We are seeking to show the "signs, wonders and mighty deeds" (Heb 2:3-4) were only
done for the purpose of "confirming the Word of God" while the Word was being received
directly from heaven by exact inspiration and when the Word was completed (as to its
revelation) they ceased.
I. The confirming signs:
A. Our Lord Jesus Christ was a perfect example of confirming signs during His earthly,
public ministry.
1. Note John 17:8, "I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they
have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have
believed that thou didst send me."
2. Again in John 8:17, Christ quotes from the Law, saying, "It is written in your law,
that the testimony of two men is true." (This was recorded in Deut 19:15.)
3. Now in John 8:18 see how Christ explains by what power He is enabled to work
miracles and for what purpose there are wrought by Him. Observe, "I am one that bear
witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness" (8:18). Again He
spake, declaring, "there is another (in addition to Himself) that beareth witness of
me . . . . but I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the
Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do bear witness of me, that the
Father hath sent me. And the Father himself . . . . hath born witness of me" (Jn 5:32;
34; 36-37). Now Christ spoke "words" while the Father gave Him wondrous "works" to
perform in order to provide the testimony of two and thus establish His claims as
truth. Once more you find the same exact order of truth in John 15:22 and 24 where
Jesus "had spoken unto them" thus giving the public testimony of one witness. Then is
mentioned that He had also "done among them works" (by means of which the 'Father'
gave forth the second witness to the veracity of the teaching)(Jn 20:30-31).
B. "The apostolic signs and power were devised for the very same reason." Note how
Christ explained it. Speaking to the apostles, He said, "I have given unto them thy
word" (Jn 17:8).
1. In John 17:18, "As thou (the Father) has sent me (and that was with confirming
signs) even so have I sent them" (the apostles, that is).
2. Note again our Lord's words in John 15:26-27. "He (the Holy Spirit by use of these
signs) shall testify of me; Ye (apostles to whom He was talking) shall also bear
witness." Here again is a two-fold witness: that of the Holy Spirit by the signs and
the apostles by their words of preaching.
3. Why did He tell these apostles "ye shall also bear witness?" Because He said, "Ye
have been with me." This was one of the several requirements for apostleship. Note
then in Acts 1:21-22 that one had to have begun to follow Christ at His baptism by
John and continued with Him unto His resurrection and finally to not only have seen
Him after His resurrection, but "until that same day that He was taken up from us."
Note the words following, "must one be ordained to be a witness with us" then they
proceeded to appoint two "and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the
eleven apostles" (Acts 1:23; 26). They were choosing one "that he may take part of
this ministry and apostleship" (Acts 1:25).
4. Now if we can discover exactly how many men are currently alive, whom John the
Baptist baptized or was alive when John baptized Christ, and who walked with Christ as
He taught His disciples, and then were with Him in person until the time of His
ascension, and who personally saw Him in the flesh after His resurrection the third
day, we will then have found the exact number of men now living on this earth who have
"the power of the Holy Spirit" in the form of the "signs, wonders and mighty deeds"
following them. Since, however, there is none--not a single one that can qualify to
take part and lot of this apostleship, then all who claim that power are liars and
deceivers and "false apostles" (II Cor 11:13) who are "seeking to be found" even as
"the apostles." Yet Paul declares them to be motivated and moved and directed by
"another spirit" than the Holy Spirit of God (II Cor 11:4) and consequently they
preach "another gospel" which is really not good news at all since it will send a man
to hell in that deceived state.
5. Therefore once again Hebrews 2:3-4 shows the gospel which the 12 apostles and Paul,
the apostle to the Gentiles, preached, "began to be spoken by the Lord, and was
confirmed unto us (the Jews) by them that heard him (the apostles): God also bearing
them witness (even as He had done for Christ during His earthly ministry) with signs,
wonders and mighty deeds."
6. Mark 16:19-20 reveals the apostles "went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord
working with them, confirming their word with signs following." Compare this with John
20:25-29. It is a fact the Word reveals these signs did not follow all "believers" but
they did follow the believing apostles.
II. Are there proofs they followed the apostles?
A. Acts 4:33, "And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of
the Lord Jesus." (Read again Acts 1:8).
B. Acts 5:12, "And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought
among the people."
C. Romans 11:13 establishes Paul as "the apostle to the Gentiles."
D. Galatians 3:5 shows that, as an apostle, Paul ministered unto the Galatian
believers "the Spirit." Again, only an apostle could lay hands on a believer and give
him a gift of the Spirit. He told the saints at Rome how "Christ wrought by him to
make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, through mighty signs and wonders, by the
power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about Illyricum, I have
fully preached the gospel of Christ" (Rm 15:18-19).
E. Therefore we see Matthias received in his ordination exactly what Simon wanted yet
cound not have in Acts 8.
1. Yet Christ said of the apostles, "these signs shall follow them" (Mk 16:17).
2. Mark 16:20 says of the apostles, "and they went forth, the Lord working with them,
confirming the word with signs following."
F. The "power" was furnished to only the apostles at Pentecost.
1. Christ said, in Luke 24:49, to the apostles, "And, behold, I send the promise of my
Father upon you." He continued in His instruction saying, "Tarry ye in Jerusalem until
ye (apostles) be endued with power from on high."
2. Then in Acts 1:1-8, He "assembled together with them" (the apostles) and "commanded
them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the
Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me . . . . ye shall receive power after that
the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me . . . . unto the
uttermost part of the earth."
