Foundational Truths – Page 2 – On Eagles Wings Ministries

Those Who Are Jesus’s at His Coming

In the last session we considered the first phase of the resurrection, called by Paul “Jesus the first-fruits.” We saw how exactly and completely the account of Jesus’s resurrection given in the New Testament fulfilled the prophetic typology of the ordinance of the first-fruits as ordained for Israel in the Old Testament.

We shall now go on to consider the second main phase of the resurrection – that which Paul refers to as “those who are Jesus’s at His coming” (1 Cor. 15:23).

Marks of True Believers

Notice carefully the exact phrases which Paul uses concerning this second phase of the resurrection.

First, the Greek word here translated “coming” is parousia. This is the word mainly used throughout the New Testament to denote that aspect of Jesus’s second coming which primarily concerns the church – that is, Jesus’s coming as the Bridegroom to take His bride, the church, to Himself.

Second, we must notice how carefully Paul specifies those who will take part in this second phase of the resurrection. He says, “Those who are Jesus’s.” This phrase indicates possession. It is equivalent to saying “those who belong to Jesus.” This certainly does not include all those who make a profession of faith in Jesus. It covers only those who have so fully and unreservedly yielded themselves to Jesus that they are entirely His. They are no longer their own; they belong to Jesus.

Paul describes a double “seal” that marks those who fulfill this requirement.

Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Jesus depart from iniquity” (2 Tim. 2:19).

In the last resort, only the Lord Himself knows exactly who are those that belong to Him. In outward conduct, however, all such believers have one feature in common: They “depart from iniquity.” Any who lack this second, outward seal are not among those whom the Lord acknowledges as His.

In Galatians Paul gives a further mark by which such people are distinguished.

And those who are Jesus’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires (5:24).

Professing Christian’s who lead careless, carnal, self-indulgent lives will not be numbered among those whom Jesus will receive to Himself.

Jesus is coming, it is true, “like a thief,” but He certainly is not coming to steal. He will take to Himself only those who are already His own.

With this warning in mind, let us consider what will take place at this second main phase of the resurrection. Since Paul states that it will take place “at Jesus’s coming,” it is clear that this second phase is directly associated with the return of Jesus.

The return of Jesus is one of the main themes of biblical prophecy. Someone has estimated that for every promise in the Bible concerning the first coming of Jesus, there are at least five promises concerning His second coming. This shows how great a part the theme of the second coming of Jesus plays in the total revelation of Scripture. For this reason it is outside the scope of our present studies to discuss in detail every question related to Jesus’s second coming.

It is, however, helpful to point out that, in the eternal counsel of God, the second coming of Jesus is ordained to accomplish a number of different purposes. These purposes are in some sense distinct from each other, yet all are interrelated in God’s overall plan. Each of these purposes constitutes one main aspect of Jesus’s second coming, one main part of the total event as foretold in Scripture.

Five Purposes of Jesus’s Second Coming

Briefly, we may mention the five main purposes for which Jesus will come again.

1. Jesus will come for the church. He will come again as the Bridegroom to receive to Himself all true believers as His bride. They will be united with Jesus, either by resurrection or by instantaneous change in their bodies while still alive. Jesus promised His disciples:

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also (John 14:3).

2. Jesus will come for the national salvation of Israel. The national remnant of Israel that has survived the fires of the great tribulation will acknowledge Jesus as Messiah and thus be reconciled to God and restored to His favour and blessing. This is foretold in the promise of God through Isaiah, quoted by Paul.

And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:

“The Deliverer will come out of Zion,

And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;

For this is My covenant with them,

When I take away their sins” (Rom. 11:26-27).

3. Jesus will come for the overthrow of AntiJesus and of Satan himself.

And then the lawless one [the AntiJesus] will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming [parousia]
(2 Thess. 2:8).

4. Jesus will come for the judgement of the Gentile nations. He Himself gave this prediction:

When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats (Matt. 25:31-32).

In the verses that follow, Jesus describes in detail the procedure of judgement.

5. Jesus will come for the establishment of His millennial kingdom on the earth. This is included in the passage in Matthew 25 and predicted in Isaiah.

Then the moon will be disgraced

And the sun ashamed;

For the Lord of hosts will reign

On Mount Zion and in Jerusalem

And before His elders, gloriously (Is. 24:23).

It is also predicted in Zechariah.

The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name (14:9, NIV).

The period of time for which Jesus will thus reign is given in Revelation 20:4, where it speaks of the martyrs of the tribulation period:

And they lived and reigned with Jesus for a thousand years.

(Millennium is a Latin word meaning “a period of a thousand years.”) Thus we may briefly summarize the five main purposes for which Jesus will come.

1. Jesus will come for the church, to receive all true believers to Himself.

2. Jesus will come for the national salvation of Israel.

3. Jesus will come for the overthrow of AntiJesus and of Satan himself.

4. Jesus will come for the judgement of the Gentile nations.

5. Jesus will come to establish His millennial kingdom upon earth.

While there is general agreement among Bible believers concerning these main purposes of Jesus’s second coming, there has been much discussion and controversy concerning the details and the precise relationship of each to all the rest. Some of the main questions that have been asked are: Will all these purposes of Jesus’s return be accomplished together as one single event, or will there be definite intervals of time between some of them? If so, in what order will they take place? Is it possible that some will partly overlap others?

In our present study we shall avoid entering unnecessarily into these controversial questions, and we shall confine ourselves to that particular aspect of Jesus’s return which is directly associated with the resurrection of the righteous.

Resurrection and Rapture of True Believers

Paul describes how professing Christian’s will be resurrected to meet Jesus at His coming.

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Jesus will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words (1 Thess. 4:13-18).

The primary purpose of Paul’s teaching here is to comfort Christian’s believers concerning other professing Christian’s – relatives or other loved ones – who have died. These professing Christian’s who have died are described as “those who have fallen asleep,” or, more precisely, “those who sleep in Jesus.” This means those who have died in the faith of the gospel. Paul’s message of comfort is based on the assurance that these, and all other true believers, will be resurrected.

The actual picture which Paul gives of this phase of the resurrection is as follows.

First, there will be three dramatic sounds to herald it. The first sound will be the shout of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, as He Himself had predicted.

All who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth – those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation (John 5:28-29).

It is the voice of Jesus alone that has power to call the dead out of their graves. However, at this particular moment He will call forth only the righteous dead – only those who have died in the faith. The calling forth of the unrighteous dead will be reserved for a later phase of resurrection.

The other two sounds that will be heard at this point will be the voice of an archangel and the trumpet of God. The archangel here referred to is probably Gabriel, since it appears to be his special ministry to proclaim upon earth impending interventions of God in the affairs of men.

All through the Bible, one main use of the trumpet is to gather the Lord’s people together in any special time of crisis. The sound of the trumpet at this point will be the signal for all the Lord’s people to gather together with Him as He descends from heaven to meet them.

Upon earth two great events will occur in swift succession. First, all true believers who have died in the faith will be resurrected. Second, all true believers alive on earth at that moment will undergo an instantaneous, supernatural change in their bodies.

Then both these companies of believers – those who were resurrected and those whose bodies were changed without dying – will together be swiftly raised by God’s supernatural power from the earth up into the air. There they will be received into clouds, and within these clouds they will be reunited with their Lord and with each other. Thereafter the Lord and His redeemed believers will forever be united in unbroken harmony and fellowship.

There is special significance in two of the Greek words that Paul uses in this passage. Where he says “we shall be caught up,” the Greek verb translated “to catch up” is harpazo. This denotes a sudden, swift, violent grab. It is used four times in the New Testament to describe people being caught up to heaven.

In addition, it is used in Acts 8:39, where we read that “the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away” from the Ethiopian eunuch. It is used by Jesus in John 10:12 to describe the wolf “catching” the sheep. It is used by Him also in Matthew 13:19 to describe the birds snatching away the seed sown by the wayside. It is used in Jude verse 23 to describe people being pulled out of the fire.

Traditionally, Bible commentators have rendered harpazo by the word rapture – either as a noun or as a verb. Rapture is derived from a Latin verb which means precisely the same as harpazo – “to seize, to snatch away.” Throughout the rest of these studies, rapture will be used in this sense as the equivalent of harpazo.

Paul’s use of harpazo is deliberately intended to give the impression of one single, swift, sudden, violent act. Indeed, it suggests particularly the act of a thief. In this respect it is in line with other scriptures which compare this aspect of Jesus’s coming to that of a thief.

Behold, I am coming as a thief (Rev. 16:15).

Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into (Matt. 24:42-43).

Notice the suggestion of violence in the statement that the house is to be “broken into.”

We may say, therefore, that the coming of Jesus for His church at this point will be like that of a thief in the following respects. It will be sudden, unexpected, without warning; it will culminate in one single, violent act of snatching away. Furthermore, that which is to be snatched away will be earth’s most valuable treasure – the true professing Christian’s. However, as we have already said, Jesus’s coming will differ from that of a thief in one extremely important respect: He will take away only that which is already His by right of redemption.

First Thessalonians 4:17 contains one other significant Greek word. Paul says that we shall meet the Lord “in the air.” The Greek word used here is aer.

This is one of two Greek words normally translated “air.” The other word is aither. The difference between these two words is that aer denotes the lower air in immediate contact with the earth’s surface; aither denotes the higher, rarer air, some considerable distance above the earth’s surface. Since Paul uses the word aer in relation to the Lord’s return, he indicates that the Lord’s gathering together with His raptured saints will take place in the lower air, quite close to the earth’s surface.

Paul refers again to this same moment of resurrection and rapture in 1 Corinthians.

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed (15:51-52).

Paul here unfolds “a mystery” – that is, a previously unrevealed secret of God’s plan for the church. The secret thus revealed is this: All true believers will be raptured together at the Lord’s coming, but not all those to be raptured will have died and been resurrected.

Those who are alive at the Lord’s coming will not die at all but will simply undergo an instantaneous and miraculous change in their bodies. By this change their bodies will be rendered exactly like those of the other believers who have been resurrected from the dead.

In the next verse Paul briefly summarizes the nature of the change that will take place.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality (1 Cor. 15:53).

Instead of being mortal and corruptible, the new body of each believer will be immortal and incorruptible.

Does this account given by Paul constitute a complete picture of the resurrection of all believers before the establishment of Jesus’s kingdom in the millennium?

To this question the answer would appear to be no. For it would seem that at least two further stages in the resurrection of the righteous are recorded in the book of Revelation.

Witnesses and Martyrs

In Revelation 11 we read the account of God’s two witnesses during the tribulation period and of their eventual martyrdom “by the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit” – the Anti Christ.

Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three and a half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves . . . Now after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet . . . And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them (Rev. 11:9,11-12).

The account makes it plain that this was in the fullest sense a resurrection. Although their bodies had not been buried, these two martyrs had been dead for three and a half days. Then, in the open sight of their enemies, their bodies were resurrected, and they ascended into heaven. It is interesting to notice that their ascension into heaven is similar to each of the other cases that we have already considered in that it takes place in a cloud.

It seems clear that this resurrection of the two witnesses is distinct from the resurrection of professing Christian’s described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. It is not associated with the descent of Jesus from heaven, nor is there any mention of other accompanying features, such as a trumpet or the voice of an archangel.

If we now turn to Revelation 20:4-6, we find the account of what appears to be a further stage in the resurrection of the righteous.

And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgement was committed to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Jesus for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection (20:4-6).

The people whose resurrection is described here are those who were beheaded as martyrs of Jesus during the period of the AntiJesus’s rule. These tribulation saints are shown as being resurrected at the close of the great tribulation, just prior to the establishment of Jesus’s millennial kingdom. They thus share with Jesus Himself, and with all other resurrected saints, the privilege of ruling and judging the nations on earth during the millennium.

Some commentators believe that these tribulation martyrs are included in the resurrection of professing Christian’s described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. Others view it as a distinct and subsequent stage in the resurrection of the righteous. There is little to be gained by making this a subject of controversy. John closes the account of the resurrection of these martyrs with the words:

This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection (Rev. 20:5-6).

By these words John apparently indicates that “the first resurrection” is now complete. All those who take part in this resurrection are called “blessed and holy.” That is to say, they are all righteous believers. (Up to this point, none of the unrighteous has been resurrected. The second resurrection, in which the unrighteous have their part, is described by John in the latter part of Revelation 20.)

If we now combine the revelations given by Paul and John, we may offer the following summary of the resurrection of the righteous.

The total resurrection of the righteous, from the moment of Jesus’s own resurrection down to the resur

rection of the tribulation martyrs just prior to the millennium, is called by John “the first resurrection.” All those who take part in this resurrection are “blessed and holy”; that is, they are all righteous believers.

However, within this total resurrection of the righteous we may discern at least four distinct events.

1. “Jesus the first-fruits” – that is, Jesus Himself and those of the Old Testament saints who were resurrected at the time of Jesus’s resurrection.

2. “Those who are Jesus’s at His coming” – the true professing Christian’s who are ready to meet Jesus at His return, together with those who died in the faith – all these together being caught up in clouds to meet Jesus in the air.

3. The “two witnesses” of the tribulation period, who are left dead but unburied for three and a half days and are then resurrected and ascend to heaven in a cloud.

4. The remainder of the tribulation martyrs, who are resurrected at the close of the tribulation period in time to share with Jesus and the other saints in the privilege of ruling and judging the nations on earth during the millennium.

Such, in brief outline, is the New Testament picture of the resurrection of the righteous.

In the next session we shall go on to consider the third and final phase of the resurrection.

Jesus the First-fruits

In the previous session we examined some of the main passages of the Old Testament which foretell the resurrection. We saw that the Old Testament foretells the following three main events:

1. 1. Jesus Himself will be raised from the dead.
  2. Those who believe in Jesus will share His resurrection.
  3. There will also be a resurrection of the wicked for purposes of judgement and punishment.

If we now turn to the New Testament, we find that the revelation it gives concerning the resurrection of the dead agrees exactly in these three main points with that of the Old Testament. However, a good deal more information is also given, to make the whole picture clearer and more detailed.

Three Successive Phases of Resurrection

The first New Testament passage we shall consider is found in the Gospel of John. Jesus says:

Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live (John 5:25).

Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth – those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation (John 5:28-29).

Jesus here uses two different phrases. In verse 25 He uses “the dead”; in verse 28 He uses “all who are in the graves.” The context seems to indicate that these two phrases are not identical but are contrasted with each other.

If this is so, then the first phrase, “the dead,” must be taken to describe not those who are physically dead but rather those who are spiritually dead in sin. This is in line with the language which Paul uses in Ephesians 2:1.

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.

Here the context makes it plain that Paul is not speaking about people who were physically dead, but he is speaking about people who, as a result of sin, were spiritually dead and alienated from God.

Again, Paul uses language borrowed from Isaiah to exhort the sinner.

Awake, you who sleep,

Arise from the dead,

And Jesus will give you light (Eph. 5:14).

Here, too, the one whom Paul exhorts to awake and arise from the dead is not physically dead but spiritually dead in sin.

It would seem, therefore, that we should apply this interpretation to the words of Jesus.

Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live (John 5:25).

Jesus is here speaking about the response of those who are dead in sin to the voice of Jesus, brought to them through the preaching of the gospel: “those who hear will live.” That is, those who receive the gospel message with faith will thereby receive forgiveness and eternal life.

This is confirmed by the fact that Jesus says, “The hour is coming, and now is.” That is to say, the preaching of the gospel to men dead in sins had already commenced at the time that Jesus spoke these words.

We notice the contrast between this and the words of Jesus in John 5:28-29.

The hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth – those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

This passage differs from the previous one in three main respects.

First, Jesus says, “The hour is coming,” but He does not add, “and now is.” That is to say, the events of which Jesus here speaks are still entirely in the future; they have not yet begun to be fulfilled.

Second, Jesus uses the phrase “all who are in the grave.” This clearly refers to those who have actually died and been buried. Furthermore, He says that all these, without exception, will hear; whereas in the previous passage, concerning the dead, He indicated that only some would hear, not all.

Third, in this second passage Jesus actually uses the word resurrection. He says that all those in the graves will “come forth . . . to resurrection.”

We conclude therefore that in the first passage Jesus is speaking about the response of those who are spiritually dead in sin; while in the second passage He is speaking about the literal resurrection of those who have actually died and been buried.

