Laying on of Hands by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Aug 1, 1900

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 26, No. 31.

Laying on of Hands

By Editor

1067. “Laying on of Hands.”—A correspondent writes us regarding the laying on of hands for the gift of the Spirit, and quotes from Tertullian, Cyprian, and Augustine; also citing Matt. 28: 19; Luke 11: 14; Acts 19: 1-6; 1 Tim. 4: 14; 2 Tim. 1: 6; 2 Peter 1: 21; Acts 2: 38.

Our correspondent says:—

“Timothy was admonished (1 Tim. 4: 14) not to neglect the laying on of hands; and in 2 Tim. 1: 6 Paul says, ‘Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.’ I think that I, with many others, need to have that gift stirred up, if we have ever had it. If the laying on of hands was practised in the first centuries of the Christian church, why is it not practised now on all the household of faith?”

We will reply to our correspondent briefly.

1. The testimony of the “fathers” is of but little worth. They give us an idea of what some practised in the times they wrote, but they are no authority whatever for what the Lord requires. For that we must go to His Word. As soon as a church backslides, it loses sight of the spiritual meanings of God’s symbols and ordinances, and superstitiously exalts the mere ceremony, adding to it, as human wisdom always does, thinking thereby to make it more sacred. And so the heathen philosophers who came into the church, among whom were some of the early “fathers,” perverted to a greater or less extent every part of the Christian system. Are not the Scriptures sufficient?

2. Of the passages cited above, only three have direct reference to the laying on of hands, at all. Laying on of hands for blessing, for healing, for ordination, for the bestowal of the gift of the Spirit, is mentioned in the New Testament in the aggregate twenty-one times. Two of these refer to the blessing of children (Matt. 19: 13, 15; Mark 10: 16); eight times refer to healing; four times refer to ordination to specific work; namely, Acts 6: 6; 13: 3; 1 Tim. 4: 14; 5: 22, and perhaps Heb. 6: 2. The following are records of instances in which the Holy Ghost was given by the laying on of hands: Acts 8: 17-19; 9: 17; 19: 6; 2 Tim. 1: 6, and perhaps Heb. 6: 2.

3. Our correspondent should remember the apostle’s instruction to Timothy, “Consider what I say.” He does not say “Neglect not the laying on of hands,” but, “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery,” referring to Timothy’s ordination to the ministry. The laying on of hands was one thing, the gift another. The one was the means, the other the result. Neither is the gift stirred up by the laying on of hands, but by faithfully using it for God. God bestows His Spirit upon us for service. It will not be until we are ready for service for Him alone, that He will bestow it. And then in order to hold it we must use it. In order to keep it we must give it.

4. Sometimes the people of God received the gift of the Spirit by the laying on of hands, as recorded in Acts 8: 17 and 19: 6; sometimes, and more frequently, without such interposition, as at Pentecost (Acts 2: 5); at the house of Cornelius (Acts 10: 44), and doubtless in many other cases.

5. Is not the Spirit needed now?—Most certainly, as never before in the history of the church. How shall it be obtained?—By faith, and faith implies absolute separation from sin and complete consecration to God. The Son of God “emptied” Himself, and the Spirit filled Him. “Let this mind be in you.” God will guide as to the particular means in each case when the heart is right. Get the heart right by putting away all sin and worldliness, washed in the blood of the Lamb, then seek for the Spirit. “Ask ye for rain in the time of the latter rain.” But ask for God’s glory.

1068. R. T. Eternal Life and the Commandments.—There is eternal life in the keeping of the commandments. “Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And He said, . . . If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matt. 19: 16, 17. See also Deut. 11: 18-21; Lev. 18: 5; Deut. 30: 19, 20. But the only way that one can keep the commandments is through Jesus Christ, and the power of His Spirit in the Gospel. Rom. 1: 16, 17; 8: 4.

1069. S. J. B. Satan Expelled from Heaven.—The first casting out of heaven was when his sin and rebellion were made manifest. 2 Peter 2: 4. In that rebellion he drew one-third of the angels, now demons. Rev. 12: 4, first part. Usurping man’s rule of the earth he still, in a way, as representing this world, came among the sons of God before the Lord. Job 2: 1. Knowing that the Son of God was to come in human form, he waited for Him to be born, hoping to destroy the race in one effort. And the latter part of verse 4 to verse 12 gives the result. While God could see and know the outcome of Satan’s rebellion, the heavenly world were in doubt till he caused to be put to death the Son of God. Then Satan was cast out.

1070. J. C. S. Dan. 11: 36.—The power that exalts itself above all that is called God or that is worshiped (2 Thess. 2: 4) is surely in that place where he will not “regard any god; for he shall magnify himself above all.” This is just the thing ascribed to the man of sin by Paul.

1071. A Subscriber. Swearing.—Matt. 5: 34 and James 5: 12 refer to extra-judicial oaths, to uncalled-for swearing. As to regular judicial, solemn asseverations, our Lord took oath before the high priest, and God swore by Himself in His promise to Abraham. (2) If a commandment-keeper was drawn on a jury or as a witness on the Sabbath, he should explain to the court his conscientious convictions, and if the court insisted that he should serve, he should kindly and firmly refuse to serve on the Sabbath. Should he be punished for contempt of court, let him bear it like a man for Christ’s sake.