the entire realm of law, and He has authored the laws pertaining to the correcting of physical deficiencies. Whether it is in medication, in the surgeon’s skills, in the nurse’s administrations or in the therapy applied, Divine laws are affected, and when healing takes place it is because of the natural laws originated by God.”6
Brother V. E. Howard more fully explained: “God created the body by divine law. Man is of divine origin. The whole and entire body of man is constituted by law. Our God set in order definite laws for the function of all His creation. When these laws are violated, the consequences are inevitable. Because of certain violation and complications, it becomes necessary to operate on the body of man in order to heal the body. All the organs of the body operate in their regulated sphere. When the laws of nature regulating their function are violated, reconciliation, in harmony with those laws, must
be accomplished to heal and restore proper functions. Man’s advancement in science and development of useful instruments are avenues, placed at his disposal by Jehovah, through which man may learn more about God’s laws regulation [sic] the human body, thus accomplishing healing in harmony with God’s laws of nature. God is not going to send down a special instrument with which to perform a certain operation on the human body, but through the proper function of the mind of man; he has discovered and put together the useful instruments which were created by God in the beginning, for the healing and benefit of man’s body. God placed the minerals in the earth and created every substance, known and unknown to man; we make the scientific discoveries and apply the benefits to mankind, using all types of medicines and applications to the human body. That is divine healing.”7
Brother G. K. Wallace used this illustration: “Should one become ill with appendicitis and an appendectomy is performed and then he is alright, that is divine healing, but not miraculous healing. It is God’s law that if the affected appendix is removed properly the patient will be well again. The doctors are simply using one of God’s laws. Such a law existed long before the doctors discovered it. If a man had his leg cut off it would be right to pray for him but would be sinful to do nothing more. God expects us to use all natural laws we know. To ask God to set aside those natural laws and perform a miracle of healing is asking Him to do that which He has not promised. Where is the passage that says God will miraculously heal today?”8
Thus, all true healings that take place today are divine healings. God is involved in each one. Often God heals as a direct result of the prayers of saints and while He does not do so miraculously, He does so through providential means. This was the case with Hezekiah. God instructed Isaiah to tell Hezekiah to prepare for death (2 Kings 20:1). Hezekiah prayed to God (II Kings 20:2-3). God tells Isaiah to “turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord” (II Kings 20:5). God is going to add fifteen years to his life because of his prayer. “And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered” (II Kings 20:7). A lump of figs was a common remedy for boils in the East. Thus, God healed Hezekiah because of his prayer using natural means. We affirm that God still works in this way.
THERE ARE “HEALINGS” TODAYOften in speaking to those who believe in miraculous healings, they will
introduce some “miracle” they have seen or of which they know. How do we respond to these apparent miracles? First, we do not have to defend something as miraculous simply because we cannot understand it. I may not understand how a magician performs a magic trick, but the explanation is purely natural and not miraculous. However, with supposed miraculous healings today, there are several explanations which can be given.
Many of these supposed miracles are hoaxes, pure fakery. These types of trickery have been exposed many times. The magician James Randi wrote an entire book exposing the fraud of modern-day miraculous claims.9 One of the fakes exposed by Randi was Peter Popoff who would provide rented wheelchairs to people who could walk, then at his service he would “heal” them so they could walk (a trick that has been practiced by many through the years).
There are some who are healed who have nothing organically wrong with them. They have psychosomatic illnesses. A psychosomatic illness will affect part of the body, however the real problem is in the mind. The mind has a great deal of power over the physical body. It is commonly known that an African witch-doctor can command a believer in voodoo to die and within the prescribed time the person will die. The body can and does affect the physical body producing sicknesses and illnesses which have no cause other than the mind. When the “faith-healer” of today works people into an emotional frenzy, he through that emotion heals their mind which in turn heals their body. Dr. William S. Sadler wrote, “It is generally believed by experienced physicians that at least two-thirds of the ordinary cases of sickness which doctors are called upon to treat would, if left entirely alone, recover without the aid of the doctor or his medicine.”10 Brother Foy Smith wrote concerning this phenomena: “They are emotional healings, mind healings. The power the mind has over the body is unbelievable. The mind can think a thing until the emotions fall in line, and then the body reacts accordingly. There are people in wheel chairs who do not need to be there. Other maladies that seem to be so real are not real, but the results of being sick in mind. Heal the minds and their bodies are healed. This is exactly what the faith healers do today. They gain the confidence of the victim—make that victim believe they have powers to heal...“from God,” they say—and the victim believes he is healed. And, he is! Of what? Of a real organic, physical problem? No! He has a mind healing.”11 He then added: “A doctor heard me preach along these lines in Sherman, Texas several years ago. I mentioned that doctors say that perhaps seventy-five percent of our illnesses are in our minds. When he left he said, ‘In my experiences you can put that down as about ninety-eight percent!’ The shysters know this. They ‘heal’ the bodies by ‘healing’ the minds.”12
There is another explanation for these healings known as spontaneous remission. “Spontaneous remission is an unexpected withdrawal of disease symptoms and an inexplicable disappearance of the ailment. It occurs in about one out of every 80,000 cancer patients. A while back newspapers carried the account of a bartender in Washington. When the gentleman had exploratory surgery, it was discovered that he was consumed with cancer. His physicians expected him to live only a few months. As time sped by, his disease utterly vanished. There was nothing supernatural about it. No claim of faith, prayer, or miraculous healing was involved. Wouldn’t some faith-healer have revelled [sic] in taking credit for that cure?”13
ARGUMENTS MADE FOR MIRACULOUS HEALINGSThere are several arguments made by the “faith healer” of today. One
wrote, “The explanation of the expectation of miracles in Pentecostalism is to be found in the rock-like belief that Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and for ever (Heb. 13.8), that those who believe are accompanied by the signs of faith (Mark 16.17-18), that Jesus Christ has come to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind (Luke 4.18), and that he has borne our sicknesses and carried our pains (Isa. 53.4). Other fundamentalists preach the miracles of the Bible, but Pentecostals experience them. ‘Take away the supernatural from Christianity, and Christianity ceases to exist.’”14 We want to examine these along with others and then refute these arguments.
Healing Is In The AtonementInvariably Pentecostals will argue that healing is in the atonement. Walter
J. Hollenweger writes, “The Jugoslav Kristova Pentekostna Crkva proclaims: ‘Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement at Golgotha, and is the privilege of all believers.’”15 We find this same statement in declaration of faith of the Assemblies of God in the United States with the addition of the main passages they believe support this doctrine (Isa. 53:4-5; Matt. 8:16-17). Isaiah writes, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Matthew records Jesus physically healing people and says it is a fulfillment of Isaiah. “When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.”
