A Word about the Sign Gifts

Today I want to share a word about the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit and I continue commenting from the Bible about the Gifts of the Spirit.

So far we have dealt with the origin and purpose of the Holy Spirit as well as the origin and purpose of the gifts of the Spirit. Now we need to look at the sign or miraculous gifts because these gifts are the cause of much confusion.

The three sign gifts that seem to cause the most trouble are the gifts of tongues, prophecy, and healing. We will discuss each of these, but we will begin by looking at how and when God uses miracles.

God’s Use of the Miraculous:

We must begin our consideration of this subject with a very basic fact: God created the Earth and the earth and all that is in it comes from God.

 

Equally important for our discussion toy is that God created the world to work in an orderly fashion. We know that the Sun always rises in the east and sets in the west, even when we can’t see it because of clouds. This is the way God designed the world and it is the way the world works almost all of the time.

The fact that God created the world and that God gave it rules by which it runs is the foundation of modern science. The earliest scientists were men of great faith who believed that the world was a place of order that worked the same way every time. All they had to do is observe how the world works and they could then predict the outcome of an experiment. The problem today is that scientists have made the earth a god and placed it above humanity whereas our God made people His stewards over the earth. Despite this, modern science has its beginning in Christian faith.

What then do we observe? Almost all the time the world works exactly the way God designed it to work. Miracles are not common, nor are they necessary. If we observe how nature works and if we are good stewards of nature, then we will be blessed by nature.

Remember again that God owns the Earth so He can change how nature works. When you create something you own it. When you own something, it is under your control. If your own a house you can paint it a different color. If you only rent a house, you must ask permission to paint it. God does not need to ask permission.

When He decides to, God can change how nature works. He does not do this very often. When he rested on the seventh day he said the world he had created was ‘Very good!” He likes it to work the way it normally works. At certain times and instances in history, however, God changes the way nature works. We call these acts of God miracles. They don’t happen very often, but they do happen.  The Bible records many miracles in both the Old and New Testament. Even in the Bible, however, miracles did not occur every day. What does this teach us?

God Uses Miracles to Confirm Developments in His Revelation:

A review of the Bible revels that God uses miracles in brief periods in the history of His relationship with His people. For example: 

• He used them to validate Moses. 

• He used them to establish the Jews in the Promised Land. 

• He used them to validate the ministry of the Old Testament Prophets. 

• Jesus did miracles because He is God. He used them more the bless people than to validate His ministry. His miracles did testify to Him as the Son of Man, however.

• He used them to establish the New Testament Church. 

• He used them to validate the truth of His Holy Word.

It is apparent that God uses miracles to show that something new is about to happen. He uses them to show the next step in His enteral plan. So, what is the next major event in God’s plan? From what we know, the end times would seem to be next. I believe that the end times will see an outbreak of the miraculous.  For example, when Jesus comes for us we will meet Him in the air! Certainly that will be a miracle!

God does continue to act in people’s lives, but He made nature to work in a certain way and He likes the way it works. Therefore we should not expect an outpouring of miracles until He is ready to advance his plan to the next phase.

I believe then place that God works in extraordinary ways is on the mission field. I do believe He uses miracles to validate His Word where people have never heard it before.  In contrast to that, when people have God’s Word in the midst we know it is powerful. It is a Two-edged Sword and it convicts us of our sin.  God’s Word does not need miracles to be effective. If works its own miracles in our hearts!

The Sign Gifts:

What, then, should we make of the sign gifts? I believe that while these are still valid gifts, God does not use them very often today.

Let's begin our survey with the Gift of Tongues, because this gift seems to cause the most confusion.

In Acts 2, Gods used tongues to present the Gospel to Jews gathered from all over the Roman world for Pentecost. They each heard in their own language. Some have called this the gift of hearing. These were known, human languages. It would be like me speaking in English and you hearing in Spanish, but without an interpreter!

In 1 Corinthians, Paul indicates that a person might speak with the tongues of men or the tongues of angels. Some believe this means that there is a prayer language that we can use in private prayer with God. If so, Paul does not explain how this works. Paul does however explain God’s purpose for tongues: 1 Corinthians 14:22 says, 

“Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers.” 

Again, God validates His Word by use of miracles such as tongues. 

Paul also insists that what is taught in church must be understandable by the people. He said in 1 Corinthians 14:18-19 that,

“I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.”

Paul also told the church at Corinth not to prohibit speaking in tongues. However, he did tell them to regulate tongues by having an interpreter: 

“If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God (1 Cor 14:17-18).”

