Introduction
In certain particular times in the Scriptures, we see God using special gifts in order to authenticate His message or His messenger. This is a common theme used by God throughout the Bible. Some of the supernatural gifts of the early church authenticated the apostles and also demonstrated that non-Jews could be part of God’s family without becoming proselytes1. Please see my related article titled, Stewardship of Supernatural Grace Gifts.
We will start with one of the earliest examples in the Bible of an authenticating gift or sign. Then, we will look at several examples in the New Testament when God was establishing the church.
Authentication of Moses
The first example of special gifts being used to authenticate, was Moses in Exodus 4:1-9. God gave him three miraculous signs to authenticate to the people that he was sent by God.
- Moses’ staff turned into a snake and back again
- Moses’ hand became leprous and then restored
- Water taken from the river Nile turned into blood and poured on the ground
God explains to Moses in verse 5:
5 “that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”
Authentication of Jesus
In the first sermon recorded in Acts, Peter bears witness that Jesus was sent by God. Peter gives two examples:
- Jesus performed miracles, wonders, and signs
- Jesus rose from the dead
Acts 2:22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— 23 this Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. 24 And God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.”2
Authentication of the Apostles
After Jesus rose from the dead and ascended back to heaven, the authentication was given to the apostles to demonstrate they, and their message, were from God.
2 Cor 12:12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles.
There are numerous examples of the apostles casting out demons, raising the dead, and having visions. (Acts 3:6-8; 5:12-15; 9:36-41; 10:10-16; 14:3, 8-10; 16:16-18; 18:9-10; 19:11-12; 20:9-12; 27:23-24; 28:3-6.)
Authentication to Sergius Paulus
One of the more unusual signs was when a Jewish false prophet named Elymas was struck blind by the apostle Paul. This had a great impact on the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, who came to faith as a result. The event is presented in Acts 13:4-12, but the last two verses tell of the result. We join at verse 10 where Paul, full of the Holy Spirit, is speaking to Elymas:
10 ““You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? 11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.”
The proconsul is described as being ‘a man of intelligence’, and his choice to believe demonstrates that fact. I would think that after seeing and hearing Paul strike a man blind who was an ‘enemy of all righteousness’, most folks -intelligent or not- would ‘be amazed at the teaching of the Lord.’
Authentication to Peter
This example of authentication was to demonstrate to the Jews, that non-Jews could also become part of the kingdom of God through faith in Jesus.
Acts 10:44-47 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. 45 All the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also. 46 For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, 47 “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?”
The Holy Spirit was given as a sign to attest that the Gentiles were part of the household of God and the new covenant. This truth was described by Paul as a mystery that was now revealed,“that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”3
Conclusion
Throughout the Bible, God was gracious to provide a sign or a special gift as evidence of Himself. He also certified His messengers and His message to us in ways that can only be rightly explained by believing in Him.
The last expression of the authenticating gifts documented by God in the Bible were during the first century. The apostles and the message had been thoroughly proven early in the life of the church. Once they were accepted, and authentication was completed by the middle of the first century, new examples did not appear in the Scriptures. Therefore the apostles were the last to be authenticated by the gifts.
1 Proselyte -one who has come over from a Gentile religion to Judaism, Thayer’s Greek Lexicon
2 Peter’s two examples are underlined for emphasis.
3 Ephesians 3:6