No one can successfully deny that there is an element of the physical healing in Isaiah’s statement. However, to overlook the obvious deeper spiritual meaning in Isaiah is to wrest the Scriptures. The whole thrust of Isaiah’s message is salvation from sins and how our Savior suffered for our iniquities to heal us. Thus, the healing is primarily spiritual and not physical. Sin is like a disease which needs healing (Isa. 1:5-6). Jesus is the great Physician who heals us of our sins. “And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:31-32).
Jesus used this figure elsewhere. “For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them” (Matt. 13:15). Jesus could heal them if they would be converted. Is this physical healing or spiritual healing? Mark answers for us. “That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not
understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them” (Mark 4:12). The healing that takes place is the forgiveness of sins; it is spiritual healing. The same is true in Isaiah’s statement. Isaiah—the atonement—does not offer physical healing of the body, but spiritual healing of the soul.
God Does Not ChangeThe Scriptures teach that God does not change. “For I am the Lord, I
change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed” (Mal. 3:6). Pentecostals will teach that since God does not change, He must still be performing miracles.
Simply because God does not change does God always do the same things He has previously done? Obviously not! God directly made Adam out of the dust of the earth. God does not do that anymore. Yet, if this argument is true, then God is still doing so. We want to know who, living today, did not have parents but was made directly by God from the dust of the earth. God made the woman from the rib of Adam. God is not doing that today. God does not and never did repeat the miracle of the virgin conception and birth of Jesus. If God’s not changing means that He always does the same thing in the same way, then He must be doing these things today. Yet, He is not. Instead of dealing with God’s actions, Malachi was dealing with God’s nature. His nature does not change. God will always be holy, righteous, loving, etc.
God Is AbleAs was mentioned earlier, when individuals deny the occurrence of
miracles today, Pentecostals will charge that they are denying God’s ability. They will mention passages such as Genesis 18:14, “Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” They will affirm that God is just as powerful today as He ever was.
Simply because we deny that God works miracles today does not mean that we deny His power to do so. He is still all-powerful. However, simply because God is able, does not mean that God does everything He is able to do. John the Baptist reminded the Jews of his day, “And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham” (Matt. 3:9). God was (and still is) able to raise up children to Abraham from rocks, however He did not do it. God is/was able to bring the world to an end at any time including yesterday. However, while God has the power to do so, He did not! We will agree that God has the power to work miracles today, but deny that He does so.
We will again mention that Pentecostals are the ones denying the power of God. They believe that the only way God can work is through miracles. We affirm that God is not limited to working through miracles, He can and does work through providence. He has done this through all dispensations of time.
For some examples: consider Joseph (Gen. 50:17-20), consider Esther, and consider Onesimus (Phile. 15-16).
Christ Is The SameThis is basically the same argument as God does not change. They will
argue that Jesus worked miracles, He is the same, therefore He still works miracles today. They will specifically mention Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” However, as was said concerning God’s immutability, this deals with Christ’s moral and spiritual nature. This does not teach that Jesus will continue to do what He did during His personal ministry.
Miracles Are Promised In The Great CommissionWe are often chastised when we quote Mark’s account of the great
commission and do not continue with the promise of miraculous powers. Jesus said, “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). We do need to add Mark’s last observation, “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” (Mark 16:19-20). This, on the surface, seems to be a powerful argument for the continuation of miraculous powers. Jesus says that these miracles will follow “them that believe” (v. 17).
Many of our brethren when faced with this difficulty will try to change the antecedent of believe in verse seventeen to the apostles in verse fourteen. They will trace how that the apostles did not believe the testimony of Mary Magdalene (vv 9-11) of Jesus’ resurrection. Next Jesus appears to two, but again the rest of the apostles did not believe (vv. 12-13). Jesus then appears to the eleven and rebukes them for their unbelief and hardness of heart “because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen” (v. 14).
There are some problems with this interpretation. There is no reason to change the grammatical laws in making a change of antecedents. Also, and more importantly, verses nine through fourteen is a narrative given by John Mark. When we come to verse fifteen, we no longer have a narrative, we now have a direct statement made by Jesus to His apostles. In verse seventeen, when He says “them that believe,” if He were speaking about the apostles He would have said “you” instead of “them.” Then in verse nineteen Mark returns to his narrative. Others in explaining this see this problem and explain that it is representative. As long as some work these miracles, which
was accomplished during the first century, then it has been fulfilled and we do not need to expect them today.16
However, allow me the opportunity of presenting another view of this passage. I believe the key to the passage is the word follow in verse seventeen and following in verse twenty. They both come from the same root word akoloutheo which means to follow. However, there is a great deal of difference in the words because of the prefixes. In verse seventeen we have the prefix para meaning beside or next to. In verse twenty we have the prefix epi meaning upon. Thus, in verse seventeen we have the miracles following beside of or being laid beside of those who believe. This in no way indicates who is performing the miracles. Verse twenty is a discussion of the apostles and we are now told that they are the ones who had the miracles laid upon them. They were confirming the word with the miracles laid upon them.
The miracles have been laid beside all believers of all time (v. 17). Because of the miracles giving confirmation to the word (v. 20), we have faith in Jesus as the Christ and God’s plan to save sinful mankind. John wrote, “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:30-31). As we read God’s Word (which is how faith comes—Rom. 10:17), we read of the miracles the apostles worked and those signs follow our faith. “The miracles written in the Bible confirm our faith although we were not there to witness them and although we do not see them repeated and cannot repeat them. There were recorded that we might believe in Christ and believing have eternal life (John 20:30).”17
Apostles Are Not The Only Ones Who Performed Miracles in the New Testament
This statement is true. Notice some in the New Testament who were not apostles who did work miracles. The Bible records that Stephen worked miracles. “And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people” (Acts 6:8). Philip went to Samaria and worked miracles. “And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did” (Acts 8:6). It is obvious from I Corinthians that they also worked miracles. However, this does not prove what the Pentecostals want it to prove. The only way they could work miracles is through the laying on of the hands of the apostles. We will discuss more completely later. Since there are no apostles to lay hands on people today, no one can work miracles today.
Paul Worked Miracles And Instructed Others To Do As He Had DoneThis argument is taken from Paul’s statement to the Philippian brethren.
“Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you” (Phil. 4:9). This does not mean that they were to work miracles because Paul worked miracles. He
is teaching them to “adopt and practice the principles of Christianity which Paul had taught them.”18 It is parallel to what he told the Corinthians. “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (I Cor. 11:1).
