Mike,

Another question if you don’t mind. If answering is a low priority because of the volume of mail you get, I can wait for your response. This is not a trap, I just wish to know more regarding your understanding of many “Charismatic/Pentecostal” teachings. How has your ‘theology’ changed over time regarding such things as: Jesus said certain signs would follow those who believe. What is your understanding of the following Scriptures? Do you lay hands on the sick for them to recover? Do you cast out devils? Pick up serpents? Drink poison?

One idea I hold onto regarding when to lay hands on the sick, expecting something miraculous, and when to ‘perform’ something likened to a ‘sign’ I apply the following Scriptures [Joh 5:19-21], believing if the Father wills; He will show; then I will do. Where am I wrong?

R____

 

Hi R____,

This is a question that any thinking child of God must face. I am a believer. Am I casting out demons, speaking in languages, taking up serpents, drinking deadly things and not being hurt by them, praying for and seeing the sick healed?

The only thing in this list that I can answer in the affirmative is that, along with many others, I prayed for a friend with terminal cancer, and he was healed. To be honest, I must say that the healing surprised me. I had never experienced such a thing before or since. I have prayed for just such people before. I have had many prayers that have been answered, but not in such a miraculous and obvious way. To tell the truth, I know of no one who believes who actually has all these signs following them. There are, of course, many who claim some of these signs. No one I know claims to have all these signs following them. It seems that the most common claim is that of ‘speaking with new tongues.’ As I told you, I was raised a Pentecostal, but I never saw anything resembling an Acts 2 experience.

Likewise I have never seen constant throngs following today’s ‘healers’ as they did Christ. Anyone who could pray for people and have them healed as consistently as Christ did would also have people tearing off roof tops to lower the sick down to them. No one does this, and there are no constant throngs pressing to ‘touch the hem of the garments’ of today’s healers. There are a few surviving ‘tempting the Lord thy God’ snake handlers, but their numbers are on the wane for obvious reasons. While Paul’s shaking off the serpent into the fire and being unharmed by its bite is the only Biblical example of ‘taking up serpents,’ there is not one example in all of scripture of anyone who ever ‘drank any deadly thing and was not hurt.’

What I am getting at is that if “these signs shall follow them that believe” means that anyone without these signs is not a believer, then I personally know of no such believer. Does this fact (the fact that these signs are not following me on a regular basis) make me doubt that I am a believer? No, I do not doubt that Christ died for my sins. I am equally confident of my standing in Christ. I am also completely confident that God is capable of healing, giving the gift of foreign languages, casting out demons, and keeping me from being hurt by deadly poisons. The scriptures tell me not to tempt God by deliberately drinking poisons or picking up poisonous snakes.

Deu 6:16 Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.

Even ‘tongues are for a sign to unbelievers‘.

1Co 14:22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying [serveth] not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.

Here is what Christ had to say about ‘signs’:

Mat 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

Now if “an evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign”, then who are the signs of Mar 16:9-20 for?

Are we to believe that “tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not,” but casting out demons, snake handling and drinking poison are signs to believers to demonstrate who these believers are? No, if that is the case, then you might as well quit corresponding with me and probably every other Christian you know who does not have these ‘signs following.’

What it all boils down to is THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A “BELIEVER” AND A “DISCIPLE INDEED.” Look at a scripture that deals with “many” mere ‘believers.’

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? [healed the sick, picked up serpents, drank deadly poisons]
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

This “many,” is the same “many” in this verse:

Luk 21:8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them

Note that they don’t just say that Jesus is the Christ, but they also say “the time draweth near.”

Now, does Christ deny that they have “in thy name done many wonderful works?” No, He does not. He simply says then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. This is in complete accord with, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign.

Does anyone think that these are just desperate people, willing to lie to avoid ‘Gehenna fire?’ No, these are “those… who believed in Him.”

Joh 8:30 As he spake these words, many believed on him.
Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

And what do these mere ‘believers’ end up wanting to do to this Christ in whom they believe?