In this second passage Jesus speaks about two distinct aspects of resurrection:

the resurrection of life;
the resurrection of condemnation.

This agrees with the revelation of the Old Testament in Daniel 12:1-3.

In each case the resurrection is spoken of in two distinct phases, that of the righteous and that of the wicked; and in each case the resurrection of the righteous precedes that of the wicked.

In addition, we learn from the words of Jesus one further point not revealed in Daniel: The voice that will call all the dead forth to resurrection will be that of Jesus Himself, the Son of God.

If we now turn to 1 Corinthians 15, we find there a yet fuller and more detailed account of the resurrection.

For as in Adam all die, even so in Jesus all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Jesus the first-fruits, afterward those who are Jesus’s at His coming. Then comes the end, when He [Jesus] delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power (1 Cor. 15:22-24).

Notice the phrase “each one in his own order.” The word translated “order” is used to describe a rank of soldiers. Thus Paul here pictures the resurrection as occurring in three successive phases, like three ranks of soldiers marching past, one behind the other.

The first phase consists of Jesus Himself – “Jesus the firstfruits.”

The second phase consists of all true believers when Jesus returns – “those who are Jesus’s at His coming.” This corresponds to the resurrection of the righteous foretold in Daniel and by Jesus Himself.

The third phase is called “the end” – that is, the end of Jesus’s earthly reign of one thousand years, at the close of which He will deliver up the kingdom to God the Father. Of those resurrected at this stage, the majority – but not all – will belong to the resurrection of the wicked as foretold in Daniel and by Jesus. Concerning this third phase, Paul says nothing more here in 1 Corinthians. However, we shall see in due course that further details concerning this are given in Revelation 20.

Let us examine more closely what Paul says about the first two phases.

Typology of the First-fruits

The first phase, Paul says, is “Jesus the first-fruits.” By this phrase Paul compares the resurrection of Jesus to the ceremony of presenting the first-fruits of the harvest to the Lord, as ordained for the children of Israel under the law of Moses.

Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: “When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it” (Lev. 23:10-11).

This sheaf of the first-fruits waved before the Lord is a picture of Jesus coming forth from the dead as the sinner’s representative and as the beginning of a new creation.

Notice how accurate the picture is. The sheaf of the first-fruits was the first complete fruit to rise up out of the seed that had been buried earlier in the earth. Moses told the children of Israel that the priest was to wave this sheaf before the Lord “to be accepted on your behalf . . .”

In Romans 4:25 Paul tells us that Jesus “was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.”

The resurrection of Jesus not only vindicated His own righteousness, but it also made it possible for the believer to be reckoned equally righteous with Jesus before God.

Furthermore, this sheaf of the first-fruits was to be waved before the Lord “on the day after the Sabbath.” Since the Sabbath was the seventh or last day of the week, the day after the Sabbath was the first day of the week – the day on which Jesus did in fact rise from the dead.

Finally, the waving of the first-fruits was an act of worship and of triumph, for the appearing of the first-fruits at the appointed season gave assurance that the rest of the harvest would be gathered safely in. In like manner, the resurrection of Jesus gives assurance that all the remaining dead will also in their due season be resurrected.

However, there is yet one further prophetic revelation concerning Jesus’s resurrection contained in this Old Testament ordinance of the first-fruits. Jesus spoke prophetically of His own impending death and burial, and He compared this to a grain of wheat being buried in the earth. He said:

Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain (John 12:24).

By this Jesus taught that the fruit of His ministry of reconciliation between God and man could come only as a result of His own atoning death and resurrection. If He were to stop short of death on the cross, no fruit could come forth out of His ministry. Only through His death, burial and resurrection could there come forth the fruit of a great harvest of sinners justified and reconciled to God. This truth He presented to His disciples in the picture of a grain of wheat being buried in the earth, germinating and springing up again as a fruitful stalk out of the earth.

In nature, although a single grain of wheat is buried in the earth, the stalk which springs up out of it never bears merely one single grain but a whole head or cluster of grains upon the one stalk. As Jesus indicated in the parable of the sower, the ratio of increase out of the single grain may be thirtyfold or sixtyfold or a hundredfold.

This truth of natural law applies also in the spiritual counterpart of Jesus’s resurrection. Jesus was buried alone, but He did not rise alone. This fact, which has received surprisingly little attention from the majority of Bible commentators, is clearly stated in Matthew 27:50-53. These verses record the death of Jesus upon the cross and various events which followed His death and resurrection.

Jesus, when He had cried out again with a loud voice, yielded up His spirit. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

Though these events are here presented in close succession one after the other, it is clear that the total period of time which they covered extended over three days. The death of Jesus on the cross took place on the eve of the Sabbath, but His resurrection took place early in the morning of the first day of the new week. In connection with this, Matthew states:

The graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection . . . appeared to many (Matt. 27:52-53).

At what precise moment the graves were opened, we do not know; but we do know that it was only after the resurrection of Jesus Himself that these resurrected saints arose and came out of their graves. Perhaps this was the first resurrection of those who passed on under the Old Covenant.

In this way the Old Testament type of the first-fruits was perfectly fulfilled by the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus was buried alone – a single grain of wheat that fell into the ground. But when He arose again from the dead, He was no longer alone – no longer one single grain. Instead, there was a handful – a sheaf of the first-fruits – brought forth together with Him out of the dead and waved in triumph before God as a token of the defeat of death and hell and Satan, and as an assurance that all believers who had been buried would also in their due season be resurrected.

Concerning these Old Testament saints resurrected together with Jesus, two interesting questions naturally suggest themselves.

The first question is: Did these resurrected saints comprise all the righteous believers of the Old Testament? We’re all the Old Testament saints resurrected together with Jesus?

To this question the answer would appear to be no. Matthew says: “Many bodies of the saints . . . we’re raised.” This phrase, “many . . . of the saints,” in normal usage would indicate that it was not all the saints that arose.

This conclusion is supported by the words of Peter on the day of Pentecost.

Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day (Acts 2:29).

Peter is here speaking fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus. Yet his words suggest that the body of David was still in his tomb at that time. This would indicate that David, one of the greatest of the Old Testament saints, had not yet been resurrected at the time when Peter spoke on the day of Pentecost. Therefore this resurrection of Old Testament saints on the first Easter Sunday morning was a resurrection of some, but not of all.

The second interesting question concerning these resurrected Old Testament saints is: What became of them after their resurrection?

From the account given, it would appear that these Old Testament saints were, in the true sense, “resurrected” – that is, they were raised up once and for all out of the dominion of death and the grave, never to return again under that dominion. In this respect, there is a complete difference between these saints and the people whom Jesus raised from the dead during His earthly ministry.

Those whom Jesus raised from the dead were called back out of death to the same kind of natural, earthly life which they had previously. They still remained subject to all the weaknesses of mortal flesh, and in due course they died again and were buried. These people had merely been restored to natural, earthly life; they had not been resurrected from the dead. On the other hand, the saints who rose with Jesus shared His resurrection with Him. They entered into a totally new kind of life; they received new, spiritual bodies, just like that which Jesus Himself received.

Coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they [the resurrected saints] went into the holy city [that is, Jerusalem], and appeared to many (Matt. 27:53).

These words indicate that these saints had bodies of the same kind that Jesus had after His resurrection. They could appear or disappear at will. They were no longer subject to the physical limitations of a normal, earthly body.

If this is so, then there can be no thought that they ever returned again into their graves and submitted themselves afresh to the process of decomposition. In putting on these resurrection bodies, they had passed once and for all out of the shadow and dominion of death and the grave, never to return thereunder again.

What became of these saints after this? The New Testament does not give any definite or final answer to this question. However, it seems natural to suppose that these saints, having shared with Jesus in His resurrection, shared with Him also in His ascension into heaven. Let us therefore glance briefly at the description of the ascension of Jesus into heaven.

Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight (Acts 1:9).

We notice that Jesus passed out of His disciples’ sight into a cloud and that within this cloud He then continued His ascent to heaven. Immediately after this, two angels appeared to the disciples and gave them the following assurance concerning the return of Jesus.

This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven (Acts 1:11).

This indicates that there is to be a close parallel between the ascent of Jesus into heaven and His return again from heaven to earth. He will so come in like manner as He was seen to go.

What does this imply? In Mark 13:26 (and in other passages also) it is stated that Jesus will come again in the clouds – more literally, in clouds. Again, Zechariah 14:5 and Jude verse 14 reveal that Jesus will come with His saints.

Combining these two statements, we find that Jesus will come “in clouds, with His saints.” We know also that the ascension of Jesus into heaven and His return from heaven are closely parallel. We know, further, that Jesus ascended into heaven “in a cloud.” We are therefore completing the parallel if we suggest that Jesus ascended into heaven together with those of his saints who had at that time been resurrected.

There is one further point of interest to notice in this connection.

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us (Heb. 12:1).

What is this “cloud of witnesses” to which the writer of Hebrews refers? The context makes it plain that he is referring to the Old Testament saints whose exploits of faith had been recorded in the previous chapter – Hebrews 11.

These Old Testament saints are pictured as a cloud of witnesses surrounding each Christian’s believer who undertakes to run the race of faith in this dispensation. In this way the figure of a cloud is once again linked to the saints of the Old Testament.

From all these considerations it seems both logical and scriptural to suggest that, on the day of His ascension, Jesus was taken up into heaven within a cloud that also contained the Old Testament saints who had been resurrected with Him. In this way the resurrection and ascension of Jesus would exactly and completely fulfill all that is indicated in the typology of the Old Testament ordinance of the first-fruits. It would also be exactly parallel to the method of His promised return from heaven to earth.

However, this conclusion should be taken as no more than a logical inference from various indications of Scripture. It should not be put forward dogmatically as an established doctrine.

Resurrection Foretold in the Old Testament

We shall now go on to show that the divine promise of the resurrection runs as one continuous thread throughout the whole Bible, both Old and New Testament alike.

In 1 Corinthians 15:4 Paul makes the following statement concerning the burial and resurrection of Jesus.

That He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.

Bear in mind that during the period in which Paul wrote these words the only complete, acknowledged Scriptures were those of the Old Testament. Consequently, when Paul says here that Jesus rose again the third day “according to the Scriptures,” he means that the resurrection of Jesus was a fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures.

Furthermore, Paul refers to the Old Testament Scriptures as being the first and basic authority for the doctrine of the resurrection. He goes on to cite the evidence of men still alive at that time who had been eyewitnesses of the risen Jesus. However, in Paul’s presentation of this doctrine, the evidence of contemporary eyewitnesses is secondary to that of the Old Testament Scriptures.

Let us therefore consider some of the main passages in the Old Testament which foretell the resurrection.

The Psalms

In the previous session we have already shown that there is a clear promise of the burial and resurrection of Jesus in Psalm 16:8-11. We pointed out that, although these verses were spoken in the first person by David, they do not actually apply to David himself but rather to David’s promised seed, the Messiah, Jesus Jesus. They are also applied to Jesus in the New Testament both by Peter and by Paul.

In Psalm 71:20-21 a similar passage foretells the resurrection of Jesus. David is here speaking directly to God, and he says:

You, who have shown me great and severe troubles,

Shall revive me again,

And bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

You shall increase my greatness,

And comfort me on every side.

This passage is another example of messianic prophecy. That is to say, the words are spoken in the first person by David; yet they do not apply primarily to David but to David’s promised seed, the Messiah, Jesus.

Understood in this way, this passage prophetically sets forth five successive stages that Jesus was to pass through in making atonement for man’s sin. These may be summarized as follows.

1. Great and severe troubles – the rejection, suffering and crucifixion of Jesus.

2. Jesus was to descend into the depths of the earth – into Sheol or Hades, the place of departed spirits.

3. Jesus was to be revived – made alive again.

4. Jesus was to be brought up again from Sheol – that is, the resurrection of Jesus.

5. After the resurrection of Jesus, He was to be increased in greatness and comforted – that is, restored once again to His place of fellowship and supreme authority at the right hand of God His Father.

Time and space are not sufficient to quote the many passages in the New Testament which confirm that this prophecy was completely fulfilled in the experience of Jesus.

However, the two Old Testament passages which we have so far examined, Psalm 16 and Psalm 71, refer primarily to the resurrection of Jesus Himself as the Messiah. Let us now examine other passages of the Old Testament which foretell the resurrection of others besides Jesus Himself.

Genesis

Let us begin by considering one of God’s promises made to Abraham.

Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession (Gen. 17:8).

There are two important points to notice in this promise. First of all, the order of possession is important. God says, “. . . to you and your descendants after you.” That is to say, Abraham himself is to possess the land first, and then his descendants after him.

Second, the extent and duration of possession are important. God says, “. . . all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession.” This promise cannot be fulfilled by any occupation of the land that is partial or temporary. Its fulfillment demands a complete and permanent possession of the whole land.

It is plain therefore that up to now this promise of God to Abraham has never been fulfilled. The only part of the land that Abraham himself has hitherto received for a permanent possession is just space enough in which to be buried – that is, the burial place in the cave of Machpelah in the field of Ephron the Hittite, near Hebron.

As for Abraham’s seed, the nation of Israel, until now they have enjoyed temporary or partial occupation of the land, but they have never known the complete and permanent possession promised by God. At present the state of Israel clings tenaciously, in the face of every kind of opposition, to an area that is a small fraction of the total possession promised by God.

Even if in the years that lie ahead Israel should continue to extend its area of occupation until it gains control of the whole land promised by God, this still would not constitute a complete fulfilment of God’s original promise to Abraham, which was “to you and your descendants after you.” That is to say, Abraham himself must first enjoy possession of the whole land, and then his descendants after him.

Thus, this promise of God cannot be fulfilled apart from the resurrection. The cave of Machpelah must first give up its dead. Abraham himself must be resurrected. Only in this way can he ever enter into the full possession of the land in which he now lies buried. If there is no resurrection, then God’s promise to Abraham can never be fulfilled. The promise of God here made to Abraham assumes, and depends upon, the resurrection.

We find therefore that this promise to Abraham concerning the everlasting possession of the land of Canaan includes within it the promise of Abraham’s own resurrection from the dead. In this way the truth of the resurrection is already revealed in Genesis, the first book of the Old Testament.

Job

Let us now turn to another book of the Old Testament which is usually attributed to an early date – the book of Job. In the midst of overwhelming grief and affliction, when his earthly future appears to be without a single ray of hope, Job gives utterance to an amazing confession of faith concerning the eternal destiny of his soul and the resurrection of his body.

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, ahom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another (Job 19:25-27).

The language of Job is so terse and so charged with meaning that it is difficult to find any one translation which adequately brings out the full force of the original. The following is an alternative translation of the central section of the passage just quoted.

After I shall awake, though this body be destroyed, yet out of my flesh shall I see God . . .

Whichever translation we may prefer, certain facts stand out with absolute clarity from this passage. Job knows that his physical body will suffer the process of decomposition. Nevertheless, he looks forward to a period at the end of time when he will again be clothed with a body of flesh and appear in that body directly before God. This assurance of Job is based on the life of one whom he calls “my Redeemer.”

Thus the whole passage is a clear anticipation of the final resurrection of Job’s body, made possible through the resurrection of the Redeemer, Jesus Jesus.

Isaiah

We may now turn to the prophet Isaiah, who lived about seven hundred years before Jesus. Isaiah makes a confession of faith in the resurrection, somewhat similar to that of Job.

Your dead shall live; together with my dead body they shall arise.

Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; for your dew is like the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead (Is. 26:19).

Isaiah speaks about his own dead body arising from the dust, and together with this he associates a group whom he calls, at the beginning of the verse, “Your dead,” and again, more generally, at the end of the verse, “the dead.” It is plain that Isaiah contemplates a general resurrection of many, if not all, of the dead.

The prospect is one that brings joy to those concerned, for Isaiah says, “Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust.” It would seem therefore that Isaiah’s message is addressed primarily to the righteous dead, who, through the resurrection, will be ushered into their final, eternal reward.

In agreement with conclusions reached in earlier studies, we see that Isaiah views the resurrection as affecting primarily the material part of man – his body. He speaks about those “who dwell in dust.” The picture which he presents is that of men’s dead bodies arising or awakening out of their sleep in the dust.

Isaiah also depicts the supernatural power which will affect the resurrection as “dew.”

For your dew is like the dew of herbs, And the earth shall cast out the dead (Is. 26:19).

