Question: Concerning “He that believeth on Me the works that I do shall he do also.”

Question

John 14. 12. The Lord promises that “He that believeth on Me the works that I do shall he do also.” Should this be taken as referring to the miracles of Christ. If so, how is it that those who “believe on Him” today cannot do these works?

Answer

It is a fact that after the Lord Jesus had gone to the Father His Apostles wrought miracles; such miracles constituted the Divine attestation of the validity of the new message that they were then proclaiming. Moreover, in accordance with His promise they wrought greater works than His, as the events of the day of Pentecost and subsequently show. The calling out of the Gentiles a people for the name of Christ and their being, thereby, linked indissolubly with a risen Christ was greater than anything recorded in the gospels. The glorification of Christ was that which altogether altered things and made subsequent apostolic actions greater than that which had been done before or could have been done by anyone.

The cessation of the Apostolic sign gifts is doubtless due to the fact that they have served their purpose. Christianity is now well established; it is no novelty. It has once been adequately attested as authoritative and there is no need constantly to seal a thing.