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Arnie and Fred continue the discussion of when the miraculous gifts in the New Testament ended, We again note that at the end of Mark 16 after the Lord ascended we are told that He worked with them as they preached the word confirming it with signs following. We discuss other passages that indicate the purpose of the miraculous gifts and their duration. We note that now we can know what the apostles preached by referring to the confirmed words in our New Testaments. The means that these miraculous gifts were conferred is discussed. Warnings of false teachers is noted as well as warnings against adding to or taking from the words they delivered.

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In the last study, Arnie and Fred discussed how God confirmed His word by the miracles, signs and wonders He gave to the apostles to use for that purpose, according to Mark 16:20. In this study, we will discuss what the Bible says about when those miracles ceased. We will see that the Bible tells us when that occurred. We note that Paul names the various miraculous spiritual gifts that the apostles possessed and that they passed on to some of the disciples in the first century. I 1 Corinthians 13, Paul notes that those miraculous gifts would cease when "that which is perfect is come" and he gives examples that support what he says. He does the same thing in his writings to the Ephesians in Ephesians 4:8-16. He notes the roles of responsibility of those first century disciples as they delivered gthe revelation. In this context, The temporary nature of the miraculous spiritual gifts as they were used in the first century is noted here and their end when the full faith was delivered. We discuss Acts 8:14-16 where we learned that these miraculous spiritual gifts were conferred by the laying on of the apostles hands. Finally, we discuss the fact that since the apostles all died in the first century after the complete New Testament was delivered and confirmed, the ability to confer those gifts ceased as well as the gifts possessed by the disciples.

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Arnie and Fred continue the discussion on how God confirmed His word. We note that Mark says in Mark 16 verse 20 that after the Lord ascended to heaven, the apostles went everywhere preaching the word and the Lord worked with them confirming the word with signs following. WE note the numerous passages that record the miracles that the apostles performed that confirmed their teaching and preaching. Peter healed diseases and cast out demons. Paul conferred the Holy Spirit upon the disciples in Ephesus and they spoke foreign languages they never learned. Paul raised Eutychus from the dead at Troas. Both Stephen and Philip are mentioned as performing miracles that conformed their teaching. Finally, we note that the Bible says that once the apostles and inspired disciples delivered and wrote down all of God's words in the first century, the age of miracles ended.

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Understanding that the Bible is God's complete word and the fact Jesus says in John 12:48 that we will be judged by His words, we need to know how God confirmed or certified those words as being from Him and reliable. Jesus tells us in Mark 16:20 that the apostles went everywhere preaching the word and the Lord worked with them confirming the word with signs following. Fred and Arnie discuss these signs and miracles and show that God accompanied the delivery of His words throughout the Bible with miracles that verified that the words the men were providing came from God. The nature of various miracles described in the Old and New Testaments is discussed. Spiritual gifts that are recorded in the New Testament are noted as well as the means these were given to men. It is finally noted that the word of God having been completely revealed, documented in the Bible and miraculously confirmed, the age of miracles has now ended, according to the word of God. 

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Arnie and Fred continue with the discussion of Jesus requiring people to understand the Bible alike. Jesus originally sent His apostles out to teach the gospel in all the world and to every creature or individual according to Mark 16 and Matthew 28. He emphasized that those who did not obey His words would be judged for it. Jesus said this on a number of occasions. This requires people to understand what is said in the same way, that is, alike. We discuss the fact that words have meanings, and the author of those words determines their meanings in the context He uses them. The example of the use of the word "seed" is discussed. If the hearer or reader assigns a meaning to the word different from the author, he will misunderstand the author. The hearer of this podcast is challenged to determine if they understand the use of the word "seed" in the same way the author intended. Ultimately, there is no such thing as understanding the Bible differently. The fact is, we all be judged by the standard of God's word, the New Testament according to the Lord in John 12:48.