Do Christians Today Have the Gift of Miraculous Healing?

Part Three: The Temporary Nature of Spiritual Gifts

In chapters twelve through fourteen in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian Church, Paul is dealing with matters regarding spiritual gifts. The brethren at Corinth were in a debate over which of the spiritual gifts were superior and therefore more desirable to have. Some may have believed sincerely that speaking in tongues was superior while others promoted the value of prophecy. After listing nine different miraculous gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:7-10, he commands them “but earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way” (1 Cor. 12:31).

Considering the Context: 1 Corinthians 12-14

Paul, in the midst of discussing the various gifts given to saints by the Holy Spirit, enumerates the nine spiritual gifts. “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues” (1 Cor. 12:7-10). Paul also points out the necessity of these spiritual gifts in the early church. At the end of the chapter, Paul tells them “but earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way” (12:31).

The more excellent way is not tongues or prophecy or healing, but love. This brings us to chapter thirteen where Paul contrasts spiritual gifts with love. First, he speaks about the supreme importance of love in verses one through three. The ability to speak in tongues, when divorced from love, amounted to nothing more than noise. In verses four through seven, Paul lists the various characteristics of love which makes it so superior to any spiritual gift. Finally, he contrasts the permanence of love verses the temporary nature of spiritual gifts (13:8-13).

The final chapter in this section of 1 Corinthians talks about God’s regulations for spiritual gifts.

Contrasting Spiritual Gifts with Love

“Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor. 13:8-13).

□ Contrast Everlasting Love with Temporary Gifts

“Love will never fail” is contrasted with the fact that prophecies, tongues, and knowledge are destined to cease. Tongues is the supernatural gift of being able to speak languages one does not know. Languages and natural knowledge are yet in the world. Paul only mentions three gifts out of the nine. Perhaps, because they were considered the more coveted by the Corinthians.

Of the nine spiritual gifts, three of them deal with intellectual powers: the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge and faith. The next group of gifts exhibit the faith of the one who possesses them. They are: gifts of healing; working of miracles; prophecy; and discerning of spirits. Finally, two are gifts of tongues or languages: speaking in various languages, that is, kinds of tongues and the ability to interpret those languages.

□ Contrast Between Part & Perfect

Who or what is that which is “perfect”? Some say Paul is talking about maturity of the body of Christ demonstrated by the unification of Jew and Gentile in one church. However, the church at Corinth was already so united. Others say it is Jesus and His second coming. They argue that the gifts were not to cease until the second coming of Christ. Yet, Christ and the second coming are nowhere mentioned in this chapter or even in the context of chapters twelve through fourteen.

The meaning of “perfect” must be compatible with the context. Term is translated from the Greek word telios. It is never used in referring to the Second Coming of Christ. Teleios means mature or full-grown, when used of things. The neuter gender used here has reference to a thing not a person. It would have be to masculine not neuter and not feminine to refer to Christ. Therefore, translators will not render this “when He who is perfect.” English grammar shows that the relative pronoun “which” is to be used only for things, while “who” only for persons, and “that” may be used for both. It is “that which” and not “he who.” “That which is in part” is in contrast to something incomplete, that is, with something that is perfect or in totality.

“That which is perfect” is in reference to the completion of the revealed Word of God. Vine says the term “perfect” “signifies having reached its end, finished, complete, perfect; 1 Cor. 13:10 referring to the complete revelation of God’s will and ways.” The process of revealing the inspired Will of God will one day come to completion. During the time Paul was writing to the Corinthians, the revelation was given in incomplete portions to various supernaturally endowed Christians. The contrasting of “in part” with “that which is perfect” is showing a complete revelation of truth. Paul informed Timothy that Scriptures were sufficient for the needs of man therefore making him complete in knowledge of good works. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). James says, “but he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:25). To claim supernatural gifts today is equivalent to saying the Bible is not complete or perfect.

□ Contrast Between Childhood & Manhood

The removal of spiritual gifts was like a man putting away childish things. A child will grow up into maturity, and it will no longer need to play with toys or be protected by adults. Just as a child needs milk only and not solid foods like meat. When they mature the situation changes. Likewise, the time will come when early Christians will no longer need the gifts of prophecy or of tongues. Paul is contrasting two different time periods. Receiving knowledge is incomplete with spiritual gifts with one person have this information from God and someone else a part of God’s Will. When reaching full maturity with a complete Bible every Christian has access to the Word of God in its entirety or perfectly and not in part.

□ Contrast Looking in a Mirror & Seeing Face to Face

Some believe “face to face” is with God Himself. Yet, they did not have a partial vision of God’s person but of God’s will.

The mirrors of antiquity were made of polished metal. They gave one an imperfect or distorted view of themselves. However, a more perfect mirror of today gives us a complete and adequate reflection of how we truly appear. They revealed the will of God at that time incomplete. But with the completion of the New Testament, one could see more clearly the whole big picture of God’s Will.

□ Contrast Everlasting Love with Temporary Faith & Hope

Paul concludes with promoting faith, hope, and love over the temporary gifts of speaking in tongues, prophecy and knowledge. However, love will last forever and never end. When we get to heaven, we will see God and therefore there will be no need for faith. In Heaven our hope is realized. But love alone will continue throughout eternity. Therefore, the Corinthians should seek the more excellent way: love. And so should all of God’s children.

Part Four: The Cessation of Spiritual Gifts

Previously in 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 Paul contrasted the temporary nature of spiritual gifts with love. Just when would the gifts end? When that which was perfect comes, which is the complete revealing of God’s Will: The New Testament. So when did early Christian cease to have these gifts?

