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Paul Smithson
In our study last week we considered the question, "Have
miracles ceased?" We saw from the Scriptures that miracles have
ceased just as the inspired apostles foretold (1Cor. 13:8-10).
This week we look at further biblical proof that miracles have
ceased.
The fact that miracles are not performed today can be seen
in the way in which miraculous power was bestowed in the first
century. The New Testament reveals two means by which
miraculous power was bestowed upon men; the baptism of the Holy
Spirit, and the laying on of hands by the apostles. The
apostles were promised the Holy Spirit (Lk. 24:49; Ac. 1:1-5)
and received Him with power on Pentecost (Ac. 2). Of course
the apostle Paul, as a special chosen apostle, also received the
Holy Spirit (Ac. 9:17; Gal. 1:11-12). To show God's acceptance
of the Gentiles, Cornelius and his household received the Holy
Spirit (Ac. 10:44-47; 11:15-18). This was the last New
Testament occurrence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit (being in
the late 30's, early 40's A.D.).
About 30 years later the apostle Paul declared that there
is "one baptism" (Eph. 4:5). About that same time the apostle
Peter wrote about water baptism which saves (1Pet. 3:20-21).
Both Paul and Peter were inspired apostles and would not be in
contradiction to one another. So the "one baptism" of Paul would
by necessity be the water baptism of which Peter spoke. This is
the baptism that Jesus commissioned the apostles to administer
and also the baptism that we read of in all the conversions of
the New Testament.-- it is the one baptism of today.
Yet there are those who claim to have received something
other than the one baptism. Some claim that they have received
a baptism of the Holy Spirit. But one can be assured, in light
of the Scriptures, there is no man or woman on earth today who
has ever received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. If
anyone today had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit they
could do all the miraculous works the apostles did and could
speak by inspiration. But there is not a person in the world
that can do so today, for God no longer baptizes with the Holy
Spirit. His purpose for miracles was fulfilled and they have
ceased.
The only other way one could perform the wonderous works of
the Spirit was by the laying on of hands by the apostles. The
apostles were the only ones in the Jerusalem church who could
work miracles until they imparted the power to others. (Ac.
2:43: 5:12). In Ac. 6:6 we read of the seven deacons performing
miracles only after the apostles laid their hands on them.
Philip, one of those chosen deacons, was performing miracles in
Samaria (Ac. 8:6), but he could not impart this power to others.
It was only after he sent for the apostles Peter and John, and
they came and laid hands on the new converts, that the
Samaritans received the miraculous power (Ac. 8:15). It is
evident that only the apostles could impart the power to work
miracles to others. Everyone else, like Philip, even though they
had received the power, could not bestow that power to someone
else. The apostles have been dead more than 1900 years. When
the last apostle died that ended the passing on of the
miraculous power.
As the word of God was completed so ended the generation of
those who had received miraculous power. By the time the last
apostle died the New Testament had been written. God's
revelation was complete and perfect. No longer was there a
purpose for miracles and they would thus cease as the apostle
had foretold (1Cor. 13:8-10). A concluding study of miracles
next week.
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