The picture is one of dry seeds lying buried in the dust and requiring moisture to make them germinate and spring up.

This moisture is provided by the dew settling upon them. In many passages of Scripture, dew – like rain – is a figure of the operation of the Holy Spirit. Thus Isaiah foretells that the resurrection of the dead bodies of believers will be effected through the power of the Holy Spirit.

This is confirmed by Paul.

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you (Rom. 8:11).

Paul states that the same power of the Holy Spirit that raised the dead body of Jesus out of the tomb will also raise up the dead bodies of those who believe in Jesus and who are indwelled by the Holy Spirit.

Daniel

The next main Old Testament prophecy of the resurrection which we shall consider is found in Daniel 12:1-3. These verses are part of a lengthy prophetic revelation concerning the last days, given to Daniel by the angel Gabriel, who was sent to him by God for that special purpose. This part of the revelation, which deals specifically with the resurrection, reads as follows.

At that time Michael shall stand up,

The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your
people;

And there shall be a time of trouble,

Such as never was since there was a nation,

Even to that time.

And at that time your people shall be delivered,

Every one who is found written in the book.

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,

Some to everlasting life,

Some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Those who are wise shall shine

Like the brightness of the firmament,

And those who turn many to righteousness

Like the stars forever and ever.

The first part of this revelation refers specifically to Daniel’s own people, Israel, and speaks of a time of trouble even greater than any that Israel has hitherto passed through. This is undoubtedly the same time of trouble referred to in Jeremiah.

Alas! For that day is great,

So that none is like it;

And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble,

But he shall be saved out of it (30:7).

Jeremiah indicates that though this time of trouble will be greater than any that Israel has previously passed through, yet Israel will be saved out of it and not destroyed. This agrees with the statement in Daniel 12:1.

And at that time your people shall be delivered,

Every one who is found written in the book.

At this time of greatest tribulation God Himself will ultimately intervene and save the chosen remnant of Israel whom in His grace He has foreknown and foreordained for salvation.

No doubt this time of Israel’s trouble is one main phase of the total period of intense trouble destined to come upon the entire world, called in the New Testament “the great tribulation.”

Directly associated with this final period of tribulation is a prophecy of the resurrection, for Gabriel says in Daniel 12:2:

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.

The language used in Daniel is closely parallel to that of Isaiah. Both speak of those that “dwell in the dust”; both speak of the resurrection as an “awakening” out of the dust. However, the revelation of Daniel goes further than that of Isaiah, for it indicates that there will be two distinct phases of the resurrection – one for the righteous, who will be ushered into everlasting life, and one for the wicked, who will be doomed to shame and everlasting contempt.

The reward of the righteous at the resurrection will be based on their faithfulness in serving God and in making known His truth while on earth.

Those who are wise shall shine

Like the brightness of the firmament,

And those who turn many to righteousness

Like the stars forever and ever (Dan. 12:3).

Here there is a distinction between those who are wise to the salvation of their own souls and those who go further than this and turn many others also to righteousness. Both alike will enter into glory, but the glory of the latter will be greater than the glory of the former.

From the passages we have considered, we see that the theme of the resurrection runs like a thread all through the Old Testament. The details of this revelation become progressively clearer until in Daniel we are told that the resurrection will be closely associated with the period of the great tribulation and that it will occur in two distinct phases: one for the righteous and one for the wicked.

Before we close this study of Old Testament prophecies of the resurrection, there is one further point of great interest and importance which needs to be established.

Hosea

In the passage already quoted from 1 Corinthians 15:4, Paul says that Jesus “rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” Not merely was the resurrection of Jesus foretold in the Old Testament, but it was even foretold that Jesus would rise from the dead the third day. We may ask: Where in the Old Testament can we find this specific prophecy that Jesus would rise again on the third day? Hosea provides the answer.

Come, and let us return to the Lord;

For He has torn, but He will heal us;

He has stricken, but He will bind us up.

After two days He will revive us;

On the third day He will raise us up,

That we may live in His sight.

Let us know,

Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord.

His going forth is established as the morning;

He will come to us like the rain,

Like the latter and former rain to the earth (6:1-3).

This prophecy commences with a promise of forgiveness and healing to those who will return to the Lord in repentance and faith. Then, in the second verse, comes the clear prediction of the resurrection on the third day: “On the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight”
(Hos. 6:2). This promise is given in the plural, not the singular: “He will raise us up . . . we may live in His sight.” That is to say, the promise refers not only to the resurrection of Jesus but also includes all those who obey the exhortation to return to God in repentance and faith.

In order to understand the full implications of this prophecy, we must turn to the complete revelation of the gospel as given by God to the church through Paul in the New Testament.

All Believers Included in Jesus’s Resurrection

In Romans 6:6 Paul says: Our old man was crucified with Him [that is, with Jesus].

Again, in Galatians 2:20 he says: I have been crucified with Jesus.

These and other similar passages reveal that in making atonement for man’s sin, Jesus deliberately made Himself one with the sinner: He took the sinner’s guilt. He made Himself one with the sinner’s corrupt and fallen nature. He died the sinner’s death. He paid the sinner’s penalty.

Thereafter, it remains for us as sinners to accept by faith our identification with Jesus. When we do this, we find that we are identified with Him not only in His death and burial, but also in His resurrection from the dead and in the new, immortal resurrection life which He now enjoys.

God . . . made us alive together with Jesus . . . and raised us up together [that is, from the dead], and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Jesus Jesus (Eph. 2:4-6).

As soon as we are willing, by faith, to accept our identification with Jesus in His death for our sins, we find that we are also identified with Jesus in His resurrection and in His victorious life upon God’s throne. Entering in through His death, we become partakers also of His resurrection.

In brief but powerful words, Jesus conveyed the same truth to His disciples.

Because I live, you will live also (John 14:19).

This is why the prophetic revelation states in Hosea 6:2: On the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight.

This prophecy reveals not only that Jesus was to be raised on the third day, but also that, according to God’s eternal purpose in the gospel, all those who believed in Jesus were to be identified with Him in His resurrection. In this respect, Hosea’s prophecy is characteristic of Old Testament prophecy as a whole in that it does not merely predict an event which is to take place, but at the same time it also reveals the true spiritual significance of that event and its connection with God’s whole purpose in the gospel.

However, Hosea also warns that this secret of God’s purpose in the resurrection of Jesus will be revealed only to those who are willing to seek the truth with faith and diligence, for he says in the next verse:

Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord (Hos. 6:3).

This revelation is only for those who “pursue the knowledge of the Lord.”

For those who do, Hosea continues: “His going forth is established as the morning” (Hos. 6:3). That is, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is as sure and certain in God’s purpose as the rising of the sun after the darkness of night. This is closely parallel to the prophecy of Jesus’s resurrection in Malachi.

But to you who fear My name

The Sun of Righteousness shall arise

With healing in His wings (4:2).

Again we notice a limitation of those to whom this revelation of the risen Jesus will be granted: It is not for all men but “to you who fear My name.”

Finally, Hosea indicates that the resurrection of Jesus will be closely followed by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, for he continues:

He will come to us like the rain,

Like the latter and former rain to the earth (Hos. 6:3).

The rain is here a figure of the Holy Spirit’s outpouring, divided into two main visitations – the former rain and the latter rain.

In accurate fulfillment of this prophecy, the New Testament records that on the day of Pentecost, fifty days after Jesus’s resurrection, the former rain of the Holy Spirit began to be poured out upon His waiting disciples – those who had pursued the knowledge of the Lord.

As we look back over the Old Testament prophecies of the resurrection of the righteous quoted in this chapter, one feature emerges which is common to them all: The saints of the Old Testament are to be included in it.

We saw, for instance, that God’s promise of Canaan as an everlasting possession was made to Abraham first, then to his seed (descendants) after him. Paul says to professing Christian’s: “You are Abraham’s seed [descendants]” (Gal. 3:29). The resurrection of these New Testament descendants of Abraham will not precede that of Abraham himself.

Job said, concerning himself: “I know that my Redeemer lives . . . in my flesh I shall see God” (Job 19:25-26). Through faith in his Redeemer he looked forward to sharing in the resurrection of the righteous.

Likewise, Isaiah spoke of a joyful resurrection of the righteous dead in which he was to be included.

Your dead shall live;

Together with my dead body they shall arise.

Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust (Is. 26:19).

Gabriel told Daniel that there was to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked (see Dan. 12:2-3). Then the angel said to Daniel personally:

You shall rest [in the grave], and will arise [be resurrected] to your inheritance at the end of the days (Dan. 12:13).

Clearly, Daniel was to be included in the resurrection of the righteous.

In Hosea’s prediction of the resurrection he said:

On the third day He will raise us up,

That we may live in His sight (Hos. 6:2, italics added).

Hosea included himself in the predicted resurrection.

For confirmation from the New Testament, we may turn to the words of Jesus.

And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 8:11).

Jesus speaks of believers from many different nations and backgrounds coming together at the resurrection with the three Old Testament patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This indicates that both Old Testament and New Testament believers will participate together in the resurrection of the righteous.

All who will participate in this resurrection have one qualification in common: faith in Jesus’s atoning sacrifice. There is, however, a difference between the saints of the old covenant and those of the new. Under the old covenant believers looked forward – through various prophetic revelations – to a sacrifice that had not yet been offered. Under the new covenant believers look back to the historical facts of Jesus’s death and resurrection.

Throughout the remainder of these studies we will assume, as an established fact, that the resurrection of the righteous will include the believers or saints of the old covenant as well as those of the new.

Diverging Destinies at Death

In this session we shall begin to examine in detail what the Bible teaches about the resurrection of the dead.

The first point which must be clearly established is that the part of man which is to be resurrected is his body – not his spirit or his soul. More precisely defined, the resurrection of which the Bible speaks is a resurrection of the body.

In order to understand what this entails, it is necessary to analyse briefly the total nature of man as revealed in the Bible.

Man’s Triune Being

Paul offered the following prayer on behalf of the professing Christian’s in Thessalonica.

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thess. 5:23).

In the first part of this verse Paul uses the phrase “sanctify you completely.” This indicates that he is concerned with the total nature or personality of each of the professing Christian’s for whom he prays. In the second part of the verse Paul enumerates the three elements which make up man’s total nature or personality: spirit, soul and body.

Again, we read:

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow (Heb. 4:12).

This verse gives the same threefold division of man’s total personality into spirit, soul and body. In this instance the body is represented by the actual physical parts here mentioned – that is, the joints and marrow.

For further understanding concerning the constitution of man’s total personality, we may turn to the original account of man’s creation, as given at the beginning of the Bible.

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness” (Gen. 1:26).

In this verse two words are used to express the relationship of man, the creature, to God, the Creator. The first of these words is image; the second is likeness.

The original Hebrew word, here translated “image,” is in many other passages of the Old Testament translated by “shade” or “shadow.” In modern Hebrew the same root occurs today in the verbal form which means “to have one’s photo taken.” These other associations of the word indicate that its primary reference here in the creation of man is to man’s external form or appearance. Even in man’s external form there is a correspondence between man and God which is not found in the lower animal creation.

However, the correspondence between man and God goes further than mere external form. The second Hebrew word used here, translated “likeness,” is much more general in its application. It refers to the total personality of man. It indicates that there is a correspondence between this total personality of man and the being or nature of God Himself.

One important aspect of this correspondence between the nature of God and the nature of man is contained in the revelation of the three elements of man’s total personality – spirit, soul and body. Thus we may say that man is revealed as a triune being – one total personality, yet composed of the three constituent elements: spirit, soul and body.

In a corresponding way, the Bible also reveals that the being of God is triune – that is, there is one true God, yet within this one Godhead we discern the three distinct Persons of the Father, the Son and the Spirit.

Thus the Bible presents us with a likeness, or a correspondence, between the total personality of man and the total nature of God. Briefly, we may sum up this correspondence of man to God as follows: The Bible reveals a triune man, created in the likeness of a triune God.

In Genesis we are given further details concerning the original creation of man.

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being [soul] (2:7).

Here we see that the total personality of man has its origin in two absolutely distinct and separate sources. The physical, material part of man – his body – is formed out of the dust of the earth. The invisible, immaterial part of man has its origin in the breath of almighty God. This invisible, immaterial part of man is here called “the soul.” However, as we have already said, in other passages of Scripture it is more fully defined as the combination of spirit and soul together.

The Bible indicates that spirit and soul are not identical but are two distinct elements together making up the immaterial part of man. It is outside the scope of our present study, however, to attempt to draw a precise line of demarcation between man’s spirit and his soul.

For our present purposes it is sufficient to say that the total personality of man has two different original sources: 1) The physical, material part of man (his body) is from below – from the earth. 2) The invisible, immaterial part of man (his spirit and soul) is from above – from God Himself.

At death, the invisible, immaterial element of man (his spirit and soul) is released from its earthly vessel. Thereafter, by the process of burial, man’s material part (his body) is restored again to the earth from which it came and through decomposition returns again to its original elements. Even where there is no actual burial, man’s body, after death, is always subjected to some process of disintegration or decomposition, which ultimately restores it to its original material elements. Consequently, it will be man’s body also which, by resurrection, will be raised up again from the same material elements.

Man’s Spirit Separated From His Body

There is no suggestion anywhere in the Bible that, after death, man’s immaterial part – his spirit and soul – will be subjected to the same processes of burial and decomposition that await his body. On the contrary, there is evidence in many passages of Scripture that the destiny of man’s spiritual part, after death, is quite different from that of his body.

For the first such passage, we may turn to the book of Ecclesiastes. When considering the teaching of this book, it is necessary to bear in mind a definite limitation which the author, Solomon, sets to all the inquiries and conclusions contained in the book. This is clearly indicated by one particular phrase that is repeated again and again throughout the book.

For example, in Ecclesiastes 1:3 Solomon asks:

What profit has a man from all his labour

In which he toils under the sun?

This question, with slight variations in the wording, is repeated several times throughout the book. In all, the phrase “under the sun” occurs twenty-nine times.

This particular phrase, “under the sun,” indicates a deliberate limitation which Solomon sets to all his inquiries and conclusions throughout the book. The entire book is concerned only with things under the sun – that is, with things which are temporal and material – things which belong to the realm of time and to this present world order.

We may better understand this particular limitation by reference to the words of Paul.

For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Cor. 4:18).

Here Paul draws a clear dividing line between two different classes of things: the things which are seen and which are temporal; and the things which are unseen and which are eternal.

If we now apply this twofold classification to the book of Ecclesiastes, we find that the whole material contained within the book falls within the first class of things – those things which are seen and which are temporal.

In this book Solomon never seeks to pursue his studies beyond the boundary of the temporal realm into the eternal realm. Whenever he reaches this boundary, he stops and turns back to some new aspect of the temporal realm. This is indicated by the repetition of the phrase “under the sun.” Nothing in the book deals with the realm that is not subject to the sun’s influence – the invisible and eternal realm. However, this invisible and eternal realm is referred to in various ways by nearly all the other books and authors of the Bible – and also by Solomon himself in his other writings.

The realization of this particular limitation of Ecclesiastes helps us better to appreciate the teaching of the book as a whole and also clears up apparent conflicts between the conclusions of Ecclesiastes and the teaching of other books in the Bible.

With this in mind, we may turn to the particular passage in Ecclesiastes which indicates a difference between the destiny of man’s body at death and that of his spirit.

I said in my heart, “Concerning the estate of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like beasts.” For what happens to the sons of men also happens to beasts; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over beasts, for all is vanity. All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust. Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the beast, which goes down to the earth? (Eccl. 3:18-21).

In accordance with the whole theme of this book, Solomon lays his main emphasis upon the physical, material part of man – his body. Quite correctly, therefore, he points out that in this respect there is no difference between the destiny at death of man and of the lower animals. At death, the body of man, just like that of any other animal, is returned to the earth from which it came and there decomposes once again into its component elements.

However, Solomon goes on to point out that this similarity between the destiny at death of man and of the lower animals ends with the physical body. It does not apply to man’s spirit. Man’s spirit – his immaterial part – has a different destiny from the spirit of the lower animals.

. . . the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the beast, which goes down to the earth? (Eccl. 3:21).

Solomon introduces this verse with a question: “Who knows . . . ?” This is as if he were to say: “We recognize that there is a difference between man and the beasts, but it is outside the scope of our present studies. Therefore, we can only mention it briefly; we cannot pursue it any further.”