To do all that Paul had done they would have to strike those who opposed their teaching blind for a season as Paul did (Acts 13:9-11). Yet, they will not attempt to do this. They would also have to raise the dead because Paul did (Acts 20:7-12). Yet, they will not try this. Therefore, by their own actions they will not attempt to do what their argument demands of them, showing it is fallacious.
CONTRAST BETWEEN BIBLE HEALINGS AND MODERN HEALINGSAs one compares the miracles of the Bible with the modern healings he
observes a stark contrast between them. Let us briefly consider some of these differences.
GenuinenessThe miracles of today involve ambiguous maladies that leave one
guessing as to whether or not a miracle or anything really happened. The miracles of the Bible, however, left no doubt that they were beyond natural causes. The modern-day worker will be very selective in what they try to heal, while those in the Bible did nothing to limit what was performed.
Acknowledged by EnemiesEven the enemies of Christianity had to admit that miracles had been
worked. After Peter and John had given a defense before the Sanhedrin for healing the lame man, it says of them, “And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it” (Acts 4:14). They sent Peter and John out of the room and said, “What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.” (Acts 4:16). Often the rulers of the people were angry at Jesus but never did they try to deny any of the miracles that occurred. They did, on one occasion, try to attribute the power by which He worked the miracle to Beelzebub (Mat. 12:22-30). After some told them of the raising of Lazarus John states, “Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles” (John 11:47). No one who lived during the Bible times ever left any record as to whether a true miracle had taken place.
This cannot be said of miracle workers today. There has always been a cloud of suspicion around them. Consider the debate challenges to them to work a miracle, demonstrate the power, or the books exposing the frauds for their trickery. Hollenweger in speaking of Oral Roberts writes, “He holds firmly to his teaching, although he is realistic enough to admit that only twenty-five per cent of the people with whom he prays are healed or improved. He says in as many words: ‘No one in the whole world has prayed
with more sick people who have not been healed than I have.’”19 What a contrast to the obvious miracles of the Bible.
Seen By More Than One WitnessOften when pressed for a real miracle, the modern-day worker will
mention some event that happened in some far off place. One time I asked for an example of Biblical tongues occurring today. I was told of someone in Africa who had done so. The miracles of the Bible were not done in a corner. In speaking to Agrippa, Paul said, “For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner” (Acts 26:26). Often there were multitudes around to see the miracle. When Jesus fed the multitudes in John 6 there were five-thousand men beside women and children.
For a Specific PurposeToday miracles are used to excite the fancy. The more emotionally
excited people become, the more miracles they can work. Bible miracles were never used for this purpose. Nor were they used to make a name for oneself. It becomes painfully obvious that many of the modern-day miracle workers do so simply as a means of milking gullible people out of their money. Those in the Bible never used miracles as a way to make money. As Peter and John went into the temple the lamb man asked them for money (Acts 3:3). “Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk” (Acts 3:6).
Many people consider the purpose of miracles being the relieving of illnesses and pain, remove suffering, and improve the physical condition of people. They have the mistaken idea that God does not want people to suffer, thus He heals them of these things. They fail to realize that the New Testament teaches there is a purpose to suffering. Suffering gives the individual the proper environment to grow, develop, and mature. God also promises that He will be with us during these times (I Cor. 10:13) and He will give us grace to endure them (II Cor. 12:9). While Jesus did demonstrate His compassion in the healings, it becomes obvious that His compassion is not the purpose of the miracles. If compassion was the purpose, then Jesus would not have left anyone sick and dying for He could have healed everyone. It would not be consistent with leaving Paul’s thorn in the flesh (II Cor. 12). Surely, if compassion was the purpose of miracles, Paul would have healed Timothy’s stomach problems and oft infirmities (I Tim. 5:23), and he would have healed Trophimus instead of leaving him sick at Miletum (II Tim. 4:20). Why would Jesus say that the sick needed a physician (Matt. 9:12) if the purpose of miracles was simply to relieve sicknesses?
While compassion was involved in miracle working, and on occasion miracles did draw a crowd (excite the fancy), that was a by-product of the
miracle working—not the purpose. As we will notice later, the purpose of miracles was to confirm the Word.
Of a Concrete NatureThis is closely related to the first point we considered (genuineness). The
miracles of the Bible were of such a nature that they could not be denied: Jesus turned plain water into wine (a non-alcoholic grape juice) which could be tasted (John 2); healing a man who had been impotent thirty-eight years (John 5); feeding five-thousand men with five barley loaves and two small fishes (John 6); healing a man born blind (John 9); raising a man who had been dead for four days (John 11); restoring an ear which had been cut off (Luke 22:49-51). The Bible miracles simply could not be denied because everyone could attest to the fact that a true miracle happened. Today, the miracles are some internal problem that no one can see. They must be, because they cannot do true miracles.
Unrestricted in TypeConsider the miracles listed above and it shows that there is no
classification of miracle which was not worked. When certain miracle-workers today have certain types of ailments brought to them, they simply do not even try to cure the person because they know they cannot.
John’s account of the life of Jesus was written to produce faith in Him (John 20:30-31). To accomplish this John selects seven miracles of our Lord, each designed to show that Jesus was master over everything and, thus, the Christ. In John 2 Jesus turned water into wine (again it was a non-alcoholic beverage) showing He is master of quality. In John 4 Jesus heals the nobleman’s son who is twenty miles from the scene showing He is master of space or distance. In John 5 Jesus heals the man who had been impotent for thirty-eight years showing He is master of time. John 6 records Jesus feeding the five-thousand men with five loaves and two small fishes showing He is master over quantity. Later in the same chapter, Jesus walks on the water even though the wind and sea were boisterous showing He is master of the elements or natural law. There is a man who had been blind from his mothers womb in John 9 to whom Jesus restores sight showing He is master of misfortune. Then Jesus shows that He is master of death by raising Lazarus from the dead in John 11. These seven elements are the sum total of our existence and John shows that Jesus could work a miracle over and thus master of each. Let us see the modern-day miracle worker do these today!
ImmediateThe miracles recorded in the Bible were always instantaneous. When
Jesus healed a blind man the record states: “And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way” (Mark 10:52). When Peter and John healed the cripple man outside the temple it says that “immediately his feet and ankle
bones received strength” (Acts 3:7). When Jesus heals Peter’s mother, He “lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them” (Mark 1:31, see also Mark 5:41-42; 9:27; Luke 13:13). Never do we read of a cure which took place three weeks later. Yet, such are common among the fake miracles of today.
CompleteWhen these charlatans heal people today, many times it is an incomplete
healing or the person is only partly cured. The miracles of the Bible were never of such a nature. When Jesus healed the blind, they could see just fine. When Peter and John healed the man outside the temple, “he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God” (Acts 3:8). It was not a case of barely being able to stand up and walking with great difficulty, like the miracles of today.
