The miraculous gifts of the Spirit are certainly a topic that everybody is interested in, but if we are not careful with the scriptures, it can be a subject that we can get carried away with. The key points to get a handle on are these: What was promised/prophesied concerning the miraculous gifts, and what was the purpose of such gifts.

In a bulletin several weeks ago, I covered the promise of the Holy Spirit (ask for a copy if you don’t have one), where I discussed how the prophets of the old testament spoke about the Spirit’s coming in the first century. All the prophets had one main point on this subject, that the Spirit would be outpoured from heaven like a flood upon the earth, sprouting forth salvation and every spiritual blessing that comes from being in Christ Jesus. This baptizing flood from heaven would immerse the dry, barren, spiritual drought of men’s hearts with the waters of life. The Spirit brought restoration, restoring the fellowship between God and men. One particular prophet, Joel, went a step further than the others, and also gave promises of a miraculous nature. It is important to recognize that the pouring out of the Spirit is NOT limited to miraculous gifts. First and foremost, the Spirit brought the word, the gospel. But one could not come without the other. This is connected to miraculous/spiritual gifts in that the word of the gospel came by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit upon godly men and women.

“I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. (29)  Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.” (Joel 2:28-29).

As Joel specified, the Spirit coming to men would result in the inspiration of truth to men and women. This would not only include the apostles, but others in those days as well, which we have good examples of in the book of Acts and 1 Corinthians. A good example of those who were filled with the Holy Spirit were the deacons serving in the church at Jerusalem (Acts 6:3). When persecution arose in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1-4), the church began to spread outside of Jerusalem. Philip, one of the original deacons in Jerusalem (Acts 6:5), also left, as Acts records:

“Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.” (Acts 8:5)

Philip, being a recipient of the outpouring/baptism/immersion of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:3, 5), was inspired by the Spirit, and prophesied (revealed the word of God) to the people in Samaria. Philip was not only inspired by the Spirit, but was “full of the Spirit”, even able to do many other wonders:

“And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. (7)  For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.” (Acts 8:6-7)

What was the result of Philip’s preaching in Samaria?

“But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. (13)  Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.” (Acts 8:12-13).

Men and women were baptized into Christ. Now, this is not the baptism of the Holy Spirit (which I covered in a previous bulletin), but this is the same baptism of which we hold to today. Even Luke specifies that the Spirit “had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 8:16). Here we understand that the miraculous manifestation of the Spirit within a person had no bearing on their salvation, they were saved when they were baptized for the remission of their sins. However, in those days, there was no new testament document, no bible (as we know it) to pick up and read. The progression of the truth into the world could only be accomplished by the Holy Spirit, and this he did through inspiration of some of the believers. So when the apostles (who were all still in Jerusalem) heard that salvation had come to Samaria, in order to progress the word of truth further, sent Peter and John to Samaria. And for what purpose? To continue to preach just like Philip was doing there? No. They “came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:15). But what do the apostles have to do with the miraculous manifestation of the Spirit in a believer? According to Acts 8, they have everything to do with it! And if it was the apostles that needed to pray for these believers to have the Spirit, why couldn’t they have offered that prayer while still in Jerusalem? Why make the trip to Samaria? Again, the text has the answer:

“Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 8:17).

So it was the apostles that were able to petition God for one to receive the Spirit (i.e. miraculous gifts), and it was the apostles who must lay hands on each individual that may receive the Spirit. Notice how specific Luke is on this point:

“Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, (19)  saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 8:18-19).

See what Simon witnessed, the miraculous gift came through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, and he wanted that ability also. Now, when Simon was baptized into Christ, it is because of the preaching of Philip and witnessing the incredible wonders that Philip did by the Holy Spirit. Recall that Philip was “full of the Spirit”. But even a great man like Philip, full of the Holy Spirit, working great power from heaven, was unable to supply even a single person with any similar power by the Holy Spirit. Simon didn’t ask Philip for the power, he asked the apostles because he “saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands”. This begs the question if the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit could only be distributed by direct contact with the apostles’ hands, what happened when the apostles died? Look around today and see. There are no apostles, and likewise, there is not a single true Christian that possesses any miraculous gift of the Holy Spirit.

                This is not a sad thought for us today, rather it is a joyous situation, for the loss of miraculous gifts means that the word of God is complete. For the gifts remained only as long as the news of the gospel was incompletely distributed. Paul explains this point well, saying,

“As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. (9)  For we know in part and we prophesy in part, (10)  but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.” (1 Corinthians 13:8-10).

Paul showed how these miraculous gifts would fail and pass away, for they only exist as long as the gospel of the new testament is “in part”, as soon as the “perfect comes” (i.e. the complete revelation of God’s word), the “partial will pass away.” And indeed, we are witnesses that these things have certainly passed away, and we are witnesses of the fullness of the revealed word of God. Amen. Those who claim miraculous gifts today can be easily spotted as false believers who subvert plenty of other truths in God’s word as well.

Article by Tanner Campbell