Gifts Given Through Laying on of the Apostles’ Hands

First, just how did someone receive these spiritual gifts? According to the New Testament, there were two ways. First, on the day of Pentecost the Apostles received them through the Holy Spirit Baptism of promise. Later, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit upon the household of Cornelius the first Gentile converts. Secondly, gifts were bestowed upon Christians with the laying on of the hands by the Apostles.

Philip the evangelist (not Philip the apostle) went to Samaria and converted many of them baptizing them into Christ (Acts 8:11-13). “When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:14-17). Even though Philip cast out evil spirits and healed many paralytics and cripples (Acts 8:6-7), he could not impart spiritual gifts. The Samaritan saints could not receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit until the apostles Peter and John came and laid their hands upon them.

One of these Samaritan Christians named Simon clearly understood the only way to impart these gifts was through the apostles’ laying on of hands. “When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:18-19).

On a missionary Journey Paul came to Ephesus. There he found several men who did not know about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They had not been baptized correctly having only been baptized with the baptism of John. “On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all” (Acts 19:5-7).

Later, Paul reminds Timothy that his gift came through him as an apostle through the laying on of his hand upon Timothy. “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands” (2 Timothy 1:6).

Apostles Are Gone, and with them the Laying on of Hands

All the apostles have died, so there can be no laying of the hands for the impartation of spiritual gifts. Are there any additional apostles today? To be an apostle one must meet several qualifications. First, one must be chosen of God (John 6:70, Acts1:24, Acts 9:15). Second, they must be a witness of His resurrection. When choosing a replacement of Judas they had to find someone who met the qualifications. “Therefore of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the Baptism of John to the day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection” (Acts 1:21-22, see 1 Corinthians 15:7-9). Finally, one must have the credentials of an apostle which are the miracles they performed (Mark 16:17f). “The things that mark an apostle–signs, wonders and miracles–were done among you with great perseverance” (2 Cor. 12:12). The Apostles performed these. “Everyone was filled with awe and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles” (Acts 2:43). “The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people” (Acts 5:12).

Historical Evidence of the Cessation of Spiritual Gifts

Many Biblical historians have researched the end of the spiritual gifts among the second century Christians. Benjamin Warfield wrote:

“…ceased entirely at the death of the last individual on whom the hands of the Apostles had been laid. That event would, in the natural course of things, take place before the middle of the second century. …the confinement of the supernatural gifts by the Scriptures to those who had them conferred upon them by he Apostles, affords a ready explanation of all the historical facts. ..the inseparable connection of miracles to revelation, as its mark and credential; ..Miracles do not appear on the page of Scripture…without assignable reason. They belong to revelation periods, and appear only when God is speaking to His people through accredited messengers, declaring His gracious purposes. Their abundant display in the Apostolic Church is the mark o the richness of the Apostolic age in revelation; and when this revelation period closed, the period of miracles working what passed by also, its a mere matter of course.” (Counterfeit Miracles, The Banner of Truth Trust: Carlisel, 1983, pp. 24-26).

In addition, James Hastings wrote:

“…healings, especially in nervous cases, continued in the 2nd cent. And later; but there are indications that even they were not very frequent, and there is no good evidence of the other miraculous works of which we read in the N.T. being continued….The evidence, then, seems to show that miracles gradually died out, and just after the Apostolic Age they scarcely went beyond ‘healing by suggestions.’..“We had then (I) that by the end of the 2nd cent. There is a growing suspicion that the miracles are dying out. (Ii) that such miracles as are recorded are generally regarded as different in kind from those of the apostolic age, and (iii) that in the earliest age of post-apostolic Christianity the ‘miracles’ are almost, without exception, of prophecy, healings, and exorcisms.” ” (Dict. Of the Apostolic Church, vol. 2, ed. James Hastings, Charles Scribner’s Sons: New York. 1918, p. 42, 394).

The late New Testament epistles do not give high priority to miraculous signs, and they often speak of them as a past phenomenon.

Early Christians writers claim that by their time these spiritual gifts had ceased. John Chrysostom wrote:

“But the men of the present day, if they were all collected in one place, would not be able, with infinite prayer and tears, to do the wonders that once were done by the handkerchief of St. Paul. He too by his prayers raised the dead,’ and wrought such other miracles, that he was held to be a god by heathen; and before he was removed from this life, he was thought worthy to be caught up as far as the third heaven, and to share in such converse as is not lawful for mortal ears to hear. But the men of today not that I would say anything harsh or severe, for indeed I do not speak by way of insult to them, but only in wonder – how is it that they do not shudder then they measure themselves with so great a man as this? “ (On the Priesthood, Iv, 6. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, vol. 9, p. 67).

In addition to this, Crysosstom talking about 1 Cor. 12:1,2 wrote: “This whole place is very obscure; but the obscurity is produced by our ignorance of the facts referred to and by their cessation, being such as then used to occur but now no longer take place.” (Homilies on First Corinthians, XXIX, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 12, p. 168).

Sometime later Augustine wrote:

“In the earliest times, the Holy Ghost fell upon them that believed; and they spake with tongues, which they had not learned, as the Spirit gave them utterance. These were signs adapted to the time. For there behooved to be that betokening of the Holy Spirit in all tongues, to show that the gospel of God was to run through all tongues over the whole earth. That thing was done for a betokening, and it passed away. In the laying on the hands now, that persons may receive the Holy Ghost, do we look that they should speak with tongues.” (Epistle of John, Homily VI. 10. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, vol. 7, p. 497-8).

Summary

Miraculous gifts were transferred by the Apostles only – through the laying on of hands. Since the death of the last disciple upon whom the apostles bestowed the power to work miracles, such signs ceased. All such miracles, gifts, prophecies, and healings have ended. They have served their purpose.

– Daniel R. Vess