What are we to understand by the phrase which Solomon uses concerning the spirit of man at the death of the body? He says: “the spirit of the sons of men . . . goes upward.”

First of all we note that this is in accord with the account of man’s creation, which shows that man’s body came from below, from the earth, but that his spirit came from above, from God (see Gen. 2:7). Because at death man’s spirit is released from the body, the direction of his spirit is once again upward – toward God.

Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it (Eccl. 12:7).

Thus the teaching of Solomon in Ecclesiastes concerning the destiny of man’s spirit at death is brief, but clear, and agrees with indications given in many other passages of Scripture. At death, man’s body returns to the dust, but the destiny of his spirit is upward, toward God.

What takes place when the spirit of man, at death, is released from the body and is brought before God, the Creator?

There appears to be no definite revelation of Scripture concerning this point. However, Scripture does enable us to establish two definite principles in this connection. First, this appearance of the spirit of man before God is not the final judgement, which will take place only after the resurrection. Second, the spirits of the wicked and the ungodly can have no permanent access to the presence of God.

We may therefore conclude that this appearance of the spirit of man before God immediately after death is for one main purpose: to hear the divine sentence appointing to each spirit the state and the place it must occupy from the time of death up to the time of resurrection and final judgement. Thereafter, each spirit is consigned to its duly appointed state and place and continues there until called forth again at the resurrection of the body.

The Righteous Separated From the Wicked

What is the condition of departed spirits in this period that intervenes between death and resurrection?

Doubtless there is much concerning this that God has not seen fit to reveal in the Bible. However, two facts are made clear:

After death there is a complete and permanent separation between the departed spirits of the righteous and the wicked.
The condition of the departed spirits of the righteous was different in the period before the death and resurrection of Jesus from their condition now, in this present dispensation.

Over and above these two clearly established facts, the Bible does from time to time lift a corner of the veil between this world and the next, giving us a momentary glimpse of that which lies beyond.

An example is the biblical account of God’s judgement upon the oppressing king of Babylon.

Hell [Sheol] from beneath is excited about you,

To meet you at your coming;

It stirs up the dead for you,

All the chief ones of the earth;

It has raised up from their thrones

All the kings of the nations.

They all shall speak and say to you:

“Have you also become as weak as we?

Have you become like us?” (Is. 14:9-10).

This account reveals certain definite facts about the condition of departed spirits. It does not indicate that they have any awareness of events currently transpiring on earth. It does, however, reveal that there is at least some recollection of events that have transpired during the earthly lifetimes of these departed spirits.

Beyond this, it is clear that personality remains intact after death; there is recognition of one person by another; there is communication between one person and another; and there is awareness of present conditions in this place of departed spirits. Furthermore, there is a correspondence in some measure between a man’s state in this world and his state in the next. For those who were kings in this world are still recognized as kings in the next.

We are given a somewhat similar picture of the descent into Sheol of the departed spirit of the king of Egypt (see Ezek. 32:17-32).

Son of man, wail over the multitude of Egypt,

And cast them down to the depths of the earth,

Her and the daughters of the famous nations,

With those who go down to the Pit:

“Whom do you surpass in beauty?

Go down, be placed with the uncircumcised” (Ezek. 32:18-19).

The king of Egypt was received by the spirits of other great men who went down into the pit before him.

The strong among the mighty

Shall speak to him out of the midst of hell [Sheol]

With those who help him:

“They have gone down,

They lie with the uncircumcised, slain by the sword” (Ezek. 32:21).

A careful examination of this passage shows that it reproduces the same features already noted in the passage from Isaiah. There is persistence of personality; recognition of one person by another; communication between one person and another; and awareness of present conditions in this place of departed spirits.

Let us now turn to the New Testament and see what further light this sheds upon the destiny of man’s spiritual part at death.

The first New Testament passage that we shall consider is the well-known story of the beggar Lazarus who was laid daily at the rich man’s gate (see Luke 16:19-31). There is no suggestion that this story is a mere parable. It is related by Jesus Himself as an actual historical incident that had taken place at some time prior to that point in Jesus’s earthly ministry – that is, in the dispensational period prior to Jesus’s death and resurrection. Following is Jesus’s description of the destinies of Lazarus and the rich man after their deaths.

So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.” But Abraham said, “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us” (Luke 16:22-26).

There is much in this passage that confirms the conclusions we had already formed from the Old Testament. At death the body by burial is returned to the earth, but the spirit moves out into a new kind of existence. In this existence after death there is persistence of personality; there is recognition of one person by another; there is consciousness of present conditions. There is also some recollection of the previous life on earth. This is brought out by the words of Abraham to the rich man: “Son, remember . . .”

All this agrees with the picture given in the Old Testament.

However, this account in Luke adds one further, very important fact. After death the destiny of the spirits of the righteous is quite different from that of the spirits of the wicked.

Both Lazarus and the rich man found themselves within the realm of departed spirits called in Hebrew “Sheol” and in Greek “Hades,” but their destinies there were quite different. The rich man’s spirit was in a place of torment; the spirit of Lazarus was in a place of rest. Between these two places was fixed an impassable gulf that could not be crossed from either side.

The place of rest, set apart for the departed spirits of the righteous, is here called “Abraham’s bosom.” This title would indicate that this place is ordained for the spirits of all those who in their earthly pilgrimage followed in the footsteps of faith and obedience marked out by Abraham, who for this reason is called “the father of all those who believe.”

Resurrection of the Dead

If, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection of the dead. Philippians 3:11

At the End of Time

We have examined the fourth of the foundational doctrines listed in Hebrews 6:1-2, which is called “laying on of hands.” It now remains for us to examine the last two doctrines in the list: resurrection of the dead and eternal judgement.

The examination of these last two doctrines leads us into an altogether new realm of study. The four doctrines we have already considered have all been directly related to this present world and to the realm of time. However, in the study of the two doctrines now remaining, we are taken, by the revelation of God’s Word, out of this present world and beyond the realm of time into the realm of eternity. The stage where the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgement will be enacted belongs not to time but to eternity.

Eternity: The Realm of God’s Being

Many people are confused by this word eternity. They think of eternity as being merely an immensely long period of time, beyond the power of the human mind to conceive. However, this is not correct. Eternity is not merely the endless extension of time. Eternity differs in its nature from time. Eternity is an altogether different realm, a different mode of being. Eternity is God’s own mode of being, the realm in which God Himself dwells.

In Genesis 21:33 and in Isaiah 40:28, God is called “the Everlasting God.”

In Psalms 90:2 Moses addresses God and says:

Before the mountains were brought forth,

Or ever You had formed the earth and the world,

Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

God Himself also defines His own eternal nature and realm.

For thus says the High and Lofty One

Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:

“I dwell in the high and holy place” (Is. 57:15).

These scriptures reveal that eternity is an aspect of God’s own nature, the realm in which God has His being. When Moses asked God by what name He wished to make Himself known to the children of Israel, God gave Moses the following reply.

And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you’ ” (Ex. 3:14).

Here God gives Moses two forms of His name: “I AM” and “I AM WHO I AM.” This reveals the eternal and unchanging nature of God. God is always “I AM.” He is not in any way changed or affected by the course of time, which is but a part of His own creation. For God, past, present and future are ever united in an eternal present – an eternal “I AM.”

Out of this revelation granted to Moses came the sacred form of God’s name, consisting of four Hebrew consonants, represented in English as YHWH. Traditionally this has been rendered as “Jehovah.” Modern scholars suggest that it could more accurately be represented by the form YAHWEH – meaning “HE IS” or, alternatively, “HE WILL BE.” Some translators have sought to express the meaning of this name by the title “the Eternal.”

In the New Testament the same truths concerning the eternal, unchanging nature of God are brought out in the revelation granted to the apostle John on the isle of Patmos.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” (Rev. 1:8).

Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and Omega the last. Thus, the whole alphabet of time, from its beginning to its ending, is contained within the nature of God Himself. The phrase “who is and who was and who is to come” sums up present, past and future, and thus exactly corresponds to the revelation of God’s nature given to Moses: “I AM WHO I AM.”

The other title of God here used, “the Almighty,” corresponds to the Hebrew form used from the book of Genesis onward – El Shaddai.

For instance, in Genesis 17:1 we read that the Lord – that is, Yahweh – revealed Himself to Abraham by this name El Shaddai, the almighty God, for it says:

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God [El Shaddai]; walk before Me and be blameless.”

The root meaning of the form El Shaddai would appear to be “God who is sufficient” – that is, “the all-sufficient God” – the One in whom all creation is summed up, from its beginning to its ending.

The same picture of the absolute all-sufficiency of God is contained in the New Testament as well.

For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things (Rom. 11:36).

All things have their origin in God. All things are kept in being by God. And all things find their end and they’re completion in God.

Thus we find that the various biblical names and titles of God contain within them a revelation of God’s own eternal nature. As we contemplate the eternal nature of God, we begin to form a true picture of eternity.

Eternity, correctly understood, is not time in endless duration; rather, eternity is the nature and mode of God’s own being, the uncreated realm in which God Himself exists.

Out of eternity, by the act of creation, God brought into being the present world, and with it the order of time as we now know it – past, present and future. By another divine act God will one day bring this present world to an end, and with it time, as we now know it, will once again cease to be. Time is directly and inseparably related to our present world order. With this world order time came into being, and with this world order time will once again cease to be.

Within the limits of this present world order, all creatures are subject to the processes of time. Time is one factor in man’s total experience which he has no power to change. All men in this world are creatures and slaves of time. No man has the power to arrest the course of time, nor to reverse it.

This inexorable dominion of time in the affairs of men has always occupied the thought and imaginations of thinking men and women throughout the recorded history of the human race. In different ways and at different periods men have sought to escape from time’s dominion – but always in vain. The English poet

Andrew Marvel gave utterance to the cry of the human race when he said:

For ever at my back I hear Time’s winged chariot drawing near.

In countless different forms and figures of speech, poets and philosophers from all ages and all backgrounds have given expression to the same thought – time’s unalterable course and inexorable dominion over all men and all created things.

In recent years the science of physics, through the theory of relativity, has made a notable contribution to man’s understanding of time. Briefly, this theory states that the two categories of time and space are inseparably related to each other, so that neither can be properly defined or explained except in relation to the other. We cannot accurately define space without relation to time, nor time without relation to space. Together these two constitute what science calls “the space-time continuum.”

If we seek to relate this modern theory to the revelation of the Bible, we may say that this space-time continuum is the framework within which the whole of the present world order exists. By a sovereign act of God, this space-time continuum came into being together with the present world order; and by another sovereign act of God this present world order, together with the space-time continuum in which it exists, will once again cease to be. Before, behind and beyond the whole space-time continuum, the eternal nature and being of God continue unchanged.

The Bible reveals that, for the present world order as a whole, the end of time will come at a moment preordained by God. However, there is a sense in which every individual even now alive must bow before this divine edict that time shall end.

As individuals we do not need to wait for the end of the present world order. A moment lies ahead for each one of us when time shall be no longer – a moment when each one of us shall come to the end of time’s course and step out into eternity.

In the home of the late Chaim Weizmann, the first president of Israel, the hands of the clock were stopped at the hour of the president’s death. This is a picture of what awaits each man, no matter what his station in life may be. For each man individually there comes an hour when the hands of the clock stand still – a moment when time ceases and eternity begins.

Someone has expressed this same thought by saying, “The clock behind all other clocks is the human heart.” When this clock ceases to beat, then all other clocks cease to tick. For each individual, the end of life is the end of time.

What awaits each departing soul as it steps from time into eternity? What is on the other side of time?

Two Universal Appointments

Doubtless there are many mysteries and things unknown that await each departing soul, concerning which the Bible does not lift the veil separating time from eternity. However, beyond the immediate threshold of eternity the Bible reveals two things which are the ultimate destiny of all souls: the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgement.

For as in Adam all die, even so in Jesus all shall be made alive (1 Cor. 15:22).

Just as death is the universal fate of all, through their descent from Adam, so resurrection from the dead is the universal appointment of God for all; and this is made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

To this universal appointment of resurrection from the dead, the Bible admits only one class of exceptions. The exception is a wholly logical one: Those who never die will never need to be resurrected from the dead.

When Paul says here “we shall not all sleep,” he is referring only to professing Christian’s. He means that all true professing Christian’s who are alive at the time of Jesus’s return for His church will not sleep – that is, they will not die or will not sleep in death. Instead, their bodies will be instantaneously and miraculously changed, and they will find themselves arrayed in bodies of an entirely new and supernatural kind. Corruption will be replaced by incorruption, mortality by immortality. Thereafter there will remain no further possibility either of death or of resurrection from the dead.

Besides this class of true professing Christian’s who will be alive at the time of Jesus’s return, we may leave open the possibility of two other exceptions to the universal appointment of resurrection from the dead. These are provided by Enoch and Elijah, the two men recorded in the Old Testament who were translated from earth to heaven without seeing death.

The Bible nowhere gives clear details as to what will be the ultimate experience of these two men. But one thing remains certain: Those who never die will never need to be resurrected from the dead. On the other hand, the Bible does clearly reveal that all who do die will also be resurrected from the dead.

The other great appointment of God in eternity for all men is judgement. Paul warned the people of Athens that the whole world must one day face the judgement of God.

Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all, by raising Him from the dead (Acts 17:30-31).

God’s appointment of judgement is made with the world at large, with the whole human race. This is why all men are commanded to repent, because all men will one day be judged.

Paul warns professing Christian’s that they, too, must be prepared to stand before God’s judgement.

But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Jesus.

For it is written:

“As I live,” says the Lord,

“Every knee shall bow to Me,

And every tongue shall confess to God” (Rom. 14:10-11).

Here Paul is writing to professing Christian’s. Therefore, the phrase “your brother” denotes a fellow Christian. Similarly, the phrase “we shall all” denotes all professing Christian’s. Furthermore, that there are no exceptions to judgement is indicated by the universal application of the two phrases “every knee shall bow” and “every tongue shall confess to God.”

Later in this series of studies we shall examine in detail God’s program of judgement for all men, and we shall then see that there will be different scenes and purposes of judgement according to the various categories of men to be judged. Meanwhile, this basic principle has been established, that all who die will be both resurrected and judged.

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgement (Heb. 9:27).

Here the phrase “it is appointed for men” includes the whole human race.

We may say, therefore, that for every human soul who, through death, passes out of time into eternity, there remain two universal, irrevocable appointments of God: resurrection and judgement.

Even those professing Christian’s who will be caught up, still alive, to meet Jesus at His return must still appear before the judgement appointed for all professing Christian’s.

For we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Jesus (Rom. 14:10).

Almost exactly the same words occur again in 2 Corinthians.

For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Jesus (5:10).

In each of these two passages the phrase “we . . . all” denotes all professing Christian’s, without any exceptions.

Resurrection and judgement are inseparably connected by the logic of Scripture.

Resurrection always precedes judgement. In no case will anyone appear before God for judgement as a disembodied soul; but in every case it will be the complete human personality, consisting of spirit, soul and body, that will appear before the judgement of God. For this reason, the resurrection of the body must necessarily precede the final judgement. It is in this order that these two things are always presented to us in Scripture: first resurrection, then eternal judgement.

Paul indicates the underlying principle which determines this order.

For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Jesus, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad (2 Cor. 5:10).

Judgement concerns the things done in the body while on earth. Since it is for the things done in the body that man must answer, God has ordained that man shall appear in his body before Him to answer for those things.

Therefore resurrection of the body must precede eternal judgement. In this, as in all points, the program of God is logical and consistent.

Commissioning Ministers

The next purpose of the laying on of hands is connected with the sending out of apostles from a local church.

The Local Church at Antioch

The local church at Antioch in Syria provides the clearest example of this.

Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus (Acts 13:1-4).

This passage provides a great deal of information about the way in which, according to the New Testament, a local church conducted its affairs.

First of all we notice that in this church at Antioch two definite spiritual ministries were present and were recognized by the church: those of prophet and teacher. Within the congregation five men were recognized and mentioned by name as exercising these ministries.

Second, we notice that these leaders in the congregation not only prayed, but they also fasted. Furthermore, they did not merely fast privately as individuals, but they fasted together in a group.

This is in line with Joel’s prophetic exhortations for the last days.

Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land

Into the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord (Joel 1:14).

Blow the trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly (Joel 2:15).

