‘ALL DO NOT HAVE GIFTS OF HEALING’
Paul’s Well Known Rhetorics Reproves
All Miracle-Fanaticism!

“ALL DO NOT HAVE GIFTS OF HEALINGS, DO THEY?” :

PAUL’S WELL KNOWN RHETORICS

REPROVES ALL MIRACLE-FANATICISM!

JAN LILLEBY

 ​​​​ Here we go again….for the ‘umpteenth time’ I shall make a​​ little scrutiny on the topic of miracles and sign-gifts.​​ 

Starting with Paul’s teaching to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 12:28-30, NASB,

“28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of​​ healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.​​ 

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29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they?​​ All are not workers of miracles, are they?​​ 

30​​ All do not have gifts of healings, do they?​​ All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?”  ​​​​ (Editor’s emphasize).

Paul’s main reason for writing this epistle to them seem to be the fact that this congregation was thrown into a confusion, thus exaggerating several things,​​ such as for example the usage of the nine sign-gifts. (Ref. 1 Cor. 1:10-13).

All sign-gifts were given​​ exclusively for Israel​​ so they could have proof of God being the originator of this Gospel message. That they indeed were sent by God.

Paul says so in​​ 1 Cor. 14:21, 22 that signs were given TO ISRAEL, using the​​ tongues-sign​​ for making an example. However, reading Mark 16, we find that ALL miracles/healings also were counted into this category. It was all for the sake of Israel. Quoted from NASB,

“21 In​​ the Law it is written, "BY MEN OF STRANGE TONGUES AND BY THE LIPS OF STRANGERS I WILL SPEAK TO THIS PEOPLE, AND EVEN SO THEY WILL NOT LISTEN TO ME," says the Lord.

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22 So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe.”

In Mark 16:17-19, NASB, Jesus speak of​​ signs​​ likewise, but mention tongues as one​​ among​​ several signs,​​ 

“17 "These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;​​ 

18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover *."​​ 

19 So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was​​ received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.”

So it is safe to conclude that​​ not only the tongues​​ were given as a miracle-sign for Israel, but ALL MIRACLE SIGNS.

And when Israel fell from God as a nation for Him (Acts 28:25-28) and was​​ destroyed and annulled in 70 CE by the Romans, there has been none of these sign-gifts in operation. They were suspended and thus taken off God’s roster of promises given to the early Christian Jewish believers and proselytes, those who were presented by​​ the offer of having the Kingdom of God on earth established to them by the return of Jesus from heaven. In all the Acts-history reported by Luke, we find it proven that the Messianic church (Jews and proselytes) in this period, had all these sign-gifts among them, alongside them keeping the Law of Moses as well as observing the commandments given by the New Covenant for Israel (ref. Acts 21:20). The sign-gifts are thus reported in valid action ONLY as long as the present believers were under the Law of Moses and the New Covenant.

In our time, the dispensation of the Church, the ‘One New Man’ as Paul formulated it in Eph. 2:14, 15, the new Gospel was emerging by the​​ revelation​​ given Paul of the Law with its commandments and ordinances having been abolished by Christ.

Miracles and signs like healings, and casting out of demons, can only be found in NT in the time of Acts, 28 – 62 CE. But as Israel went down, all of this stopped immidiately.

RESTRICTIONS OF SIGN-GIFTS IN ACTS PERIOD

My point in this little​​ reminder-article on sign-gifts as a topic, - is that the Bible proves clearly to us all that these gifts, even in the days when they operated, HAD RESTRICTIONS TO THEM.

How so?

I have already quoted to you above: ​​ Do ALL perform healings? Do ALL speak in​​ tongues? Do ALL interpret such tongues? ​​ Paul’s well known rhetoric’s makes us learn that the clear answer must be: NO THEY DON’T!

This was when these nine sign-gifts of the Holy Spirit still were operating within the congregations, as the apostles ministered to them. Acts 5 is a chapter well into signs and miracles. Likewise in Acts 19:11-20, with Paul working miracles in Ephesus, stirring up the whole place.

Much more in our time, AFTER these sign-gifts have been taken away, we must understand that there are no longer any healings and miracles available to the believers in Christ. Only Israel had such a privilege. In our time we go to the doctors and eventually the surgeons to make us well.

So – again – even if we would have had such gifts in our time, the Bible says, ‘Oh really? Are you sure that ALL can perform miraculous healings?’ Knowing that such was not the case, when the apostles ministered to Israel and proselytes.

Get away from that mindless fanaticism – thinking that we​​ must have​​ miracles and signs to be sure we can make unbelievers repent and believe on Jesus.

In our time God is pleased to see people coming to faith in Christ WITHOUT first seeing any signs or miracles.

In Paul’s two Church epistles, Ephesians and Colossians, we cannot find any teaching whatsoever on sign-gifts, miracles, healings, casting out of demons, tongues, prophesying, or anything like that. Had these things been meant for the Church dispensation of the free Grace Gospel of Paul, he most certainly would have taught us that!

But in the time of Acts, it is reported of a​​ constant​​ ‘miracle-factor’ found among believers, - that is, the Jewish believers and their proselytes. We Gentiles did not really get into the free faith (as free individuals) before Paul had the​​ revelation of the Mystery taught in Eph. 3:1-9. No need any more to let Gentiles become​​ proselytes with Israel’s believers. Now we have a​​ direct-salvation​​ by faith alone according to Paul’s Grace Gospel for all the nations. Signs are no longer needed!

Eph.2:8, 9 cannot be misinterpreted, NASB,

“8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;​​ 

9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

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