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SEEKING THINGS ABOVE
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above,
where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. “(Col. 3:1)
Volume I Number 6
September 2020
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The Need for Divine Authority
(Introduction)
Mike Johnson
“By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?” These questions were asked of Jesus in the Jerusalem temple by certain Jewish chief priests and elders (Mt. 21:23). Although not sincerely motivated, these questions bring out two vital principles. First, there is a need for authority in religion, and second, authority must come from one who has the right to grant it. Jesus then asked them this question (v. 25), “The baptism of John — where was it from? From heaven or from men?” These verses establish that there are only two sources of authority, which are heaven and man. In our service to God, it is essential to understand the need for authority and where it resides.
Standards of authority exist in almost every realm and relationship. For example, in weights and measurements, we know sixteen ounces equals a pound, twelve inches equals a foot, and three feet is equal to a yard. These standards are acceptable in our country, and a great deal of confusion would exist if everyone has their own standards of weights and measurements.
Where does authority rest in religion? First, there is internal human authority. This type of authority involves people who are guided by their own consciences, judgments, and feelings. The second area of authority is external human authority. Examples of this type are customs, traditions, and human creeds. The third realm is divine authority, in which God is the originator, the center is Christ, and it proclaims itself in the Bible. This third source should be our authority today.
People need divine guidance because they are not able to guide themselves to heaven. Jeremiah 10:23 says, “O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.” We need a frequent reminder of this very profound statement. There is no way people can get to heaven by following their own councils. Doing so, they are doomed to failure.
Authority, which originates with man, causes strife and division; it produces denominationalism instead of the “one church” we can read about in the Scriptures. Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” People, even good people, will differ on things; therefore, we need divine authority.
In John 17:17-21, Jesus prayed for unity among his followers. Paul, an inspired writer, told the Corinthians (I Cor. 1:10) there should be no divisions among them, and they should be “. . . perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” How can this unity ever be achieved if we are following various man-made standards? All people following the one uniform standard of God’s Word is the only possible way we can be united as Christ desires.
In the Old Testament, there is a comparison made of our life here on earth to a journey. When Pharaoh asked Jacob how old he was, Jacob referred to his life as a pilgrimage (or sojourning — NASB). Today, we are on a journey to heaven; thus, we must follow God’s divine “road map” to get there (James 1:21). Nothing anyone can come up with will take the place of the Scriptures to show us the way. Without God’s guidance, we are helpless and doomed to failure.
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Differences in Bible Miracles
& Modern Miracles
Hiram Hutto
While Jesus was on earth he made some very startling claims. He claimed to be divine, and the Jews so understood him (Jn. 5:18; 10:33). He claimed to be the Son of God (Jn. 10:35-37). He claimed to be the Messiah (Jn. 4:25-26) and the Savior of the world (Jn. 14:6). But anyone could make these claims. We were on a call-in radio program where a man would occasionally call denying that Jesus was the Messiah, and claiming instead that he was the Messiah. However, Jesus did more than simply claim to be the things noted, he proved that claim by the miracles he performed. Let’s consider these.
- Power over nature. He stilled a storm (Matt. 8:26-27).
- Power over material things. He fed 5,000 men with a few loaves and fishes (Luke 9:10-17).
- Power over all manner of diseases (Matt. 8:16).
- Power over the spirit world(Matt. 8:16).
- Power overlife and death (Jn. 11:14-44).
These are not merely powers, but ones performed in a confirmation of his claims (Jn. 20:30-31).
The apostles, too, were able to perform miracles, not to prove that they were divine, etc. – for they never claimed such but, in fact, they denied it (Acts 14:11-15). Their miracle-working power was given to them to confirm the word which they were preaching. “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation; which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard; God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and by manifold powers, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will” (Heb. 2:34). The Bible shows that after the apostles received the commission to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mk. 16:15), they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following” (Mk. 16:20).
From these facts and many more, it may be safely concluded that there is no need for miracles today.
