Where In The Bible Will I
Find:
The Purpose Of Miraculous
Gift In The First Century?
During
the first century, before the transference of inspiration to the Book, holy men
of God spoke and were influenced in what they said and did by the Holy Spirit,
in immediate and direct fashion, apart from any written revelation (John 14:16-17;
16:14; Heb. 2:14). This was necessary to enable the early proclaimers of the
gospel, dealing with the functions of the apostolic church, to accomplish their
work with speed and ease (Acts 8:4-12); to provide proof of the
genuineness of their claims (Mark 16:20); to supply needed edification for the
members of the infant church (I Cor. 14:1-3), and to generate the
greatest possible interest on the part of the people in the men and message
which they preached (Acts 3:1-11).
Today,
we have no miraculous gifts, because, that which is perfect, the Holy Word of
God (Bible), is available to each of us, and therefore, all miraculous gifts
have ended (I Cor. 13:8-10). What about Holy Spirit baptism? There are
two recorded instances of Holy Spirit baptism in the Bible. These occurred for
a specific reason. The first, on the day of Pentecost, involving only the
apostles, on the occasion of the establishment of the church; and, second in Caesarea,
at "the house of Cornelius," which was proof to the Jews that
the gospel of Christ was also for the salvation of the Gentiles (Acts 2; 10:44-48).
All
other miraculous manifestations of power by the Holy Spirit resulted from the
bestowal of such gifts through imposition (laying on) of apostles' hands. It is
not of record that any man, in the apostolic period, otherwise came into
possession of such powers! (Paul, an apostle, is no exception. Fully equal to
the other apostles, he must have received the Spirit directly from the Lord, as
did they). It follows, therefore, that since there are no apostles to perform
this imposition today; and, since there is but "ONE" baptism
available today (Eph. 4:5), the element of which is "WATER" (Acts
8:35-40), neither the baptism of the Holy Spirit, nor the miraculous
manifestations of the third party of the godhead may properly be claimed today
(Acts 8:16; 19:1-6).
All
miraculous gifts of the first century were temporary expedients, necessary to
the proper function of the infant church, but limited to the period when
inspiration was in men. In the very context in which they are designated, they
are declared to be inferior to the "more excellent way,"
anticipated by Paul (I Cor. 12:28-31). This occurred when inspiration had
been fully transferred from men, to a Book - the New Testament (I Cor.
13:8-13), and, it is therefore the sheerest folly and the most blinding
delusion to claim such powers today. Indeed, to claim such miraculous powers
today, is to deny the teaching of the Holy Spirit, Himself.
