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1) Examples from the life of Paul
confirm that sign gifts had faded out by
the end of his ministry.
Examples from the life of Paul confirm
that sign gifts had faded out by the end
of his ministry (2 Timothy 4:20;
Philippians 2:25-27; 1 Timothy 5:23; 2
Corinthians 12:7-9). In contrast, during
the early days of the church,
extraordinary miracles were performed
through Paul, as recorded in Acts 19:11-12.
"And God was doing extraordinary
miracles by the hands of Paul, so that
even handkerchiefs or aprons that had
touched his skin were carried away to
the sick, and their diseases left them
and the evil spirits came out of them."
(Acts 19:11-12, ESV)
This passage demonstrates that at the
beginning of Paul's ministry, God
performed extraordinary miracles through
him, even to the extent that
handkerchiefs or aprons from Paul were
used to heal people. However, by the end
of his ministry, these miraculous
healings ceased, as evidenced by the
following instances:
"Trophimus, who was ill, I left at
Miletus." (2 Timothy 4:20, ESV)
Paul, who previously healed others, did
not heal this individual but left him
sick in Miletus, indicating the fading
of the gift of healing by the end of
Paul's ministry. Notably, Paul did not
rebuke him for a lack of faith or
instruct him to seek a "faith healing."
This demonstrates that the miraculous
sign gifts, including healing, were no
longer active.
"I have thought it necessary to send to
you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow
worker and fellow soldier, and your
messenger and minister to my need, for
he has been longing for you all and has
been distressed because you heard that
he was ill. Indeed, he was ill, near to
death. But God had mercy on him, and not
only on him but on me also, lest I
should have sorrow upon sorrow."
(Philippians 2:25-27, ESV)
Paul does not mention healing him
through a miraculous gift, but rather
credits God's mercy for his recovery.
Paul does not rebuke him for any lack of
faith, nor does he instruct him to seek
a "faith healing." This further shows
that healing was not automatic or
through Paul's intervention at this time.
"No longer drink only water, but use a
little wine for the sake of your stomach
and your frequent ailments." (1 Timothy
5:23, ESV)
Instead of healing this individual, Paul
gives practical medical advice,
suggesting that divine healing was not
accessible for his "frequent illnesses".
Paul neither rebukes him for lacking
faith nor instructs him to seek a "faith
healing." This supports the
understanding that the sign gift of
healing had ceased.
"So to keep me from becoming conceited
because of the surpassing greatness of
the revelations, a thorn was given me in
the flesh, a messenger of Satan to
harass me, to keep me from becoming
conceited. Three times I pleaded with
the Lord about this, that it should
leave me. But he said to me, 'My grace
is sufficient for you, for my power is
made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I
will boast all the more gladly of my
weaknesses, so that the power of Christ
may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians
12:7-9, ESV)
Despite Paul's repeated requests, God
did not heal him from his "thorn in the
flesh." Instead, God emphasized grace
and strength in weakness. Paul did not
rebuke himself for a lack of faith, nor
did he continue to seek a "faith
healing," showing that physical healing
was no longer granted as a sign gift in
Paul's later ministry.
2) Christ's stripes heal us of our
"iniquities" and sins, not our physical
illnesses.
"But he was pierced for our
transgressions; he was crushed for our
iniquities; upon him was the
chastisement that brought us peace, and
with his wounds we are healed." (Isaiah
53:5, ESV)
In this passage, Isaiah emphasizes that
the suffering of the Messiah was for the
purpose of addressing human sin. The
context focuses on spiritual healing, as
the terms used—transgressions,
iniquities, chastisement—are clearly
related to the problem of sin and its
consequences. The "healing" Isaiah
refers to is the restoration of our
relationship with God, which had been
broken due to our rebellion against Him.
"He himself bore our sins in his body on
the tree, that we might die to sin and
live to righteousness. By his wounds you
have been healed." (1 Peter 2:24, ESV)
Peter interprets the "healing" from
Isaiah 53:5 as spiritual, not physical.