After these exhortations to united fasting by God’s people, there follows the promise of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

And it shall come to pass afterward

That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh (Joel 2:28).

This prophecy of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all flesh received its initial fulfillment on the day of Pentecost and in the experience of the early church. Now in our day, once again, a similar outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all flesh, but on an even greater scale, is being re-enacted around the world. The early church received “the former rain” of the Holy Spirit, as promised in Joel 2:23. Today we are experiencing “the latter rain,” as promised in the same verse.

Since the promise of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is for us in these days, it is only logical to acknowledge that the exhortations to united fasting in the same prophecy of Joel are also for us. It would be illogical to apply the exhortations to fasting to some past or future age, while reserving the actual outpouring of the Holy Spirit for the present. In fact, the whole context of Joel’s prophecy makes it plain that periods of united fasting and prayer are one main preparation which God’s people should make if they wish to enter into the fullness of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all flesh, as promised by God for these last days.

Joel’s prophecy lays special emphasis on the leaders of God’s people. Joel 1:14 specifies “the elders”; Joel 2:17 specifies “the priests, who minister to the Lord.” Thus the spiritual leaders of God’s people are called upon to set a public example in this matter of fasting. Clearly the leaders of the church at Antioch understood this, for “they ministered to the Lord and fasted” (Acts 13:2).

Paul and Barnabas Sent Out

The outcome of their waiting upon God with fasting was guidance from the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13:2).

One reward which they received was that the Holy Spirit spoke directly to them and in this way revealed to them the mind and purpose of God for the extension of His work through them. The phrase “the Holy Spirit said” indicates that the words following, “separate to Me Barnabas and Saul…,” are the actual words spoken by the Holy Spirit.

In the light of other New Testament teaching on the operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, it is reasonable and scriptural to suppose that the Holy Spirit spoke on this occasion through a human instrument, either by the gift of prophecy or by the gifts of tongues and interpretation.

It is important to notice the exact words used by the Holy Spirit:

Separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them (Acts 13:2).

The verb phrase “I have called” is in the perfect tense. This indicates that God had already spoken privately and individually to Paul and Barnabas about the work that He wanted them to do before He spoke publicly concerning them and their work to all the leaders of the church.

Thus the words spoken by the Holy Spirit publicly to the group of leaders were both a revelation and a confirmation of the call which Paul and Barnabas had already received privately from God. Since Paul and Barnabas were both mentioned by name in the public utterance of the Holy Spirit, it is plain that this utterance was not given through either of them, but through one of the other men present.

How did these men react to this supernatural revelation of God’s will?

Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away (Acts 13:3).

Notice that they did not immediately send Paul and Barnabas off on their God-appointed mission. First they set aside further time for fasting and prayer. This was the second time they had fasted and prayed together. Through their first period of prayer and fasting they received the supernatural revelation of God’s plan. In their second period of prayer and fasting it is reasonable to suppose that they united together to claim on behalf of Paul and Barnabas the divine grace and power which they would need for the accomplishment of God’s plan.

Thereafter, the sending forth of Paul and Barnabas from the church at Antioch was consummated by one further ordinance. The other leaders of the church laid their hands upon Paul and Barnabas and so sent them forth.

In contemporary Christianity the title usually given to Christian workers sent forth from a local church is “missionaries.” However, the actual word used in the New Testament is “apostles.”

This becomes apparent if we compare the phraseology used in Acts 13:1 with that used in Acts 14:4 and 14. In Acts 13 Paul and Barnabas are described as “prophets and teachers.” In Acts 14 they are called “apostles.” The word apostle means literally “one sent forth.” Thus this title was applied to Paul and Barnabas after they had been sent forth from the church at Antioch.

By its origin the word missionary likewise means “one who is sent.” Thus the words apostle and missionary have the same original meaning. However, in modern Christian’sity the word missionary is applied in many cases where it would not be scriptural to use the word apostle.

An apostle is, by definition, someone sent forth by divine authority to accomplish a special task. Many professing Christian’s have the impression that the apostles of the New Testament were limited to the twelve originally appointed by Jesus while on earth. However, a careful study of the New Testament does not support this view. In Acts 14, both Paul and Barnabas are called apostles, yet neither of them was appointed during the earthly ministry of Jesus.

A similar conclusion follows from a comparison of two verses in
1 Thessalonians. In 1 Thessalonians 1:1 three men are named as joint writers of the epistle: Paul, Silvanus (or Silas) and Timothy. In 1 Thessalonians 2:6 these three men say of themselves: “We might have made demands as apostles of Jesus.” That is, all three of them were recognized as apostles.

In fact, a thorough examination of the New Testament reveals more than twenty men who are called apostles. However, it is outside the scope of the present study to analyze the full extent of the apostolic ministry.

Returning to the original sending forth of Paul and Barnabas, we need to ask: What was the purpose for which the other leaders laid hands on them?

First, this act represented the open, public acknowledgement by the church leaders that God had chosen and called Paul and Barnabas to a special task and ministry. Second, by laying hands upon Paul and Barnabas, the other church leaders claimed for them the special spiritual wisdom, grace and power which they would need for the successful accomplishment of their God-given task.

In this respect, this use of laying on of hands in the New Testament is closely parallel to the incident already referred to in the Old Testament where Moses laid hands upon Joshua, publicly acknowledging God’s choice of Joshua as the leader who was to succeed him and also imparting to Joshua the spiritual wisdom and authority needed for his God-appointed task.

God’s own summary of the process by which Paul and Barnabas were appointed and sent forth from the church at Antioch is given in the next verse.

So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia (Acts 13:4).

Notice that phrase “being sent out by the Holy Spirit . . .” The church at Antioch and its leaders were the human instruments by which God revealed and worked out His will for the sending forth of these two apostles. But behind and through these human instruments there operated the wisdom, foreknowledge and direction of the Holy Spirit.

In the final analysis it was He, the Holy Spirit, the executive agent of the Godhead now present on earth, who was responsible for the commissioning and sending forth of these two apostles.

In the whole procedure followed at Antioch we find a perfect example of divine and human co-operation – God and His church working as partners together.

Let us now consider briefly what was the outcome of this first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas into which they had entered by the direction of the Holy Spirit, with prayer and fasting, and with the ordinance of laying on of hands.

From there they sailed [back] to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed. And when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles (Acts 14:26-27).

There are three points of interest to notice here.

1. We are here given an authoritative, scriptural account of the purpose for which the church leaders had laid their hands upon Paul and Barnabas. We are told that, by this ordinance, Paul and Barnabas had been commended to the grace of God for the work. Thus, the laying on of hands constitutes a means by which God’s servants may be commended to the grace of God for a special work to which God has called them.

2. We must observe the outcome of the labour of Paul and Barnabas. The Scripture states that they completed their God-given work. This means that they successfully accomplished their work, without omissions or failures. Someone has said, “God’s callings are God’s enablings.” In other words, when God calls a man to a special task, He also makes available to that man all the means and the spiritual grace required for the complete and successful accomplishment of that task.

3. We should notice the impact of their ministry upon the Gentiles. The Scriptures state: “God . . . had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles” (Acts 14:27). Paul and Barnabas did not beat against a closed door. Wherever they went they found that God had gone before them to open the doors and prepare the hearts. Such is the power of united prayer and fasting: to open doors that otherwise would remain closed. The power thus generated by prayer and fasting was made available to Paul and Barnabas

according to the needs that lay before them, through the ordinance of laying on of hands.

In this connection I would add my own conclusion, based on varied experiences in many different lands: New Testament results can be achieved only by New Testament methods.

Appointing Deacons and Elders****

It remains to consider one further use, recorded in the New Testament, of the ordinance of laying on of hands. This use is somewhat similar to that which we have just examined.

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a murmuring against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them (Acts 6:1-6).

Here we have an account of the appointment of seven men to an administrative office in the church at Jerusalem. By the common consent of almost all interpreters, it is agreed that the office to which these men were appointed was that which came to be designated by the official title of “deacon.” We find that the appointment of these men as deacons was made effective through the laying on of hands by the church leaders.

In order to understand this procedure more clearly, it is necessary to analyse briefly the structure of leadership in the local church of the New Testament. This basic structure was extremely simple. It consisted of two – and only two – classes of administrative officers. These two classes were elders and deacons.

To those who are familiar only with the 1611 King James Version of the New Testament, it might appear that there are, in addition to elders and deacons, two other classes of church officers – namely, bishops and overseers. However, a closer examination of the actual words used in the original Greek will reveal that this is not so. In fact, the three titles “bishop,” “overseer” and “elder” are merely three different names for one and the same office. The English word bishop is derived, with a few small changes, from the Greek word episkopos. The plain, literal meaning of this Greek word episkopos is “overseer.” Sometimes the 1611 King James Version rendered the word as “overseer,” at other times as “bishop.”

Some of this confusion still persists in the New King James Version. For example, in Acts 20:28 and in 1 Peter 5:2 this Greek root episkopos is translated by the English word overseer. On the other hand, in Philippians 1:1, in 1 Timothy 3:2 and in Titus 1:7 the same Greek word episkopos is translated by the English word bishop. No matter which word may be used in translation, each alike describes one and the same office. If we desire the plainest and most literal translation of the Greek word episkopos, undoubtedly this would be “overseer.”

Again, the examination of these and other New Testament passages reveals clearly that the title “elder” denotes precisely the same office as that of “bishop” or “overseer.”

For example, in Acts 20:17 we read that from Miletus Paul: . . . sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.

In verse 28 of the same chapter Paul said to these men:

Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers (Acts 20:28).

Thus, by putting these two verses together, we learn that the two titles “elder” and “overseer” denoted one and the same office.

Again, Paul writes to Titus:

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you (Titus 1:5).

In verse 7 of the same chapter Paul describes the qualifications which an elder should possess, and he says:

For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God.

In other words, Paul uses the two words elder and bishop interchangeably to describe one and the same office. Peter’s use of these titles agrees with that of Paul. In 1 Peter 5:2 he writes to the elders and says:

Shepherd the flock of God . . . serving as overseers.

The same persons are called both elders and overseers.

Thus we find that these three words, bishop, overseer and elder, are merely three different titles used to designate one and the same office. Probably the title most commonly used for this office is that of elder.

In addition to the elders, we find, as already stated, the deacons. Apart from these two – elders and deacons – no other administrative officers of the local church are recorded in the New Testament.

The main qualifications for these two offices are set forth in the following passages of Scripture: Acts 6:3, 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1:5-9.

Upon the basis of these passages, we may summarize the main features of these two offices as follows. The primary task of the elders is to give spiritual direction and instruction to the church.

Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labour in the word and doctrine (1 Tim. 5:17).

Here the two main duties of elders are described as “ruling” and as “labouring in the word and doctrine.”

On the other hand, the word deacon, in its original form, means a “servant.” In Acts 6:2 the primary task of the deacons is to serve tables – that is, to minister to the material needs of the congregation. In doing this, they were also serving the apostles.

The procedure for appointing deacons is outlined in Acts 6:3-6. The apostles delegated to the congregation as a whole the responsibility for choosing from among their own number men suited to fill the office of deacon. After these men had been chosen by the congregation, they were brought before the apostles, who first prayed over them and then laid hands upon them.

This act of laying hands upon the deacons served three main purposes.

1. The apostles publicly acknowledged thereby that they accepted these men as fit to hold the office of deacon.

2. They publicly committed these men to God for the task for which they had been chosen.

3. They transmitted to these men a measure of their own spiritual grace and wisdom needed for the task that they had to carry out. Two of these men appointed as deacons – Stephen and Philip – subsequently developed outstanding spiritual ministries of their own.

For an account of the appointment of elders we may turn to Acts.

And when they [Paul and Barnabas] had preached the gospel to that city [Derbe] and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed (Acts 14:21-23).

Various features of this account are significant. First, the appointment of elders, like the sending forth of apostles, was accompanied by corporate prayer and fasting. Clearly the New Testament church understood that this was the scriptural way to obtain the direction of God in making all important decisions.

Second, the people to whom Paul and Barnabas returned at this point are first called merely disciples. After the appointment of elders, however, they are described corporately as a church. It is the appointment of elders that marks the transition from a group of individual disciples to the corporate entity of a church.

Third, the appointment of elders was the responsibility of the apostles, as representatives of God’s authority. In this, however, they did not rely on their own judgement but were the instruments of the Holy Spirit. Speaking to the elders of the church at Ephesus, Paul says:

Therefore take heed . . . to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers (Acts 20:28).

According to the divine pattern, all appointments in the church should proceed from the Holy Spirit.

In Acts 14:21-23 no specific mention is made of laying on of hands. However, Scripture provides two strong reasons for believing that Paul and Barnabas did, in fact, lay hands on those whom they appointed as elders.

First, this appointment exactly answered to the two main purposes for which laying on of hands is used throughout Scripture. By it, the apostles endorsed and set apart the chosen leaders of the local congregation. At the same time they imparted to them the wisdom and authority they would need for their task.

Second, in 1 Timothy 5:17-22 Paul is giving Timothy a series of instructions on how to relate to the local elders. He concludes by saying: “Do not lay hands on anyone hastily.” Although this warning is appropriate for any of the various uses of laying on of hands, it seems probable that Paul is here referring to this ordinance primarily as a way of ordaining elders.

This would indicate that the accepted way to ordain elders was by laying hands on them.

In closing this study, let me enumerate the five main purposes indicated in the New Testament for the laying on of hands:

to minister healing to the sick,
to help those seeking the baptism in the Holy Spirit,
to impart spiritual gifts,
to send out apostles and
to ordain deacons and elders in a local church.

In order to understand these five uses of laying on of hands, we have examined the pattern of daily life and administration of a local church, as revealed in the New Testament.

If we now sum up the lessons learned in these three chapters that have been devoted to the laying on of hands, we see that this ordinance has a close and vital connection with many important aspects of the Christian’s life and ministry.

It is directly connected with the ministry of healing; with the equipping of believers for active witness through the baptism in the Holy Spirit; and with the commissioning of specially called Christian’s workers. It is often associated with the gift of prophecy. It also strengthens the life of the local church in two ways: spiritually, through the impartation of spiritual gifts; and practically, through the appointment of deacons and elders.

For all these reasons, the ordinance of laying on of hands logically takes its place in Hebrews 6:2 among the great foundation doctrines of the Christian’s faith.

Imparting the Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts

Title Imparting the Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts

The next main purpose of laying on of hands, as practiced in the New Testament, is to help those seeking the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

To form a proper estimate of the part played in this by the laying on of hands, it is necessary to consider briefly all the accounts in the book of Acts of how people received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. There are altogether five such accounts.

1. The first disciples in the upper room in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (see Acts 2:1-4).

2. The new converts in Samaria (see Acts 8:14-20).

3. Saul of Tarsus, later the apostle Paul, in the city of Damascus (see Acts 9:17).

4. Cornelius and his household (see Acts 10:44-46).

5. The disciples at Ephesus, to whom Paul preached and ministered (see Acts 19:1-6).

In three of these cases those seeking the baptism in the Holy Spirit were ministered to by other believers through the laying on of hands.

Ministering the Holy Spirit

In Samaria the apostles Peter and John laid hands on the new converts and prayed for them.

Through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given (Acts 8:18).

In Damascus the disciple Ananias laid his hands upon Saul of Tarsus that he might receive his sight and also be filled with the Holy Spirit. In this case both physical healing and the baptism in the Holy Spirit were ministered to Saul by Ananias through the one ordinance of laying on of hands.

In Ephesus the disciples to whom Paul ministered received the Holy Spirit only after Paul had laid his hands upon them.

If we now summarize these facts as percentages, we may say that in more than 50 percent of the cases in Acts where people received the baptism in the Holy Spirit, it was through other believers’ laying hands upon them.

Certainly this is not the only way in which people may receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit. In the upper room in Jerusalem and in the house of Cornelius those present received the experience directly, without anyone’s laying hands upon them.

However, on the basis of all the cases considered, we may say that it is both normal and scriptural for those seeking the baptism in the Holy Spirit to be ministered to by other believers through laying on of hands.

It is sometimes suggested that it was only the apostles or special officers of the church who were able to exercise this ministry of laying hands upon other believers that they might be filled with the Holy Spirit. However, this is not supported by Scripture. Ananias, who laid hands for this purpose upon Saul of Tarsus in Damascus, is described merely as “a certain disciple” (Acts 9:10). There is no suggestion that he held any special ministry or office in the church. Yet he was directed by God Himself to lay hands upon the one who was destined to become the great apostle to the Gentiles. This is in line with what Jesus says.

