The Power of God in the Body of Christ
The Laying On Of Hands
by Leroy Gardenier
In both Matthew 15:26 and in Mark 7:27, the Lord Jesus declares that deliverance from evil spirits is "the children’s' bread". One of the first recorded prayers of the early church is found in Acts 4:30 when the earliest company of believers lifted up their voice in one accord asking God to anoint them to speak His Word with boldness; and, confirming this mighty Word "by stretching forth thy hand to heal: and that many signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus." That that fervent prayer was answered is clear from Acts 5:12 - "And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch."
I think it is worthy of note that both Scriptures emphasize the unity in prayer and purpose that existed among this primitive group of Christians.
Reference to the doctrine of the laying on of hands is found in Hebrews 6:2. "Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment." It is with such simple, straightforward heavenward looks and earthly gestures backed by sincere faith in the presence and the power of the Holy Ghost, that marvelous miracles of spiritual and physical healing, and demonic deliverance can happen. It is the blessing on little ones, of ordination to ministry and, most significantly, of the impartation of the gift of the Holy Ghost. All these supernatural gifts, signs and wonders are associated with and somehow connected to the laying on of hands.
Two brief, but important observations need to be made regarding this elemental but extensive doctrine. First, the laying on of hands is not some religious ritual that purports to cause effects or bring about results through the voodoo of mere words and signs. Born again believers who lay hands on one another do so as a gesture, and expression of biblical faith. It is the same sort of faith that produces an utterance in tongues or its bold interpretation. Faith, founded on the "Scripture of truth" Dan 10:21 compels the believer to give a prophecy; act on a word of knowledge or wisdom, discern the kind of spirit that dominates a person holding them in spiritual captivity. Secondly, there is no special virtue or power in my own or any other human’s hands. Laying on of hands is, indeed, a gesture of faith, but behind this expression is the most precious, all-powerful, mighty name and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. When that holy hand is stretched forth to confirm His word, demons do flee, feeble knees are strengthened, mountains of obstacles and difficulties are removed; the spiritually dead are restored to life and the poor in spirit receive and cherish the good news of complete salvation. The One who came down from heaven and thence returned, still remains in the Person of the Holy Ghost. Through the laying on of hands and faith in the Power from on High; the children's bread is still available and the forces of hell, even death itself, scatter and skulk away at the invocation of the all powerful name of Jesus!
Ammended and Expanded from Matthew Henry's commentary
on The Two Goats (Leviticus Chapter 16):
The great day of atonement.
1) The sacrifices on it. (1-14 )
2) The scape-goat. (15-34)
Without entering into particulars of the sacrifices on the great day of atonement, we may notice that it was to be a statute for ever, till that dispensation be at an end. As long as we are continually sinning, we continually need the atonement. The law of afflicting our souls for sin, is a statue which will continue in force till we arrive where all tears, even those of repentance, will be wiped from our eyes. The apostle observes it as a proof that the sacrifices could not take away sin, and cleanse the conscience from it, that in them there was a remembrance made of sin every year, upon the day of atonement, Heb 10:1,3. Repeating the sacrifices showed there was in them but a feeble effort toward making atonement; this could be done only by offering up the body of Christ once for all; and that sacrifice needed not to be repeated.
With verses 15-34 begin a pageant which typifies the two great gospel privileges, of the remission of sin, and access to God, both of which we owe to our Lord Jesus. Christ is both the Maker and the Matter of the atonement; for he is the Priest, the High Priest, that makes reconciliation for the sins of the people. And as Christ is the High Priest, so he is the Sacrifice with which atonement is made; for he is all in all in our reconciliation to God. Thus he was figured by the two goats. The slain goat was a type of Christ dying for our sins; the scape-goat a type of Christ rising again for our justification. The atonement is said to be completed by putting the sins of Israel upon the head of the goat, which was sent away into a wilderness, a land not inhabited; and the sending away of the goat represented the free and full remission of their sins. (This was done by the laying on of hands on the scape-goats head by the High Priest) He shall bear upon him all their iniquities. Thus Christ, the Lamb of God, takes away the sin of the world, by taking it upon himself, John 1:29. (The laying on of hands transferring, by the power of God, our sins on to the Savior to set us free in His resurrected life.) The entrance into heaven, which Christ made for us, was typified by the high priest's entrance into the most holy place. (Heb 9:7). The high priest was to come out again; but our Lord Jesus ever lives, making intercession, and always appears in the presence of God for us. Here are typified the two great gospel duties of faith and repentance. By faith we put our hands upon the head of the offering; relying on Christ as the Lord our Righteousness, pleading his satisfaction, as that which alone is able to atone for our sins, and procure us a pardon. By repentance we afflict our souls; not only fasting for a time from the delights of the body, but inwardly sorrowing for sin, and living a life of self-denial, assuring ourselves, that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. By the atonement we obtain rest for our souls, and all the glorious liberties of the children of God, we are set free by the 'Scape-Goat' and become the Scape-goat at the same time, able to live freely in a strange land, not this earthly land, but in a new and heavenly place. Sinner, get the blood of Christ effectually applied to thy soul, or else thou canst never look God in the face with any comfort or acceptance. Take this blood of Christ, apply it by faith, and see how it atones with God and be set free.
THE FUNDAMENTALS
OF CHRIST
1) Repent from dead works
2) Faith towards God
3) Laying on of hands
4) Doctrine of baptisms
5) Eternal judgment
6) Resurrection of the dead
7 Pillars of KNOWLEDGE
1) True nature of salvation
2)
The Jews: God's chosen seed
3) Fruits and fellowship
4) Gifts of the Spirit
5) Our part of the cross
6) Eternal Judgment
7) The Rapture
NOW WE TRAVEL TO:
'PERFECTION'
WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
ADD TO YOUR FAITH
1)Virtue
2)Knowledge
3)Patience
4)Temperance
5)Godliness
6)Brotherly Kindness
7)Love