He makes it clear that Christ's
suffering and death were to deal with
the issue of sin, so that believers
might "die to sin and live to
righteousness." The wounds of Christ
heal us from the bondage and penalty of
sin, not physical illnesses. The focus
is on the atonement and its power to
transform believers spiritually,
restoring them to righteousness before God.
Many in the Charismatic movement claim
that Christ's atoning work guarantees
physical healing for believers in this
life. However, the biblical context of
these passages points to the healing of
our sinful condition and reconciliation
with God, rather than a promise of
physical health. The primary purpose of
Christ’s suffering was to deal with
humanity’s sin problem, and the
"healing" we experience through His
stripes is spiritual, freeing us from
the curse of sin and enabling us to live
righteously.
3) Sign gifts are often of no edifying
value to a congregation of believers.
Even when the spiritual gifts were in
effect, the carnal Corinthians sought to
emphasize their exercise of the sign
gifts over the edification of believers.
In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul addresses the
issue of how spiritual gifts,
particularly tongues, were being misused
in the Corinthian church. The
Corinthians had become obsessed with
outward displays of supernatural gifts,
especially speaking in tongues, to the
detriment of the overall spiritual
health and edification of the
congregation. Paul refutes their
emphasis on sign gifts by pointing out
that these gifts are of limited value
unless they serve to build up the church.
"So with yourselves, since you are eager
for manifestations of the Spirit, strive
to excel in building up the church." (1
Corinthians 14:12, ESV)
Paul’s concern is clear: spiritual
gifts, including tongues, must be
exercised for the purpose of edifying
the congregation. He highlights the fact
that speaking in tongues without
interpretation is of no value to the
body because no one can understand what
is being said. The gift might be
impressive to onlookers, but it provides
no spiritual benefit to those listening
unless it can be understood.
"Now, brothers, if I come to you
speaking in tongues, how will I benefit
you unless I bring you some revelation
or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?"
(1 Corinthians 14:6, ESV)
Paul argues that unless spiritual gifts
bring revelation, knowledge, or
teaching, they are of little use in a
gathered congregation. The primary goal
of any spiritual gift should be the
edification and growth of the body of
Christ, not personal display or
gratification.
"The one who prophesies speaks to people
for their upbuilding and encouragement
and consolation." (1 Corinthians 14:3, ESV)
Paul makes it clear that prophecy,
because it communicates God’s Word in a
language the congregation can
understand, serves to edify the entire
body. This is in contrast to tongues,
which, when exercised without
interpretation, do not serve the
community and can even create confusion.
Paul goes so far as to say that in the
church, he would rather speak five
intelligible words to instruct others
than ten thousand words in a tongue:
"Nevertheless, in church I would rather
speak five words with my mind in order
to instruct others, than ten thousand
words in a tongue." (1 Corinthians
14:19, ESV)
Paul’s emphasis is unmistakable:
edification of the body takes precedence
over displays of miraculous power. The
Corinthians’ carnal desire to showcase
their spiritual gifts was causing
disorder and disunity in the church,
rather than building it up.
Even in the days when sign gifts were
active, Paul was careful to regulate
their use so that the congregation would
benefit spiritually. The focus was never
on showcasing miraculous abilities but
on ensuring that believers were being
taught, encouraged, and strengthened in
their faith.
4) Love, not sign gifts, is the
validating evidence that one is born again.
"A new commandment I give to you, that
you love one another: just as I have
loved you, you also are to love one
another. By this all people will know
that you are my disciples, if you have
love for one another." (John 13:34-35, ESV)
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of
angels, but have not love, I am a noisy
gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have
prophetic powers, and understand all
mysteries and all knowledge, and if I
have all faith, so as to remove
mountains, but have not love, I am
nothing. If I give away all I have, and
if I deliver up my body to be burned,
but have not love, I gain nothing." (1
Corinthians 13:1-3, ESV)
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
self-control; against such things there
is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV)
Today, many Charismatics make the same
mistake as the carnal Corinthians. They
place a heavy emphasis on sign gifts
like tongues and healings, often at the
expense of teaching and spiritual
edification. This focus on the external
manifestations of the Spirit can
distract from the building up of the church.
Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 14
refutes the idea that sign gifts should
be sought or emphasized for their own
sake. Instead, believers should strive
for those gifts that build up the
church, ensuring that everything done in
the assembly benefits the spiritual
growth and maturity of the body of Christ.
5) Passages which mention that believers
would perform signs use the future tense.
This requires only that such signs would
occur in the future, not that they must
keep on occurring.
"And these signs will accompany those
who believe: in my name they will cast
out demons; they will speak in new
tongues; they will pick up serpents with
their hands; and if they drink any
deadly poison, it will not hurt them;
they will lay their hands on the sick,
and they will recover." (Mark 16:17-18, ESV)
The use of the future tense ("will
accompany") indicates that these signs
would take place at some point in the
future after Jesus’ ascension. However,
the future tense does not necessarily
imply that these signs would continue
indefinitely or remain a constant
feature of the church throughout all
generations. It simply affirms that
these signs would occur at a future
time, which they did during the
apostolic period, as seen in the early
chapters of Acts.
"Now many signs and wonders were
regularly done among the people by the
hands of the apostles. And they were all
together in Solomon's Portico." (Acts
5:12, ESV)
These signs and wonders occurred
primarily through the hands of the
apostles during the initial period of
the church’s foundation. The use of the
future tense in Jesus' statements about
signs and wonders points to the early
period when these miraculous signs would
confirm the message of the apostles.
However, nowhere in these passages is
there an indication that these signs
were meant to persist indefinitely. The
fulfillment of Jesus' words came to pass
in the early church, as the apostles
performed miracles that authenticated
the gospel message. The future tense
indicates a time when these signs would
be necessary, but it does not require
that they must continue throughout the
entire church age.
This contrasts with many Charismatics
today who insist that signs and wonders
must continue as a mark of true faith.
However, the future tense used by Jesus
only guarantees that such signs would
occur after His ascension, not that they
would be ongoing or perpetual. The
initial purpose of these
signs—authenticating the gospel and
establishing the church—was fulfilled,
and Scripture does not suggest that they
were intended to continue without end.
6) There's no mention of sign gifts like
tongues and healing after Galatians,
until Revelation.
"Having gifts that differ according to
the grace given to us, let us use them:
if prophecy, in proportion to our faith;
if service, in our serving; the one who
teaches, in his teaching; the one who
exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who
contributes, in generosity; the one who
leads, with zeal; the one who does acts
of mercy, with cheerfulness." (Romans
12:6-8, ESV)
"And he gave the apostles, the prophets,
the evangelists, the shepherds and
teachers, to equip the saints for the
work of ministry, for building up the
body of Christ." (Ephesians 4:11-12, ESV)
"As each has received a gift, use it to
serve one another, as good stewards of
God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as
one who speaks oracles of God; whoever
serves, as one who serves by the
strength that God supplies—in order that
in everything God may be glorified
through Jesus Christ. To him belong
glory and dominion forever and ever.
Amen." (1 Peter 4:10-11, ESV)
7) Hebrews 2:4 indicates
second-generation believers did not
possess the gifts of signs and wonders
"While God also bore witness by signs
and wonders and various miracles and by
gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed
according to his will." (Hebrews 2:4, ESV)
Hebrews 2:4 points to signs, wonders,
and miracles as past events, emphasizing
that God had already "bore witness" to
the gospel through these miraculous
works. The use of the aorist tense
indicates that these events occurred in
the past, particularly during the
ministry of the apostles and early
church, as God confirmed the truth of
the gospel. These miraculous signs
served to validate the gospel message
through the eyewitness testimony of
first-generation believers, who had
personally seen these acts of divine power.
The purpose of these miracles was to
persuade the audience to respect and
believe the gospel based on the
testimony of those who had witnessed
these signs firsthand. If such signs and
wonders were still confirming the gospel
in their midst at the time of the
letter, the author would have referenced
the ongoing miracles to strengthen his
argument. Instead, he points back to the
miraculous acts that had already
confirmed the gospel, showing that the
signs and wonders had fulfilled their
purpose and were no longer necessary for
the second-generation believers.