And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name . . . they will speak with new tongues . . . they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover (Mark 16:17-18).

Here Jesus joins closely together the two supernatural signs of speaking with new (or other) tongues and of laying hands upon the sick for healing, and He says that both these signs shall follow (or accompany) the testimony of those who believe. That is to say, the exercise of these supernatural signs is not confined to any special class of believers, such as apostles or bishops or evangelists or pastors, but is open to all believers. Just as the Scripture leaves open to all believers the ministry of laying hands upon the sick for healing, so the Scripture leaves open also to all believers the ministry of laying hands upon other believers that they may receive the Holy Spirit.

However, the Scripture also warns us that this ordinance of laying hands upon believers is not to be practiced lightly or carelessly. For Paul tells Timothy:

Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people’s sins; keep yourself pure (1 Tim. 5:22).

In this one verse Paul gives three distinct warnings to Timothy:

do not lay hands on anyone hastily,
nor share in other people’s sins, and
keep yourself pure.

It is no accident that the two latter warnings follow immediately upon the first warning not to lay hands on anyone hastily. For if this act of laying hands upon another believer – particularly for the baptism in the Holy Spirit – is to be more than a mere religious ceremony, if it is to produce a real spiritual effect, then there must of necessity be a direct spiritual contact between the two believers.

In this contact between two spirits there is always the possibility of spiritual harm resulting to one or both of the believers. If the spirit of one believer is not altogether pure – if it is defiled in any way by unconfessed sin or by evil associations – then there is the possibility that the spirit of the other believer may be harmfully affected by this defiling contact. That this danger is real is made plain by the two warnings which Paul gives in this particular context: “nor share in other people’s sins” and “keep yourself pure.”

This naturally leads to the question: Since the ministry of laying on of hands is endorsed by Scripture, how can we guard against the spiritual dangers connected with it?

The answer is that there are four main safeguards for the believer who desires to exercise this ministry.

1. This ministry should never be exercised lightly or carelessly but always in a spirit of prayer and humility.

2. The guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit should be sought at every stage: with whom to pray, when to pray, how to pray.

3. The believer who lays on hands must know how to claim on behalf of his own spirit the continual purifying and protecting power of the blood of Jesus.

4. The believer who lays on hands must himself be so empowered by the Holy Spirit that he is able to overcome any kind of evil spiritual influence seeking to work in or through the one upon whom hands are laid.

Where these four safeguards are not carefully observed, there is a real danger that harmful spiritual results may follow the practice of laying on of hands – either in the one who lays on hands or in the one on whom hands are laid, or in both.

This danger exists in all cases of laying on of hands, but it is greatest where the purpose of laying on of hands is for the baptism in the Holy Spirit. In a figurative way, we may say that the Holy Spirit is heaven’s electricity, and the same principle applies in the heavenly as in the earthly realm: The greater the power involved, the greater the need for adequate protection and safeguards.

Imparting Spiritual Gifts

The next purpose for the laying on of hands is the imparting of spiritual gifts. From the passages in the New Testament where this is referred to, it would appear that it is commonly associated with the exercise of the gift of prophecy.

First of all it is necessary to establish that there is scriptural authority for a believer imparting spiritual gifts to others.

For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established – that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me (Rom. 1:11-12).

Here Paul says that one reason why he desires to visit the professing Christian’s at Rome is that he may be able to impart to them “some spiritual gift.” He explains also the effect which he intends this to produce upon the professing Christian’s there, for he adds, “so that you may be established.” In other words, the imparting of spiritual gifts to professing Christian’s is one scriptural way of establishing or strengthening them in their faith and spiritual experience.

In the next verse Paul explains more fully the results that would follow from the manifestation of new spiritual gifts among the professing Christian’s at Rome.

That is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me (Rom 1:12).

The free operation of spiritual gifts within a congregation enables the various members to comfort, to encourage and to strengthen one another. In this way, not only would Paul, as a preacher, be ministering to the Christian’s congregation at Rome, but, through the operation of the spiritual gifts, the members of the congregation would also be able to minister to Paul. The result would thus be the mutual ministry of the various members to each other.

The operation and the effect of spiritual gifts within a congregation are described by Paul in somewhat similar terms in 1 Corinthians.

I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Jesus Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Jesus was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Jesus, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Jesus (1 Cor. 1:4-8).

Paul here thanks God on behalf of the professing Christian’s at Corinth because they are enriched by God in all spiritual gifts. In particular Paul specifies the gifts of utterance and of knowledge. Paul also mentions two results which follow from the operation of the spiritual gifts in the Corinthian church. First, the testimony of Jesus is confirmed in them. Second, they are themselves confirmed or strengthened by God through these gifts.

Furthermore, Paul indicates that it is the revealed purpose of God that these spiritual gifts continue to operate in the Christian’s church right up to the return of Jesus. In this connection he uses two phrases, each of which carries the same implication.

So that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:7).

That you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:8).

Both these phrases indicate plainly that the church of Jesus at the end of this age will not be considered by God to be complete or blameless unless she is fully equipped with all the supernatural spiritual gifts.

In many sections of the Christian’s church today there is an unhealthy tendency to treat these supernatural spiritual gifts like extra chrome fittings or fancy gadgets on a car. The suggestion is that the person who wishes to pay a little extra may have the chrome or the gadgets on his car, but that these are not of any real consequence, and the car would really function just as well without them. In the same way, professing Christian’s often seem to think that the supernatural gifts are optional – a kind of unnecessary spiritual luxury which people may seek after if they wish, but which are not in any way essential to the proper functioning of the church. However, this attitude is not at all in line with Scripture.

According to the New Testament, the supernatural spiritual gifts are an integral, built-in part of God’s total plan for the church. Without these gifts in operation the church can never function on the level of power and efficiency God intended.

Example of Timothy

Having thus established the importance of spiritual gifts in the church today, let us now consider what Paul teaches about the way in which they may be imparted. The person Paul refers to in this connection is his own co-worker, Timothy.

Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery (1 Tim. 4:14).

In another epistle Paul refers to the same incident in Timothy’s spiritual experience.

Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands (2 Tim. 1:6).

In order to complete the picture of this particular incident in Timothy’s life, we should look at one more reference.

This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare (1 Tim. 1:18).

By putting these three passages of Scripture together, we are able to establish certain definite facts about the incident here described by Paul.

First of all, Timothy received some definite spiritual gift. The precise nature of this gift is never specified by Paul, and for the purposes of our present study it is not of any special importance.

Second, we learn that this spiritual gift was imparted to Timothy through the laying on of hands. In one passage Paul says, “with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery” (1 Tim. 4:14). In another passage he says, “through the laying on of my hands” (2 Tim. 1:6).

The word presbytery in the New Testament is simply a collective noun denoting the elders of a local church. The elders referred to by Paul may have been those in the church at Lystra, where Timothy began his Christian’s life.

[Timothy] was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium (Acts 16:2).

Or Paul may be referring to the elders of the church at Ephesus, where Timothy was when Paul wrote his first epistle to him. In this case, the same group of elders would be referred to in Acts 20:17, where we read:

From Miletus he [Paul] sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.

Turning back again to Paul’s epistles to Timothy, we see that in one place Paul says it was he himself who laid hands upon Timothy, and in another place he says it was the elders of the church who did this. Most likely, therefore, Paul acted in conjunction with the church elders. He and they together laid hands upon Timothy.

The third important fact revealed by these passages from the epistles to Timothy is that the imparting of a spiritual gift to Timothy by the laying on of hands was also associated with prophetic utterance.

In one passage Paul says this gift was given “by prophecy” (1 Tim. 4:14). This indicates that the will of God for Timothy to receive this gift was supernaturally revealed through the gift of prophecy; thereafter the impartation of this gift to Timothy was made effective through the laying on of the hands of Paul and the church elders. In other words, the laying on of hands was the means by which the revealed will of God for Timothy was actually made effective in his experience.

In another passage Paul explains a further spiritual purpose for which the prophetic revelation of God’s will was given to Timothy, for he says:

This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare (1 Tim. 1:18).

This indicates that God had a special charge committed to Timothy, a special ministry for him to exercise, a special purpose in life for him to fulfill. The nature of this ministry was revealed to him in advance – on more than one occasion, it would appear – by prophetic utterances. On one of these occasions it was also revealed that Timothy would need a certain spiritual gift to fulfil the ministry committed to him, and on that occasion the particular gift that he needed was imparted to him through the laying on of hands.

Once again, it must be emphasized that this was not a question of the unnecessary or ostentatious use of spiritual gifts. On the contrary, this was something that was vitally necessary to the success of Timothy’s ministry. Paul states the purpose for which these prophecies were given to Timothy: “that by them you may wage the good warfare” (1 Tim. 1:18).

The Christian’s life – and especially the life of a minister – is a warfare, a continual contest against unseen forces of darkness and wickedness.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12).

Two main weapons used by these unseen forces of darkness are doubt and fear. Many times in his ministry Timothy most likely passed through periods of great difficulty and opposition and of apparent failure and frustration. At such periods he could easily be tempted to doubt the reality of his God-given calling. For this reason Paul reminds him of the prophecies which had outlined beforehand God’s plan for his life, and he urges him to be encouraged and strengthened by these so that he may go on to the fulfilment of his God-given task.

In particular Paul warns Timothy against yielding to fear. Immediately after he urged him to stir up the gift that is in him by the laying on of hands, Paul says:

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Tim. 1:7).

What is the remedy that Paul recommends against the insidious attacks of this spirit of fear? The remedy is twofold: 1) that Timothy should stir up – rekindle into flame – the spiritual gift that he had received through the laying on of hands; 2) that Timothy should recall and be encouraged by the prophecies which outlined in advance the course that God had planned for his life.

We see, therefore, that the ordinance of laying on of hands was combined in Timothy’s experience with the gift of prophecy as a means whereby he might be directed, encouraged and strengthened in the fulfillment of his God-given ministry.

According to God’s Word, the same means to direct, to encourage and to strengthen are still available today to God’s people, and especially to God’s appointed ministers. Furthermore, God’s people and ministers still stand in need of these things as much today as in the days of Paul and Timothy.

Laying on of Hands

Imparting Blessing, Authority and Healing

Stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

2 Timothy 1:6

Throughout this series of studies we are examining the six foundation doctrines of Jesus which are listed in Hebrews 6:1-2:

1. Repentance from dead works

2. Faith toward God

3. The doctrine of baptisms

4. Laying on of hands

5. Resurrection of the dead

6. Eternal judgement

In the preceding sections we have systematically examined the first three doctrines in this list. Now we will move on to the fourth of these doctrines – that which is called “laying on of hands.”

Had it been left to human understanding to determine the six basic doctrines of the Christian’s faith, it is quite probable that the laying on of hands would never have been included. However, in the last resort, the best commentary on Scripture is provided by Scripture itself. In this particular case we have the authority of Scripture itself for placing this doctrine among the great foundation doctrines of Christian’sity.

What are we to understand by this phrase, “laying on of hands”? “Laying on of hands” is an act in which one person places his hands upon another person with some definite spiritual purpose. Normally this act is accompanied by prayer or by prophetic utterance, or by both.

Outside the sphere of religion, this act of laying on of hands is not something strange or foreign to normal human behavior. For example, in some parts of the world, when two men meet who are friends, it is normal for them to lay their hands upon each other’s shoulders. This act constitutes an acknowledgement of their friendship and pleasure at meeting each other. Or again, when a child complains of headache or fever, it is quite natural – in fact, almost instinctive – for the mother to place her hand upon her child’s brow to soothe or caress the child.

Within the sphere of religion, the practice of laying on of hands may thus be considered as an extension or an adaptation of what is basically a natural human action. As a religious act, the laying on of hands normally signifies one of three possible things.

1. The person laying on hands may thereby transmit spiritual blessing or authority to the one upon whom hands are laid.

2. The person laying on hands may thereby acknowledge publicly some spiritual blessing or authority already received from God by the one upon whom hands are laid.

3. The person laying on hands may thereby publicly commit to God for some special task or ministry the one upon whom hands are laid.

At times, all these three purposes may be combined in one and the same act of laying on hands.

Three Old Testament Precedents

The laying on of hands was an accepted practice in the earliest records of God’s people. For instance, consider how Joseph brought his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh to his father, Jacob, and how Jacob blessed them.

Then Israel [Jacob] stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn (Gen. 48:14).

At first Joseph thought his father had made a mistake, and he tried to make his father change his hands over, placing the right hand upon the head of Manasseh, the firstborn, and the left hand upon the head of Ephraim, the younger. However, Jacob indicated that he had been conscious of divine guidance in placing his right hand upon Ephraim and his left hand upon Manasseh. With his hands still kept crossed in this position, he proceeded to bless the two boys, giving the first and greater blessing to Ephraim and the lesser blessing to Manasseh.

This passage shows it was an accepted practice that the blessing of Jacob should be transmitted to his two grandsons by laying his hands upon their heads; and, furthermore, that the greater blessing was transmitted through Jacob’s right hand and the lesser through his left hand.

As Moses came near to the end of his earthly ministry, he asked the Lord to appoint a new leader over Israel who should be ready to take his place.

And the Lord said to Moses: “Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and inaugurate him in their sight. And you shall give some of your authority to him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient” (Num. 27:18-20).

Moses carried out this commandment of the Lord:

So Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation. And he laid his hands on him and inaugurated him, just as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses (Num. 27:22-23).

Moses’ action produced a tremendous result in Joshua.

Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; so the children of Israel heeded him, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses (Deut. 34:9).

From these passages we see that this act of Moses laying his hands upon Joshua was one of great significance both for Joshua individually and for the whole congregation of Israel collectively. By this divinely ordained act, Moses accomplished two main purposes: 1) He transmitted to Joshua a measure of the spiritual wisdom and honour which he had himself received from God; 2) he publicly acknowledged before the whole congregation of Israel God’s appointment of Joshua as the leader who was to succeed him.

Another significant act of laying on of hands took place when Joash, king of Israel, went down to pay his last respects to the prophet Elisha, who lay upon his deathbed. The following conversation occurred between Joash and Elisha.

And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and some arrows.” So he [Joash] took himself a bow and some arrows. Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” So he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. And he said, “Open the east window”; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot”; and he shot. And he said, “The arrow of the Lord’s deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria; for you must strike the Syrians at Aphek till you have destroyed them” (2 Kin. 13:15-17).

Shooting the arrow eastward through the window symbolised the victory which Joash was to gain in battle over the Syrians. By this act, therefore, Elisha acknowledged God’s appointment of Joash as the leader who would bring deliverance to Israel.

This divine appointment of Joash was made effective through Elisha’s laying his hands upon the hands of Joash as the latter held the bow and shot the arrow, which was symbolic of victory and deliverance. Through the laying on of Elisha’s hands, there were transmitted to Joash the divine wisdom and authority needed to equip him as the deliverer of God’s people.

This incident is therefore closely parallel to the one in which Moses laid his hands upon Joshua. In each case the laying on of hands acknowledged a leader whom God had appointed for a special purpose. In each case this act also transmitted to that leader the divine wisdom and authority needed to carry out his God-appointed task. It is interesting also to notice that, in both cases, Joshua and Joash were appointed primarily as military commanders.

Two New Testament Ordinances for Healing

Let us now turn to the New Testament to see what part this ordinance of laying on of hands plays there. We shall find five distinct purposes for which laying on of hands may be used, according to the precepts and examples of the New Testament.

The first of these purposes is directly associated with the ministry of physical healing. Jesus authorised it in His final commission to His disciples (see Mark 16:17-18). In these verses Jesus appoints five supernatural signs which are to accompany the preaching of the gospel and which may be claimed by all believers through faith in the name of Jesus. The fifth of these supernatural signs appointed by Jesus is:

In My name . . . they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover (Mark 16:17-18).

Here the laying on of hands in the name of Jesus is appointed as a means for physical healing to be ministered to those who are sick.

Later on in the New Testament another slightly different ordinance is appointed.

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and God will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven (James 5:14-15).

The ordinance here appointed is that of anointing the sick with oil in the name of the Lord.

