Does the laying on of hands impart a spiritual gift or anointing?
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| Dove representation in the Baptism of Christ by Pietro Perugino, circa 1498 (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Timothy’s fervor and devotion had cooled to some degree. Paul’s first admonition, therefore, was for this young pastor to renew his divinely inspired commitment to proclaim and defend the gospel and to faithfully shepherd the believers God had entrusted to his care.
YOU ALREADY HAVE A SPIRITUAL GIFT?
Under the Spirit’s guidance, and in His power, we must regularly exercise the gift we have received from God, lest it atrophy from neglect and disuse.
Gift refers to the general categories of spiritual gifts that Paul explains in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12. God sovereignly bestows these enablements on believers according to His own divine will, totally apart from any personal merit, qualification, or seeking. Therefore, “since we have gifts [charismata, plural of charisma] that differ according to the grace [charis] given to us,” Paul admonished believers in Rome, “let each exercise them accordingly” (Rom. 12:6).
STIR THAT GIFT UP!
2 Timothy 1:6-7 “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
Through the laying on of my hands may mean that Paul laid his hands on Timothy at the time of his conversion, which corresponded to the time of receiving his unique spiritual giftedness.
THAT GIFT CAME BY THE LAYING ON OF HANDS?
Timothy’s spiritual endowment may have been extraordinarily received, or perhaps enhanced at a later time, through the… hands of the apostle, as well as through “the laying on of hands by the presbytery” (1 Tim. 4:14), and “in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you” (1 Tim. 1:18).
OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO FAN IT INTO FLAME
Divine giftedness is to be continually rekindled, fanned into flame, in order that Christ may fully work out His will for us and through us. The very fact that we have giftedness from God demands its full and constant use.
And the fact that every believer has a divinely bestowed gift means that every believer has a divinely equipped ministry.
The spirit which He gave us, was not the spirit of timidity (literally, “cowardice,” which is weakness), but of “power” (exhibited in a fearless “testimony” for Christ, 2 Ti 1:8). “Power is the invariable accompaniment of the gift of the Holy Ghost. Lu 24:49; Ac 1:8; compare Ac 6:6, “full of faith and of the Holy Ghost,” with 2 Ti 1:8, “full of faith and power.”
So if each person has a gift and that gift needs stirring, why would we want a transfer of a gift from another person; or their anointing...even if it were possible?
- Amongst some it is believed there is a power called the “anointing” which is being transferred by the touch of one person to another, however, the message of the Christian faith was to be spread by teaching from one to another.
- Paul instructs timothy ‘And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit or pass on these to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.’ (2 Timothy 2.2)
- True spiritual growth comes through the testing of our faith, by our consistent reading, understanding and applying the Word in our lives.
- Laying hands on the sick to pray is not the same as imparting the spirit and watching them buckle.
DID ELIJAH TRANSFER DOUBLE PORTION OF THE SPIRIT TO ELISHA?
In Israel, the firstborn son inherited a double share of his father’s possessions and with it the right of succession (Deut. 21:17). “A double portion of your spirit” was not merely Elisha’s request to succeed Elijah in his prophetic ministry, since the Lord had already revealed this succession in 1 Kin. 19:16–21.
Nor was it Elisha’s desire for ministry superior to Elijah’s, though Elisha did, in fact, do twice as many recorded miracles as Elijah. Apparently, Elisha was asking to succeed Elijah in the prophetic office, as God had promised, with spiritual power beyond his own capabilities to meet the responsibilities of his position as Elijah’s successor. He desired that Elijah’s mighty power might continue to live through him.
2 Kings 2:10 a hard thing. Since only God can give spiritual power, Elijah did not have the ability to grant Elisha’s request. Elijah told Elisha that if Elisha saw his departure, it would be the sign that God Himself would grant Elisha’s request. In the OT the Holy Spirit was not given to all, but was limited to a few and for special purposes.
GOD TRANSFERRED THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE OT.
In Numbers 11:16-17; 24-26 the Lord took the Spirit that was on Moses and put the Spirit on the 70 elders, leaders and officials to share the burden.Some of the ability or power given by God to Moses was given to the new elders. The Holy Spirit frequently enables people to perform tasks in the OT
WE ALREADY HAVE AN ANOINTING!
Corinthians reads ‘Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God who has also sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.’ We have been sealed with the Holy Spirit living inside us. 1 John 2.27: ‘These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things and is true and is not a lie and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.’
John is not denying the importance of gifted teachers in the church (1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11) but indicates that neither those teachers nor those believers are dependent on human wisdom or the opinions of men for the truth. God’s Holy Spirit guards and guides the true believer into the truth (see vv. 20, 21).
1 John 2:20-21. Two characteristics mark genuine Christians in contrast to the antichrists. First, the Holy Spirit (“an anointing,” v. 27) guards them from error (cf. Acts 10:38; 2 Cor. 1:21).
Christ as the Holy One (Luke 4:34; Acts 3:14) imparts the Holy Spirit as their illuminating guardian from deception.
Second, the Holy Spirit guides the believer into knowing “all things” (John 14:26; 16:13). True Christians have a built in lie detector and persevere in the truth. Those who remain in heresy and apostasy manifest the fact that they were never genuinely born again (cf. v. 19).
