Disciple Powers

Dear Victorious,

Our preacher has been talking about what it looks like to be a disciple of Christ. Specifically, he points to Matthew 10:8 as being our mandate to "heal the sick, raise the dead and cast out demons." But this was when Jesus sent out his original disciples. Isn't it just a bit unrealistic to expect people today to carry out such acts? In fact, I would argue that these were simply Jesus' instructions to those original disciples. Am I right? I know people today can't actually perform these acts, but I suspect it's okay because God doesn't expect us to.

Steven B. - Wichita, KS

Dear Steven,

No, I don't believe you are right. One of the things we have to look at with any Scripture is how it may correlate to the rest of Scripture. So, for example, you can cite Matthew 10:8 as being specifically Jesus' instructions to those original disciples. But you'd have to consider what else Scripture has to say and how it may correspond to what He said here (in Matthew 10:8).

Look at Mark 16:17-18, where Jesus said, "And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly person, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." Notice that Jesus isn't making this a condition of being one of His disciples. Rather He is point to it as evidence of the fact the someone is one of His disciples.

We aren't used to seeing such miracles today because we aren't used to seeing such people of faith today. Remember who the original disciples were. They left everything they had to follow Jesus. And they followed Him so diligently that most were martyred for their faith. When we have such people in the world today, I would argue that they will be fully capable of these kinds of miracles. But they must first be capable of that kind of faith.