Manifestation Of The Holy Spirit / Part 2

Series – April 2020 – Grace & Truth Magazine

The Manifestation Or Marks Of The Holy Spirit
Versus Imitation In The Church – Part 2

The Apostles Represented Christ And Pointed To Him
Christ was God’s great Apostle on earth and now is so in heaven, drawing our attention, interest and affections to Him (Heb. 3:1). The author of Hebrews

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did not mention his own name and apostleship, directing his readers’ full attention to the Lord Jesus. During His service on earth, Jesus had sent out 12 apostles, but Hebrews puts all emphasis on Christ and does not even use the term “apostle” for them (see 2:3-4).

In principle and in a moral sense every believer is an apostle as a sent messenger, which we see in John 13:16, 2 Corinthians 8:23 and Philippians 2:25. Other Scriptures use the term “apostle” only for the Twelve, Paul (1 Cor. 9:1-2) and those associated with them: Stephen and Barnabas. They all had seen the Lord, who gave them official authority to establish and lead His new testimony as He supported them by miracles (powers), signs 2 (they signified something), and wonders (drawing awe).

“Approved Of God”
Thus far, Christ had been the only Man publicly approved by God, as Peter said on Pentecost, “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus the Nazaraean, a man borne witness to by God to YOU 3 by works of power and wonders and signs, which God wrought by Him in YOUR midst, as yourselves know” (Acts 2:22 JND). Who compares with Christ, the perfect Man, on this earth? God’s approval of the Lord Jesus was displayed as a message to the people.

As we study true signs or their counterfeits we should note that the verb the Holy Spirit used to publicly approve Christ (Gr. apodeiknumi), He also used regarding the coming Antichrist. That one, the Counterfeiter, will present or approve himself “as God” (2 Th. 2:4). He will use signs, miracles and wonders – all marked by falsehood (v.9) to have himself approved by man, not God. The fullness of this will be allowed under God’s government after the rapture (v.11).

Despite clear evidence, the Jewish leaders did not accept God’s approval of the Messiah and His activities. Early believers trusted the Lord Jesus the Holy One, the Servant, Jesus, the Christ – even though He was then absent from them. The new disciples put these four names of His together as they prayed because of the tremendous enmity they faced in the fourfold opposition of kings, rulers, Herod and Pontius Pilate (Acts 4:26-27). They asked God for boldness and that signs and wonders might be done through “the name of Thy holy Servant Jesus” (v.30). The Lord answered in visible and audible ways (vv.31,33).

We should not take this as something that always must happen this way or that we can demand of God, for our condition is not the same as theirs. Also, the Lord may let us wait, but He always will answer sincere prayers even if He must say, “No.” As He answered the prayer of Acts 4, God helped the new believers through the cautious Pharisee Gamaliel and protected them from further harm by the Sadducees (5:33-39). This does not mean that this ruler or the Pharisees in general accepted the apostles’ testimony. In fact, the Pharisees opposed “the way” (9:2, 6:12). Even so, from both groups quite a number turned to the Lord to be saved (v.7) – how wonderful and amazing!

Three Terms
Special attention is drawn to “miracles,” “signs” and “wonders” because they are found together six times in the New Testament, although not always in the same order. When we look at the times when miracles, signs and wonders are mentioned we see they are related to four different ministries on earth: three of them were on behalf of God and one to be a counterfeit.

The first ministry for our consideration is that of the Lord on earth. On the day of Pentecost, Peter addressed his fellow Jews, saying that the Lord Jesus, the Man of Nazareth, was “approved by God ... by miracles and wonders, and signs” (2:22 KJV). The miracles wrought by the Messiah were divinely powerful, as He healed lepers, numerous deaf and blind individuals, and set free many who were demon-possessed. These miracles proved that He was the Messiah, as God worked through them to accredit Him. The wonders were impressive, demanding attention and having special meaning, as indicated by the word “sign.”

These powers, signs and wonders represented God’s threefold authentication of the Lord Jesus in His earthly ministry, pointing to the blessings of the world to come, which He will usher in (Heb. 6:5; Isa. 35). God had acted in similar ways through Moses at the time of the exodus (Jer. 32:21), which demonstrates that signs were especially directed to the Jews (1 Cor. 1:22, 14:22).

Consider what the Lord said about this matter: “But I have a greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given Me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of Me, that the Father hath sent Me” (Jn. 5:36 NKJV ). God showed the purpose of Christ’s miracles: to demonstrate that He was the promised Messiah, the Son of God. They were not examples of what every Christian could or should do, for no one before or since Christ has ever been able to act like He did. He healed every type of disease, cast out every kind of demon and raised the dead. He did so repeatedly, at His will, perfectly. He never failed to heal those who were brought to Him – no, not once!

