The Power of the Cross: Introduction
Power in Weakness and Biblical Balance
The evidence presented by the contributors shows that miraculous healing and spiritual gifts are not ends in themselves, according to Scripture. They are tools to be used to encourage the Body of Christ toward holiness of life, effective witness to the lost, and endurance (I Pet. 4:10-11). Michael Green describes the balance well:
Much Western Christianity has concentrated too much on the Cross, symbolizing the suffering, weakness, and sorrow of our earthly existence. There is truth in that but not exhaustive truth.
Charismatic Christianity, on the other hand, has concentrated too much on the Resurrection, on the transcendental power of the new life, its signs and wonders and excitement.
A realistic Christianity will hold equally fast to both. And that is what you see in Paul, who claims, “The signs of a true apostle were performed among you in all patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works” (2 Cor. 12:12), but almost in the same breath confides, “I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10).
Power in weakness. That is the place of signs and wonders in today’s church in general and in evangelism in particular.38
Richard Foster has also emphasized such a balance and pointed out that healing and gift-based ministry is simply a normal and biblical part of a life of faith in Christ:
Healing prayer is part of the normal Christian life. It should not be elevated above any other ministry in the community of faith, nor should it be undervalued; rather, it should be kept in proper balance. It is simply a normal aspect of what it means to live under the reign of God.39
Although miracles and healings of all kinds and classes should be received gladly as a part of what it means to live in the kingdom of God, they merely come with the territory for those who walk in the light of God’s grace. They should be expected as part of the normal Christian life. … One of the greatest hindrances today to the free exercise of the healing ministry is the tendency to view certain aspects of it as some sort of “big deal.” The religion of the “big deal” stands in opposition to the way of Christ. It is this spirit that can lead to the cruelest excesses. … Healing prayer is simply a way of showing love to people. The healings, physical or otherwise, are the natural outflow of compassion.40
This book intends to help the reader reexamine what Scripture shows about God’s power and the function of healing and gift-based ministry as a demonstration of the power of the gospel. This book also shares the thoughtful reflection of pastors and church leaders about the importance of ministering the power of the gospel through prayer for healing and ministry with the gifts of the Spirit in order to reach the lost for Christ and to bless and strengthen the Body of Christ. What is offered in this book does not pretend to answer every practical and theological question related to healing and gift-based ministry. The following chapters represent only a preliminary attempt to reexamine the scriptural evidence and address the most basic issues related to such ministry.
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Next Issue (Summer 2006):
“Old Testament Foundation: Signs and Wonders in Prophetic Ministry and the Substitutionary Atonement of Isaiah 53” by Jeffrey Niehaus
Notes
1Three waves of renewal in this century (Pentecostal, charismatic, and third wave) are growing at a rate of 19 million new members a year or 54,000 a day worldwide according to a 1988 article by Anglican scholar and statistician, Dr. David Barrett, “The Twentieth-Century Pentecostal/Charismatic Renewal in the Holy Spirit, with Its Goal of World Evangelization,” International Bulletin of Missionary Research (July, 1988): 1-10; id., “Statistics, Global,” in S. M. Burgess et al., eds., Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1988), pp. 810-830.
2The term “gift-based ministry” refers to ministry with all spiritual gifts, including the miraculous gifts which, as scriptural examples from the Gospels, Acts, and the epistles show, demonstrate God’s presence and power in a dramatic way (prophecy, word of knowledge, word of wisdom, gifts of healing, working of miracles, distinguishing spirits, tongues, interpretation). The term does not exclude less overt spiritual gifts (service, teaching, evangelism, encouragement, contributing to need, leadership, mercy, administration, helps). Both the overt miraculous gifts and the less overt gifts of the Spirit are intertwined with one another in the New Testament lists of Romans 12, I Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4, suggesting that God sees no distinction.
Category: Pneuma Review, Spirit, Spring 2006
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