Ordination of Chad Wagner

Ordination By The Laying On Of Hands I. ordain: To appoint, decree, destine, order. To appoint (a person, etc.) to a charge, duty, or office. II. The ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ is perpetuated by one elder/bishop/pastor/minister/steward instructing qualified able men and ordaining them. 2TI 2:2 c/w TIT 1:5-9. A. The office of N.T. ministry began with Jesus Christ ordaining the apostles (MAR 3:14) who were also elders (1PE 5:1) as well as seventy others. LUK 10:1. B. The N.T. shows the apostles doing the work of elders, including ordaining others. C. An elder has received a gift by prophecy. 1TI 4:14. 1. The gift bestowed is the office of pastor and teacher. EPH 4:8-11. 2. By the prophecy (divinely inspired utterance) of Scripture, a potential elder is identified and called. D. TIT 1:5-9 shows that a single elder can ordain. 1. Paul takes credit for the ordination of Timothy, his special son in the faith. 2TI 1:6 c/w ACT 16:1-3; 1CO 4:17. 2. Paul described this as being done by the presbytery. 1TI 4:14. a. presbytery: The office of a presbyter; eldership or priesthood. b. If one has the office of a presbyter (elder), he has what is needed to confer that office upon another. 3. This accords with the fact that a single steward may rule his lord's house. LUK 12:42. E. Ordination may also be performed by multiple elders. ACT 13:3. F. Whether ordination be by one or by multiple elders, the Holy Ghost makes a man an overseer (bishop) or elder of the church. ACT 20:28. G. Mind that the foregoing demands faith in a preserved ministry outside of which there is no legitimate ordination. III. Ordination is performed by the laying on of hands with prayer. ACT 14:23; 13:1-3; 6:3-6. IV. Paul speaks of the laying on of hands as being one of the foundational principles of the doctrine of Christ. HEB 6:1-2. A. Laying on of hands denoted or was associated with various other things, such as: 1. conferral of blessing. GEN 48:14. 2. conferral of authority. DEU 34:9. 3. giving mortal sentence. LEV 24:14. 4. arrest. ACT 4:3. 5. healing. MAR 16:18. 6. a gift of the Holy Ghost. ACT 19:6. 7. devotion to God for sacrifice. LEV 4:15. B. These elements have correspondence with the ministry of Jesus Christ. 1. The blessed God has committed a blessing gospel to them. 1TI 1:11; ACT 3:26. 2. They are given authority. HEB 13:7. 3. They may have the sentence of death in themselves. 2CO 1:9; 4:10-11. 4. They may be arrested and made Christ's prisoner. ACT 26:9-18; EPH 4:1. 5. They minister and proclaim healing. LUK 4:18; 1PE 2:24. Ordination By The Laying On Of Hands 3-24-13 Page 1 of 2 6. The Holy Ghost makes them overseers in their gift of office. ACT 20:28. 7. They are devoted to God as living sacrifices. ROM 12:1; PHIL 2:17. C. To allay their fear, Christ's ministers have the assurance that His hand is laid upon them. REV 1:17; ISA 41:10; 54:17.