How can we apply the practice of laying on hands in our church? Setting the Scene in Acts 8:17 • “Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 8:17) • Samaritans had believed and been baptized, yet the apostles still stepped in to impart the Spirit through touch. • Scripture treats this physical act as a real, God-ordained means of blessing, not mere symbolism. What We See in the Text • A tangible point of contact: human hands meeting real people. • A divine response: the Holy Spirit actually given. • Apostolic example: a pattern meant to instruct later churches (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:1). Biblical Purposes of Laying On of Hands • Receiving the Holy Spirit – Acts 8:17; Acts 9:17; Acts 19:6 • Commissioning for ministry – Acts 6:6; Acts 13:3; 1 Timothy 4:14 • Healing the sick • Imparting blessing – Mark 10:16; Genesis 48:17-20 (Jacob over Ephraim and Manasseh) • Restoring and reconciling – James 5:14 (prayer with elders, paired with anointing oil) • Foundational doctrine – Hebrews 6:1-2 lists “the laying on of hands” among elementary teachings, showing its continuing relevance. Who Should Lay Hands? • Qualified leadership – Elders or recognized leaders in orderly settings (1 Timothy 4:14; James 5:14). – Spirit-filled believers sent by leadership may also participate (Acts 9:17, Ananias). • Caution and purity – “Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands.” (1 Timothy 5:22) – The act implies endorsement; churches guard against endorsing unresolved sin or false teaching. Practical Guidelines for Local Churches Today • Teach the congregation: explain from Scripture why hands are laid, so faith rises in those receiving. • Pair with prayer and, when fitting, fasting (Acts 13:3) to seek God’s guidance and power. • Maintain order: schedule times in services or small groups where elders can minister without haste. • Offer for multiple needs: – Salvation follow-up, asking for fullness of the Spirit. – Sending missionaries or new ministry leaders. – Healing services or hospital visits. • Encourage expectancy: remind recipients that God Himself acts—leaders are only vessels. • Document new ministries: when commissioning, record dates and witnesses, reflecting Acts-style accountability. • Respect individual comfort: obtain verbal consent, use appropriate touch, and accommodate cultural sensitivities. • Stay anchored to Scripture: evaluate every reported result by biblical truth, not by emotions alone. Keeping Christ at the Center • The hands are human, the power is the Lord’s: “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit.” (Zechariah 4:6) • Every laying on of hands ultimately points to the once-for-all Mediator whose own hands were pierced (Isaiah 53:5). • By following the biblical pattern, the church testifies that Jesus is alive, still saving, still calling, still healing through His Spirit today. |
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