The Bible has sufficient proof in writing that “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (Jn. 20:30-31), and the word of God having been adequately confirmed is sufficient. Anything we need to know about life and godliness is furnished completely when we take all the Scriptures (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:3).
Although this is true, it does not keep many people from claiming to perform miracles today. But there is a vast difference between what is done in our day and the miracles performed by Jesus and the apostles. Let us consider some of these differences.
- The miracles of the New Testament were not limited to healing. As already noted, there was power to still the tempest. Yet in 1950 a storm blew Oral Roberts’ tent down injuring 50 people, most of whom were treated at local hospitals, not by Roberts. Where have you heard reliable evidence of turning water into wine? Not even A. A. Allen, noted healer, could have done this, though he died of acute alcoholism. Who today is feeding 5,000 men with a few loaves and fishes? For the most part, today’s “miracles,” in sharp contrast to these, are limited to “healings” and these are not of any organic illness. We are told by those who are supposed to know that most of these illnesses are in the mind, so when Roberts or others convince those who think they are ill that they are not sick, they are “healed” but not miraculously.
- The apostles were not “selective” in their miracles or in their healings. An advertisement for an Oral Roberts campaign states, “Prayer Cards Given Out at Afternoon Service ONLY” (emphasis his, HH). Anyone who has attended such services should know why this is done – to screen out the undesirables. Whoever read where those who were healed by the apostles needed a prayer card?
- Miracles in the New Testament were not conditioned on the faith of those being healed. How much faith did dead Dorcas have (Acts 9:36-40)? The lame man who was healed by Peter in Acts 3 was not even expecting to be healed, much less believing that he would be. Yet today, those who are not healed are told that they do not have enough faith. What a compound tragedy this is! The sick are not only left with their sickness, but are made to feel guilty because they are the ones to blame for lacking in faith!
- As in Acts 3:7, the lame man was healed “immediately.” If you have attended many “healing” campaigns, no doubt you have witnessed people, being “worked into a lather” with much emotion, exertion, and sweating over the ones to be healed. Not so in that done by the apostles.
- The miracles of the New Testament were so powerfulthat even the enemies of the apostles admitted “that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest unto all that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it” (Acts 4:16). In our day, numerous ones could deny the “miracles” that were supposed to have been wrought, and they have denied them and that publicly.
From the Alabama Baptist (9/12/74), there is this headline: “Noted Surgeon Follows Up Reports on Faith Healings, Says He Found None.” The article tells how Dr. William A. Nolen of Litchfield, Minn., noted surgeon and author of the book, Healing: A Doctor In Search of a Miracle, wrote, “After following up on the cases of 26 patients who thought they had been ‘healed’ at a famous faith healer’s religious service here, says he couldn’t find a single cured patient in the group.” The book is even more extensive than that with the same results.
At various times some of our brethren have offered high financial rewards for proof of any genuine healing of organic illnesses. To my knowledge, they have never had to pay off.
- After the apostles were baptized in the Holy Spirit, there were no failure Acts 5:16 is typical, “they were healed every one.” Instances could be multiplied where Oral Roberts and others failed frequently, some even dying after they had been pronounced “healed.” Jack Coe had an ingenious reply to this. He claimed that he had healed many people who did not know they had been healed for they still had the same symptoms!
- No collections. One of the most obvious differences between today’s “healing campaign” and those in the Bible has to do with money. One does not read in the New Testament where the apostles or others took up a collection as a part of their “healing campaign.” (In fact, one does not read in the New Testament of “healing campaigns” with all the self-produced publicity and high-pressure propaganda that is so characteristic of today’s “miracle worker”). If memory serves me correctly, several years ago I attended one of these and, before the meeting was over, collections were taken-up 9 times! On the other hand, the Bible tells us that Peter said, “Silver and gold have I none” (Acts 3:6), but he did not follow it up with a collection. Quite a contrast.