Regarding a second minstry, Hebrews 2:4 notes the same three words but in relation to the 12 apostles and their work as recorded in Acts, including Matthias who replaced Judas Iscariot. The exalted Lord authenticated their ministry through signs, wonders and powers (see Mk. 16:17-18). Hebrews was probably written around 65 AD when these signs and wonders by the apostles and also men like Stephen (Acts 6:8) and Philip (8:40) already belonged to the past. The wonders 4 had stopped as signs to the Jews around the time the temple was destroyed in 70 AD. Importantly, the author of Hebrews used Scripture, not signs and wonders, to present the greatness of the Messiah, showing that the types had been fulfilled in Him and in His work.5

Looking at a third ministry we see the same terms are used in Paul’s service: “truly the signs of an apostle” (2 Cor. 12:12; see Rom. 15:18-19). The Twelve had been called by Christ on earth and approved in their ministry, and the signs wrought by the apostle Paul were a confirmation of his ministry. The exalted Christ was operating through Paul and accomplishing mighty works by him as evidenced in the signs he performed. At the same time there were miracles “wrought among YOU [Corinthians] in all patience” in what had been an ongoing process, realized by Paul, “in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds” (2 Cor. 12:12). This was to authenticate his ministry in laying the foundation of the Church (1 Cor. 3:10; Eph. 2:20). The signs were characteristic of the beginning of the new period of grace. Once the new testimony had been established there was no further need for endorsement by signs and wonders.

It is not suggested that God does not work miracles today (see 3:20), but when He does, they have a different function. Furthermore, the public healing ministries of Peter and Paul were linked with their apostolic authority before the Word of God was completed. Now we have their writings, but their apostolic presence and authority are no longer with us. Let us be like the Bereans and search the Scriptures (Acts 17:11), following their faith (Heb. 13:7).

A kind of fourth ministry also references powers, signs and wonders: namely the coming Antichrist. Notice the additional word: “lying” (2 Th. 2:9). Scripture records the public evidence of a work of God or of the Spirit regarding Christ’s ministry, and the same with the apostles, including a work by the exalted Christ. Similarly, the Antichrist will gain a great following as he will do similar things, but these will be marked by lying – wonders worked by the father of the lie (Jn. 8:44). How terrible!

This is what God will allow in His moral government even amid the so-called Christian profession of the tribulation days, after the rapture of the Church saints. Then God will send “a working of error” (2 Th. 2:11 JND) because the true works of God will have been refused.6 We can discern, even in our own day, preparations towards the development of the lie which, in fact, started in the days of the apostles (2 Th. 2:7) because of man’s hardening. Moses had, hundreds of years before, told of various kinds of counterfeit miracles before they occurred (Dt. 13:1-4, 18:20). These were alluded to by God, the Lord (Mt. 24:5,11,24) and Paul (2 Cor. 11:14-15). God also gave signs and wonders to predict or confirm coming judgments (Ex. 7:9; 1 Ki. 13:3; Isa. 20:3-4; Ezek. 4:3, 12:6). Let us beware!

ENDNOTES
1. Although not specified, many believe the apostle Paul probably wrote Hebrews (see Heb. 13:22; 2 Pet. 3:15). If so, we have 14 (2x7) epistles by him.
2. The word “sign” (semeion) occurs 77 times in the Greek New Testament, of which 24 are in Luke and Acts, and 24 in John’s writings. The number 24 underlines a new order (8 x 3) in administration (2 x 12) as God’s new testimony.
3. Many versions do not differentiate between singular you(r) and plural YOU(R). For this article, the small capital text indicates the plural.
4. Interestingly, Hebrews 2:13 refers to living signs and wonders. The quote in that verse is from Isaiah 8:18. We understand that the believers then living, linked with the Messiah, were such “signs and wonders” on His behalf – just as we are today.
5. Besides giving such important teachings, Hebrews exhorts the Christians to act according to His Word (consider Heb. 13:13).
6. With the Jews, this energy of error will be on different lines but similar in character (Jn. 5:43). They had rejected their Messiah, and therefore in God’s government they will follow a false Messiah.

By Alfred Bouter

Look for a part 3 of this Series next month!

It was necessary to give clear instruction as regards that which would attack the foundations of Christianity, yet this could affect the unceasing thanksgiving of the apostle Paul for his “brethren beloved of the Lord” (2 Th. 2:13 KJV). In them God displayed a marvelous difference: He had chosen them “from the beginning” in view of salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit (God’s internal work in the soul) and belief of the truth (the response of the soul to Him in faith). Sanctification of the Spirit is found also in 1 Peter 1:2 and indicates the work of the Spirit in dealing with and separating the soul even before the believing of the truth, according to God’s pre-knowledge. Sanctification by the blood of Christ is positional, the believer being set apart in his position by virtue of the shedding of the blood of Christ (Heb. 10). Sanctification by the truth (John 17) is progressive, dealing with a daily, practical setting apart of the saints to God. The apostle said it was “by our gospel” (2 Th. 2:14, see v.13) that God called the Thessalonians to this salvation. How blessed a privilege for His servants to be thus found sharing in the blessed work of the matchless grace of God. — Leslie M. Grant (adapted)