PERFECTION

PERDITION

OR

cleansings' imposed by the traditions of the elders. Thus, whether imposed by God or men, these baptisms were

carnal ordinances, and had no place in `that which is perfect'.

A careful comparison of Hebrews 9:10 with Hebrews 10:1-4 will show by the repetition of such words as

`conscience' and `perfect' that these ordinances were contemporary with the Levitical sacrifices, and both passed

away together. The epistle to the Hebrews is the first Scripture which reveals that the sacrifices appointed by God

were to cease; so also with the ordinances which formed a part of the same appointed service.

Acts 8:12-18 makes the connection between water baptism, and the laying on of hands very apparent. `They

were baptized', then `they laid hands upon them, and they received pneuma hagion' (holy spirit, the gifts). `Simon

saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands pneuma hagion was given'. Again, in Acts 19:6 we read,

`When Paul had laid his hands upon them, pneumato hagion came on them, and they spake with tongues, and

prophesied'. In Acts 28:8, `Paul prayed and laid hands upon him and healed him'. These things have ceased and

passed away. After Acts 28, although we have the record of several who were sick, we have no instance of anyone

healing them by the laying on of hands. After Acts 28 we read of believers receiving the seal of the Holy Spirit of

promise, but never that such was given by the laying on of hands. `Not with hands' might be an appropriate

inscription written over the present dispensation. As we have seen, the gifts today are directly given by the ascended

and glorified Lord (Eph. 4:8-11), without the interposition of man at all.

Paul reminded Timothy of a past act in 1 Timothy 4:14 and in 2 Timothy 1:6, but when he tells Timothy to `do

the work of an evangelist' there is no need or warrant for the `laying on of hands'. The instruction, `lay hands

suddenly on no man' (1 Tim. 5:22) has reference to the custom which signified approval (as in Acts 13:3); no gifts

were conferred thereby, and none are specified as necessary in the qualifications given in 1 Timothy 3. Thus again

we see that even in the setting aside of this ceremony, a ceremony which was once accompanied by such mighty

power, a confirmation in the true sense of the word (Mark 16:20 and Heb. 2:3), the believer is led to see the fulness

that is his in Christ alone.

One has but to read 1 Corinthians 12 to 14 to understand that the possession of miraculous gifts was not a sign of

`perfection' but rather of `childhood' (see 1 Cor. 13:8-11).

Nothing can be more certain than that the apostle Paul would never tamper with the `foundation of God', the

`hope' of the believer, which is resurrection. Yet there must be something hidden beneath the surface to account for

so remarkable a statement as that given in Hebrews 6 in both the A.V. and R.V. We make a great mistake when we

assume that the resurrection as taught by the Pharisees, or believed by the generality of the Jews and the disciples,

and that proclaimed by the apostles, were all one and the same. We must carefully follow the actual `words which

the Holy Ghost teacheth', if we would understand Hebrews 6:2.

The words translated `the resurrection of the dead' in Hebrews 6:2 are in the original anastaseos nekron. Let us

trace the use of these words in other passages. We are aware that one of the great differences between the

Sadducees and the Pharisees was that the former denied the resurrection, whereas the latter believed it (Matt. 22:23).

In Acts 23:6 we read, `Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee, of the hope and resurrection of the

dead (anastasis nekron) I am called in question'. Again in Acts 24:21 he says, `touching the resurrection of (the)

dead (anastaseos nekron) I am called in question'. In reference to this he had said, `believing all things which are

written in the Law and in the Prophets, and have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall

be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust'. These passages give us the belief of the orthodox Jew,

founded upon the Law and the Prophets.

John 11:24 shows us that the sister of Lazarus entertained the same belief. `Martha saith unto Him, I know that

he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day'. The same Gospel gives Christ's own words on this subject in

John 5:28,29, `The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth,

they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of