Question (s)
What was the purpose of "healing, miracles" in the first century Church?
The miraculous gifts are listed in Paul's letter to the Corinthians Church.
"For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith in the same Spirit; and to another, gifts of healings, in the one Spirit; and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discerning of spirits; and to another divers kinds of tongues; and to another the interpretation of tongues. . . dividing to each one severally even as he will" (1 Cor. 12:8-11). These gifts relate specifically to the infant church when it did not have the completed revelation of God as we have today.
There was a special need at that particular time that does not exist in the church today. The gifts were to confirm the word (Hebrews 2:1-4). They helped the church grow and keep out false teachers (Eph. 4:11-15).
The gospel preached by the apostles was oral. They didn't have a New Testament like we have today. It was being written by the disciples and apostles. Therefore, the apostles had these gifts and could bestow them on others to confirm the spoken word. "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation? which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was con- firmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing witness with them both by signs and wonders, and by manifold powers and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will" (Heb. 2:3-4).
Then Pauls said:
There is a more excellent way" (1 Cor. 12:31), and he points to the way of love in the 13th chapter. As Paul is instructed by the Holy Spirit, he states:
"Love never faileth: but whether there be
1. prophecies, they shall be done away;
2. whether there be tongues, {glossa {gloce-sah'} they shall cease;
3. 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 [prophecies, tongues, knowledge]shall be done away" (1 Cor. 13:8-9).
Since the bible teach that an Apostle had to "Lay hands" to pass on the power to heal - I would like to know what Apostle laid hands on Hinn and others.
Note: This passage does not refer to the second coming of Christ. The grammar alone will not allow it. Why? "Paul uses a neuter article and substantive (an adjective used as a noun). Another way this could be translated - 'the perfect thing.' Jesus , however, is spoken of not as a thing but as a person. He, is consistently referred to in masculine terms. Jesus would therefore be a 'he who', not a 'that which.
To me this is simple and proves that Hinn and others that say they lay on hands and heal are fakes:
Let me enlighten those that beleive Hinn and others have the power to heal. I hate to burst your bubble or sour your sugar stick.
Do you know Satan have certain ?God allowed? powers and he is able to "mirror miracles" rather deceive individuals. However, there is a difference in the miracles of Satan and Jesus. The miracles of Jesus were done in order to show that He is God and He is in control of everything; but Satan's miracles, the Bible says, are always done in order to deceive.
Satan's miracles are always a mirror image of God's miracles. A mirror image reveals two things. First, it is exactly the opposite of the real miracle. Second, it is a reflection of the real miracle.
Mankind has to look past the real image to see the image in the mirror. We must see the authentic miracles of Christ and Apostles, and then look past their miracles, in order to see Satan's miracles. If we look at the miracles of Satan without first looking at the miracles of Jesus, we will probably be deceived into thinking Satan's miracles are genuine. He will always use something in order to reflect a true miracle, just as the mirror is not the real image, but a reflection of something that is real.
Gen. 3:1 says the first Satanic miracle was demon possession.
The serpent, willingly allowing Satan to possess his body, mouthed Satan's words, "Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" It is actually Satan who deceived Adam's wife not the serpent.
In Exodus Satan again produced mirror images of the miracles of God
Moses, acting on the power of God, actually turned a rod into a serpent. Ex. 7:11,12. "Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments . For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods." Note the mirror image of Satan's miracles. The wise men, the sorcerers, and the magicians were not of God. They were of the devil, and were using the devil's tools to produce miracles. Satan's false prophets are doing the same thing today.
Read: that the magicians cast down their rods, just as Aaron cast down his rod, which became a serpent. Notice also that Aaron's rod swallowed up their rod. God will always have the victory over Satan.
Exodus 7:21,22 - Moses held up his rod over the water to turn the water to blood. The magicians of Egypt also turned water to blood, not with their words, but with their enchantments.
In Exodus 8:18,19 Moses and Aaron brought forth lice upon the earth by the power of God, but Satan could not. Therefore, there is a limit to the power of Satan, but not to the power of God.
There are millions of people who don't understand what is going on and are being deceived by Satan, through individuals like Hinn.
In, First Timothy 4:1-3 record the steps Satan uses to bring people under his religious system. "Now the spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;..." This Scripture plainly teaches that the first step in departing from the faith is giving heed to seducing spirits by listening to Satan's false ministers. The second step is when the doctrines taught by these false ministers are accepted and the plain teaching of Scriptures is "thrown out the window."
The teachings of the God?s word are simple and easy to understand.