This reinforces the understanding that
the sign gifts were not a continuing
phenomenon in the church but had a
specific, temporary role in validating
the apostolic message during the
foundational period. Since the gospel
had already been confirmed by these
miracles, the author of Hebrews does not
suggest that the second-generation
believers needed or were experiencing
ongoing miraculous validation, further
implying that such gifts had ceased
after the establishment of the church
and the confirmation of the gospel message.
8) The purpose of sign gifts and tongues
has ceased.
a) Jesus' healings and other miracles
served the purpose of validating His
ministry as coming from God, and of
fulfilling the Old Testament Scriptures
that predicted the Messiah would heal
the sick, etc. For example, Jesus used
these miracles to bolster the faith of
John the Baptist, by confirming that He
was indeed the prophesied Messiah:
“And when John had heard in prison about
the works of Christ, he sent two of his
disciples and said to Him, “Are You the
Coming One, or do we look for another?”
Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and
tell John the things which you hear and
see: The blind see and the lame walk;
the lepers are cleansed and the deaf
hear; the dead are raised up and the
poor have the gospel preached to them.
And blessed is he who is not offended
because of Me.”” (Matthew 11:2–6, NKJV)
This is an allusion to Isaiah 35:5:
“Then the eyes of the blind shall be
opened, And the ears of the deaf shall
be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap
like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb
sing. For waters shall burst forth in
the wilderness, And streams in the
desert.” (Isaiah 35:5–6, NKJV)
Thus, Jesus confirmed to John and
everyone else that He was the prophesied
Messiah, through signs and wonders like
healing the sick, etc. The real healing
Jesus offers people today, is spiritual
healing. He raises them from the dead
spiritually, gives them spiritual sight,
and gives them spiritual life and
wellness (Ephesians 2:1-2, etc.).
b) Regarding tongues, the purpose of
tongues, as described in both the Old
and New Testaments, was a sign directed
primarily to the people of Israel. In
the Old Testament, Isaiah prophesied
that foreign languages would serve as a
judgment upon Israel for their unbelief
and disobedience. Isaiah writes,
"By people of strange lips and with a
foreign tongue the Lord will speak to
this people, to whom he has said, 'This
is rest; give rest to the weary; and
this is repose'; yet they would not
hear" (Isaiah 28:11-12, ESV).
Here, God warns Israel that because of
their rejection of His message, they
would hear it through the tongues of
foreigners, symbolizing judgment and the
presence of unbelief.
In the New Testament, Paul reinforces
this understanding of tongues in 1
Corinthians 14:21-22, where he directly
references Isaiah 28, saying,
"In the Law it is written, 'By people of
strange tongues and by the lips of
foreigners will I speak to this people,
and even then they will not listen to
me, says the Lord.' Thus tongues are a
sign not for believers but for
unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign
not for unbelievers but for believers"
(1 Corinthians 14:21-22, ESV).
Paul confirms that the primary purpose
of tongues was to be a sign for
unbelieving Israel, showing that the
miraculous gift was not primarily for
the edification of the church but a
specific testimony to Israel's rejection
of God's message.
Despite this supernatural witness,
Israel as a nation rejected the
testimony of the apostles, just as the
Scriptures foretold (Romans 10:19;
Deuteronomy 32:21). This rejection
marked the fulfillment of God’s
prophetic warning and underscored the
cessation of tongues as a sign gift,
having served its divinely appointed
purpose.
9) Tongues were programmed to "cease of
themselves".
"Love never ends. As for prophecies,
they will pass away; as for tongues,
they will cease; as for knowledge, it
will pass away." (1 Corinthians 13:8, ESV)
The middle voice of "cease" indicates
that nothing had to act on tongues to
make them cease. They had a built-in
limit. Now that the purpose for tongues
has ceased (see point 8 above), tongues
have ceased.
By contrast, prophecy and knowledge are
said to be made to cease (passive
voice), by the arrival of that which is
perfect (1 Corinthians 13:10).
"But when the perfect comes, the partial
will pass away." (1 Corinthians 13:10, ESV)
"That which is perfect" may refer to the
maturity of the church. It fits the
context (1 Corinthians 13:11-12), and it
means that Paul will see himself as
others see him, not as one who looks in
a blurry bronze mirror.
