PREACHERS WHO JUST PREACH OR TALK ARE USELESS IF THEY DON'T HEAL THE SICK, CAST OUT DEMONS OR EVEN RAISE THE DEAD
Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk."
IT’S TO BE NOTED Supernatural demonstration was so important in Jesus Ministry, he would never minister without it, it amazes me that some preachers even today have abandoned supernatural ministry and have tried to replace it with entertaining the people with a lot on nonsense
Mark 16:14 Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.
15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
JESUS CHRIST HAS TO BE A MIRACLE WORKER IN THE NOW OR HE IS A COUNTERFEIT
Acts 2:22 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know ---
Acts 8:4-5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city.
GOD STILL PERFORMS MIRACLES
Mark 16:20 "And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen."
The Lord confirmed the preaching of His Word with miracles. If Jesus and the first century Christians needed the Word confirmed with the miraculous (Heb. 2:4), then we do too. There is no scripture that says these miraculous signs have passed away.
Some people have interpreted "that which is perfect" in 1 Corinthians 13:10, as being the complete Bible. This has led them to believe that the gifts of the Spirit have ceased. Although God's Word is perfect (Ps. 19:7), it is not the "perfect thing" that is referred to here. 1 Corinthians 13:8 does say that tongues shall cease, but it will not happen until "that which is perfect is come."
In 1 Corinthians 13:12, Paul says, "when that which is perfect is come, we shall see face to face." This speaks of seeing the Lord face to face, instead of vaguely, as through a dark glass, as it is now. Some might argue that this is speaking in a symbolic sense, instead of literally face to face. But the next comparison in this verse says that then, "when that which is perfect is come," we shall know all things even as we are also known. There is no other way to interpret this, except as a description of when we will stand before the Lord, after this life. Then we will be face to face, and know all things even as also we are known.
Verse eight says that at the time prophecies fail and tongues cease, knowledge will vanish away. This is talking about the next life, or the new heavens and earth, because one of the signs of the end times is that knowledge shall increase (Dan. 12:4).
So the "that which is perfect" that Paul speaks of, cannot be the Bible. It has to be either our glorified body, or Jesus at His second coming. Either way, these verses establish that until "that which is perfect is come," tongues and prophecy will remain. They are still valid gifts, and even today, it is God's will to accompany the preaching of His Word with miracles.
FOOT NOTE:
As I have had to point out to many people who try to explain when the “perfect” comes, Paul uses the Greek word for perfect (1 Corinthians 13: 10) is “teleion” (teleios) which is a noun meaning the perfect end comes. He then tells us in 1 Corinthians 15: 24 when the perfect end will come. Again, he uses the Greek word (telos) which which also means perfect end. So, if some of these illiterate would be, interpreters of the Bible would just take a few years to learn Greek Grammar they would recognize that the perfect end when will occur as Paul writes, “Then comes the perfect end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Cor. 15: 26). Paul tells us, “Lo 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 imperishable, and we shall be be changed......then will come to pass the saying that is written, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ (1 Cor. 15: 51 – 54). So, after the resurrection from the dead, that will be the time when the imperfect passes away. Until then, we need to receive salvation and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 3: 3, 5, 7)and use the Gifts of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 12: 6 – 10; 1 Cor. 12: 8 – 10)in ministry. And the proof of that are the “Signs (Mk. 16: 17 – 18), wonders and Miracles (Acts 2: 22; Heb. 2: 4). These foolish people who try to explain that when Paul referred to “when the perfect has come” he meant that he was talking about agape love. No. Agape love is one parts or sections of the “fruit” (singular) of the Spirit which Paul describes in Galatians 5: 22: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law.” Those who make this wrong explanation, when closely examined, do not have “agape love” because they do not have the required Baptism of the Holy Spirit. They are unable to forgive 7 times a day let alone the required 70 times 70 that Jesus explained that we must be able to forgive our fellow servants (Matt. 18: 21 – 35). If not, they become the “Wicked servant!” who loses their salvation and are turned over to the torturers (32 – 35). They betray themselves as being what Jesus said to the Sadducees, “You are wrong because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God” (Matt. 22: 29).
13 Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.
Acts 15:12 Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles.
Preaching a half truth is to preach a lie. It is sin and demonic not to preach the whole gospel that Jesus Christ is not only Lord, but savior, healer, provider, deliverer, miracle worker and Baptizer in the Holy Spirit who confirms the preaching by His true ones with miracles signs and wonders following like Philip had. And to have a form of godliness while denying its power is sin and rebellion!
Many evangelical bible believing Christians who are devoid of miracles, signs and wonders, want the benefits of salvation that God has offered which means they want a Saviour but they do not want Jesus to be Lord which requires the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus described such people when He said, “And no one drinking old wine desires new; for he says, ‘The old is good (better)” (Lk. 5: 39). In other words, they like their old forms of worship and a life without the Holy Spirit. Paul calls this, “holding the form of religion but denying the power of it. Avoid such people” (2 Tim. 3: 5).
Paul mentioned such people who refused the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in 1 Cor. 14: 23 – 24. The Greek word that he uses to describe them is “idiotai” (plural), “idiotes” (singular) which means they are spiritual “idiots” but usually translated as “ungifted” of “unskilled” or laymen, amateurs, unskilled people. They do not want the Holy Spirit nor do they want the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. But they want to be involved in churches and prevent the real work of God which requires the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. They are people who want what God has without coming under His Lordship which requires the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the “Signs” of the Holy Spirit. They are like the Pharisees of whom Jesus said, “for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (Jn. 12: 3). Samuel told Saul, “Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD (Yahweh), he has also rejected you from being king” (1 Sam. 15: 23). This applies today who do not want to do what Jesus requires of them.
They think that because they have prayed the “sinner’s prayer” that they can ignore what the Scriptures require and not lose their Salvation. That’s the reason why Jesus warn us in Revelation 3: 5 that when somebody turns away from Him, they can have their names blotted out (removed) from the Book of Life. Also: Heb. 6: 1 – 8; 2 Pet. 2: 20 – 22; Proverbs 26: 11. Jesus aptly warns us, “Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles” (Matt. 7: 15: 16).
WALTER KAMBULOW
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