Both these ordinances alike are effective only through the exercise of faith in the name of the Lord; that is, the name of Jesus. In the case of anointing with oil, it is specifically stated that prayer must accompany this act. In the passage about laying hands on the sick in Mark’s Gospel, no specific mention is made of prayer. However, in most cases it would be natural to pray for the sick person, as well as laying hands on him.

Again, when anointing the sick with oil, it often seems natural – indeed, almost instinctive – to lay hands upon them at the same time. In this way the two ordinances become combined in one. However, this need not necessarily be so. It is perfectly scriptural to lay hands on the sick without anointing them with oil. Likewise, it is perfectly scriptural to anoint the sick with oil without laying hands on them.

The question naturally arises: Is there any difference in use or purpose between these two ordinances – that is, laying hands on the sick and anointing the sick with oil? Are there times or situations when it is more appropriate to use one ordinance rather than the other? And if so, what are the scriptural principles guiding their use?

The passage in the epistle of James about anointing with oil begins:

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church (James 5:14).

Since the epistle of James is addressed primarily to professing professing Christian’s (albeit among the Jewish people), the phrase “among you” would seem to refer mainly to believers. This fits in also with the commandment which follows: “Let him call for the elders of the church.”

A person who made no profession of faith and was not associated with any Christian’s church would not be included in the phrase “among you”; nor would such a person know who were the church elders for whom to send. It would seem, therefore, that this ordinance of anointing with oil is intended primarily for those who already profess faith in Jesus and are associated with some Christian’s church.

Interpreted in this way, this ordinance contains two lessons of great practical importance for every professing Christian’s. First, God expects every sick Christian’s to seek Him first, for healing through faith and by spiritual means. This does not mean it is necessarily unscriptural for a Christian’s who is sick to seek the advice or help of a medical doctor. But it is absolutely contrary to Scripture for any professing Christian’s who is sick to seek for human medical aid without first seeking for divine help from God Himself, through the appointed leaders of the church.

Today the great majority of professing professing Christian’s who fall sick automatically call for their doctor without giving any thought to seeking help from God or from the leaders of the church. All professing Christian’s who do this are guilty of direct disobedience against the ordinances of God as set forth in the New Testament. For the Scripture says plainly, without any qualification: “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church . . .” In the face of this, any Christian’s who falls sick and calls for the doctor, without calling for the elders of the church, is guilty of open disobedience.

The implications of this act are plain enough if we pause to consider them. It amounts to saying to God: “God, I do not need You. I do not really believe You can help me or heal me. I am content to accept the best that man can do for me without seeking You for guidance or help.” This prevailing attitude among professing professing Christian’s is one main reason why so much sickness also prevails among them.

For the most part, professing Christian’s today have simply set aside the claims of God to heal the body and have closed the doors of their homes and churches against Jesus the healer.

The second important lesson contained in this passage from the epistle of James is that God expects all professing Christian’s to associate themselves with a church and that the leaders of this church shall be ready to minister in faith, according to the Scripture, to the physical needs of their church members.

The phrase “let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5:14) carries both these implications: 1) that every Christian’s shall be associated with a church in such a way that its leaders both know him and are known to him; 2) that these leaders shall be ready to minister physical healing to their members in faith, according to the ordinances appointed by God for the church.

In connection with this ordinance of anointing the sick with oil, there are two further points which need to be made plain. First of all, there is no suggestion that oil is to be used because of any natural healing properties it may possess. Here, as in many other passages of Scripture, the oil is simply a type or picture of the Holy Spirit.

Thus, placing the oil upon the sick person represents the claim of faith on behalf of that person that the Spirit of God shall minister divine life and healing to his sick body. This claim is based upon a clear promise from God.

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you (Rom. 8:11).

Here the phrase “to give life to your mortal bodies” means to impart divine life and power to the mortal, physical body of the believer in whom the Spirit of God dwells. The great agent of the Godhead who imparts this divine life is the third Person, the Holy Spirit.

The second point which must be established is that anointing the believer with oil, according to the New Testament, is never intended as a preparation for death but, on the contrary, as a way of imparting to the believer the exact opposite of death – that is, divine life and health and strength.

Thus, to make anointing with oil a preparation for death is to reverse the true meaning of the ordinance. It is ignoring God’s warning not to “put darkness for light and bitter for sweet” – to put the darkness and bitterness of death and sickness in place of the light and sweetness of life and health (see Is. 5:20).

We may sum up this ordinance of anointing with oil by saying that it is an appointed act of faith by which the impartation of divine life and health through the Holy Spirit is claimed for the body of a sick Christian’s.

If we now turn back to the ordinance of laying hands on the sick, as set forth in Mark 16, we shall see that the context suggests that this ordinance is intended to go together with the preaching of the gospel to the unconverted and that its primary use is for those who are not yet converted or who have newly come to the faith.

We form this conclusion from the fact that this, like the other supernatural signs ordained by Jesus, follows immediately upon His commandment to evangelize the whole world.

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe” (Mark 16:15-17).

Jesus immediately enumerates the five supernatural signs, ending with the healing of the sick through the laying on of hands. This indicates that each one of these supernatural signs, including the healing of the sick, is intended by God to bear testimony to the divine truth and authority of the gospel message in places where this message has not previously been heard or believed.

This is in line with the closing account of the disciples’ evangelistic activity in Mark’s Gospel.

And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen (Mark 16:20).

This indicates that the primary purpose of these supernatural signs – including the healing of the sick through the laying on of hands – is to confirm the truth of the gospel message among people who have not previously accepted it. It seems clear, therefore, that ministering to the sick through laying on of hands in the name of Jesus is primarily intended not for established professing Christian’s who are members of churches but for the unconverted, or for those who have newly come to the faith.

How Healing Comes

In what way will healing come as a result of the laying on of hands?

The Scripture does not give any precise or detailed answer to this question. Jesus says merely, “They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” In place of the phrase “they will recover,” we might translate alternatively, “they will become well,” or more simply still, “they will be well.”

By these words of Jesus two things are still left within the sovereignty of God:

the precise way in which healing will be manifested and
the precise length of time that the process of healing will take. Side by side with this we may set the words of Paul.

And there are diversities of activities [or operations], but it is the same God who works all in all (1 Cor. 12:6).

In the laying on of hands there are what Paul calls “diversities of operations”; that is, the process of healing does not always operate in the same way each time.

In one case the laying on of hands may be a channel through which the supernatural gift of healing operates. In such a case the person who lays on hands by this act transmits the supernatural healing virtue or power of God to the body of the one on whom hands are laid. Very often this latter person actually feels within his body the supernatural power of God.

At other times, however, there is no sensation of power at all, but the laying on of hands is simply an act of naked faith and obedience to God’s Word. However, if there is genuine faith, healing will follow, even though there may be no dramatic or supernatural experience.

Again, Jesus does not specify the length of time that the healing process will take.

Sometimes complete healing is received instantly, as soon as hands are laid upon the sick person. At other times, however, healing comes only as a gradual process. In this latter case it is most important that the person seeking healing continue to exercise active faith until the process of healing is complete.

It quite often happens that a sick person who is ministered to by the laying on of hands receives a measure of deliverance but not complete healing. The reason for this usually is that the sick person did not exercise active faith for a long enough period of time to allow the process of healing to be completed. When the person’s faith ceases to be active, the process of healing is then arrested.

For this reason it is important to give scriptural instruction to those seeking healing through laying on of hands and to warn them in advance of the necessity of holding out in active faith until the process of healing is complete.

Experience has convinced me that in every case where genuine faith is exercised by laying hands on the sick in the name of Jesus, the process of healing begins to operate. However, if the sick person then loses faith, the healing may be either completely lost or at best never fully consummated.

There are two main ways in which a sick person may exercise active faith after hands have been laid upon him for healing. The first is by thanking God continually for the measure of healing already received. The other is by maintaining a consistent testimony of faith in the truth of God’s Word – even in the face of negative symptoms.

At this point, there is a delicate balance between faith and realism. If a person continues to experience obvious symptoms of sickness even after the laying on of hands, it is unrealistic to pretend that the symptoms are no longer there or to claim that complete healing has taken place. It is better to acknowledge the symptoms but to focus on the Word of God.

Such a person may say, “I recognize that I still have symptoms of sickness, but I believe that God’s healing has been released within my body through my obedience to His Word, and I trust Him to complete what He has begun.”

It is also perfectly reasonable for such a person to ask for continuing prayer.

There are thousands of people, alive and well today, who have received healing through these scriptural means.

Conviction of Eternal Issues

In the last two sessions we considered the effects of the baptism in the Holy Spirit upon the general life and worship of a Christian’s congregation.

We shall now focus our attention upon the special ministry of the preacher – that is, the believer called by God to the vital ministry of preaching God’s Word. The questions we shall seek to answer are these:

1. What special results are produced in the ministry of the preacher by the baptism in the Holy Spirit?

2. In what main ways does the ministry of a preacher who is empowered by the Holy Spirit differ from that of one who is not?

In considering the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the ministry of the preacher, it is appropriate to begin with the words of Peter. He reminds the early church of the example and the standard set before them by the preachers who had brought the gospel message to them. He speaks of those “who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven” (1 Pet. 1:12).

These words bring out the main distinctive nature of the New Testament preachers. They did not depend primarily upon education or eloquence or natural talents; they preached by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. They reckoned and depended upon the real, personal presence and power of the Holy Spirit working in them, through them and with them. Every other means and talent they employed was kept subservient to this one controlling influence: the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

What results follow when the pre-eminence of the Holy Spirit is thus acknowledged in the ministry of the preacher?

Sin, Righteousness and Judgement

And when He [the Holy Spirit] has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement (John 16:8).

An alternative translation for “convict” is “convince.” He “will convince the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement.”

We might paraphrase this: “The Holy Spirit will press home upon the attention of the unbelieving world the issues of sin, righteousness and judgement in such a way that it will no longer be possible for the world to ignore or deny these issues.”

These three things – sin, righteousness and judgement – are the abiding eternal realities upon which all true religion is based.

Paul reminded the proud, intellectual, self-sufficient Athenian people of this basic issue of God’s judgement.

[God] has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:31).

Judgement is a divine appointment. No one is excused; no one is exempted; no one can escape. God’s appointment is with the world, the entire human race. In this judgement God is concerned with only one issue: righteousness. God will not judge men in respect of their wealth or their cleverness or their religious profession. He is concerned only about righteousness.

The nature of this issue is simply defined: “All unrighteousness is sin” (1 John 5:17). In respect of moral conduct, there is only one alternative to righteousness, and that is sin. Sin must be defined in terms of righteousness. The negative must be defined in terms of the positive.

If we were asked to explain the word crooked, the simplest way to begin would be by demonstrating the meaning of straight. We could draw a straight line and say, “This is straight.” Then we could go on to say, “Any other line extending between the same two points that does not follow the course of this line is crooked.”

The exact extent to which the crooked line deviates from the straight is a matter of secondary importance. It may deviate by one degree, or it may deviate by many degrees. This makes no difference. Whether it deviates by little or by much, it is still crooked.

So it is with sin and righteousness. All unrighteousness is sin. Every form of moral conduct that is not righteous is sinful. God has established His divine standard of righteousness. Anything which departs from that in any degree, small or great, is sinful.

What is God’s standard of righteousness? The answer is given in the second part of the verse we have already quoted from Paul’s speech at Athens.

. . . because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead (Acts 17:31).

What is God’s standard of righteousness, here stated? It is not a moral code or a golden rule; it is not even the Ten Commandments. It is the one kind of standard perfectly suited to the human race. It is a man – that man whom God has ordained.

Who is this man? It is the man to whom God has given testimony or assurance by raising him from the dead. It is the Man Jesus Jesus. He alone is God’s standard of righteousness for the human race. To understand this standard we must study the life and character of Jesus as portrayed in the New Testament. Every aspect of human character or conduct that falls below the standard of Jesus falls below God’s standard of righteousness.

Paul presents the same truth concerning the nature of righteousness and sin, as found in Romans 3:23.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Paul does not specify any one particular type of sin. He does not specify pride or lust or murder or lies. There is only one point in which he asserts that all are alike guilty: All have come short of the glory of God; all have failed to live for God’s glory; all have failed to live up to the divine standard; all have come short; all have missed the mark.

This standard of God’s glory points us again to Jesus, both “the brightness of His [the Father’s] glory and the express image of His person” (Heb. 1:3).

Jesus Jesus alone of all men who have ever lived, lived out His entire life by this one standard and for this one purpose – the glory of God, His Father.

Here then, defined and demonstrated for all to see, are the three basic issues upon which the eternal destiny of every human soul depends – sin, righteousness and judgement.

Yet the human race, in its own natural, unregenerate condition, is totally unconcerned about these issues. This is because fallen man is the slave of his own carnal mind. His one normal means of contact with reality is through his fleshly nature – through his five senses. He is moved and impressed only by the aspects of reality which are revealed by his senses. He is therefore shut up in the realm of the carnal and the material. It is the things in this realm which impress him and influence him, which occupy his time, his thoughts, his energy.

Listen to people of the world talking casually together in any public place – a bus, a train or a restaurant. What is the most common topic of conversation? Without a doubt, it is money. I have proved this by personal observation, listening to people talk in many different languages and in many different lands.

After money there come a variety of other topics, all connected in some way with man’s physical and material well-being, his pleasures, his comforts, his luxuries. Among the most common of these topics we might mention sports, entertainment, politics, food, business, farming, family affairs, cars, clothing and household equipment.

These are the things which normally monopolize the thought and speech of the people of this world. Among them no place is found for the three issues of sin, righteousness and judgement.

Why is this? The answer is simple. These three things cannot be apprehended through man’s carnal senses. For the man who is shut up within the prison of his own senses and his own carnal understanding, sin, righteousness and judgement have no reality or importance whatever.

There is only one means by which these things can be made real for men and women, and that is through the working of God’s Holy Spirit. He alone can convince the world of these unseen, eternal realities. In proportion as the Holy Spirit gains access to men’s hearts and minds, they become concerned about sin, righteousness and judgement.

In Psalm 14:2-3 we are given a divinely inspired picture of the whole human race as God sees them, in their own natural, fallen condition, apart from the influence of God’s grace and the working of God’s Spirit.

The psalmist here says:

The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men,

To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.

They have all turned aside,

They have together become corrupt;

There is none who does good,

No, not one.

Notice what the psalmist here says about man’s natural condition. It is not merely that there is none who does good. Man’s spiritual depravity goes much deeper than that. There is none who understands, none who seeks God. Even the understanding of spiritual things and the desire to know God are totally absent. Until God through His Holy Spirit reaches down to man, man, left to himself, never reaches out to God or seeks after God.

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1).

Apart from the quickening influence of the Holy Spirit, man’s spiritual condition is one of death. He is dead to God and to spiritual realities. Sin, righteousness and judgement have no meaning or reality for him.

This does not mean that man in this condition is necessarily without religion. On the contrary, religion may play a great part in his life. But religion apart from the moving of the Holy Spirit can be the most deadening of all influences, lulling man into a false sense of security and into callousness and indifference concerning those vital spiritual issues upon which the destiny of his soul depends.

Paul gives a prophetic picture of the main moral features which will characterize the human race at the close of the present age.

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! (2 Tim. 3:1-5).

Paul here lists eighteen major moral blemishes that will mar human life and conduct as this age draws to its close. The first two such moral blemishes in his list are “lovers of themselves” and “lovers of money.” The last in the list is “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” By the unerring insight of the Holy Spirit, Paul has pointed out three major marks of our contemporary civilization: “love of self,” “love of money,” “love of pleasure.”

In between these are fifteen other features of moral decline, all of which have been manifested in the twentieth and twenty first centuries more openly and on a larger scale than at any previous period of world history.

Yet the most challenging aspect of this whole situation is that, in the midst of this universal moral decline, there is no absence of religion. After listing these eighteen moral blemishes, Paul adds, “. . . having a form of godliness, but denying its power.”

In other words, the people guilty of these moral sins are not people without religion. They have a form of godliness – a form of religion – but it is a religion in which there is no room for the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. As a result, there is no sensitivity to spiritual things; no awareness of basic spiritual realities; no conviction of sin, righteousness or judgement.

It follows from this that to preach the gospel without the accompanying influence of the Holy Spirit is a totally useless endeavor. It is presenting a remedy to people who have no consciousness of a need; a cure to people who have no consciousness of being sick. The only reaction this can produce is indifference or scorn.