"For now we see in a mirror dimly, but
then face to face. Now I know in part;
then I shall know fully, even as I have
been fully known. When I was a child, I
spoke like a child, I thought like a
child, I reasoned like a child. When I
became a man, I gave up childish ways."
(1 Corinthians 13:11-12, ESV)
These verses explain that the gifts of
prophecy and knowledge would be made to
cease by the arrival of "that which is
perfect," which may refer to the
maturity of the church and potentially
the completion of the canon of
Scripture. Just as Paul describes
leaving behind childish things upon
reaching maturity, the partial gifts
would no longer be necessary once the
church reached full maturity, when full
understanding would replace partial
knowledge.
10) Charismatics are not being thronged
by the masses.
In the Gospels, when Jesus performed
miracles, the results were immediate and
undeniable, causing large crowds to
follow Him. For example, after healing a
man of leprosy, Jesus commanded the man
not to tell anyone. However, the man
disobeyed and published the news widely,
leading to overwhelming crowds:
"But he went out and began to talk
freely about it, and to spread the news,
so that Jesus could no longer openly
enter a town, but was out in desolate
places, and people were coming to him
from every quarter." (Mark 1:45, ESV)
This healing caused such a stir that
Jesus could no longer enter towns
without being mobbed by those seeking
healing. The same phenomenon is
described in another instance where
Jesus and His disciples could hardly
move because of the massive crowds:
"And a great crowd followed him and
thronged about him." (Mark 5:24, ESV)
When genuine healings occurred in the
ministry of Jesus, even a single miracle
drew people from everywhere, making it
difficult for Him to travel or conduct
ministry freely. If true miraculous
healings on the scale of those recorded
in the Gospels were occurring today,
especially in the charismatic movement,
the same kind of response would be
expected—crowds would throng to those
performing such miracles.
However, this is not the case with
Charismatics today. Despite many claims
of healing, the overwhelming response
seen in Jesus' ministry, where people
would travel from distant places just to
be near Him, is not being repeated. This
lack of public, undeniable testimony and
mass response suggests that the kind of
miraculous, visible healings that
occurred in the New Testament are not
happening today in the same way they did
during Jesus' time.
11) Jesus healed out of compassion, or
on the basis of someone else's faith,
even when the healed people did not
personally manifest faith.
One clear example of Jesus healing out
of compassion, without the requirement
of faith from the recipient, is the
raising of the widow's son at Nain:
"And when the Lord saw her, he had
compassion on her and said to her, 'Do
not weep.' Then he came up and touched
the bier, and the bearers stood still.
And he said, 'Young man, I say to you,
arise.' And the dead man sat up and
began to speak, and Jesus gave him to
his mother." (Luke 7:13-15, ESV)
In this instance, Jesus had compassion
on the grieving widow and raised her son
from the dead, even though the young man
was dead and could not express any
faith. This shows that Jesus' healing
power was often driven by compassion and
not contingent on the faith of the one
being healed.
Another example of Jesus healing despite
a lack of faith is found in His hometown
of Nazareth, where the people expressed
unbelief, yet Jesus still healed a few
people:
"And he could do no mighty work there,
except that he laid his hands on a few
sick people and healed them. And he
marveled because of their unbelief."
(Mark 6:5-6, ESV)
Even though the people in Nazareth
largely rejected Jesus and He marveled
at their unbelief, He still healed a few
sick individuals. This demonstrates that
even when faith was absent, Jesus had
the power and authority to heal.
On other occasions, Jesus healed on the
basis of someone else's faith. One
striking example is the healing of the
Centurion’s servant:
"But the centurion replied, 'Lord, I am
not worthy to have you come under my
roof, but only say the word, and my
servant will be healed. For I too am a
man under authority, with soldiers under
me. And I say to one, “Go,” and he goes,
and to another, “Come,” and he comes,
and to my servant, “Do this,” and he
does it.' When Jesus heard this, he
marveled and said to those who followed
him, 'Truly, I tell you, with no one in
Israel have I found such faith. ... And
to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it
be done for you as you have believed.”
