The Holy Spirit And Signs
"And these signs shall accompany them that believe: in my name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover...And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed." (Mark 16:17-20). The Lord promised these supernatural powers, called signs, upon them that believe; then the writer declares that the signs were performed, confirming the word.
A previous article has pointed out the function of the Holy Spirit in producing the Bible. He influenced the writers in thought and in the very words they used. Another gap is to be filled, in getting men to receive the words which these prophets and apostles wrote as truth from God. It must be demonstrated to men that God is with them and that what they are saying is from God and not from man. This is the confirmation of the word. "And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when ye received from us the word of the message, even the word of God, ye accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also worketh in you that believe." (1 Thess. 2:13).
Confirmed By The Holy Spirit
Just before the Lord Jesus was received up to the Father's right hand, he promised his apostles: "But ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days hence." (Acts 1:5). They were to be witnesses of Jesus Christ, and must be empowered to demonstrate that they were true witnesses rather than false and imaginary ones. "But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:8). Hence we see that the Spirit was to give them power to demonstrate that they were true witnesses and to cause them to give true testimony.
A few days after he had thus charged them, they were together on the day of Pentecost. While there the Holy Spirit came on them according to the promise. The result was amazingly supernatural. "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2:4). This speaking in other or new tongues was one of the signs which the Lord said they would exhibit, in the quotation from Mark.
Peter healed the sick and raised the dead (Acts 5:16; 9:41). This is another sign promised in the Lord's promise in the last chapter of Mark. Philip and Paul cast out demons or unclean spirits (Acts 8:7; 16:18). This is another of those signs promised by the Lord. Paul took up a serpent with no physical harm (Acts 28:3-6); another of the promised signs. In each of these instances it will be observed that the signs confirmed the word of these men of God. The signs were not performed merely for the performing, not even for the sake of compassion alone, but were done to prove that these men had the word of God.
The End Of Signs
The purpose of these signs has been accomplished. The word has been confirmed. This is emphatically declared by the time the inspired Scriptures are completed: "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation: which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard; God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and by manifold powers, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his 'Own will." (Heb. 2;3,4). Here we find the three terms knit together: confirmed, signs, Holy Spirit. Thus, in one statement we see that the Spirit produced the signs through the hearers and witnesses of Christ Jesus and that these signs confirmed the word.
Many are now teaching that they can and do perform these signs which the Lord promised to his apostles and prophets. They claim that the Spirit gives them this power. They insist that this must be done today to make men believe the word. If they do this, it is but an empty act, devoid of the purpose for which the Lord designed it; for, the passage in Hebrews says the word has been confirmed. If they do this, they are doing that which is not necessary today; for, belief comes by hearing the word of God which has been confirmed already (Rom. 10:17), and the confirmed gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16). Hence, their claim to such powers is testimony to their rejection or ignorance of the word which has been confirmed. One of these Spirit endowed men wrote on this very subject; "If any man thinketh himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him take knowledge of the things which I write unto you, that they are the commandment of the Lord. But if any man is ignorant, let him be ignorant." (1 Cor. 14:37, 38). Therefore, the confirmed word pretty well classifies these modern claimants to Spirit produced signs such as healing the sick and speaking in tongues.
Teachers, Not Witnesses
When testimony is given in court, every effort may be made to establish the credibility of the witnesses, because the other side will seek to discredit the testimony. After the testimony has been accepted, though the case may be appealed, the evidence is considered as originally given. The Lord did not personally write the Bible. His witnesses wrote it. They proved themselves to be credible by the signs which they did. Men sought to discredit them and their testimony, but they failed; the word of those witnesses stands today before the court of heaven unto all men (Matt. 16:19; 1 Pet. 1:22-25).
Today, men are not witnesses in the sense that the word is used in Acts 1:8; in spite of the fact that it is quite popular for people to say they are witnessing for Christ. Today we can only repeat, emphasize, illustrate, exemplify, elaborate upon and instruct in that testimony which has been given. Hence we have evangelists, or preachers, and teachers. These pass on the word of God, the evidence which has already been confirmed; "And the things which thou hast heard from me, among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." (2 Tim. 2:2). According to James 1:21, we are to, "receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls."