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Questions & Answers

From

God's Word

A Transition Period

1/29/2026

 
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Sadly, this question has engendered confusion over the years. In the truest, most absolute sense, the Scriptures speak of "that first covenant [the Old Testament]" and "the second [the New Testament]" (Hebrews 8:7). So, there are only two Testamental Dispensations. 

The Hebrew writer penned: "For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead" (Hebrews 9:16-17). So, in reality, the New Testament was not in force until Christ died.

Many times, confusion arises because our understanding is deficient in some manner. Certainly, the Lord does not want us confused, and He certainly never gave us His Word to confuse us ("God is not the author of confusion"; 1 Corinthians 14:33). We are instructed to "study" to be "rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). This requires us to do as Isaiah 28:13 admonishes and lay "precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little." Every Scripture must be compatible with the entire harmony and scheme of the Scriptures. 

To properly understand there was a time of transition, we must recognize some truths concerning the ministry of the one styled in Matthew 3:1 as "John the Baptist" ("Baptizer"; Wuest's Expanded Translation of the Greek New Testament) and of Christ. John was a unique man who was a definite fulfillment of prophecy. 

In Malachi 4:5, the prophet wrote, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord." Concerning John in Matthew 11:14, Jesus proclaimed, "If ye will receive it, this is Elias [Greek for the Hebrew Elijah], which was for to come." John was designated as "my messenger," who "shall prepare the way before me" (Malachi 3:1). In Matthew 11:10, Jesus said this was fulfilled in John. 

Notice the curious statement Jesus made concerning John. Matthew 11:11 states, "Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist ['baptizer'; Wuest's]: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." How can these expressions be so? It is because John was one who was "born of women," and the "least in the kingdom" is "born of the Spirit" (John 3:6). 

In Matthew 11:9, Jesus was speaking of John when He said, "A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet." John occupied the position as the last of the Old Testament prophets, and he came "in the spirit and power of Elias [Elijah]" (Luke 1:17). There had not been a public message from God since Malachi, 434 years earlier. (These 434 years were the "threescore and two weeks" the Prophet Daniel prophesied of in Daniel 9:25.) 

John's role was unique. He was "to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Luke 1:17). Jesus said John was "more than a prophet" because of the special position he occupied. He came "in the spirit and power of Elias [Elijah]," and he was "saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 3:2).   John was preaching "the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins" (Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3). All this was "to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Luke 1:17).

One truth that must be recognized—the doctrine of repentance is not solely a New Testament doctrine. Ezekiel 14:6 records, "Thus saith the Lord God; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols." Ezekiel 18:30 says, "Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions." The repentance aspect of John's message was the same as the Old Testament message. The distinction was what followed his message of repentance—"the kingdom of heaven is at hand." For people to be made ready (Luke 1:17) required sin to be dealt with. Thus, it was necessary to "preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins" (Mark 1:4). 

Israel was covenantally still under the Old Testament. When Jesus healed the ten lepers (subsequent to John's ministry), He said, "Go shew yourselves unto the priests" (Luke 17:14), in compliance with the Law (Leviticus 14:2).  However, the ministry and message of John were unique; no other prophet had that message. This aspect of "remission" was a precursor to a new dispensation that was "at hand" (Matthew 3:2). It was John's message concerning "remission," "prepare," and "the kingdom" that was transitory, and Christ continued this message concerning "the kingdom" (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15; Luke 4:43). 

Prior to John's ministry, access into "the kingdom of God" (Luke 16:16) was not an availability. However, "since that time [John] the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it" (Luke 16:16). Thus, at that juncture, a positive response to the message enabled people to enter "into it." The Emphatic Greek Diaglott renders it as, "Every one into her presses." 

Repentance and remission were necessary, and the result was the ability to enter the kingdom. However, "the kingdom of God" did not "come with power" (Mark 9:1) during John's ministry, nor during the earthly ministry of Christ.   Christ said in Mark 9:1, "Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power." It came "with power" on the Day of Pentecost (A.D. 33), as Christ told them in Acts 1:8, when He said, "Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you." The experience the people had (with repentance and remission) also had a preparation component. 

Acts 19:4 reads, "That they should believe on him which should come after him [John], that is, on Christ Jesus." They had to have an operation of faith. When they exercised that faith, they became "justified by faith" (Romans 5:1).
Earl R. Borders
From the February 2026 issue of The Gospel Trumpeter

Gifts of the Spirit

1/23/2026

 
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Does James 5:14-15 Mean All the Elders   in the Local   Churches Have the   Gift of Healing?
James 5:14-15 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he hath committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

In 1 Corinthians 12:29-30, the Apostle Paul posed several questions to which the answer to each is clearly no. In verse 30, he asked, "Have all the gifts of healing?" First Corinthians 12:9 states, "To another faith by the same Spirit; TO ANOTHER the gifts of healing by the same Spirit." So, not everyone receives "the gifts of healing." 

However, that is not what is being spoken of in James. James was speaking of a general practice the ministry engages in, just as they deal with souls around the altar for spiritual help. As they gather together, there is power in agreement (Matthew 18:19), and they are inspired to pray "the prayer of faith" (James 5:15). This practice and "the gifts of healing" are two separate things.
Can a Minister Without the Gift of Healing Lay Hands on and Pray for the Sick?
​The answer, as evidenced by James 5:14-15, is a resounding yes! Part of the divine commission Jesus gave prior to His Ascension was, "They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover" (Mark 16:18). Recovery is not instantaneous healing. The instruction in James is predominantly for those cases where brethren are there, but one with "the gifts of healing" is not present. Thus, any God-called minister has the liberty to participate in laying hands on and praying for the sick. They do not have to either wait for or seek out one who has the special gifts. Provision has been made through this avenue recorded in James.
How Do the Gifts of   Healing,
​Faith, and   Miracles Differ? 
These are separate gifts for separate and distinct purposes. Let us consider "the working of miracles" (1 Corinthians 12:10). Jesus manifested this gift. John 2:1-10 relates the account of Jesus turning the water into wine. That was a miraculous event! Three Synoptic Gospel accounts relate Christ feeding five thousand men, not counting the women and children (Matthew 14:21). Afterward, He had "twelve baskets full" (Matthew 14:20) remaining. A miracle is not always related to healing, though it may be. 
​
"Gifts of healing" (1 Corinthians 12:9) are specific for that purpose—"healing." The Apostle Peter had those "gifts" (it is mentioned in the plural because there are many different manifestations). When Peter spoke to the lame man "at the gate ... which is called Beautiful" (Acts 3:2), he said, "Such as I HAVE give I thee ... rise up and walk" (Acts 3:6). The Apostle Peter had a special gifting. In Acts 5:15, we read of people being divinely healed by "the shadow of Peter passing by." These "spiritual gifts" (1 Corinthians 12:1) differ in their purpose and performance.

First Corinthians 12:9 speaks of "to another faith by the same Spirit." This could be exhibited by such events as when the Apostle Paul received the divine call to "come over into Macedonia and help us" (Acts 16:9). The next verse reveals how they took faith in the call—"immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia." That was "faith" operating
How Can One Know  If He/She
​Has One or All of These Gifts?
There is no Scriptural premise that indicates any individual has, or will, receive "all of them." First Corinthians 12:11 speaks of the Spirit "dividing to every man SEVERALLY as he will." God may desire to use certain brethren for a very certain, and special, sacred service; so He equips them with various and several gifts for that usage. The Spirit will witness to the individual the gifts they have and for what purpose. "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit" (Romans 8:16). 
​
The wise man penned in Proverbs 18:16, "A man's gift maketh room for him." When an individual truly has a gift, or gifts, bestowed upon him, the saints will recognize it, and spiritual leadership will make "room for him.
Can One Be Given  Multiple Gifts?
First Corinthians 12:11 addresses this question, saying, "dividing to every man SEVERALLY as he will." So, the answer is yes. Peter and Paul are prime examples of this. The Apostle Peter had "the gifts of healing," but he also had "discerning" (1 Corinthians 12:9-10). Consider his discernment concerning Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11). Peter had "prophecy" (1 Corinthians 12:10). Second Peter, Chapter 2, is full of "prophecy." Peter also operated the gift of "tongues" (1 Corinthians 12:10) in Acts, Chapter 2.
​
The Apostle Paul had "the word of wisdom" and "the word of knowledge" (1 Corinthians 12:8). Peter said in 2 Peter 3:15-16, "Even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood." 

No doubt, the Apostle Paul had other gifts, such as "faith" (Acts 27:21-44; 28:3-6), "prophecy" (Acts 20:29-30; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; 1 Timothy 4:1-4; 2 Timothy 4:1-4) and "discernment" (Acts 14:9 says "perceived," which means "to discern clearly"; Strong's Exhaustive Concordance). I am certain many other Scriptures and gifts could be cited.
How Can We Determine   If It
Is Talents or a  Spiritual Gift? 

Can a Talent Be   Transformed or Converted Into a 
Spiritual Gift   at Salvation?​​
A spiritual "gift" is just that—a "gift." It is something one did not have before and was then divinely given. A "talent" is not to be confused with the Parable of the Talents, in which talents were instruments of monetary value. A "talent" such as we think of today has a totally different meaning. (Webster's New World Dictionary defines talent as "any natural ability or power; natural endowment; a special, superior ability in an art, mechanics, learning, etc.") 

The key word for describing a talent is NATURAL (natural ability, natural endowment). "Spiritual gifts" (1 Corinthians 12:1) are supernatural. They come from a supernatural source. "But all these ['all' the 'gifts'] worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:11). 
​

A "talent" comes from a natural source or inclination. When an individual is saved (gains a real experience of salvation), and he presents his body "a living sacrifice" (Romans 12:1), the Greek word for "bodies" is soma. According to The New Strong's Expanded Dictionary of Bible Words With Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary, "The word stands ... for the complete man." 

When an individual consecrates or sanctifies himself, it includes a surrendering of "natural" talents for sacred, or sanctified, use. When that individual yields that talent or talents to God, then certainly the Lord blesses the talent presented to Him. However, there is still a distinction between the "natural ability" that was developed and a spiritual gift that was given. It could become a sanctified natural talent, or the Lord could choose to add a supernatural gift (or not to add the gift) to the individual. The decision belongs to the Divine
Earl R. Borders
From the January 2026 issue of The Gospel Trumpeter

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