And the servant was healed at that very
moment." (Matthew 8:8-10, 13, ESV)
In this case, the servant was healed not
because of his own faith, but because of
the Centurion’s great faith in Jesus’
authority. This shows that Jesus could
heal based on someone else’s faith, even
when the person being healed did not
personally exhibit faith.
These examples contrast sharply with the
practice of some in the Charismatic
movement today, who often excuse their
inability to heal by blaming the sick
person for lacking faith. If they
operated as Jesus did, and if the gift
of healing were still in practice today,
they could manifest the faith needed on
behalf of others, or simply heal out of
compassion, as Jesus did. Jesus healed
many who did not personally demonstrate
faith, showing that healing, when it was
a sign gift, was not always tied to the
faith of the one being healed.
12) Jesus said those who seek after
signs are an evil and adulterous generation.
"But he answered them, 'An evil and
adulterous generation seeks for a sign,
but no sign will be given to it except
the sign of the prophet Jonah.'"
(Matthew 12:39, ESV)
In this passage, Jesus rebukes the
Pharisees and others who demanded a sign
from Him to prove His authority. He
points out that seeking after signs as
proof of God’s presence or power is
characteristic of an evil and unfaithful
generation. The "sign of the prophet
Jonah" refers to His death, burial, and
resurrection, which would serve as the
ultimate validation of His messianic
role. Jesus condemns the desire for
miraculous signs as a means to verify
God’s work, highlighting that true faith
does not rely on visible signs but on
trust in God’s Word and promises.
By contrast, many in the Charismatic
movement today emphasize the need to
seek signs, wonders, and miracles as
proof of spiritual vitality or faith.
They often claim that those who do not
pursue or experience miraculous signs
are lacking in faith or are part of an
unbelieving generation. This viewpoint
directly opposes Jesus' warning that
those who seek after signs are "evil and
adulterous," placing undue emphasis on
visible miracles instead of relying on
the gospel and the work of the Holy
Spirit through the ordinary means of grace.
Charismatics often claim that a
generation without signs is spiritually
dead, yet Jesus Himself criticized those
who demanded signs as evidence of God's
presence. If miraculous signs were a
necessary or ongoing mark of spiritual
health, Jesus would have encouraged
their pursuit. Instead, He points to
faith in God's Word and the ultimate
"sign" of His death and resurrection.
Thus, the pursuit of signs as evidence
of faith contradicts Jesus' teaching and
places focus on external manifestations
rather than on the gospel and trust in
God's promises.
13) Jesus rebuked Thomas for failing to
believe the testimony of the apostles
about Jesus' resurrection, without
personal confirmation.
"Jesus said to him, 'Have you believed
because you have seen me? Blessed are
those who have not seen and yet have
believed.'" (John 20:29, ESV)
In this passage, Jesus confronts Thomas,
who had doubted the testimony of the
other apostles regarding His
resurrection. Thomas demanded physical
proof—he wanted to see and touch the
risen Jesus before he would believe.
After Jesus graciously granted Thomas
the confirmation he sought, He rebuked
him, declaring that true blessedness
lies in believing without seeing. Jesus
commended those who, unlike Thomas,
would trust the apostles' testimony
without requiring personal, physical
confirmation.
Many in the Charismatic movement
emphasize the need for personal,
supernatural experiences as validation
of faith. They often imply that merely
believing the testimony of Scripture, as
passed down through the apostles, is
insufficient or even carnal unless it is
accompanied by direct, miraculous
experiences. This attitude is contrary
to Jesus' words to Thomas, where He
explicitly commends those who believe
without seeing.
Jesus highlights that faith in the
testimony of the apostles—without
requiring signs or personal
confirmation—is the mark of true,
blessed faith. The Charismatic
insistence on seeking personal
experiences or miraculous signs
undermines the sufficiency of the
apostolic testimony and the Scriptures.
If Charismatics adhered to Jesus'
teaching, they would encourage believers
to trust in the gospel message and the
written Word of God, rather than relying
on personal, subjective experiences as
proof of faith.