- In the New Testament, the apostles performed miracles, which confirmed that their teaching was God’s revelation. I have never heard a modern miracle worker claim that his teaching is a new revelation that is to be considered as a part of the word of God. But if they are doing what the apostles were doing or if they believe that they are doing what the apostles were doing, their teaching should be considered as much a part of the Bible as that which John or Paul wrote. In this case, we would need a “loose-leaf Bible” to which we would continue to add their revelation. After all, Paul is emphatic when he says, “the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord” (1 Cor. 14:37).
From these considerations and many more, it can be readily seen that when today’s miracles are compared with what we read in the Bible, there is no comparison!
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Jannes And Jambres
(2 Timothy 3:8)
Larry Ray Hafley
“Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith” (2 Tim. 3:8). Doubtless, Jannes and Jambres were two men of Pharaoh’s court who opposed Moses (Ex. 7). Observe that to oppose or withstand Moses was to “resist the truth.” Likewise, to “resist the truth” was to withstand Moses.
It is true today. Men who “resist the truth” align themselves in opposition to the Son of God. When a man denies the necessity of baptism in Mark 16:16 or Acts 2:38, he is resisting the truth; he is withstanding Jesus. When a man advocates Holy Spirit baptism, miracles, and tongue-speaking for believers today, he is resisting the truth; he is opposing the Son of God (1 Cor. 13:8- 10).
When Old Testament fathers refused and rejected the words of the prophets, they were resisting the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51; Cf. 2:Kgs. 17:13-15; Neh. 9:20, 30). Those who withstood Moses and the prophets, and who resisted the truth and the Holy Spirit, were overthrown. What is the significance of that? “See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven” (Heb.12:25). When one refused to hear Moses and the prophets, he was guilty of resisting the truth and resisting the Holy Spirit; therefore, those today who refuse to hear the apostles and prophets of the New Testament are guilty of resisting Christ, resisting the truth, and resisting the Holy Spirit. Since they did not escape then, how shall we escape now (Heb. 2:1- 4; 10:28, 29)?
You cannot afford to be like Jannes and Jambres. You dare not go to the judgment in resistance to Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the truth. Obey now while you have time and opportunity!
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Simon the Sorcerer
- Curtis Porter
A number of “Simons” are mentioned in the New Testament. There was Simon, whose surname was Peter, also called Cephas, who was one of the twelve apostles of the Lord. In the list of apostles, there is also Simon the Canaanite, or Simon the Zealot, as he is also called. There was also Simon, a man of Cyrene, who was compelled to bear the cross of Jesus on the way to Calvary. But the Simon of this lesson is Simon the sorcerer, whose brief history is given to us in the eighth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles.
This man was in Samaria at the time Philip went there to “preach Christ unto them.” In fact, he had been there for a long time before Philip went. His work of deception is described for us in Acts 8:9-11. This record tells us this: “But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, this man is the great power of God. And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.” Thus we are told that Simon was engaged in the use of sorcery. Sorcery means the use of magic, necromancy, witchcraft, soothsaying, fortune-telling, sleight-of-hand tricks, and other such things. The use of any of these often baffles the minds of men. Whatever form of sorcery Simon engaged in — whether simply sleight-of-hand tricks, some other form of magical arts, the claim to foretell the future by the aid of divine power, or simply fortune-telling, he had succeeded in deceiving the people. He had been “giving out that himself was some great one” and had “bewitched the people” to such an extent that they had great regard for him and had concluded that “This man is the great power of God.” But it was all deception. He was not aided by divine power at all and was simply practicing “fakery” as a means of livelihood, as many others are doing today.
But Philip went to that city to preach Christ to lost men and women. In connection with his preaching he actually wrought miracles by the power that God had given him. He cast unclean spirits “out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed” (v. 7). There were no tricks, schemes, artifice or deception about this. The people could see the difference between the tricks of Simon and the miracles of Philip. Consequently, they “gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did” (v. 6). As a result, “There was great joy in that city” (v. 8). Furthermore, Luke tells us in verse 12: “But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.” Not only were the Samaritans thus converted, Simon the sorcerer was converted too. The inspired historian informs us in verse 13: “Then Simon himself believed also and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.” This shows that Simon became a converted man, a child of God. It points out the fact that he obtained the salvation of his soul. Jesus had said in Mark 16:16: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” The very things that Jesus specified in this great commission upon which he promised to bestow salvation were done by Simon. “He that believeth and is baptized,” said Jesus, “shall be saved.” And Luke says that Simon believed and was baptized. That being true, we can be sure of the fact that Jesus bestowed the salvation as promised.