The most important thing to Paul was for God’s Word to be used to edify the church. Speaking in unknown tongues does not do that, even if it is a human language or a heavenly language. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:8, 

“Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?”

Finally, remember that Bible does not teach that we must speak in tongues to show we are saved.  The Bible does not teach that you must speak in tongues to show you are Baptized with the Holy Spirit. Tongues is one gift among many, and Paul teaches it is not the most important one.

Next, let's consider the Gift of Prophecy:

This gift is clearly Paul’s favorite. It is the only gift that is included in all three of his lists of Spiritual Gifts. He told the church at Corinth that if they prayed for a gift, it should be prophecy.

Prophecy is one of the speaking gifts and it works to build up the church by sharing God’s Word. The gift is not defined by Paul, but he does describe how it works in 1 Corinthians 14:3, 

“The one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. “ 

So is this really a sign gift? According to Millard Erickson, a prophet is one who speaks forth for God. In the Old Testament that often included revelations of the future plans of God, but not always. 

John the Baptist is considered a prophet, but he is recorded as quoting from the Old Testament. God did prompt him to preach repentance, but he was not predicting a new thing, only reminding people of truth from God.

According to Wayne Grudem, prophecy happens when a person has a message from God put upon their heart. They are convicted of God that they must tell this message, but it can never be something that contradicts Scripture.  

Modern day prophecy cannot include foretelling a new future, because we believe the Canon of Scripture closed with the Revelation of John. The next great event on God’s calendar has been predicted. When the End Times come to pass there will be a New Heaven and a New Earth. Those who are alive and remain will be taken into heaven and remain in God’s presence unto eternity. Until these things come to pass what more new things does God need to tell us?

Prophecy, then, is the forth telling or proclamation of a message from God, based on his Word, guided by His Spirit for the purpose of strengthening, encouraging, and comforting God’s people. So to me, prophecy seems similar to the gift of discernment in many ways. So is prophecy a sign gift? You be the judge!

The last sign gift we will consider is the Gift of Healing:

This gift is only mentioned once. Paul includes it in his list of gifts in 1 Corinthians 12. It is probably like the gift of working miracles Paul mentioned which close to healing in this list 

We have already discussed God’s use of miracles. He does them when He wants to and for His own reasons. Does God heal today through miracles? Yes, but he doesn’t do it every time and, in truth, He did not heal everyone in the New Testament. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 Paul admits, 

“Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Like many other gifts, Paul did not teach us how the gift of healing worked.  He merely states the gift exists but give us no other information.

We were taught by James, however, how to minister to those who are sick. He said, 

“Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.  Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective (James 5;13-16).”

In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, the man who was beaten had oil applied to his wounds. Oil was used as medicine in Biblical times. Many teach today to pray for the sick and also to give them medicine.

In Bible times people believed that sin caused illness. Jesus taught that all illness does not come through sin. We understand this better today because science has taught us about bacteria, viruses, and genetic disorders.  Often we get sick because the world is not perfect the way God created it to be. Mankind’s sin has marred God’s perfect creation and so we all get sick. Getting sick does not always mean, that you have committed some specific sin.

Some illnesses do some from sinful habits, however.  Abusing drugs, abusing alcohol, overeating, and not getting exercise can make us sick. We need to repent of these both physically and spiritually to get well.

Let me share from my past ministry three examples of healing:

• My wife and I went to church with woman whose brain tumor disappeared after our congregation prayed for her.

• We served on the mission fiend with a man whose shoulder pain was eased after we joined with some colleagues to pray for him and anointed him with oil. He was able to wait several months for corrective surgery.

• Finally, in a church where I was the pastor, a woman whose cancer treatments made her ill fell into a coma. Our church prayed earnestly for her, but she died anyway. She was healed when she went to be in heaven with her Lord and Savior.

Conclusion:

So, in conclusion, it is difficult to be dogmatic about these sign gifts. I tend to believe that in most cases where the church is established, and Christians have the Bible and the empowering of the Holy Spirit that God does not use the sign gifts very often. On the other hand, on many mission fields, where there is no church and where the Bible is not readily available, I believe God may choose to activate the sign gifts more.

God is still the Great Physician, and I believe He still heals miraculously, and I also believe He wants us to take advantage of the medical knowledge He has given us the ability to acquire and use.

Like Paul, I also believe that one day most gifts will cease, and only the greatest gift of all will remain. We will explore this gift the next time we are together.

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt