HANDS... the LAYING ON of....

HOLY HANDS

...for praying, for ministering,

for blessing, for worship...

Furthermore,

where does "laying on of hands" come in ?

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Is this use of our hands in accordance with Scripture?

Is it in accordance with the SPIRIT of GOD?

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The laying of on hands is found in only a few Scriptures. If one walks into many churches nowadays, one will find the "laying on of hands" going on with familiarity and ease... with everybody jumping into "doing" this. Is it in keeping with the WORD+ of GOD, both in Spirit and in Writing?

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Let's look at the Scriptures pertaining to the laying on of hands and evaluate: is it being done as the WORD+ of GOD teaches us to do it?

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But before we begin with Scriptures, let me share about three separate incidences of laying on of hands.

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The first one occurred in a conservative Anabaptist church. A church family was preparing to leave on a missionary journey. At the end of the church service, the congregation was called to "lay hands on the family" and pray. So, the men, women, and children of the congregation gathered around the family and did that. Later, the sisters were summoned to a Sunday School room and, after a time of sharing by a visiting sister, they laid hands on her and prayed.

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The second incident was in an evangelical Baptist church... one known for being on fire for GOD... and a similar situation occurred. Men, women, and children laid hands on the couple going forth on the missionary trip and prayed for them.
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The third incident happened in a small charismatic prayer meeting in a pastor's home, where, after a time of sharing, a lady was encircled for prayer. The pastor called for the sisters to come forward and lay hands on the lady during the prayer. So... we did.

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Was all that... or any of that... Scriptural? In other words, were these seemingly well-meaning activities which were sanctioned by the pastors and leaders of 3 very different church groups done IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WORD+ of GOD ?
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Now that we have started with the examples of the activities of current day Christians, let us return to the TRUE PLACE where we ALWAYS should start: with the WORD+ of GOD.... written for our benefit, for:

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All Scripture is given by inspiration of GOD, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in RIGHTEOUSNESS: that the man of GOD may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (Written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy... 2 Timothy 3:16,17)

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The first passage in Scripture is found in Acts 8:17-19 ~

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Then laid they (Peter and John) their hands on them (the new Samaritan believers) , and they received they HOLY GHOST. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the Apostles' hands the HOLY GHOST was given , he offered them money, saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the HOLY GHOST.

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~ ~ ~ So we see here that the Apostles laid hands on the new believers and prayed for them (see verse 15) and the new believers received the HOLY SPIRIT. That is, the church leaders in authority did the laying on of hands and the result was the baptism of the HOLY SPIRIT.

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~~ The second passage is found in I Timothy 4:14, where the Apostle Paul is speaking to Timothy with words of advice ~~

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Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

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Here we see that a Spiritual gift was bestowed upon Timothy. It came through the means of prophecy at the time of the laying on of hands. The hands-laying was those of the presbytery, or ordained eldership, the brothers appointed to be in charge.

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~ ~ ~ In the third passage, which is found in Hebrews 6:2, we have the Apostle admonishing the Brethren, saying they should be ready for MEAT but instead, they are in need of being re-taught as babes that need MILK. He says:

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Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of CHRIST, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward GOD, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

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In other words, the Apostle is saying let us not do again... over and over... the primary, beginning things of a Christian's walk. He is not saying let's stop these things totally, but let us not make these things the SUM TOTAL of Christianity. For, it is not the totality.

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But rather, let us GO ON towards maturity, REALLY picking up one's cross and following CHRIST as HE+ instructed us to do... to bring forth that good fruit which the Husbandman (The FATHER) is looking for... to decrease so that CHRIST+ would increase in our lives.

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~ ~ ~ ~ Also, in I Timothy 5:22, the Apostle is instructing Timothy in the order of the Church. He says:

Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.

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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The last Scriptural passage I found was in Acts 13:1-3 where Saul and Barnabus were separated out by the HOLY SPIRIT for their work. The Prophets and Teachers in the Antioch Church ministered to the LORD and fasted. Then the HOLY SPIRIT spoke to them about Saul and Barnabus.

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And when they (the prophets and teachers, all ordained brothers of the church) had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them (Saul and Barnabus), they sent them away.

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Now, to return to our topic:

Is laying on of hands Scriptural?

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YES... if it is done the same way as it was done in Scripture.

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By whom was it done?

The Apostles, prophets, or elders

( the brothers ordained to lead the church)

did the laying on of hands.

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Nowhere in Scripture is laying on of hands done by the congregation at large, the brothers and sisters in a prayer group, the unordained brothers, any of the sisters, or the children. It was considered a very serious thing to transfer very serious anointing and authority upon the one being prayed for.

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If we want The LORD'S blessing

then we must do it HIS+ way;

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HE+ is not obliged to honor

strange fire on the altar.

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In fact, HE+ loathes

the disregard of HIS+ Word.

(See Levitucus 10:1)

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O LORD GOD, FATHER of all mercies, help us to do Thy Work Thy way, so that it will be acceptable unto THEE. Deliver us from being out-of-order before Thy Majesty. Alert us when we are moving in opposition or in ignorance to Thy Holy Word. Awake in us a desire for pureness and holiness when we come before Thee. Help us to turn away from following the crowd in practices that are not sanctioned by Thy HOLY SPIRIT. Keep us from presumptuous sin. This we ask through Thy Great Mercies, in the name of Thy SON+ JESUS CHRIST, our LORD. Amen.