EnduringThe people healed during the Bible times never reverted back to their
ailment. Once healed they remained healed. That is not the situation today. “It had to be stated with sadness that in the healing campaigns, after the first rush of enthusiasm, those who remained healed were only a very small percentage.”20 Hollenweger also records this event. “Someone who had received a temporary improvement wrote to Zaiss only the second day after her ‘healing’: ‘Everything is as before, I am deaf again, please help me, dear brother Zaiss.’ But in Zaiss’s office records this person had already been registered as ‘healed’, and so, in spite of her disavowal, she could have read in Zaiss’s journal Mehr Licht! The thanksgiving she uttered in the first hours.”21
One Healed Could be Absent or PresentWhen Jesus was at Cana of Galilee, a nobleman from Capernaum came to
Jesus asking Him to heal his son. The distance between these two cities is about 20 miles. “Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth” (John 4:50). The nobleman started on his way home. “And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house” (John 4:51-53). When Jesus healed the Syrophenician woman’s daughter, she was not present (Matt. 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30). Yet, the modern fake-healers must have the person to be healed present so they can get the person emotionally excited enough to heal them. They would not try to heal someone (except in vague terms) who is not present.
Did Not Require the Faith of the RecipientInvariably Pentecostals demand that the person to be healed has enough
faith. This is so the mind can do its work in healing the body (alleviating psychosomatic illnesses but also temporarily overcoming many real injuries and pains). The Pentecostal Walter Hollenweger quotes Mink as saying, “Healing does not fail because of the will of God, but because of the unbelief of his children.”22 What a cruel burden to place upon someone who has not been healed. “It is your own fault you are not healed; you do not have enough faith.” Hollenweger also writes, “If the healing of a sick person does not take place, this can be the result of one of ten, fifteen or twenty reasons why prayers are not heard (unbelief, sin, etc., on the part of the persons seeking healing).23 Notice that it is always on the “part of the persons seeking healing,” never upon the faith-healer.
Occasionally, faith was present on the “part of the person seeking healing” in the Bible. Prior to healing two blind men Jesus asked them, “Believe ye that I am able to do this?” (Matt. 9:28). After affirming their belief, Jesus “touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened (Matt. 9:29-30).
Many individuals did not and some could not have faith, but they were still healed. None of those raised from the dead possessed faith when they were raised.24 Jesus and others healed many who were possessed by demons (Mark 1:23-27; 5:2-13; 7:24-30; Luke 9:42; 11:14-15; Acts 5:16; 10:38). Surely, the Pentecostals will not argue that the demons had the proper type of faith to be healed. Many of the recorded miracles give no indication whether the one to be healed had faith or not (Luke 6:6-11; 13:11-13; 14:2-4). There is also the case of Jesus healing a person based upon the faith of someone else (Mark 2:1-5; Luke 7:1-10). There were some individuals who were healed where they did not even know Jesus (John 6:13-14; 9:1-38 see especially verses 35-36).
Miracles, instead of being the result of faith, were done to produce faith according to John. “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:30-31). This is the opposite of what is necessary for the charlatans of today.
ALL MIRACLES HAVE ENDEDWhile the charlatans of today still deceive people with their fakery, the
Bible shows a clear time when all miracles will end. The Bible shows in three ways that the end of miracles would be at the close of the New Testament time period.
No Means For MiraclesThe Bible reveals only two ways in which miraculous powers came to
individuals during the New Testament age. The first is that this power came directly upon the person. There are only two occasions where this took place.
The Holy Spirit came upon the apostles in a miraculous way. Jesus told His apostles to wait in Jerusalem until they received power from on high. “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). With the coming power was the coming of the Holy Spirit. “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Jesus gave this promise only to the apostles. As they were instructed, they were waiting in Jerusalem. “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:1-4). The Holy Spirit came upon the apostles and they began working miracles (speaking in tongues).
The power to work miracles coming upon a person directly from God did not occur again until a special situation arose. The Jews would not take the gospel to the Gentiles. Thus, to show that the Gentiles were recipients of the gospel, God directly sent the power to work miracles to those assembled at Cornelius’ house. “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 10:44-45). The unusual nature of this is seen when Peter rehearsed the events of that day with the Jews. He tells them, “And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?” (Acts 11:15-17). The Holy Spirit had come upon others in a miraculous way, but this was different from all other occasions (except the apostles on Pentecost) because it reminded Peter of the time when they received miraculous power directly from God at the beginning (Acts 2).
The apostles received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, we must answer the question whether or not that baptism is still available today. This baptism of the Holy Spirit was only promised to the apostles and administered to them by Christ.25 Christ instructed the apostles (and subsequently all Christians) to preach the gospel to the whole world. Those who believed and were baptized would be saved (Mark 16:15-16). This baptism is water baptism. Peter writes of Noah and those saved from the flood and states they were saved by water. He then states, “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (I Pet. 3:21). The like figure is salvation which comes through baptism in water.
Paul informs us that there is only one baptism. “One Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Eph. 4:5). This one baptism is generally conceded to be either water baptism or Holy Spirit baptism. Whichever one it is Paul excludes the other. Both cannot be in existence today. Water baptism was to be age-lasting as seen in the great commission. Paul wrote that there is one baptism and at least two years later Peter speaks of water baptism. Thus, it becomes obvious that the only baptism in effect now is water baptism and no one receives Holy Spirit baptism today.
The only other way men were able to receive the power to work miracles was through the laying on of the apostles hands. Let us turn our attention to Acts 8. There was a great persecution which arose, led by Saul, which caused the church in Jerusalem to scatter. One of those which left Jerusalem was Philip. This is the Philip selected as one of the seven men to take care of the Grecian widows in Acts 6. The apostles laid hands on these seven men (Acts 6:6) giving them power to work miracles. Philip has now gone to Samaria to take the gospel to them. While preaching the Word to the Samaritans, Philip worked miracles. “And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did” (Acts 8:6). Those who accepted Philip’s preaching were baptized—they were saved. When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had received the Word, they sent Peter and John. “Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost” (Acts 8:15-17). Though Philip could work miracles, he was not able to pass that power on to anyone else. Apostles had to be sent to impart miraculous power.
Simon the sorcerer saw that through the laying on of the apostles hands they had the power to impart miraculous power, he desired that power. “And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost” (Acts 8:18-19). The apostles (Peter and John) informed him, “Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter” (Acts 8:21). “This matter” is the impartation of miraculous power. Only the apostles could pass miraculous power to someone else—Philip could not.