14) John wrote about Jesus' miraculous
signs so that people would believe in
Him based on the eyewitness testimony of
Scripture.
"Now Jesus did many other signs in the
presence of the disciples, which are not
written in this book; but these are
written so that you may believe that
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and
that by believing you may have life in
his name." (John 20:30-31, ESV)
John makes it clear that the purpose of
recording the miraculous signs of Jesus
was to provide a written testimony that
would lead people to faith in Christ. He
emphasizes that the signs performed by
Jesus were witnessed by the disciples
and documented in Scripture to give
future generations a reliable,
authoritative account of who Jesus is.
This written record of the eyewitness
testimony was intended to be sufficient
for belief, without the need for
additional signs or personal experiences.
John's Gospel, and indeed the entire New
Testament, provides the foundation for
faith in Christ through the inspired
record of Jesus' life, death, and
resurrection. The emphasis is on
believing in Jesus through the testimony
of Scripture, which is both complete and
trustworthy for bringing people to faith
and giving them eternal life.
Many in the Charismatic movement,
however, often place more weight on
modern-day signs and wonders, suggesting
that faith is incomplete or insufficient
without personal confirmation through
miraculous experiences. This attitude
contrasts with John's clear intention:
the written record of Jesus' signs is
enough to bring people to saving faith.
If Charismatics fully embraced the
teaching of John's Gospel, they would
recognize that belief based on the
eyewitness testimony of Scripture is
sufficient for knowing Christ and
receiving eternal life. There is no need
to seek additional signs to validate the
truth already recorded in God's Word.
15) Sign gifts are not even mentioned in
John's explanation of how to test the
spirits.
Instead, John provides a comprehensive
set of criteria in his epistle for
recognizing true believers, which
centers on doctrinal confession,
obedience, righteousness, and love, not
miraculous signs.
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit,
but test the spirits to see whether they
are from God, for many false prophets
have gone out into the world. By this
you know the Spirit of God: every spirit
that confesses that Jesus Christ has
come in the flesh is from God, and every
spirit that does not confess Jesus is
not from God. This is the spirit of the
antichrist, which you heard was coming
and now is in the world already." (1
John 4:1-3, ESV)
In this passage, John lays out the
primary way to discern whether someone
is from God: by their confession of
Jesus Christ. Those who confess that
Jesus came in the flesh—affirming both
His full deity and humanity—are from
God. Conversely, those who deny this
core doctrine are not from God but are
of the spirit of the antichrist. This
doctrinal test is central to John’s
teaching and provides the foundational
method for discerning the presence of
the Holy Spirit in a person’s life. John
never points to sign gifts such as
tongues or miracles as proof of
spiritual authenticity. Instead, the
core evidence lies in one’s
acknowledgment of the truth about Jesus
Christ.
Additionally, John outlines several
other ways to discern true believers,
emphasizing that spiritual fruit and
conduct are more important than
miraculous signs:
a) Obedience to God's Commands
"And by this we know that we have come
to know him, if we keep his
commandments. Whoever says 'I know him'
but does not keep his commandments is a
liar, and the truth is not in him." (1
John 2:3-4, ESV)
John teaches that a true believer will
demonstrate obedience to God’s commands.
The consistent practice of righteousness
and adherence to God's moral law are
essential indicators of someone who
truly knows God. Obedience, not the
performance of miraculous signs, is the
evidence that someone belongs to Christ.
b) Walking in the Light
"If we say we have fellowship with him
while we walk in darkness, we lie and do
not practice the truth. But if we walk
in the light, as he is in the light, we
have fellowship with one another, and
the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us
from all sin." (1 John 1:6-7, ESV)
A believer's life will reflect a walk in
the light, characterized by holiness and
separation from sin. Walking in the
light also produces genuine fellowship
with other believers. Again, there is no
mention of supernatural signs as proof
of one’s relationship with God—walking
in holiness and truth is the true sign
of a child of God.
c) Love for Others
"Whoever says he is in the light and
hates his brother is still in darkness.