Many people do not believe that Simon was saved. They say his conversion was not genuine, that it was a sham conversion, and that he never really did what God requires men to do. Well, what do you think about it? Are you going to take what uninspired men say about it or what the book divine says? Modern preachers say he did not believe, that he only pretended to believe; but Luke says, “Simon himself believed also.” Had it been only a pretense, Luke evidently would have revealed the sham involved. But he did not. He actually says that Simon believed. Well, that is enough to save any man, without anything else, according to modern preachers who preach salvation by faith only. But Simon did more than that — he believed and was baptized. If his belief was not genuine, neither was the faith of the Samaritans. The preceding verse tells us that the Samaritans believed, and then Luke says that “Simon believed also.” Note that word “also.” It means that Simon did what the others did — they believed; he believed also. So whatever the Samaritans did, Simon did; if their faith was genuine, his was genuine too. Therefore, he did become a child of God, for he did what Jesus said men must do to be saved.
But following that obedience to the will of God Simon committed sin. His sin is revealed to us in verses 18 and 19 of this chapter, the eighth chapter of Acts. I trust you will read it with me. Here is the way the passage reads: “And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.” Incidentally, this shows us how miraculous gifts were bestowed on men. It was not through the “laying on of the disciples’ hands.” That is the way modern-day-healers would have it. But it was “through laying on of the apostles’ hands.” Just any disciple could not lay hands on others and give them the power to work miracles. No one could do that but the apostles. That explains why the apostles Peter and John were sent from Jerusalem to Samaria. Philip, the evangelist, was already there, and he had been able to work many miracles; but he could not lay hands on others and give them the Holy Spirit. He was not an apostle. So two of the apostles came from Jerusalem to lay hands on the Samaritans and give them such power. Hence, when the last apostle died, and the last man died on whom they had laid hands, the gift of miracles must have ceased. No man lives today who ever had the hands of an apostle laid on him; consequently, no man lives today who has the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit. But Simon wanted that power and offered to buy it from the apostles with money. This also shows that such power did not belong to all disciples, for if it did, he would have had it already; and there would have been no occasion for him to try to buy it with money. But he did not have such power. None did except the apostles. So he tried to purchase it; but in doing so, he sinned.
In referring to this sin, Peter said in verse 21: “Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.” And at verse 25, he said: “For I perceive that thou are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” This statement does not read as I have heard men quote it. Preachers sometimes quote it like this: “I perceive that thou are yet in the gall of bitterness and still in the bond of iniquity.” It is quoted this way for the purpose of proving that Simon was never really converted, that it was all a matter of pretense, and he had never been freed from his former sins. This would, of course, set aside any possibility of his being a case of apostasy. It would prove that he did not fall from grace. And all of that would be true, of course, if the passage said: “Thou are yet in the gall of bitterness” or “Thou are still in the gall of bitterness” or “Thou are still in the bond of iniquity.” Surely that would prove that his old sins were still clinging to him. But it just so happens that the words “yet” and “still” are not in the passage. Had you ever noticed that? Look at it again in verse 23. Does it say, “Thou are yet in the gall of bitterness”? The word “yet” isn’t there, is it? But “Thou art in the gall of bitterness.” Does it say, “Thou art still in the bond of iniquity”? The word “still” is not there, is it? But “Thou art in the bond of iniquity.” So Peter tells him what his condition is now — not that he had never been made free from sin. We have already found that he had, for he did what Jesus said men must do to be saved.
