Then those laid hands on in acts to recieve the anointing after salvation were done in vain.
God is not served by human hands (Blasphemy) The laying on hands is a common metaphor that represents a desire. . not the power or of corrupted human touch . (The money maker)
When those who have no faith (not little, none) by which they could hear the gospel of Christ .(not of their own church in place of the gospel ) .When the spiritual understanding was hid from them who do not mix faith in what they see or hear. They violated the first commandment .....no other gods and made their experience the validator of the unseen .Turning corrupted mankind into gods in the likeness of men
Metaphors are never used in vain. They give the unseen spiritual understanding. Its the gospel as
it is written that has the power to heal .
And there they
preached the gospel. And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who
never had walked:The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and
perceiving that he had faith to be healed, Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.And
when the "people saw" what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The
gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, Acts 14 7-14
If a person does witness the laying on hands which I have witnessed.
I have not witness the congregation turning the elders in gods in the likeness of men .That's for the signs and wonderment followers.
How some confuse the literal what the eyes with the signified( faith law) is a mystery to them .It is revealed to those who walk by faith ,
In One instance they were laid hands on and they got the baptism in the Holy Spirit before salvation
The real down to earth laying on of hands are healing is done in the hospitals by trained Surgeons or Moms that can take out splinters and giving a healing kisses.
God is not served by human hands in any way shape or form. its the thing the faithless Jew performed turning things upside down taking away the understanding as in all things written in the law and the prophets (sola scriptura). the Christian armor of defense
Isaiah 29:16 Surely your
turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it,
He had no understanding?
In a spiritual setting as those two or three witness of His authority who gather together in the name of Jesus. . . . laying on of hands is a metaphor used in ceremonies as shadows or representations of the hidden glory of God, His holy Place. They symbolically are used express a desire that God would give the witness of His Spirit in a hope he will heal.. or bring salvation .
Simply a form of prayer. like folding ones hand or bowing down. Not a source for raises the dead. I would think we would no more attribute the laying on of hands a healing as those who seek after signs any more then when praying and one hand touches the other. We walk by faith the unseen living hope as it works in us .
We as we brings the gospel are to let the dead bury their own. We are buried with Christ and have a new spirit that will be raised on the last day . I would think we should be careful in how we hear. . . using all the tools he has given us to search for the treasure we have in us . The Pearl of great price. The pearly gate we enter into fellowship with (Christ) at the cost of pouring out His Holy Spirit on corruted flesh in jeopardy of His own Spirit . To do what the letter of the law could not do. . . heal and bring new spirit life as a living hope rising above all human hope. .
Men using assigned metaphors speaking in the new tongue "the gospel" .
2 Corinthians 4:7But we have this
treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
Its not about the flesh (earthen vessels) as some sort of power.