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ESTABLISHING the WORK of our HANDS...

So teach us to number our days,

that we may apply our hearts unto Wisdom+.

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Return, O LORD, how long?

and let it repent THEE concerning Thy Servants.

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O satisfy us early with Thy Mercy;

that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

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Make us glad according to the days

wherein THOU hast afflicted us,
and the years wherein we have seen evil.

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Let Thy Work appear unto Thy Servants,

and Thy Glory unto their children.

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And let the beauty of The LORD our GOD be upon us:

and establish THOU the work of our hands upon us;

yea, the work of our hands establish THOU it.

Psalm 90: 12-17

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This lovely, inspired passage in the Psalms seems to be talking about The LORD JESUS CHRIST, the ONE+ Who+ was in the beginning with GOD, the ONE+ Who+ was known as Wisdom+ , the Daily Delight of GOD the FATHER in Solomon's writings (Proverbs 8:30).

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Let us ponder more closely the phrase: Establish THOU the work of our hands... in that last verse of this passage.

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We know what is the Work of the LORD'S hands, don't we?

Putting clay on the eyes of one born blind, touching the leper for cleansing, taking the damsel by HIS+ Hand and telling her to arise... We recall the scourge HE+ made WITH HIS+ HANDS of small cords and drove the money-changers out of the Temple. And the Greatest Work of all... yielding HIS+ HANDS to the nails of the Cross. This was the Work of our LORD'S HANDS.

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Yet, what exactly is "the work of our hands ?"

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Since this passage is spiritually-oriented, it stands to reason that "the work of our hands" should be considered spiritually-oriented also.

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Our Praying Hands

Hands clasped together in prayer... in worship, in thanksgiving, in supplication for friends and enemies... are working hands, in the eyes of GOD, are they not ? Do you suppose these "working hands" are more lovely to Our Savior+ than hands that, perhaps, are busy holding a deck of cards... ? Don't you suppose HE+ sees us using our hands for all manner of things, both good and bad ?

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Do we want The LORD to establish "the work of our hands" when we use our hands to lock our doors and perhaps slam things around in our irritation with someone, things, or life in general... when we don't get our way? Is that the fruit we want to be established? Is that the testimony we want to have established upon us?

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Our hands should be used for HOLY purposes. As John Michael Talbot sang, "These are HOLY hands."

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A second HOLY work our hands can perform is making the sign of the Cross. Our friends in the Roman Catholic branches have been making the sign of the Cross for a long time, but...

the sign of the Cross

did NOT originate

with Roman Catholicism .

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Making the sign of the Cross is recorded by Tertullian as early as the year 197 AD, so it must have been done before that year, at least.

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Here is what some of the writings tell us about making the sign of the Cross long before the Roman Catholics acquired it; they simply retained the Early Christian practices. [ All quotes are from David Bercot's Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs, Scroll Publishing.]

From Tertullian ~

"At every forward step and movement, at every going in and out, when we put on our clothes and shoes, when we bathe, when we sit at the table, when we light the lamps, when on the couch, on a seat, and in all the ordinary actions of daily life, we trace the sign upon our foreheads." (c. 211, Western writer, 3.94.95, )

From Lactantius ~~

" HE+ is the salvation of all who have written on their foreheads the sign of blood. I am referring to the sign of the Cross, on which HE+ shed HIS+ Blood... But I will show in the last book in what manner or in what region all will be safe who have marked on the highest part of their body this sign of the true and divine Blood+. " (c.304-311, Western writer, 7.129).

"While the Emperor Diocletian sacrificed, some attendants of his, who were Christians, stood by and they put the immortal sign on their foreheads. At this, the demons were chased away, and the (un)holy rites were interrupted. (c. 320, W, 7.304).

From Cyprian~~~

"Women did not benefit from that sign of circumcision. However, all are sealed by the sign of The LORD." (c. 250w, 5.510).

"Only those can escape who have been born anew and signed with the sign of CHRIST. 'Have no pity upon old or young. And slay the virgins, the little ones, and the women, that they may be utterly destroyed. But do not touch any man upon whom is written the mark.' What this mark is and in what part of the body it is placed, GOD sets forth in another place, saying 'Go through the midst of Jerusalem and set a mark (tau ... like a T) upon the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry for all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof.' This sign pertains to the passion and blood of CHRIST. Whoever is found in this sign is kept safe and unharmed."

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We who are NOT of the Roman Catholic persuasion might do well to reconsider the practice of the signing of the Cross as part of our daily routine during worship and prayer. The Early Christians seemed to think it was a valid and genuine use of HOLY hands.

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O, LORD, THOU+ Whose+ hands were Most HOLY, help us to sow to the Spirit always, and establish THOU+ the work of these hands... made HOLY by Thy+ Blood and Spirit. Then, may our prayers be set forth before THEE+ as incense; and the lifting up of our hands as the evening sacrifice.

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In the name of The FATHER, Who created thee;

His+ HOLY SON+ JESUS, Who+ saves thee;

And The Blessed HOLY SPIRIT, Who sanctifies thee.

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