The greatest enemy of evangelistic activity is not communism or false cults. It is materialism and indifference. The only power that can break down this barrier of materialism is the power of the Holy Spirit. “When He [the Holy Spirit] has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement” (John 16:8).

It is not mere preaching that the world needs; it is preaching like that of the early church – preaching by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.

Wielding the Spirit’s Sword

Let us look briefly at the examples of this type of preaching recorded in the book of Acts and at the results it produced.

On the day of Pentecost, before the coming of the Holy Spirit, the 120 believers in the upper room in Jerusalem were an unimpressive, uninfluential minority. But after they had been filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter stood up and preached a sermon to a crowd of several thousand Jewish people who had gathered. What were the results of this one sermon?

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37).

Notice the phrase “they were cut to the heart.” This cutting to the heart is the operation of the Holy Spirit which Jesus foretold:

When He [the Holy Spirit] has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement (John 16:8).

As a result of this conviction, before the day closed three thousand unbelieving Jews had repented, acknowledged Jesus as Lord and Savior and been baptised.

However, it is important to emphasize that these results were not achieved by the supernatural manifestation of the Holy Spirit alone, but by this manifestation followed by the preaching of God’s Word.

It pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe (1 Cor. 1:21).

God has never ordained that men should be saved through witnessing miracles or through hearing prophetic utterances. These supernatural manifestations serve to arrest men’s attention and to open their hearts to the truth. But it is only through the preaching of God’s Word that men are actually saved.

This confirms Paul’s statement that “the sword of the Spirit . . . is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17).

If Peter had not stood up on the day of Pentecost and preached a message from God’s Word, the Holy Spirit would still have been mightily present with the disciples. But He would have been left without any sword to wield. There would still have been awe and amazement on the part of the unbelievers, but there would have been no conversions. It was the sharp, two-edged sword of God’s Word, wielded by the Holy Spirit through the lips of Peter, that cut these unbelievers right to their hearts and brought them under such deep conviction.

Almost half of Peter’s sermon consists of quotations from the Old Testament. So great is the impact of God’s written Word when it is pressed home to the human heart by the power of the Holy Spirit.

In Acts chapters 6 and 7 we read how Stephen was accused of blasphemy and arraigned before the Jewish council in Jerusalem. At the opening of the trial scene Stephen is accused, and the members of the council are the accusers. But before the trial closes these roles have been reversed.

As Stephen, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, expounds to the council the Old Testament Scriptures relating to Israel and the Messiah, it is Stephen who becomes the accuser and the members of the council who are accused.

When they heard these things they [the council] were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth (Acts 7:54).

Notice the same phrase again: “cut to the heart.” Once more we see that the sword of God’s Word, wielded by the Holy Spirit, reached into the hearts of those unbelievers and wounded them there most deeply.

One of the witnesses of Stephen’s trial and martyrdom was a young man named Saul of Tarsus. This incident evidently had an effect on Saul, for when Jesus appeared to him later on the Damascus road, He said:

It is hard for you to kick against the goads (Acts 9:5).

What were these goads from which Saul was seeking vainly to escape? They were the sharp goads of God’s Word, which had been pressed home to his heart by the Holy Spirit through the lips of Stephen.

Acts 24 describes another trial in which Paul was now the accused, arraigned concerning his faith in Jesus, and the Roman governor Felix was the judge. In this trial, once again, the Holy Spirit reversed the roles of accuser and accused, for as Paul “reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgement to come, Felix was afraid” (Acts 24:25). The Holy Spirit, through Paul, pressed home to the heart of Felix these truths of righteousness and judgement. The proud Roman governor, accustomed to having prisoners tremble before him, found himself trembling in the presence of an unseen judge and hastily dismissed the court without any judgement being pronounced.

These examples from the book of Acts illustrate the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to convict men of sin, righteousness and judgement. But they also show that conviction is not the same as conversion, nor does it necessarily lead to conversion. There is one thing, however, that the Holy Spirit, by His convicting power, most surely does: He leaves no further room for neutrality. Jesus says:

He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad (Matt. 12:30).

Where the convicting power of the Holy Spirit is manifested, every person who comes under the influence of that power is compelled to take a definite stand – either with Jesus or against Him; either gathering or scattering. Compromise or neutrality are no longer possible.

Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to “set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law” (Matt. 10:34-35).

The sword of which Jesus here speaks is the sword of God’s Word. As this Word is ministered in the power of the Holy Spirit, it is so sharp and so penetrating that it leaves no place anymore for neutrality or compromise. It divides even among members of the same family, compelling each one individually to take a stand, either with Jesus or against Him.

We live in a civilization marked by materialism, indifference, compromise and moral and spiritual decline. Is there anything that can arrest the course of this decline and turn our generation back to God?

Yes, there is one thing that can do this, and only one: the power of the Holy Spirit working through the Word of God, convincing the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgement.

Total Participation of the Members

We shall now go on to examine a second distinctive feature of a Spirit-filled congregation.

In the regular services of most Christian’s churches today, almost all the real initiative and activity are confined to just a few individuals. The congregation may take part in certain pre-arranged activities, such as the singing of hymns from a book or the repetition of fixed prayers or responses. There may also be, within the main congregation, one or two smaller, specially trained groups – such as the choir or an orchestra. But apart from this all real initiative and activity are left in the hands of one or two individuals while most of the rest of the congregation remains passive.

One person leads the singing; one person prays; one person preaches. Sometimes two or more, even of these activities, may be combined in one person. From the rest of the congregation little more is expected or required than an occasional “Amen.”

However, if we examine the life and worship of the early church as portrayed in the New Testament, we find there was active participation by all the believers present in any service. This was brought about by the supernatural presence and power of the Holy Spirit operating in and through the individual believers.

The Lamp on the Lampstand

Further study of this New Testament pattern reveals that the supernatural gifts or manifestations of the Holy Spirit are not given primarily to the individual believer. Rather they are given, through the vessel of the individual believer, to the church or congregation as a whole. Therefore they cannot achieve their proper purpose unless they are freely manifested and exercised in the life of the congregation.

In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul indicates how the gifts of the individual believers are intended to function within the corporate life of the congregation.

First he lists nine specific supernatural gifts or manifestations of the Holy Spirit, ending with the words:

But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills (1 Cor. 12:11).

This last phrase indicates that these gifts or manifestations are given in the first instance to individual believers. However, Paul does not end there.

In the next sixteen verses of the same chapter – verses 12-27 – Paul goes on to say that the Christian’s church is like one body with many members, and he likens each individual believer to a single member of the one body, ending with the words: “Now you are the body of Jesus, and members individually.”

The lesson therefore is that, though the spiritual gifts are given to individual believers, they are given to enable those believers to play their proper part in the church – the body of Jesus – as a whole. Thus spiritual gifts are not intended primarily for the benefit of the individual but for the life and worship of the whole congregation.

Paul makes the same point again in the very next verse.

And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues (1 Cor. 12:28).

Paul says that all of these various ministries and giftings have been set by God in the church. That is, they are intended not merely for private use by individual believers but for public manifestation in the church, the congregation of God’s people as a whole.

This same truth is vividly illustrated by a brief parable of Jesus.

Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house (Matt. 5:15).

The two main symbols used in this parable are the lamp and the lampstand. The symbol of the lampstand may be interpreted by reference to Revelation 1:20.

The seven lamp-stands which you saw are the seven churches.

Throughout the whole of Scripture, a lampstand is used as a symbol of a church or a congregation.

The symbol of the lighted lamp may be interpreted by reference to Proverbs 20:27.

The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord.

Thus the lighted lamp is a symbol of the spirit of the Spirit-baptised believer, made to burn and to shine by the fire of the indwelling Spirit.

Just as the lamp is appointed to take its place on the lampstand, so the Spirit-baptised believer is appointed to take his place in the public congregation of the church. A believer who has been baptised in the Holy Spirit but never exercises any spiritual gift in the service of the congregation is like a lamp under a basket. He fails to fulfill the purpose for which God gave him the gift.

When the presence and power of the Holy Spirit are publicly manifested through the various believers, the whole life and worship of the congregation are completely transformed. The main responsibility for the ministry and the conduct of the service is no longer borne by one or two individuals while the rest remain passive.

On the contrary, every member of the congregation participates actively in the service, and the various members minister to each other, rather than one or two ministering all the time to all the rest.

This is the pattern indicated by Paul’s example of the body and its members, and it is confirmed by the words of Peter.

As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Jesus (1 Pet. 4:10-11).

Peter here speaks of God’s grace being manifold. That is, God’s grace is so rich, so many-sided, that a different aspect of that grace can be manifested through each individual member in the total worship and service of God’s people. In this way every member of the church may receive his own special manifestation and may thus have something to minister in turn to all the other members.

Peter emphasizes that every member of the church is included; no one need be left without a gift or a ministry. He says: “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another” (1 Pet. 4:10). And again, in the next verse: “If anyone speaks . . . If anyone ministers” (1 Pet. 4:11). There is no question here of a church with one or two “professional,” full-time ministers, while all the remaining members are largely passive or inactive. Every member is included in God’s program of supernatural ministry in the church; each one may have a gift; anyone may speak; anyone may minister.

This picture of the church with every member active is confirmed by the words of Paul.

For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Jesus, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness (Rom. 12:3-8).

In these verses Paul once again likens the Christian’s church to a body, of which each individual believer is a member, and he lays great stress on the activity of each member. Notice the repetition of phrases such as “each one,” “the members,” “everyone.”

Paul teaches that God has allotted to each member a special function, a special ministry. In conjunction with this, God has also made a double provision for the effective exercise of that ministry:

the measure of faith and
the special gifts which the ministry requires. In this way each member is fully equipped for his task.

Thus the New Testament picture of the church is that of a vigorous, active body in which each individual member properly fulfills his special function. A church in which only one or two members had any active ministry would be, by New Testament standards, like a body in which, let us say, the head, one hand and one foot were strong and active, and all the rest of the body was paralyzed and useless. Obviously such a body, considered as a whole, could never fulfill its proper function.

Paul lays particular emphasis upon the supernatural ministry imparted by the Holy Spirit to every member of a New Testament church.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all (1 Cor. 12:7).

And again, concerning the nine supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit:

But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills (1 Cor. 12:11).

Notice carefully what Paul says here: “the manifestation of the Spirit [the manifest, public demonstration of the indwelling Spirit] is given to each one [to every member of the church]” (1 Cor. 12:7). And again: All these nine supernatural gifts the Holy Spirit distributes “to each one individually [to every member]” (1 Cor. 12:11).

The Exercise of Spiritual Gifts

These words make it plain that it is the express will of God for every member of the church to exercise spiritual gifts – that is, the open, public, supernatural manifestation of the indwelling Spirit. If all believers do not in fact have these gifts in operation, it is not because God withholds them but simply because such believers through ignorance or carelessness or unbelief fail to press on into the fullness of God’s revealed will for His people.

Such believers have failed to obey Paul’s exhortation to “earnestly desire the best gifts” (1 Cor. 12:31). He further urges believers to “pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy” (1 Cor. 14:1).

There are three spiritual gifts about which Paul is particularly specific: tongues, interpretation and prophecy.

I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied (1 Cor. 14:5).

Since Paul is here writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, his words impart to the church the revealed will of God for all His believing people both to speak with tongues and to prophesy. If there are believers who do not enjoy the exercise of these gifts, it is not because God has withheld them but simply because those believers have not entered into the fullness of their inheritance in Jesus.

The Lord said to Joshua and to His people under the old covenant:

There remains very much land yet to be possessed (Josh. 13:1).

So it is also with God’s people under the new covenant today.

Paul says also:

Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret (1 Cor. 14:13).

God’s Word never tells us to pray for something out of God’s will. Therefore, we know it is God’s will for anyone who speaks in tongues also to interpret that utterance. Since Paul has already said it is God’s will for all to speak in tongues, it is therefore also God’s will for all to interpret.

For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged (1 Cor. 14:31).

Nothing could be plainer than this. It is within the revealed will of God for all the members of the church to exercise the spiritual gift of prophecy. Paul imposes only two limitations. Here in the verse just quoted he says, “One by one.” That is, believers are to exercise this gift by turns, not more than one believer prophesying at any one time. The purpose of this is obvious and is stated a few verses further on. It is to avoid confusion.

Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others [the other members] judge (1 Cor. 14:29).

Paul here limits the number who may prophesy in any service to “two or three.” The purpose of this is that the whole service should not be monopolized by one particular form of spiritual manifestation. The exercise of prophecy has its place in the service, but it does not make up the whole service. The ministry of the Holy Spirit through God’s people is much more varied than that. Many other different forms of ministry are required to make up a complete service.

In this verse Paul also says clearly that the exercise of the gift of prophecy must be judged or tested. He says, “Let the others judge.” The “others” would include the rest of the Spirit-baptised believers present who are capable of recognizing the genuine manifestation of the gift of prophecy. Even in this we see that Paul brings in all the members. He does not specify merely one professional minister who is to judge, but he makes the believers as a whole responsible to do this.

Do not quench the Spirit.

Do not despise prophecies.

Test all things; hold fast what is good (1 Thess. 5:19-21).

These three verses are addressed to Christian’s believers generally, and they must be taken closely together. It is wrong for believers to quench the Spirit – to reject the moving and manifestation of the Holy Spirit in their midst. It is also wrong for believers to despise prophesying – to adopt an attitude of criticism, contempt or unbelief toward the manifestation of the gift of prophecy.

On the other hand, when this gift is manifested, believers are responsible to test it by the standards of Scripture – and then to hold fast, to accept, to retain only that which is good, only that which accords with the standards of Scripture.

We see, then, that Paul is careful to guard against anything that might be spurious or disorderly in the exercise or manifestation of spiritual gifts. However, with this one qualification, he repeatedly and emphatically states that all believers in the church can and should exercise the open manifestation of spiritual gifts. He particularly specifies the three gifts of tongues, interpretation and prophecy.

What is the result in a church when all its members freely and publicly exercise supernatural spiritual gifts in this way?

Paul describes the kind of services which result from this.

How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification (1 Cor. 14:26).

That phrase “each of you has” sets a pattern. It implies active participation by all the members.

Generally speaking, when professing Christian’s come together today, they do so with the primary purpose of receiving, not of contributing. They come to get a blessing, to receive healing, to hear a preacher.

But this was not the way of the New Testament church. There the members came not primarily to receive but to contribute. Every one of them had something committed to him individually by the Holy Spirit which he was in turn able to contribute to the total worship and service of the church.

Paul mentions various possible forms of contribution. A psalm would denote some form of musical contribution. This might be the product either of natural talent or of the supernatural enabling of the Holy Spirit. A teaching would denote the ability to impart some truth from the teaching of God’s Word. A tongue and an interpretation might be taken to cover generally the three gifts of supernatural utterance – tongues, interpretation and prophecy. A revelation would cover any one of the three main revelatory gifts – the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge and discernment of spirits.

In this way – mainly through the operation of the supernatural spiritual gifts – all the members had something of their own to contribute toward the total worship and service of the church. They were thus able to fulfill the injunction given by Peter.

As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another (1 Pet. 4:10).

Peter brings out the same point as Paul. The ability of the members to minister effectively to one another was due mainly to the fact that they had received these supernatural spiritual gifts. They were thus lifted out of the limitations of their own education or natural talent into a much higher realm of spiritual freedom.

Had their ability to minister to each other depended on education or natural talent, many of them would have been left with very little to contribute. The result would have been just what we see in most churches today. The main burden of ministry would have fallen upon just a few of the members, while the rest would have remained largely passive or inactive, without any real opportunities for spiritual expression or development.

Why is it that so many professional ministers in our modern churches suffer mental or nervous breakdowns?

The answer is that, in many cases, one member is struggling to carry a burden of ministry which God never laid upon him. One member is seeking to fulfill a ministry which God intended to be divided up among all the members in the church. The almost inevitable result is some kind of breakdown.

The only escape from the limitations and frustrations of this situation is through the supernatural ministry of the Holy Spirit in the church, dividing spiritual gifts to all the members individually, according to His own will. This delivers believers from their own natural limitations and lifts them into a spiritual realm where they can share together the burden of the total ministry of the church.

When all the members are thus equipped to function in their individual ministries, the church as a whole can fulfill its corporate role as the body of Jesus.