Besides this, when Peter told him what to do to get forgiveness, he made a statement that proves that only one sin was charged against him. Let us read it in verse 22: “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.” Notice that “this thy wickedness.” The word “this” is a singular demonstrative pronoun. He was not told to repent of all the wickedness of his past life, but only of “this wickedness.” His former wickedness had already been forgiven him upon his obedience to the word of God. But here is a sin he committed since, and this wickedness is charged against him. And he was told to repent and pray “that the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.” The passage does not even say “that the thoughts of thine heart may be forgiven,” but it says “thought” — just one. The only wicked thought charged against him was the thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money. So the whole story proves that Simon became a child of God, then sinned, or fell from the grace, or favor, of God and had to meet certain conditions to have this sin forgiven.
In the story of Simon, we have, therefore, what we may call the second law of pardon. It is the law of pardon to the erring child of God. People have often said that if baptism is for the remission of sins, then every time a child of God sins he would have to be baptized again. That might be true if baptism was required of a child of God. But when Peter commanded men to “be baptized for the remission of sins” in Acts 2:38, he was talking to alien sinners, not to children of God. The commandment of baptism belongs to the law of pardon to the alien sinner. But to the child of God who sins, God has given a different law that does not include baptism. That law is shown in this story. Let us read it again: “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee” (v. 22). So the law of pardon to an erring child of God involves repentance and prayer to God. And, of course, as other references clearly state, by a confession of such faults. When the child of God sins, he is not to “repent and be baptized,” as alien sinners are required to do, but he must “repent and pray God” for forgiveness.
Denominational preachers have inaugurated the mourners’ bench system of getting religion and have required alien sinners to “pray through to salvation.” I have often called upon such preachers to give the passage in God’s book in which God ever commanded alien sinners to pray for forgiveness. In response to that call, I have had them produce Acts 8:22. But this text has no reference to alien sinners. The language here is spoken to a man who had already obeyed the gospel of Christ. He had already received the forgiveness of his alien sins. He was not an alien sinner, but an erring child of God. You can’t take the language addressed to him and apply it to an alien sinner without wresting the Scriptures. There is no passage in which God requires alien sinners to pray through to salvation. But in Acts 22:16, we have the case of an alien sinner, Saul of Tarsus, who was seeking to be saved. He was engaged in prayer when Ananias, sent by the Lord, came to him to tell him what to do. If prayer is the plan for an alien sinner, Ananias should have told him to pray on. But he did not do so. He stopped the prayer by saying: “And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” This alien sinner was down praying, but the man of God told him to tarry no longer in prayer, to arise, (to get up), and to be baptized that his sins be washed away. Alien sinners are told to “repent and be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38), but they are never told to “repent and pray God for forgiveness.” Children of God who sin are told to “repent and pray God” that their sins might be forgiven (Acts 8:22), but they are never told to “repent and be baptized for the remission of sins.” Let us, therefore, not wrest the Scriptures by applying to aliens or to Christians those things that have no reference to them.
— Via Bible Banner — October, 1942
Biographical Sketch W. Curtis Porter
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A HABIT CAN BE LIKE A
GROWING SERPENT!
There is a true story of a man who took a young boa constrictor and began to train it to climb around the different limbs of his body. As the snake grew to be of immense size, the man made his living by giving public appearances with the snake entwined about him. His friends warned him to be careful, but he laughed at them. He knew what he was doing, he could control the snake.
One day the snake became angry as the man stood with it encircling his body. It began to squeeze and to tighten its grip more and more until the man found himself being choked to death. He called or tried to call for help, but his audience cheered, thinking it was a part of the show. Tighter the snake drew around him until it crushed his bones and he was strangled to death. He fell down and died in the embrace of the monster that he THOUGHT he could control.
Perverted desire is but a serpent that may have been easily controlled at first, but soon it will become the master, for the old serpent called the devil, which deceiveth the whole world, is still deceiving men today and is going about seeking whom he may devour.
via The Visitor.
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Short Audio Messages
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Editor: Mike Johnson
www.seekingthingsabove.org