Paul, an apostle of Christ, came to Ephesus and found twelve men who had been baptized unto John’s baptism. Paul taught them that John’s baptism was looking forward to Christ. Paul then baptized these men with New Testament water baptism for the salvation of their souls. Then Paul laid hands on them, they received the Holy Spirit, and began working miracles (Acts 19:1-7).
Paul, an apostle, had the desire to go to Rome. He tells them the reason: “For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established” (Rom. 1:11). Some might correctly point out that the church in Rome already had miraculous power according to Romans
12:3-8. Since Paul had not visited them, how did they get them? Possibly an apostle other than Paul had visited Rome and imparted miraculous gifts to them or they had been in the presence of an apostle at some other place and received them (cf. Acts 2:10). However, this also shows that only apostles could pass the gifts on to someone else. If someone who could work miracles could pass them to someone else, then those who had this power in Rome could have passed that power to others and Paul would not need to go to Rome to establish them.
There were some in Corinth which denied Paul’s apostleship. The church in Corinth possessed miraculous powers (spiritual gifts) according to I Corinthians 12-14. Paul argues for his apostleship based upon the fact that he had worked the signs of an apostle. “Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds” (II Cor. 12:12). The Corinthians in particular knew that he was an apostle. “Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord” (I Cor. 9:1-2). The miraculous power which the Corinthians possessed was proof positive that Paul was an apostle. Why? Because only an apostle could impart spiritual gifts. If anyone other than an apostle could impart these gifts, then Paul’s defense of his apostleship is worthless. Only an apostle could pass miraculous power to someone else.
Some might wish to bring up a couple of supposed exceptions to the previous. The first is Paul himself. How did Paul receive miraculous power and did he receive it from Ananias? After Saul has been struck blind by our Lord on the way to Damascus, he goes into the city as instructed by Christ to wait to be told what he must do. Ananias, not an apostle of Christ, comes to Saul and lays hands on him and Saul receives his sight and was filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:1-19). Notice especially verse seventeen. “And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.” Ananias came to Saul for three purposes: (1) to tell Saul what to do to be saved, (2) to restore Saul’s sight, and (3) that Saul might receive the Holy Spirit. Nowhere does it state that these three purposes were accomplished by the same means! The truth is that they were accomplished by different means. Ananias spoke to Saul to accomplish purpose number one. To accomplish purpose number two Ananias laid hands on Saul. To accomplish number three, we can only conclude that since Saul became an apostle of Christ that he received this directly from God (as all other apostles receive the Holy Spirit). The laying on of Ananias’ hands upon Saul was for the express purpose of his receiving his sight. “And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight” (Acts 9:12). Saul did not receive miraculous power by the laying on of Ananias’ hands.
Some would try to aver that Timothy received the power to work miracles by the laying on of the hands of the elders. Paul wrote, “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery” (I Tim. 4:14). Timothy had a gift (miraculous power) which he was not to neglect. Some will teach that he received it from the elders (presbytery). However, the word that is the key to understanding this is with. It is the Greek word meta meaning “to the accompaniment of.” The other passage which shed light on Timothy’s reception of miraculous powers is II Timothy 1:6. “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.” Here is the same gift (miraculous power) which he received by Paul (an apostle) laying hands on him. By is the Greek word dia meaning “the means or agency by which an action is accomplished.” Thus, the means by which Timothy received miraculous powers was by the laying on of the hands of Paul. Along with Paul laying hands on Timothy to receive the gift of God, the elders laid hands on Timothy (probably to set him apart for the work he was to be engaged in).
We must conclude after this study that only the apostles and Cornelius received miraculous power directly from God. No one today receives the baptism of the Holy Spirit seeing that was limited to the apostles and there is the one baptism available today which is water baptism. The apostles could lay hands on someone else and impart to them these powers but they could not impart that power to anyone else. Therefore, when the apostles died and the last person they laid hands on died, miracles, by natural attrition, ceased.
No Purpose Of MiraclesWhen one understands the biblical purpose of miracles, then he
understands that miracles are not needed and not done today. The purpose of miracles was for confirmation. Every other aspect (healing, compassion, relieving the afflicted, et al.) is secondary in nature.
Let us first consider the evidence from the Old Testament. We observe the purpose of miracles being confirmatory in nature from the first recorded occasion of a person performing a miracle.26 God called Moses to return to Egypt and tell Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go and worship God. Moses began making excuses not to go as directed by God. One of Moses’ excuses and God’s response informs us of the purpose of miraculous activity. “And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee. And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: That they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee. And the Lord said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom:
and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow. And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh. And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land” (Exo. 4:1-9). God gave Moses the ability to work these miracles to confirm to the people that Moses was from God. Later in the chapter we observe that this process worked. “And Aaron spake all the words which the Lord had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. And the people believed: and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped” (Exo. 4:30-31). The signs (miracles) that were done proved to the people that Moses was truly from God and that the message he was bringing was from Jehovah.
In 1 Kings 17 we have the record of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath. God sends Elijah to be sustained by this poor widow. When he arrives, he asks her for a drink and then a morsel of bread. She tells him that she only has enough meal for herself and her son and they would eat it and die. Elijah tells her to make him a cake first. She perceives that he is a prophet and does what he says, with the promise that the meal would not run out. He went to her house and slept in the loft. While living there, her son dies. The widow accuses Elijah of slaying her son. Elijah takes her son to his room and lays him on the bed. He stretched himself upon the child three times and cried out to God and the spirit of the child came into him and he revived. He brought the child to his mother and she says, “Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth” (1 Kings 17:24). The purpose of the miracle was to convince the widow of the truth of God and turn her from idolatry. It confirmed Elijah and his message as being from God.
Let us now turn our attention to some of the New Testament evidences. God confirmed Jesus as being His Son by the use of miracles. Peter in his sermon on Pentecost stated, “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know” (Acts 2:22). God was showing that Jesus was His Son and His Word was true by the miracles Jesus performed.
John the Baptist sent two of his disciples to Jesus with the question, “Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” (Mat. 11:3). “Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have
the gospel preached to them” (Mat. 11:4-5). John was to know that Jesus was the Messiah and thus confirm His message by the miracles He did.
In Mark 2 a crowd had gathered at the house where Jesus was staying to hear His preaching. The crowd was so numerous that people could not get into the house to see Jesus. Four men brought a man sick of the palsy (paralytic) but could not get in to see Jesus. They went up on the roof and let the man down to Jesus. “When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee” (Mark 2:5). Some believed Jesus was blaspheming since only God can forgive sins. Jesus said to them, “Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion” (Mark 2:8-12). Jesus performed the miracle to give evidence as to who He was and the Word which He preached. The text suggests that no miracle would have happened if there was not the need to give confirmation to Jesus and His Word.
