Big Healing Book - Signs Were Only to Follow Those Who Were There to Hear

Objection: Signs Were Only to Follow Those Who Were There to Hear the Original Apostles

When Jesus commissioned the original apostles, He told them to go tell everyone the good news. He said that there would be those who believe and those who would not believe, and that those who believe would cast out demons, speak in tongues, be immune from poisoning (by man or snake) and lay hands on the sick and have them recover (Mark 16:17-18).

Someone out to disprove that laying hands on the sick is for today may then point out that these people who would lay hands on the sick were those who heard the original apostles. In other words, once the original apostles were gone, people could no longer hear them, so laying hands on the sick couldn’t be for us today because we weren’t around to hear and believe the original apostles.

But that doesn’t square with Scripture.

First, we ARE around to “hear” many of the original apostles because they wrote quite a few books of the Bible!

Second, Jesus said in John 14:12 that those who believe on Him – not just those who heard His original apostles – would do the works that He did, which obviously include healing the sick.

Third, the elders of the church are COMMANDED to pray the prayer of faith over sick people who call on them. The Word says that the Lord will raise them up (James 5:14-15). This is surely a Church Age instruction, not just one for the so-called Early Church (there is no such separate time period in the Word).

Fourth, people who apparently had NO direct contact with Jesus or the original Apostles of the Lamb went out and cast out demons in His name anyway (Mark 9:38-39). Casting out demons was in the same list of things that those who believe would do.

Fifth, Jesus said in that same passage that “those who believe” would speak with new tongues. Who were these tongue-talkers? According to Acts 2:39, the gift of the Holy Spirit is for ALL believers, not just those who were around to hear the original apostles! The whole statement goes together, so those who can receive the ability to speak in tongues (ALL believers) MUST be the same believers who can lay hands on the sick and see them recover. That completely clinches the matter. ALL believers are authorized to lay hands on the sick!