Manifestation Of The Holy Spirit / Part 1

Series – February 2020 – Grace & Truth Magazine

The Manifestation Or Marks Of The Holy Spirit
Versus Imitation In The Church – Part 1

On the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), the Holy Spirit came from heaven, and God gave signs and wonders. This was at the beginning of the church age – a wonderful and amazing work of God. Soon the enemy tried to oppose God’s work through imitation and corruption. The book of Acts describes both works, as the Lord Jesus worked from heaven.

In this series we will consider some of the gifts God provided and the enemy’s counterfeits. As we proceed in this study, we will also distinguish between signs – which were for a limited time – and gifts that continue even now. Strict rules apply for the functioning of those gifts, especially when exercised in public (1 Cor. 14). Sadly, those instructions are often neglected.

The Twelve And Paul – Approved By God-given Signs
Before He went to heaven, the Lord instructed the Twelve about their upcoming ministry (Acts 1), which was to be accompanied by signs1 and wonders from heaven (Heb. 2:4; Mk. 16:20; Acts 2:43, 4:30, 5:12, 6:8). Saul of Tarsus was saved and called a few years later. His ministry was authenticated by similar signs (14:3, 15:12; Rom. 15:19): “Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among YOU02 with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds” (2 Cor. 12:12 NKJV).

These signs expressed God’s support of the new work and testimony. However, where God works, the counterfeiter Satan is soon at work as well. Thus, spiritual discernment was and still is needed, with genuine love to the Lord and His people (please read 2 Cor. 11:1-13; Acts 20:29-30; Rev. 2:1-2; 2 Tim. 2:7; 1 Jn. 4:1).

In general, the sign gifts were limited to the apostles and their close coworkers as characteristics of their work (Acts 2:43, 3:6-9, 5:12,15, 9:40, 19:11; 2 Cor. 12:12).3 Apostles were required to have been with the Lord during His earthly ministry and after His resurrection, except Paul who first met Him after His resurrection (Acts 1:21-26, 9:3,15; 1 Cor. 9:1, 15:8).

The Apostles – Differences And Parallels For Today
We recall that the apostles were sent ones (Mt. 10:1,5) representing the great Sender. The Lord was the Sent One (v.40; Jn. 4:34), God’s Messenger. The Twelve received their apostolic authority from the Lord on earth, while Paul obtained his from the Lord in heaven. In both cases, God-given signs and wonders accompanied the apostles’ ministry to confirm their message. Note, however, a fundamental difference exists between them and us: We do not have their official status or authority.

They were models for the flock and doers of the Word (Jn. 13:17; Jas. 1:22). In this respect, a parallel exists between them and all the believers. We are no longer of this world but sent into it by the Lord. Those who reject God’s offer of grace will not have another opportunity to be saved (2 Th. 2:10-12). This moral principle was known in Moses’ days when God gave two signs for His people’s deliverance (Ex. 4:2-9). If they rejected these signs of God’s gracious intervention for them, only judgment remained. Similarly, the next time the heavens are opened it will be to execute judgment (Rev. 19:11-21), but today is still the day of grace.

Consider the disciples after Christ’s resurrection and exaltation. Mark 16:20 says, “They went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.” To be sure, this preaching demands a response (Lk. 24:47,52-53) because of the special link between the disciples on earth and Christ in heaven through the Holy Spirit (Acts 2). Therefore, the challenge of the right kind of preaching as linked with Christ in glory and of a proper response remains with us today.

God gave special signs during the beginning of His new testimony, as we conclude from Hebrews 2:3-4. This passage relates to the great salvation announced by the Lord – which was confirmed by those who heard it and whose testimony was approved by God-given signs. Even so, the Lord’s work in and with His own is a blessed fact that continues now. The question is: “Are we ready and available to be used by Him?”

Romans 10:9-21 shows that Israel as a nation did not respond to the good news, as they were not willing to accept it (see Acts 7). Paul therefore outlined a chain with several links that are required so there may be a response (Rom. 10:14-17):

1. The Word of Christ,
2. A preacher,
3. Hearing,
4. Faith, and
5. Calling upon God.

The last point is the result or right response to preaching, and it presupposes obedience and faith.

God’s Intervention In Grace – Messiah’s Coming
God is the only One who can bring life into a scene of death,4 illustrated in Isaac’s birth (Gen. 21; Rom. 4:9-25). He does so in true resurrection power, implied in Isaac’s sacrifice (Gen. 22; Heb. 11:17-19). Therefore, God revealed Himself to Abraham as the Almighty (Gen. 17) when the patriarch had yet no heir. The Almighty is able to keep His own for Himself as sheep among wolves – in a world opposed to Him, under Satan’s leadership, and of a rebellious and perverse generation.

“Abraham” means “father of a multitude.” He is the father of all the believers (Rom. 4:16) according to the rights and glories in which God will display Himself to the whole world in a soon coming day. In the life of the father of the faith-family and in the patriarchs we find important lessons, even though Abraham’s descendants have not always respected their link with heaven – sometimes rejecting it. Abraham, too, failed in this but was restored again and again.

However, in “the fullness of time” (Gal. 4:4) the true Man from heaven, who is “the second Man” (1 Cor. 15:47), came into this scene, representing an entirely new order of things – without any failure. The world created by Him and humanity in general, even His own people, did not recognize Him and were not willing to submit to His claims (Jn. 1:1-18). After many proofs of His heavenly origin and mission – confirmed by seven remarkable signs in John’s gospel – they rejected the Christ of God. Nevertheless, heaven proclaimed its delight in this Man:

• At His birth (Lk. 2:9-14);
• During the start of His public ministry (3:21-22); and
• At its end, through the cloud of the Shekinah glory (9:35; Mk. 9:7; Mt. 17:5; 2 Pet. 1:17; consider Jn. 12:28).

Finally, God showed His satisfaction in raising Christ from among the dead by the glory of the Father (Rom. 6:4) and taking Him up into heaven (Acts 1:9-10; Heb. 1:3).

Yes, the Man in heaven is now seated on the throne of God, at His right hand meaning He is God. This blessed fact for believers and all humanity should have our full attention. It will lead to the worship of Him.

ENDNOTES
1. The Twelve spoke in tongues (Acts 2:4) with their Galilean accent (v.7) and were referred to as “Peter ... with the eleven” (v.14).
2. Many versions do not differentiate between singular you(r) and plural YOU(R). For this article, the small-capital text indicates the plural.
3. As foretold by Isaiah, the Jews rejected this sign and were judged. Its purpose ceased even before the events recorded in the book of Acts were completed. The last mention of tongues is in Acts 19. The signs, having been fulfilled, ceased. John Chrysostom wrote in the 4th century about the sign gifts of 1 Corinthians 12–14, “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 1 Corinthians, Vol. XII, The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Hom. 29:2).
4. God’s counterfeiter, Satan, will imitate this power for a short period of time (Rev. 13:15; 2 Th. 2:4,9-11).

By Alfred Bouter

Look for a part 2 of this Series next month!

No matter how complete the publishing of the gospel, this does not guarantee that all men will receive the blessed news. Therefore, its rejection by many Gentiles does not in the least prove the message valueless, for even of Israel Scripture had foretold the same general unbelief of the glad tidings: “Lord, who hath believed our report?” (Rom. 10:16 KJV). The messengers are given no hope that the world itself will believe their report. However, that is not a discouragement; the report is true and full of blessedness, and the gospel works by what it brings, not by the conditions it finds. — Leslie M. Grant (adapted)