In John 11 we have recorded for us the raising of Lazarus from the dead. When Jesus received word of Lazarus being sick he waited two days before heading for Judaea. When Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. Jesus proceeded to raise him from the dead. God reveals the results of this miracle when John writes, “Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him” (John 11:45). The miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus was for the purpose of confirming Him as God’s Son and thus the spokesman for God.
In John 3 a ruler of the Jews by the name of Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. He said to Jesus, “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him” (John 3:2). The Jews knew that Jesus was true and that what He taught was true because of the miracles which he did. The miracles confirmed Jesus as being from God and His Word being the Word of God.
The Bible clearly states what we have seen in these examples: the purpose of miracles was to confirm the Word. After Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead by the power of God, He appeared to His apostles to give them a great commission. “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” (Mark 16:15-16). Jesus had promised the Holy Spirit would be with the apostles as they went and preached the gospel. Jesus now reveals to them that they would be working miracles by the power of the Spirit as they went preaching. “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 16:17-18). Mark concludes by informing us of the apostles fulfilling what Jesus commanded. “And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen” (Mark 16:20). The miracles (even miraculous healing) were not for the benefit of the recipient. The miracles of the Bible were not to show the faith of the person through whom the Spirit performed the miracles (and the miracles were not dependent upon the faith of the recipient). Jesus informed the apostles that the miracles were to verify what they taught—the Word of God.
The Hebrews writer shows the respect man must have for God’s Word. “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?” (Heb. 2:1-4). God’s Word was spoken by angels in the giving of the Old Testament. Now we have received God’s Word from Jesus (Heb. 1:1-2). He gave that Word to the apostles (“them that heard him”) who also spoke and confirmed that Word. God testified to them and the message they spoke by the working of miracles through them. God was confirming both the apostles and the Word they spoke by the miracles.
Paul and Barnabas came to Iconium and preached God’s Word there. Many individuals, both Jews and Gentiles, believed their message. “Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands” (Acts 14:3). God gave Paul and Barnabas the power to work miracles to witness to or confirm the Word which they preached.
Paul deals with the misuse of spiritual gifts by the Corinthian brethren in 1 Corinthians 12-14. Paul rebukes them for using tongues as nothing more than a meaningless exercise to exalt the speaker, perverting a spiritual gift into an ego trip. Paul informs them, “Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not” (1 Cor. 14:22). The tongue (miraculous gift of speaking a language of man which the speaker had never learned) was for the purpose of confirming the man and his message as being from God.
While miracles often benefitted the recipient, that was not the purpose or the reason for the miracle. The apostles and prophets of the first century when they went out preaching God’s Word did not have the Bible in written form. There was no way for the hearers to know if what they were teaching was true or false. The speakers needed some type of credentials that their message was from God. God provided the avenue for the auditors to have evidence—the miracles done by the speaker’s hand. This demonstrated that they came from God and their message was true. The miracles confirmed the person and his message as being from God.
It is also important to realize that when something has been confirmed, as the Bible has, it does not need re-confirming. From a legal standpoint when the high court confirms a decision of a lower court, it is for all time confirmed. The same is true regarding spiritual matters. The Bible once confirmed as the Word of God does not need re-confirming, it is forever and eternally confirmed. The miracles the apostles and holy prophets did (by the power of the Holy Spirit) confirmed the message which they wrote for us and we have now as the Bible as being from God. Thus, there is no need for miracles today.
The Bible’s Teaching When Miracles Would CeaseThere are two passages in which the Bible specifically states when
miraculous activity would come to an end—I Corinthians 13 and Ephesians 4:7-16. Let us first turn our attention to the Corinthian passage.
The Corinthian brethren were misusing and abusing the miraculous powers they had been given. Paul writes by inspiration of God to correct them in their usage of these nine spiritual gifts (I Cor. 12-14). He tells them, “But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way” (I Cor. 12:31). The way of love is the “more excellent way” and thus he shows the enduring nature and superiority of love as contrasted with spiritual gifts. When we come to I Corinthians 13:8-13 we have a comparison of time. Time is the uppermost consideration. In verse eight there is a contrast of love never failing with prophecies, tongues, and knowledge (obviously representing all spiritual gifts) passing away. In verses nine and ten there is the present time (that which is in part) contrasted with sometime in the future when the perfect comes. We are given an illustration in verse eleven of the growth from childhood to maturity again calling our attention to the passing of time. Verse twelve we have the contrast of now which is present time with then which is some time in the future used two times. Therefore, Paul is revealing a contrast having to do with the duration of these spiritual gifts. Thus, as long as the earth lasts faith, hope, and love will abide, but miraculous gifts will end at some point in time.
The key to understanding when this time in which this activity of the Holy Spirit will end is “that which is perfect” of verse ten. This phrase translates the adjective with the definite article to teleion (from teleios) meaning “having attained the end or purpose, complete, perfect.”27 It is applied to people with the meaning of “full-grown, mature, adult,”28 or to things with the meaning of “brought to its end, finished; wanting nothing necessary to completeness.”29 In verse ten is “the perfect” being used of persons or things? It must be used of things in this context because of its opposite—the part (verses 9-10). The part has direct reference to the miraculous knowledge and prophecy. These words are modified by the phrase “in part” (Greek: ek merous). Thus, the perfect must also have reference to miraculous knowledge and prophecy.30 We must understand that we are dealing with quantity and not quality in this passage. That which the Spirit was revealing (prophecy) of God’s will (knowledge) was always perfect as to
quality, but the Spirit had not revealed all of God’s will when Paul wrote this letter (quantity). When the Spirit finished revealing and confirming all of God’s will then the miraculous knowledge and prophecy (representing all miraculous power) would pass away. With the writing of Revelation by the apostle John, that revealing of God’s will by the Spirit was “brought to its end, finished; wanting nothing necessary to completeness” and miraculous powers ceased.
The illustrations Paul uses give credence to this view. Paul describes the growth of a child from infancy to maturity (verse 11). One proceeds from childhood to adulthood through a gradual process and in particular Paul uses the intellectual process of thought and speech. The revelation of God will grow with the passing of time. Just as the child when he becomes a man puts away childish things so the church when it receives all of God’s revelation (“that which is perfect is come”) will put away miraculous power (the “in part” of verses 9-10).
