THE UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH INTERNATIONAL (16)

Miracles (2)

Victor M. Eskew

 

          The United Pentecostal Church International believes that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, including the ability to heal, exist today.  In our previous article, we began a study of the cessation of miracles.  By this we mean, the Bible predicted the time when miracles would come to an end.  One of the main purposes of miracles was to confirm the Word of God spoken by those inspired of God in the first century.  Remember, they did not have the complete, written revelation that we have today.  At the outset of the church, the message was completely oral in nature.  “Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Pet.1:21).  However, anyone could claim to have received a revelation from God.  Thus, God provided miracles to confirm the words of His servants.  In Mark 16:20, we learn that the apostles went forth and “preached every where” after being commission by Jesus Christ to do so.  The verse ends with these words:  “…the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.”  However, once the written Word of God was revealed, miracles, “the perfect” of 1 Corinthians 13:10, were no longer needed by the church.

          In our previous article, we looked at two proofs that miracles have ceased.  Let’s consider two more in this article.  First, only the apostles of Jesus Christ had the ability to transfer miracles to other Christians.  This lesson is clearly set forth in Acts 8.  We read of an evangelist by the name of Philip who went to Samaria to preach Christ unto the people.  This man had the ability to perform miracles according to Acts 8:6-7, 13. Philip’s preaching had an impact on the residents of that city.  “But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized both men and women” (Acts 8:12).  Yes, Philip could perform miracles, but he could not transfer that ability to others.  It would take two apostles from Jerusalem to accomplish that.  “Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:  who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:  (for as yet he was fallen upon none of them:  only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.)  Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost” (Acts 8:14-17).  The fact that only the apostles had the ability to lay their hands on individuals in order for them to receive the Holy Spirit is confirmed in Acts 8:18.  “And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given…”  Simon had been impressed with Philip’s ability to perform miracles (See Acts 8:13).  However, he learned that the power to give miraculous gifts was the sole ability of the apostles.  Thus, he offered them money for that ability. 

          Since only the apostles could give miraculous gifts by the laying on of hands, what happened when the last apostle died?  Logic demands that the ability to bestow miraculous gifts also came to an end.  Tradition reveals that the last apostle to die was John.  He died a natural death near the close of the first century.  When John closed his eyes in death and drew his last breath, the miraculous age also came to an end.  Since that time, there have been no apostles on earth who can give gifts to Christians.

          Second, let’s turn our attention to Ephesians 4:7-14.  The section begins with these words from the pen of the apostle Paul:  “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.”  One definition of grace is “divine help.”  In the first century,  part of the grace of God involved “the measure of the gift of Christ,” that is, spiritual gifts.  This is clearly seen in Ephesians 4:8.  “Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.”  The purpose of these gifts is revealed in Ephesians 4:12.  “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”  Remember, the first century church did not have the complete, written Word revealed unto them.  These miraculous gifts enabled them to function properly until God’s Word was complete.

          In fact, this is precisely what Paul discusses in Ephesians 4;13-14. He told the church at Ephesus the miraculous gifts would continue “till.”  This little word means “up to the time of.”  In essence, Paul writes:  “Miraculous gifts will continue up to the time when we call come to the unity of the faith.”  It is the phrase, “the unity of the faith,” that causes difficulty.  Some believe Paul means a time when all religious groups will be united in their faith.  This could not possibly be what Paul is discussing.  There were no denominations that existed in the first century.  The key to the interpretation of the text is understanding the words “the faith.”  The faith is the complete system of faith.  It is the complete revelation of God to man.  In the first century, revelation was being given as it was needed.  Paul would provide some.  Peter gave some.  John wrote some. James and Jude wrote also wrote some.  Eventually, the complete New Testament would be written and brought together into what we often call “The New Testament.”  Dear readers, the New Testament is “the unity of the faith.”  When the faith was revealed, the age of miracles came to an end.  Paul is telling the church at Ephesus exactly what he told the church in Corinth in 1 Corinthians 13:8-13.

          Paul told the saints at Ephesus that when they possessed the complete written Word, they would be “a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”  He also proclaimed that when they had the complete revelation from God, they would “henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, where by they lie in wait to deceive” (Eph. 4:14).  Since they were relying on the oral transmission of God’s revelation, anyone could claim to have a message from God.  This message was supposed to be confirmed by miracles (See Mark 16:20).  The problem was there were many individuals living at that time who could perform magic acts that seemed like miracles.  Therefore, multitudes of people could be deceived by heretics.  When the written revelation was given in its entirety, this would no longer be a concern.  Individuals could turn to the divine text and prove their points by what we refer to as a “thus saith the Lord.” 

          The United Pentecostal Church understands that the true church was established on Pentecost Day.  Too, they realize that the Scriptures are the standard of authority in the religious world.  However, they err when they interpret the Scriptures.  The fact that they picked a Jewish feast day as the name of their church is one proof of this.  Jesus never promised to build the Pentecostal Church.  He said:  “..and upon this rock I will build my church…” (Matt. 16:18).  It is our prayer that those associated with the Pentecostal church will continue to study God’s Word, see the errors in which they are engaged, and embraced the truth of God’s Holy Word.