God created the first man and first woman miraculously. Since then, with a few exceptions, the human race has multiplied through the operation of the natural law. Had God chosen to have done so, He could have continued to make men out of the dust of the earth and breathe into their nostrils the breath of life. We all recognize that God did not choose to do so.
Furthermore, even a casual reader of the Bible knows that God performed miracles through certain men. Our question is not could God enable men today to perform miracles as He did, but is He granting them such power now. So this is not a question of God’s power—but of God’s plan.
God has enabled men to perform miracles in times past to spread and To CONFIRM TRUTH
When Moses went to Egypt to deliver the Israelites, God gave him power to do signs and miracles to confirm the truth of his mission, to the Israelites and to Pharaoh (Exodus 4:1-8, 29, 30). He first spoke the truth and then confirmed it with signs. Before Pharaoh permitted the Israelites to leave Egypt, Moses had to perform the ten miraculous plagues.
The miracles that Jesus performed were to confirm the truth of his mission and Divine Sonship (Matthew 11:2-5; John 20:30-31).
The miracles that the apostles performed, or that the Lord performed through them, were to confirm the word that they preached (Mark 16:17-20).
The gospel that they preached was a new message they were to take to all the world. How could they prove that Christ had sent them? They had no Bible — the New Testament had not been written. So the Lord promised them special power (Luke 24:46-48; Acts 1:5, 8), through which they were able to convince the world that He sent them and was with them, and that they were preaching the truth.
The apostles had power to lay their hands on others and likewise enable them to confirm their messages of truth with signs and miracles (Acts 6:6, 8:6, 8-14-18).
“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 with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will?”
(Hebrews 2:3, 4).
A Thing Once Proved is Forever Proved. A truth once confirmed is forever confirmed: The great salvation has been once confirmed, and is therefore forever confirmed.
If a person will not be Convinced by the Bible, he would not be convinced if one should rise from the dead (Luke 16:19-31). Those who claim to perform miracles today are ignorant of God’s plan; and in reality deny that the salvation was ever confirmed as the Bible declares. Miracles fulfilled their purpose; and the need for them has ceased.
II. The Means Of Obtaining Miraculous Power Have Ceased
Miraculous power was bestowed upon men in New Testament times through two means:
- (1) Baptism of the Holy Spirit (ActS 2:4, 43)
(2) Laying on of hands of the apostles (Acts 8:14-18; 19:1-7).
All the apostles have died. Therefore, it is impossible for them to impart power to any one through the laying on of hands. So, no one can receive power to do miracles through means of the apostles’ hands.
The apostles were the only ones in the Jerusalem church who could work miracles, until they imparted the power to the seven deacons (Acts 2:43; 5:12). When the seven deacons were selected to serve tables (Acts 6:1-5), the apostles laid their hands on them (Acts 6:6) and they in turn could perform miracles. Stephen, one of the seven, did (Acts 6:8); and Philip likewise could work miracles (Acts 8:5-6). He was also one of the seven on whom the apostles laid their hands.
It is evident, however, that Philip could not impart miraculous power to others. He went to Samaria. preached Christ unto them and confirmed the word with miracles. Many of them believed and were baptized (Acts 8:12). Then Peter and John, two apostles, went from Jerusalem to Samaria to lay hands on the new converts and impart to them power to confirm the word with miracles (Acts 8:14-21).
If Philip could impart this power to others, why did the apostles make the trip to do so? It is an evident conclusion that the ones to whom the apostles imparted miraculous power could not impart the same to others. Even if they could, they are now all dead. The apostles have long since left the portals of time; and there is now no Holy Spirit baptism. Hence, the means of receiving miraculous power have ceased.
III. The Presence Of Miracles Have Ceased
That miracles were performed in New Testament times is not questioned. Peter and John healed a man who was lame from birth. “... and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaped up, stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.” (Acts 3:7-8).
Peter raised the dead (Acts 9:40-41). Paul raised the dead (Acts 20:9-12). A deadly viper bit Paul on the hand. He shook it off, and felt no harm (Acts 28:3-5).
These are some of the genuine miracles. Have you seen any miracles like these today? No, neither have I. Those who had the baptism of the Holy Spirit could do all these signs and more, too, such as, drinking deadly poison, casting out devils, etc. (Mark 16:17, 18). If a person had the baptism of the Spirit today, he too could do these miracles. If he cannot do them, then he does not have the baptism of the Spirit.
A tongue was a language that men could understand (Acts 2:4-6). No one speaks a language today that he has not learned. Proof: When a person who claims to have the baptism of the Spirit goes to a foreign country as a missionary, he has to learn the language before he can preach in it! Therefore, the senseless jabbering that is carried on in so-called “Holiness” churches is not speaking in tongues at all!
The absence of miracles prove that they have ceased. Then we have Scriptural proof: “Love never faileth; but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away, whether there be tongues, they shall cease, whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part: but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.” (1 Corinthians 13:8-10).
This passage definitely teaches that miracles have ceased. Prophecies, tongues and knowledge (supernatural) were to all cease at the same time. There is no man on earth today with the gift of prophecy, ability to teach by divine inspiration and to accurately predict future event (Acts 11:28). Neither is any man today inspired with the gift of knowledge. All must study today to know God’s will. If any man preach any gospel other than that revealed in the New Testament, let him be accursed (Galatians 1:8).
I challenge any one to find a man who knows one gospel truth that is not in the Bible. Since both the gift of prophecy and the gift of knowledge have ceased as is evident, the conclusion follows that speaking in tongues and other signs have likewise ceased.