Whoever loves his brother abides in the
light, and in him there is no cause for
stumbling." (1 John 2:9-10, ESV)
John places great emphasis on love for
others as a defining mark of true
believers. Hatred or a lack of love for
fellow believers is a clear indication
that someone remains in darkness, while
love for one’s brother shows that they
are walking in the light. John expands
on this throughout his letter, stating
in 1 John 4:7-8 that love originates
from God, and anyone who loves has been
born of God. Love is central to the
believer’s identity, and the absence of
it signals a lack of spiritual life.
This emphasis on love as the true sign
of Christian faith stands in stark
contrast to modern claims that
supernatural signs are necessary
indicators of faith.
d) Righteous Living
"By this it is evident who are the
children of God, and who are the
children of the devil: whoever does not
practice righteousness is not of God,
nor is the one who does not love his
brother." (1 John 3:10, ESV)
Righteous living is another key
indicator of a true child of God. John
draws a clear line between those who
practice righteousness and those who
live in sin. Righteous behavior, driven
by the Holy Spirit, reveals the
transformative work of God in a person’s
life. Miraculous signs are never
mentioned as evidence of this
transformation; rather, it is a life of
righteousness and love that
distinguishes the children of God from
the children of the devil.
e) Faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God
"Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son
of God, God abides in him, and he in
God." (1 John 4:15, ESV)
Confessing Jesus as the Son of God is
another crucial test that John gives for
determining true faith. True believers
confess and uphold the divinity of
Jesus. This is part of the larger
doctrinal test, which focuses on
affirming key truths about Jesus’
identity. John highlights the importance
of right belief about Christ, rather
than pointing to miraculous signs as
evidence of God’s presence in someone's
life.
f) Overcoming the World
"For everyone who has been born of God
overcomes the world. And this is the
victory that has overcome the world—our
faith." (1 John 5:4, ESV)
John teaches that those who are born of
God overcome the world through faith.
This victory is not measured by outward
signs and wonders but by the believer’s
ability to resist the temptations of the
world and live in victory through faith
in Christ. The focus is on internal
transformation and perseverance in
faith, not on external signs.
Throughout 1 John, the apostle provides
several clear criteria for recognizing
true believers, and none of them involve
the performance of miraculous signs.
Instead, he focuses on doctrinal
accuracy, obedience, love,
righteousness, and faith. These are the
enduring marks of a true child of God.
In contrast to modern Charismatic
emphasis on signs and wonders as
evidence of faith, John points believers
to the confession of Christ, righteous
living, and love as the true
demonstrations of spiritual
authenticity. Sign gifts, which some
today promote as necessary evidence of
faith, are notably absent from John's
list of criteria, further affirming that
the Christian life is marked by inner
transformation, not outward displays of
supernatural power.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the biblical evidence
overwhelmingly points to the fact that
sign gifts, such as tongues, healing,
and miracles, served a temporary and
specific purpose in the early church,
primarily to authenticate the gospel and
the ministry of the apostles. By the end
of the apostolic era, these gifts had
fulfilled their purpose and began to
fade out, as evidenced by Paul's later
ministry and the lack of mention of
these gifts in the epistles that
followed 1 Corinthians.
The New Testament consistently
emphasizes that love, obedience,
righteousness, and faith are the true
marks of a believer, rather than
miraculous signs. Even during the early
church, when sign gifts were active,
Paul regulated their use to ensure they
served the purpose of building up the
church, not self-promotion or disorder.
Today, many in the Charismatic movement
place an undue emphasis on sign gifts as
evidence of spiritual vitality, while
overlooking the more important biblical
teachings on love, unity, and edification.
--
Have you heard the good news Christ died
for our sins (†), and God raised Him
from the dead?
That Christ died for our sins shows
we're sinners who deserve the death
penalty. That God raised Him from the
dead shows Christ's death satisfied
God's righteous demands against our sin
(Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:1-2). This means
God can now remain just, while forgiving
you of your sins, and saving you from
eternal damnation.
On the basis of Christ's death and
resurrection for our sins, call on
the name of the Lord to save you:
"For "everyone who calls on the name
of the Lord will be saved."" (Romans
10:13, ESV)
https://christrose.news/salvation