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Chapter Three: Laying of Hands |
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 NY PERSON CAN LAY HIS HANDS to anyone. This is the
trend in these latter days. Self-appointed
born-again pastors and preachers lay their hands
just to anybody to heal them of their sicknesses, to
bless them, or to ease their troubled minds and
hearts. But according to Matthew 24:24:
"For there shall arise false Christs, and false
prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders;
insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall
deceive the very elect."
It does not only sound good but also looks good as
if there is a real feeling of compassion and love.
It is true that touching a person is sometimes an
expression of love: a motherly touch will develop
the mental and physical well-being of a child, a
touch can also spark the sexual lust of a person as
mentioned in James 1:14:
"But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of
his own lust, and enticed."
A touch of the first century Christ is enough to
heal the sick, comfort the depressed, and to drive
out evils as written in Matthew 9:35:
"And Jesus went about all the cities and villages,
teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the
gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness
and disease among the people."
The doctrine of laying on of hands did not start in
the time of our Lord Jesus Christ, millennia before
Christ, Moses laid his hands upon Joshua to give him
power and authority according to Deuteronomy 34:9
“And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of
wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and
the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did
as the LORD commanded Moses.”
And in Hebrews 6:1,
“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,”
Isaac blessed the supposed Esau who was Jacob and
gave him all the rights of a first born through the
laying on of His hands. We can read about this in
Genesis 27:21-23:
"And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee
that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my
very son Esau or not. And Jacob went near unto Isaac
his father; and felt him, and said, The voice is
Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.
And he discerned him not, because his hands were
hairy, as his brother Esau's hand: so he blessed
him."
We can also read that Ananias laid his hands on Paul
to rid him off of his blindness and opened his eyes
to the truth, and in Acts 22:12-14, it was written:
"And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law,
having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt
there, Came unto me and stood, and said unto me,
Brother Saul (Paul), receive thy sight. And the same
hour I looked hath chosen thee, that shouldest know
his well, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear
voice of his mouth.''
In another instance, Paul laid his hands on to
Timothy, his successor to the administration of the
Church, this is what we can read in II Timothy 4:1;
3:14
"I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord
Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead
at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word;
be instant in reason, out of season; reprove,
rebuke, exhort will all long- suffering and
doctrine." "But continue thou in the things which
thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing
of whom thou hast learned them;"
But this very same Paul admonished Timothy not to
lay his hands readily to anybody, lest he be
corrupted with the sin of others - I Timothy 5:22:
"Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker
of other men's sins: keep thy self pure.”
This very same Paul also said in Hebrews 6:1-2:
"Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine
of Christ, let us go 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."
That leaving behind the fundamental doctrines of
Christ . . . the doctrine of laying on of hands . .
. we must go on unto perfection.
B. IS THERE ANYTHING WRONG ABOUT LAYING ON OF HANDS?
TWO SEPARATE ENTITIES LIKE the human body can
chemically and electrically induce power to a
person. Optimism in thinking and in belief can be
influenced by laying on of hands. Thus, the immune
system is boosted and the power of mind is kindled.
This explains the principle of laying on of hands
both scientifically and spiritually, Jesus of
Nazareth oftentimes laid his hands on the sick to
heal them of their illnesses. The enormous power
within the body of Christ is released to the subject
person thereby healing him of his physical sickness.
We can remember this event that once a woman, sick
for 12 years, was healed when she touched the hem of
the garment of Jesus. In Matthew 9:20-21, we can
read this event:
"And behold, a woman, which was diseased with an
issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and
touched the hem of his garment: For she said within
herself, If I may but touch his garment I shall be
whole." In an occasion, Jesus also laid his hands on
the small children, whom the apostles forbade to
come near him, it must be understood that these
small children are not sick of illnesses"
Then there is also a record of our Lord Jesus Christ
when he touched the little children and he said that
the kingdom of heaven is with them. Thus, we can
read in Matthew 19:13-15
"Then were there brought unto him little children,
that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and
the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer
little children, and forbid them not, to come unto
me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And he
laid his hands on them, and departed thence”.
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Doctrines of
Christ