Joh 8:37 I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

So “many” who “believe in Him” “seek after a sign.”

Any prayers that are answered for a mature Christian, a ‘uihos,’ as opposed to an immature ‘nepios,’ will always be dependent upon their faith and not vice versa. It is those who are not immediately ‘delivered from their Roman oppressors,’ who will end up wanting to kill Christ. Of course, they won’t know that is what they are doing; forgive them for they know not what they do. They, like the Jews of Christ’s day, when they finally realize that Christ has not brought a ‘prosperity (deliverance from oppression) gospel,’ fall victims to those whose faith depends upon “in thy name doing many wonderful works.”

Can we continue to serve God when we are suffering in pain from disease or from persecutions, or from the pains of rejections of every sort?

Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Whoever believes that every prayer is supposed to be immediately answered is nothing less than a diapered baby screaming to be fed. They don’t believe in the need for “the trying of your faith worketh patience.” They don’t understand that, In your patience possess ye your souls (Luk 21:19).

Still we have Paul telling us:

2Co 12:12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

Also, of course, we have these verses from Mark:

Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Mar 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Mar 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
Mar 16:18 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.
Mar 16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

So how are we to harmonize “the signs of an apostle” with “an evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign?”

Here are the words of Christ that will keep us from ever following a “false apostle” or losing our faith, even if our prayers are not answered. Here is the only thing we are to look for that cannot be used as “strong delusion.”

Mat 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits [not their ‘gifts’]. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mat 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit [Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,]; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit [but it can have ‘signs’], neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Mat 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Of those who believe that ‘obeying the words of Christ’ is more important than ‘signs and wonders,’ Christ continues:

Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25 And the rain descended [unanswered prayers, trials, tribulations and tests], and the floods came [persecutions from “ungodly men” Psa 18:4 “The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid”], and the winds blew [false doctrines supported by ‘signs and wonders; Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;], and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock [“these sayings of mine”].
Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand [faith based on ‘signs and lying wonders’]:
Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Now notice what happens to be tucked in between verses 21 and 24. We have already quoted it above:

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

So should we pray for the sick? Absolutely! We should beg God for His mercy and healing power when we are in need.

Jas 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual [one who is putting his salvation into effect in his daily life] fervent [wholehearted] prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Should we cast out demons? If God has given you that gift, absolutely!

Should we speak in foreign languages? If you have that gift and follow the instructions of 1 Corinthians 14, absolutely!

Should we ‘take up serpents and drink deadly things?’ Only if the serpent “fastens onto your hand.”

Act 28:3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

Only if you accidentally drink poison.

Deu 6:16 Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God…

But do all believers have to have these signs following? Is our faith to be based on these signs? Absolutely not!

1Co 12:29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
1Co 12:30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
1Co 12:31 But covet earnestly the best gifts [one of which Paul specifies as “speaking unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort”]: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

This “more excellent way” is the way of unconditional ‘agape’ love, with which 1 Corinthians 13 concerns itself. It is the exact same thing as “hearing these sayings of mine and doing them,” of Matthew 7:25.

One idea I hold onto regarding when to lay hands on the sick, expecting something miraculous, and when to ‘perform’ something likened to a ‘sign’ I apply the following Scriptures [Joh 5:19-21], believing if the Father wills; He will show; then I will do. Where am I wrong?

No, you are not wrong to do what “the Father… will show.” If the Lord tells you to do something, you had better do it! But know it is the Word of the Lord, and then, let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed (Jas 1:6).

Joh 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
Joh 5:20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
Joh 5:21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

I have underlined two of the above verses, because I believe they are the explanation of:

Joh 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

Physical healings, casting out demons, speaking in foreign languages are all wonderful for a very short time. However, no one was “quickened” while Christ remained in the flesh. Those things accomplished through His ‘many membered body’ are indeed “greater works than these.” As He is so are we in this world (1Jn 4:17). So we ‘can do nothing of ourselves, but what we seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth we likewise’ (Joh 5:19).