I still haven’t had the time to pull out old studies to discuss this in more detail, but I’ve been keeping up with your thoughts. Very much like my last pastor. Your convictions are strong. I like that, I disagree with you on some things and agree with you on others.
No worries, jump in whenever you’re ready
That is not true, Christ preformed the signs of an Apostle through Paul, verifying that he was one. Peter also bore witness of Paul’s Apostleship. We are not just taking Paul’s word for it.
Just curious, are you in the belief of dispensationalism? If so, certain discussions won’t take us very far. I’ve got many friends that are dispensationalists. On the other hand, I’ve got many friends who are not. Personally, I go by what Jesus said that he is not going to change a crossed t or a dotted I.
Mathew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
This, to me, is confirmation on many of the teachings and discussions on this site.
I am not a dispensationalist. I have no problem with God preforming miracles today like he did through the Apostles. However, that isn’t happening, let’s be real here. The so called healing ministries today are a joke. Many of them have been exposed for the shams they are. Christ and the Apostles preformed miracles that were so, in your face, that even their enemies couldn’t deny or brush them off as fake. “Healers” today “heal” people of things like headaches, back pain, and joint pain. Come on, really?! There are plenty of people that are missing limbs, dying of cancer, and suffering with ms and other diseases, heal those people.
I think we often times forget what the miracles are for and we focus on them, when in fact the miracles we see in scripture point us to Christ. The Gospel that Christ died and rose again so that we who were dead in trespasses and sins, might live in Christ, is the biggest miracle of all.
We have the signs and miracles recorded in scripture, we don’t need ongoing signs to re-inflate our faith or to share the Gospel with someone. In fact, look at what Jesus said in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man.
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. Luke 16:28-31 KJV
That phrase “Moses and the prophets” is a direct reference to the written Word of God. That is all we need to preach the Gospel to sinners, and if we need more Christ will preform whatever miracles are needed. He’s the one who preforms the miracles and if he isn’t preforming them we don’t need to try and work up some sort of healing anointing.