FOUNDATIONAL DOCTRINES OF CHISTIANITY
Perth Fellowship
LESSON NINE
FUNDAMENTALS OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES
Let us now see the fourth doctrine, the Laying on of hands (Hb.6.1-3)
Though it is a foundational doctrine of Christianity, it is highly neglected by most of the Christians.
In almost all the cultures shaking hands or placing the hands upon are all considered as an expression of love and affection.
In the Scripture, laying the hand upon somebody is a sign of transferring Gods authority to someone. It is symbolically used as a means of transferring some divine attribute to human beings. They are
BLESSING
Read Gen.48.8-19. Here Israel placed his hands upon the sons of Joseph to bless them. Jacob asked Joseph to bring his children so that he may bless them (V8).In order to bless, he laid his hands upon them. In Mathew 19.13-15 Jesus placed His hands upon the children to bless them.
AUTHORITY
Read Nb.27.15-23. Here Moses laid his hands on Joshua to hand over some of his authority to Joshua. Moses’s concern was that Israelites would be without a shepherd and he pleaded with the Lord for the same. In order to entrust the authority upon Joshua, Lord asked Moses to lay his hands upon Joshua. Read again 2Ki.13.14-19.Here Elisha laid his hands on Joash the king of Israel, as a sign of transferring spiritual power and authority to Joash. In OT, symbolically the sin of an individual was transferred to an animal by laying the hands of that person upon the animal. (Lev.1.4, 3.2, 4.4)
WISDOM
Read Dt.34.9. Here it is recorded that since Moses placed his hands upon Joshua, he was filled with the Spirit of wisdom. That was the reason why the children of Israel obeyed Joshua. It is true that if the ministering servant is not filled with the Spirit of wisdom, those who are ministered would find it difficult to heed him.
HOLY SPIRIT
Read Acts 8.14 -17.When apostles Peter and John laid their hands on the Samaritan believers they were filled with the Holy Spirit. In Acts 9.17 Ananias was sent by the Lord to impart healing and the filling of the Holy Spirit to Paul. Ananias laid his hands on Paul as a sign of accomplishing these spiritual atributes. In Acts 19.3-7 Apostle Paul laid his hand upon the Ephesian believers, in order to receive the Holy Spirit. From these we should not make a wrong conclusion that without laying on of hands Jesus would not baptise the believers with the Holy Spirit. See Acts.10 in the house of Cornelius they were all baptised in the Holy Spirit while they listened the Word. Laying on of hands became a synonym for receiving the Holy Spirit. Though different divine attributes are symbolically transferred by laying on of hands, no doubt receiving the Holy Spirit alone can be the foundational doctrine of Christianity.
SPIRITUAL GIFTS
In Mark.16.18. Lord asked His followers to lay their hands on the sick to impart the gift of healing. In James 5 the elders are asked to pray for the sick anointing with oil. This again shows a way of laying the hands on the sick. In Acts 28.8 Paul laid his hands on the sick to heal by symbolically transferring Lords healing power to the sick. In 2Timothy 1.6 Paul reminded Timothy of the spiritual gifts he received from Paul by the laying on of his hands.
MINISTRY
In Acts.6.6 Apostles laid their hands on the selected people to appoint them in a particular ministry. In Acts 13.3 the Church prayed, fasted and laid their hands on Paul and Barnabas to send them for the ministry of evangelisation. In 1Timothy 5.22 Paul told Timothy, not to lay hands upon the unqualified people, to hand over spiritual ministry.
From all the above passages it can be clearly seen that laying on of hands is used throughout the Scripture, symbolically as a sign of flowing different divine attributes to human beings and hence it is placed as a foundational doctrine in Christianity.
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Nb. Please read all the scriptures from the Bible preferably NKJV. For any clarification or doubt contact. perthfe...@gmail.com