The next illustration is seeing through a mirror obscurely (glass darkly). Many assume that the seeing face to face in this figure is seeing God Himself. This view has no basis in the text, and what was to been seen clearly in the future was presently being seen partially. They did not have an initial vision of God’s person but of His will. Thus, to see in a mirror was to receive a revelation from God. “Face to face” indicates the clarity of our understanding. The clear vision and full knowledge of God’s will would come when the revelation process was complete. When Paul wrote, the revelation process was incomplete so when they looked into the Scriptures, they could only see obscurely. We can now look into the mirror of the “perfect law of liberty” (Jas. 1:22-25) and receive a clear and complete view of God’s will. Thus, at this time they only knew in part because they did not have the complete revelation of God (verse 12). At that time, when God’s revelation is complete and miracles have ceased, we can know completely (fully—ASV) by properly studying the Scriptures.
Paul ends this by showing that while spiritual gifts would end, the permanent qualities of faith, hope, and love would abide. These qualities only have to do with this earthly life and cannot and do not pertain to the heavenly life. Faith, since it is “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,” is for this world. Hope will not exist in heaven (Rom. 8:24), for heaven is the realization of hope. Thus, Paul contrasts those things of a temporary nature in this time (miracles) with those characteristics which remain during the Christian age (faith, hope, and love).
Let us notice a couple alternatives to the position set forth. Some hold that the perfect (verse 10) is Christ’s second coming and/or the perfect state of affairs to be ushered in at that time. Most Petecostals defend this position. For “that which is perfect” to be Jesus, it would have to be in the masculine gender (he who is perfect) since He is a person. However, to teleion is neuter gender, a thing. When this is pointed out they often go to the perfect state of affairs position. However, there is nothing in the context where a state of affairs or existence is mentioned. The New Testament never uses the Greek
word perfect (teleion) to refer to the second coming or the state of affairs brought in by the second coming. Also, “that which is perfect” is set in opposition to “in part.” Do we have a part of the state of affairs brought in by Jesus’ coming now? We would have to have part of it if this is the meaning of perfect. Additionally, “in part” is quantity in character. To be compatible, the antithesis (perfect) must also be quantitative. To understand perfect as a state of affairs would be to assign a qualitative meaning to it. Thus, perfect cannot refer to Christ or the state of affairs he will bring in when He comes the second time.
Another alternative which some teach is that perfect refers to the maturity of the body of Christ. This also would put a qualitative meaning to perfect as opposed to a quantitative meaning. The gifts of prophecy and knowledge were for the purpose of providing information (revealing God’s will), not for the purpose of maturing the individual. The early church was childish in its level of knowledge not attitude. Certainly all would agree that Paul was spiritually mature, but he still had miraculous gifts and spoke in tongues more than the Corinthians (I Cor. 14:18). The spiritual gifts were actually contributing to the immaturity of the Corinthians instead of their maturity (I Cor. 3:1; 14:20). Some people today are immature spiritually and is it not possible for a mature church to become immature? If a church goes from being mature to immature, do the spiritual gifts return to bring them back to maturity? If not, why not? Would it not thus be advantageous for the church to remain immature to continue to receive miraculous powers? Paul never intimates that miraculous gifts were given because Christians were unable to love each other; they were given to confirm the spoken word and ceased with the completed revelation.
Now let us briefly turn our attention to Ephesians 4:7-16. According to God’s graciousness Christ gives gifts to each one (verse 7). The gifts within this context are miraculous powers.31 In verses eight through ten we have reference to the victorious Christ with the time frame as to when He gave the spiritual gifts (verse 8). That time frame is when Christ ascended back to heaven. He next (verse 11) gives us some of the gifts. These various groups (apostles, prophets, etc.) were miraculously endowed (including the preachers, elders, and teachers).
We now come to the purpose or design of these gifts in verse twelve. These gifts were for the perfecting (same word as in I Corinthians 13:10 with the same meaning) of the saints, the work of the ministry (the sphere of service), and the edifying (building up or promotion of others growth) of the body of Christ. This verse deals with the process of bringing the church from spiritual infancy to maturity which was done by the miraculous gifts. It is not dealing with a specific congregation’s growth and development down through the centuries. The miraculous gifts belonged to the church’s infancy to bring it to maturity.
Paul now informs us as to the duration of these gifts. Till (verse 13) shows a time element and marks duration. It places a limit on the gifts and establishes their temporary character. The time frame is first the unity of the
faith. This is not when all people believe the same thing, instead when the faith has been completely revealed. When the Bible was completed then these gifts (miracles) would end. The second statement, “knowledge of the Son of God,” would take place when the totality of the Bible was completed. With the completed revelation of God we can come to a full knowledge (the meaning of the Greek and the same word as in I Corinthians 13:12, “then shall I know even as also I am known”) of Christ. Paul then mentions the gifts would last until the perfect (same Greek word as verse 12 and I Corinthians 13:10) man who possess the full measure of Christ and His fulness is attained. This is the church reaching spiritual maturity. This is the aim of the complete revelation of God. The gifts were to bring the church to a state of spiritual maturity at which time the gifts would cease or come to an end. That state of spiritual maturity is attained by achieving the completed Bible. The miracles are no longer needed for we have the Bible to direct us to become the “perfect man” and we are able through the Scriptures to attain that “measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” The Scriptures furnish us to be perfect. “That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (II Tim. 3:17). This is also in contrast to the time in which Paul wrote which was a time of spiritual immaturity or infancy.
Verses fourteen through sixteen reveals the wonderful results. He begins by showing the growth or development of the church from childhood to adulthood. Through the complete revelation of God we will be grounded to withstand false doctrine. If miraculous gifts continue to the second coming (this maturity is not reached until that time), then there will be spiritual immaturity in heaven along with false teachers. Verse fifteen declares that when the totality of the Bible is preached the church may grow up to adulthood or spiritual maturity. “May grow up” in the Greek is in the subjunctive mood which is the mode of possibility and potentiality. “Thus, the action described by Paul may or may not occur, depending upon circumstances. But when Christ comes, there will be no ‘possibility’ or ‘potentiality.’ If that statement refers to heaven, inspiration would have used the indicative mood, not the subjunctive. It would have been stated as that which WILL HAPPEN, not as ‘possibility or potentiality.’” Paul ends in verse sixteen with a statement of the value of the church and every member doing his part in the proper working of the body of Christ.
The Bible clearly teaches (in explicit language) that miracles would cease or come to an end when the totality of the Scriptures was revealed. We also find out that when that time occurred, there was no longer a need for miracles since they were to confirm the revealed Word. The only way for men other than the apostles and the household of Cornelius to work miracles was to have the apostles lay hands on them. When the last apostle died (and there are no apostles of Christ today) there was no avenue of miracles to continue. Therefore, there is no miraculous divine healing today.
