The Accompanying Signs
Recently a minister who once was part of the Global Church of God accused the Living Church of God of becoming Pentecostal. I have never seen anyone whooping and hollering, jumping and gyrating, or handling snakes and speaking gibberish, so I am not sure what he based his accusation on. The only possible basis is Mr. Meredith’s statements in the Word Ahead of February 19 calling for a church-wide fast. In that publication, Mr. Meredith mentioned the need for God to intervene and heal many in the church who are suffering and the need for the “accompanying signs” mentioned in Mark 16.
What does the Bible say about signs and miracles? Were they ever performed by God’s servants? Is it realistic to expect that the “accompanying signs” be performed today?
The Great Commission
Recorded in the Gospel of Mark is an account of instructions Christ gave to the remaining eleven disciples after His death and resurrection – instructions which are known as “The Great Commission.”
Mark 16:15-18, 20
15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow [“accompany” in most modern translations] those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."… 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
These verses, along with the parallel passage in Matthew 28, clearly show that the disciples of Christ are commanded to preach the gospel and baptize believers. Mark recorded Christ’s statement that there are signs that will follow, or accompany, those who believe. Verse 20 indicates that the disciples did as they were told and that Christ confirmed the message they preached through these accompanying signs: healing the sick, casting out demons, speaking foreign languages, and not being hurt by deadly poisons or serpents.
What does it mean?
According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, the word “sign” means “… that by which a person or a thing is distinguished from others and known.” A sign makes something or someone known. It gets attention. Thayer’s further states that the word is used when speaking of “miracles and wonders by which God authenticates the men sent by him.” Vines Expository Dictionary indicates that the word depicts “miracles and wonders as signs of divine authority.” These signs show who God’s servants are and who the real God is. Further, they are done under God’s authority to “confirm the word.” The signs establish and confirm the gospel message; they prove the word’s “truth and divinity” (Thayer’s).
Biblical Examples of Signs and Miracles
The gospel accounts by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John record numerous instances of Christ healing the sick and casting out demons. Performing these very real miracles was an integral part of Christ’s ministry and work while on earth. They were signs that accompanied His preaching and teaching. After His ascension to heaven, the disciples assembled to observe Pentecost. As Christ had promised, they were given power from on high – the gift of the Holy Spirit. That event was accompanied by the disciples speaking in various foreign languages, fulfilling what Christ had told them (Mark 16:17). In his sermon to the assembled crowd on that holy day, Peter said:
Acts 2:22, 43
22 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know… 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
The miracles Christ did gave clear evidence that God was working through Him and that He was sent by God. The signs and wonders demonstrated that the message He preached was the truth. The miracles got people’s attention. They encouraged people to come out and listen to the message that Christ preached. The signs showed that there were wonderful benefits and blessings associated with the gospel message. The healings and miracles that occurred were certainly good news to those who had suffered from various illnesses and infirmities. They gave an emphatic illustration that the truth of God brings reasons to rejoice, spiritually and physically. Verse 43 indicates that the apostles continued in the same work as Christ: “many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.” Throughout the book of Acts are a number of accounts of miraculous healings. In Acts 19, it is recorded that God powerfully used Paul to relieve the suffering of the sick and demon-possessed.
Acts 19:11-12
11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.
One account (Acts 28:3) tells of Paul having a viper fasten on his hand, yet he was unharmed.
A Complete Message
David wrote in Psalm 103 that the forgiveness of our sins and the healing of all our diseases are benefits and blessings from God. The gospel message is about how our lives can be made better now in the flesh and eternally in the
Hebrews 2:3-4
3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, 4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?
In verse 4, Paul says there two ways that God bears witness: 1) signs, wonders, and miracles, and 2) gifts of the Spirit. The four Gospels and the book of Acts record numerous instances of signs, wonders and miracles. Here Paul indicates that gifts of the Spirit are also indicators of those through whom God is working. What are some of the gifts of the Spirit? I Corinthians 12 talks of various gifts that come from the manifestation of the Spirit of God in His servants.
1 Corinthians 12:1, 4, 7 -11
1 Now concerning spiritual gifts... 4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit… 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom … the word of knowledge … 9 faith … gifts of healings … 10 … the working of miracles, … prophecy, … discerning of spirits, … different kinds of tongues, … the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
These gifts are for the profit and benefit of all. The preaching of wisdom and knowledge brings spiritual benefits to the hearers, just as miraculous healings bring physical benefits to the afflicted. Yet, in chapter 13, Paul makes the point that all of those gifts are inferior to the love that comes from the indwelling of God’s Spirit. The greatest spiritual gift is love. Christ had previously indicated that love is another sign of His disciples: “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35).
Signs, miracles, and wonders have accompanied God’s servants down through the ages. God sent Moses to lead the Israelites out of
John 14:12
"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
The day of signs, wonders, and miracles did not cease with Christ and the apostles. We can be encouraged and know for a certainty that they are accompanying signs of those who believe and preach the gospel message through the ages.
posted by Manuel at 10:59 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home