Although Christ is perfect, Paul does not have reference to Him in this passage. If so, would he not have said, “When He who is perfect is come,” instead of “When that which is perfect is come?” Since the gifts here named have already ceased and Jesus has not yet come, it is further evident that Paul did not mean His second coming
The perfect revelation of God’s was not completed then. Now we have it complete. We are now furnished completely unto every good work (2 Timothy 3:16, 17). We can now all look into the perfect law of liberty (James 1:25). We can now see fully the purpose of spiritual gifts, and also understand why they were to cease.
The same Bible that says miracles would be performed and that says they were performed, also declares that they would cease. It is rebellion against God to try to perpetuate gifts in the church that God said would cease.
The apostles could perform miracles. They could lay hands on others and impart unto them spiritual gifts (Acts 8:14-19). The ones to whom the apostles imparted spiritual gifts could not impart them to others. Hence, when the apostles died, and all on whom the apostles laid hands imparting gifts had died, miracles then and there ceased.
The pretended miracles today are merely counterfeits of the original. They are “lying wonders.” No honest man is going to claim he has power that he does not have.
“Because they receive not the love of the truth, God has sent them a strong delusion that they might believe a lie and be damned” (2 Thessalonians 2:11, 12). Jesus said, “Thy word is truth.” (John 17:17). There is no hope for those who will not love, believe and be governed by the truth of God’s word. Yet all those who claim to have the baptism of the Holy Spirit either deny or pervert much of the Holy Bible and follow their own fancies, and feelings, and fakes instead. We challenge them to deny this publicly.
THAT there are three baptisms. The Bible says that now there is only one baptism (Ephesians 4: 5), and that it is in water (1 Peter 3:20, 21; Acts 8:35-39).
THAT they are saved through prayer at the altar; yet Paul prayed three days, and before he was saved was commanded to “Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).
THAT baptism is NOT for remission of sins (some excepted); the Bible says that baptism IS “for the remission of sins.” (Acts 2:38). Which will you believe?
THAT they know by feeling that they are saved, before and without doing what the Bible teaches Sinners to do to be Saved. Hence, they walk by feeling --- not by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7; Romans 10:17).
THAT they can ADD mechanical music to their worship, although we are not to add to divine revelation (Revelation 22:18, 19); and the Bible commands the KIND of music God wants us to use, “Singing.” (Ephesians 5:19)
THAT they can omit the Lord’s Supper from weekly worship on the Lord’s day. The writer attended a serve of the so-called “Church of God” in Borger, Texas, on Tuesday night, and they were having the Lord’s Supper. Hence, they refuse to follow the Bible example in this respect (Acts 20:7).
You see what I mean by charging the “Baptism of the Holy Ghost” people with denying or perverting the Bible! They will not believe what the Bible teaches!
Therefore, since they set aside the word of God, and follow their own fancies and feelings, it is evident that they do not receive the love of the truth; and this is the reason that God has sent them a strong delusion that they might believe a lie and be damned. If they would believe what the Bible says, and do what it says, they would never again tell sinners that they were saved at the “mourners bench” but would command them to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins. This they will not do. Furthermore, they would leave their guitars and pianos at home. No one can follow the New Testament and use mechanical music in worship, or incorrectly perform the Lord’s Supper.
A large percent of diseases are mental This the doctors will all affirm. It is only the mental cases that are apparently healed, or perhaps some nervous disorders. During excitement, a person actually has more strength. This added strength is due to a certain hormone that is discharged into the blood. Many who lay aside their crutches for a little while have to have them again after the excitement is over. If they do not, their disease was only in the mind. A man who had been walking on crutches for some time was attacked by a sow as he walked across the hog pasture. He threw his crutches down, outran the sow and jumped the fence. He never again needed his crutches. This was a case of swine healing. Did space permit, the writer could cite many such cases of healing, which prove that the trouble was merely in the mind.
After the apostles received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, there is no record where they ever tried to heal a person and failed. Jesus promised them that on whomsoever they laid their hands “He shall recover.” (Mark 16:17, 18). When one who claims power to heal fails, his dodge is that the afflicted person did not have enough faith. But during the personal ministry of Christ on one occasion the apostles failed, and Jesus rebuked them for their lack of faith --- not the boy who was afflicted!
Some even claim to raise the dead today. Observe that the doctor did not pronounce the one dead that it is claimed was raised. Neither had he been dead four days as was Lazarus.
Yes, God answers prayer. He has only promised to answer the prayers of those who will do his will (John 9:31). Pentecostal people and all like cults have not obeyed the gospel of Christ, and are therefore not children of God. They refuse to do His will.
For God to answer prayer would not be a miracle in the sense we are studying. God in His providence can answer prayer. What the writer is affirming is that the miraculous gifts which were bestowed upon men in the early church that enabled them to perform miracles
have ceased.
Try a teacher to see if he is true or false is not tempting God (I John 4:1; Revelation 2:2). Put your preacher through the test. If he cannot do what he claims, and does not have what he claims, it is evident that he is false. If he will not teach and worship according to the New Testament he is a false teacher --- regardless of how pious he appears. He is misleading you; shun him. The writer will deny publicly that any person living has received the baptism of the Holy Ghost today. Will any one affirm it? We shall see!
Romans 16:16.
A friendly welcome awaits you. We do not wish to embarrass you in any way. You will not be asked for contributions. We assemble for Bible study and worship each Sunday morning and we welcome you to meet with us. We would be happy to talk to you about your questions and we want to be of encouragement.
Please e-mail me, Dennis Crawford, at BibleTruths@hotmail.com for comments or further Bible information, or for the location of a congregation belonging to Jesus Christ near you.
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