Can a Christian do what Jesus Christ did? Jesus healed a deaf and mute man with a command, “Be opened.” If I had the opportunity to heal a deaf and mute person then would I be able to do it with a command? Can I do it like Jesus did it? Jesus always healed by command.
My first thought: “No, because I’m not God. Jesus was able to do it because he is God.” What if Jesus did not do miracles by command because he was God? What if Jesus did miracles as the “Son of Man” who walked in perfect obedience to his Father? What if he did miracles from his human nature anointed by the Holy Spirit, and not his divine nature. Jesus was empowered by the Holy Spirit at his baptism (Mark 1:9-11). If Jesus did miracles from his human nature anointed by the Holy Spirit, then it is not unreasonable to expect a Christian who is empowered by the Holy Spirit and living in obedience to Christ to do what he did and heal by command.
My second thought: “If Jesus did miracles from his human nature anointed by the Holy Spirit, then he did them from his sinless human nature. I will never have a sinless human nature, therefore I will not be able to do what Jesus did.” The disciples did not have sinless human natures, but Jesus gave them power and authority to heal the sick and cast out demons even before Pentecost. They healed and removed demons by command after being empowered by the Holy Spirit. The ability to heal the sick and cast out demons by command does not depend on having a sinless human nature like Christ. It depends on the transfer of power and authority from Christ to obedient Christians for the purpose of acting as “fishers of men” (Mark 1:17), preaching repentance, advancing the kingdom of God (Mark 6:7-13), and obeying the Great Commission (Mark 16:9-20).
Jesus always healed by command. He never prayed for people to be healed or delivered from demons as I do, leaving it up to the merciful sovereignty of God. I’m running out of excuses to do what Jesus did as he did it. Now it’s a matter of belief or unbelief (hardness of heart). I am earning a Doctor of Ministry, but I do not want any inaccurate theology to blind me to a straightforward understanding and practice of Scripture, to bind my belief, and prevent me from doing what Jesus did as he did it. If Jesus commands me to do it, then I must believe and do it in obedience.
Jesus’ expectation: John 14:12-14: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”
More to come as I contemplate this, believe and practice Scripture, and learn from Christians who are doing what Jesus did as he did it in order to fulfill the Great Commission before Christ returns.
Wilenghart’s Wisdom 