The "power of the apostles" is possessed by no man living today. None qualify to be
apostles and none now living experience the enduement of that power from on high that
was not present on the day of Pentecost. That "Pentecostal experience" has never been
repeated. JM
done for the purpose of "confirming the Word of God" while the Word was being received
directly from heaven by exact inspiration and when the Word was completed (as to its
revelation) they ceased.
I. The confirming signs:
A. Our Lord Jesus Christ was a perfect example of confirming signs during His earthly,
public ministry.
1. Note John 17:8, "I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they
have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have
believed that thou didst send me."
2. Again in John 8:17, Christ quotes from the Law, saying, "It is written in your law,
that the testimony of two men is true." (This was recorded in Deut 19:15.)
3. Now in John 8:18 see how Christ explains by what power He is enabled to work
miracles and for what purpose there are wrought by Him. Observe, "I am one that bear
witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness" (8:18). Again He
spake, declaring, "there is another (in addition to Himself) that beareth witness of
me . . . . but I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the
Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do bear witness of me, that the
Father hath sent me. And the Father himself . . . . hath born witness of me" (Jn 5:32;
34; 36-37). Now Christ spoke "words" while the Father gave Him wondrous "works" to
perform in order to provide the testimony of two and thus establish His claims as
truth. Once more you find the same exact order of truth in John 15:22 and 24 where
Jesus "had spoken unto them" thus giving the public testimony of one witness. Then is
mentioned that He had also "done among them works" (by means of which the 'Father'
gave forth the second witness to the veracity of the teaching)(Jn 20:30-31).
B. "The apostolic signs and power were devised for the very same reason." Note how
Christ explained it. Speaking to the apostles, He said, "I have given unto them thy
word" (Jn 17:8).
1. In John 17:18, "As thou (the Father) has sent me (and that was with confirming
signs) even so have I sent them" (the apostles, that is).
2. Note again our Lord's words in John 15:26-27. "He (the Holy Spirit by use of these
signs) shall testify of me; Ye (apostles to whom He was talking) shall also bear
witness." Here again is a two-fold witness: that of the Holy Spirit by the signs and
the apostles by their words of preaching.
3. Why did He tell these apostles "ye shall also bear witness?" Because He said, "Ye
have been with me." This was one of the several requirements for apostleship. Note
then in Acts 1:21-22 that one had to have begun to follow Christ at His baptism by
John and continued with Him unto His resurrection and finally to not only have seen
Him after His resurrection, but "until that same day that He was taken up from us."
Note the words following, "must one be ordained to be a witness with us" then they
proceeded to appoint two "and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the
eleven apostles" (Acts 1:23; 26). They were choosing one "that he may take part of
this ministry and apostleship" (Acts 1:25).
4. Now if we can discover exactly how many men are currently alive, whom John the
Baptist baptized or was alive when John baptized Christ, and who walked with Christ as
He taught His disciples, and then were with Him in person until the time of His
ascension, and who personally saw Him in the flesh after His resurrection the third
day, we will then have found the exact number of men now living on this earth who have
"the power of the Holy Spirit" in the form of the "signs, wonders and mighty deeds"
following them. Since, however, there is none--not a single one that can qualify to
take part and lot of this apostleship, then all who claim that power are liars and
deceivers and "false apostles" (II Cor 11:13) who are "seeking to be found" even as
"the apostles." Yet Paul declares them to be motivated and moved and directed by
"another spirit" than the Holy Spirit of God (II Cor 11:4) and consequently they
preach "another gospel" which is really not good news at all since it will send a man
to hell in that deceived state.
5. Therefore once again Hebrews 2:3-4 shows the gospel which the 12 apostles and Paul,
the apostle to the Gentiles, preached, "began to be spoken by the Lord, and was
confirmed unto us (the Jews) by them that heard him (the apostles): God also bearing
them witness (even as He had done for Christ during His earthly ministry) with signs,
wonders and mighty deeds."
6. Mark 16:19-20 reveals the apostles "went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord
working with them, confirming their word with signs following." Compare this with John
20:25-29. It is a fact the Word reveals these signs did not follow all "believers" but
they did follow the believing apostles.
II. Are there proofs they followed the apostles?
A. Acts 4:33, "And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of
the Lord Jesus." (Read again Acts 1:8).
B. Acts 5:12, "And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought
among the people."
C. Romans 11:13 establishes Paul as "the apostle to the Gentiles."
D. Galatians 3:5 shows that, as an apostle, Paul ministered unto the Galatian
believers "the Spirit." Again, only an apostle could lay hands on a believer and give
him a gift of the Spirit. He told the saints at Rome how "Christ wrought by him to
make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, through mighty signs and wonders, by the
power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about Illyricum, I have
fully preached the gospel of Christ" (Rm 15:18-19).
E. Therefore we see Matthias received in his ordination exactly what Simon wanted yet
cound not have in Acts 8.
1. Yet Christ said of the apostles, "these signs shall follow them" (Mk 16:17).
2. Mark 16:20 says of the apostles, "and they went forth, the Lord working with them,
confirming the word with signs following."
F. The "power" was furnished to only the apostles at Pentecost.
1. Christ said, in Luke 24:49, to the apostles, "And, behold, I send the promise of my
Father upon you." He continued in His instruction saying, "Tarry ye in Jerusalem until
ye (apostles) be endued with power from on high."
2. Then in Acts 1:1-8, He "assembled together with them" (the apostles) and "commanded
them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the
Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me . . . . ye shall receive power after that
the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me . . . . unto the
uttermost part of the earth."
The "power of the apostles" is possessed by no man living today. None qualify to be
apostles and none now living experience the enduement of that power from on high that
was not present on the day of Pentecost. That "Pentecostal experience" has never been
repeated. JM
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