DR 29
December 29
Mark 16:15-18. Christ promises to bestow miraculous gifts.
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem an angel declared to the shepherds, "I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." Those good tidings are called the Gospel. Before Jesus left this world he charged his apostles to preach the Gospel to all people. He did not send angels to preach it, but men. He said, "Go you into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." Then every creature ought to believe the Gospel. Have we believed it? We have heard it—but hearing it will not save the soul. The Lord has made this solemn declaration—"He who believes, and is baptized, shall be saved." There are many who have been baptized in their infancy who have not believed in Jesus. Shall they be saved?
No! unless they believe, they cannot be saved; for it is written, "He who believes not shall be damned." Dreadful words! Whether he be baptized, or whether he be not baptized, he who does not believe shall perish. What is it to believe? It is to receive Christ into the heart. There is an instance recorded in the Acts of a wicked man called Simon Magus, who believed, and was baptized. But he did not believe with the heart. His faith was not of the right sort—his mind was convinced, but his heart was not changed. After his baptism, the apostle Peter, reproving him for a blasphemous request he had made, said, "You have neither part nor lot in this matter; for your heart is not right in the sight of God. I perceive that you are in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity." (Acts 8:21-23.) None can be saved who do not believe with the heart on the Son of God.
When Christ sent out his apostles to preach the Gospel, he knew that the world would be ready to say that he had not sent them. Therefore he made this wonderful promise—"These signs shall follow them that believe. In my name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." (Mark 16:17, 18.) It was by the power of the Holy Spirit that believers would perform these miracles. When the Spirit descended upon the apostles at the day of Pentecost, he enabled them to speak with other tongues. (Acts 2:4.) When he descended upon Cornelius and his friends, he caused them also to speak in the same wonderful manner. (Acts 10:45, 46.)
The apostles possessed a privilege beyond other believers. They could obtain the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit for other men by laying on their hands with prayer. When Peter and John visited Samaria, they laid their hands on the believers, and the Holy Spirit was given. Philip the deacon, who had first preached the Gospel in Samaria, had not been able to communicate the heavenly gift, though he himself possessed the power of doing miracles. (Acts 8:13-17.) As none but the apostles could by laying on of hands cause believers to receive the Holy Spirit—after their death the power of working miracles ceased. The Gospel had then been preached to the ends of the world, and sufficient miraculous evidence of its truth had been given. (Rom. 10:18.)
But the most valuable gift that Christ bestows may still be obtained. It is charity, or holy love. Tongues have ceased, but love has not failed, and shall never fail. By this we may know whether we have true faith. Do we love God? and do we love the children of God? The apostle John has declared, "He who loves not, knows not God, for God is love." (1 John 4:7, 8.) If unholy passions, such as envy, wrath, and malice, are nourished in our hearts, then we may be sure that we do not believe in Christ with the heart.