This short but insightful "Notes From the Margin of My Bible" article appeared in the August 1989 edition of the "Christian Chronicle." It was written by Wayne Jackson.
In an attempt to explain their obvious failures to perform miracles of healing, Pentecostal preachers generally claim that their clients simply did not have sufficient faith. A passage frequently employed to support their rationalization is Acts 3:16. It is argued that this verse suggest that the lame man's healed condition was a consequence of his strong faith. Not only is there no evidence for such a view within the passage, this concept contradicts other Bible information. Consider the following facts.
(1) Faith was a condition required of the healer, not the healed. When the disciples could not expel a demon from a boy, Jesus declared that the problem was their faith (Matthew 17:19-20).
(2) There are numerous healing cases in the New Testament where the faith was totally absent on the part of the recipient (Luke 7:11-17; John 5:2-13), including the case in Acts 3 where the man clearly expected to receive money, not a miracle (3:5).
(3) Acts 3:16 affirms that the miracle upon the lame man was wrought through the name (authority) of Christ in conjunction with the apostles' faith. The passage is to be explained as follows:
"And by [our - the apostles'] faith in His name [Christ's] hath His name made this man strong, whom ye behold and know; yea, the faith [which we have] which is through Him [Christ] hath given him [the healed man] this perfect soundness in the presence of you all."
Make appropriate notations in your Bible regarding Acts 3:16, for it is a passage that you may be called upon to explain.
No comments:
Post a Comment