CONCLUSIONIf miraculous divine healing takes place today then it can be
demonstrated. Faithful preachers have for years emphasized this by offering to go to the cemetery and challenging the Pentecostals to raise the first person and we will raise the next. Another offer has been made for them to pray for the resurrection of a person and we will pray that they remain in the ground and see which one is right. This is like the offer Elijah made to the prophets of Baal (I Kings 18). Those prophets could not succeed and neither can the charlatans of today. Walter Hollenweger wrote, “Thus, Kristian Heggelund says that in thirty-seven years in the ministry he has travelled [sic] in many places and has come to know many servants of the Lord with great gifts, ‘but I never met one who had raised someone who was really dead’.”32 While we deny they are “servants of the Lord” (they are in reality servants of the devil), his statement admits that they cannot do the miracles (including miraculous divine healing) of the Bible.
They also know they cannot perform miraculous divine healings today. This is the reason Oral Roberts would build a hospital. When they are sick or injured, they go to a doctor. They do not go to a faith-healer. For example, consider the world famous Brownsville Assembly of God revival (taking place in Pensacola). The “pastor” John Kilpatrick fell from the roof of his two story new house in Seminole, Alabama, on September 17, 1997. Instead of going to be healed by evangelist Steve Hill, he went to the hospital. Later he told the Pensacola News Journal that he was not being miraculously healed and his medical records indicated that his injuries were progressing at a normal speed.
This damnable practice leads to all sorts of problems. Invariably we read of individuals who refuse medical treatment, which could save their lives, because they believe they can be miraculously healed. There are also the snake-handling faith-healers who get bit by the snake and die needlessly.
Doug Fournier and his wife had their new baby girl die at six weeks of age. He packed the dead body into a cooler filled with ice, got into his car and drove 350 miles from Gainesville to Pensacola, Florida to bring her to the Brownsville Revival. Some of the staff of the Brownsville Assembly of God gathered together and prayed for at least two hours to bring his daughter back to life. It is important to understand that these revival leaders have spoken of raising someone from the dead. Of course, the baby was not raised from the dead, and they stopped praying for her just prior to letting people in for their healing services. What a sad commentary on a sad false doctrine which gives hurting people hope without any substance. They do not and cannot heal miraculously.
ENDNOTES:1Walter Bauer, F. Wilbur Gingrich, and Frederick W. Danker, A Greek-English Lexicon of the
New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, (Chicago: University of Chicago Press) 1979, [Online] Available: Logos Library System.
2Tom L. Bright, “The Biblical Definition and Design of Miracles. Do They Occur Today?,” The Church Enters the Twenty-First Century, ed. David P. Brown (Spring, TX: Bible Resource Publications, 1994), p. 272.
3See my articles in Defender, October 1995, p. 2 and November 1995, p. 2.4W. E. Vine, Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, (Grand Rapids,
MI: Fleming H. Revell) 1981, [Online] Available: Logos Library System.5Garland Elkins, The Design and End of Miracles, (Memphis, TN: Getwell Church of Christ,
1976), Introduction.6Bill Jackson, “Divine Healing—True Or False?,” The Reasoner, January 1991, p. 3.7V. E. Howard, The Holy Spirit (West Monroe, LA: Central Printers & Publishers, 1966), pp. 82-
83.8G. K. Wallace, The Design and End of Miracles, (Memphis, TN: Getwell Church of Christ,
1976), p. 9.9James Randi, The Faith-Healers (Buffalo, NY: Prometheus, 1987).10William S. Sadler, The Truth About Mind Cure (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1929), p. 15.11Foy L. Smith, “Are Miracles Still Being Performed Today?,” What Do You Know About the
Holy Spirit?, ed. Wendell Winkler (Hurst, TX: Winkler Publications, 1980), p. 222.12Ibid., p. 223.13Wayne Jackson, “‘Faith Healing’ Is Such Available Today?” Christian Courier, October 1989,
p. 23.14Walter J. Hollenweger, The Pentecostals (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1988), p.
368.15Ibid., p. 359.16For a fuller discussion of this point and that this refers to all believers see: James D. Bales
and Frank Van Dyke, Miracles or Mirages? (Austin, TX: Firm Foundation Publishing House, 1956), pp. 233-257.
17James D. Bales, Miracles or Mirages? (Austin, TX: Firm Foundation Publishing House, 1956), p. 143.
18Flavil H. Nichols, “Meeting the Arguments of the ‘Faith healers’,” What Do You Know About the Holy Spirit?, ed. Wendell Winkler (Hurst, TX: Winkler Publications, 1980), p.142.
19Hollenweger, p. 364.20Hollenweger, p. 357.21Hollenweger, p. 362.22Hollenweger, p. 358.23Hollenweger, p. 357.24While I realize that some may wish to quibble about this statement since the spirit does not
sleep. The spirit of man returns to God (Eccl. 12:7) and thus would have faith. However, let someone ask a dead person the question Jesus asked, “Believe ye that I am able to do this?” and see what type of response you get.
25I do not believe that Cornelius received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. For more study on this see: V. E. Howard, pp. 40-48, 56-62. Tom L. Bright, “The Holy Spirit,” The Doctrine of Christ Versus the Doctrines of Men, ed. Michael Hatcher (Pensacola, FL: Bellview Church Of Christ, 1995), pp. 76-80.
26While there are other miracles recorded in the Old Testament prior to Moses’ activities (i. e., creation, the flood, confusion of tongues, destruction of Sodom, etc.), they were not done through the agency of a person. God did them directly without any human agency.
27Walter Bauer, F. Wilbur Gingrich, and Frederick W. Danker, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, (Chicago: University of Chicago Press) 1979, [Online] Available: Logos Library System.
28Ibid.29Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon, (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.) 1995,
[Online] Available: Logos Library System.
30For more information on this see: Gary Workman, “When That Which is Perfect is Come,” Studies in I Corinthians, ed. Dub McClish (Denton, TX: Valid Publications, 1982), pp. 171-174.
31For more information see: Robert R. Taylor, Jr., “An Exegetical Study of Ephesians 4:7-16,” What Do You Know About the Holy Spirit?, ed. Wendell Winkler (Hurst, TX: Winkler Publications, 1980), pp. 301-310. Tom Bright “The Holy Spirit,” The Doctrine of Christ Versus the Doctrines of Men, ed. Michael Hatcher (Pensacola, FL: Bellview Church Of Christ, 1995), pp. 74-75. James Meadows, “The Purpose and Duration of Spiritual Gifts,” Studies in Ephesians, ed. Dub McClish (Denton, TX: Valid Publications, 1997), pp.221-233.
32Hollenweger, p. 360.
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