Can we lay hands on someone whom we do not know for healing and not be accountable for their sins?
A: There is always a confusion that is there in the minds of certain believer's that when the Bible says, "Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people's sins; keep yourself pure." (1 Timothy 5:22), can we lay hands on someone whom we do not know for healing and not be accountable for their sins? But this confusion comes because of lack of understanding this verse correctly.
There are atleast four different types of laying on of hands that is mentioned in the Bible. If we do not know it, we will become confused with doubt whether it is right to lay hands on some sick dying sinner who needs our ministry desperately.
1) Laying hands on someone to ordain them in ministry (Deut 34:9; 1 Tim 4:14). This is done to officially recognize a person as a valid and a worthy person to minister the gospel of Christ to all people. It is usually done through the ministers of God who have conducted themselves in a worthy manner, adorned themselves with good character and with a good reputation in their own ministries.
2) Laying hands on someone to heal them, in order to demonstrate the power of the Gospel - This is done in obedience to the command of Christ to preach the Gospel expecting healing signs to follow the preaching of the word (Mark 16: 15-18).
3) Laying hands on a believer to impart the baptismal measure of the Holy Spirit - This is done to impart the baptismal measure of the Holy Spirit upon a person. This has been practised by the apostles and disciples as a standard way for people to receive the Holy Spirit Baptism with the evidence of speaking in Tongues (Acts 8:14-18; 9:10, 17-18; 19:6).
4) Laying hands on some one to bless them - This was done by Jesus to bless little children who were brought to him to be blessed (Matt 19:13-15; Mark 10:16).
The other phrase "laid hands on [someone]" in the Bible expresses the meaning 'to seize, take hold and arrest someone and take them to legal court of justice' (Matthew 26:50). Generally and light-heartedly "lay hand on" means 'to manipulate, beat someone with hands, manage with hands, hold something in one's hands and move it.' These meanings also should not be confused with the "lay hands on" phraseology of 1 Tim 5:22.
The exact meaning of 1 Tim 5:22 in our contemporary language is, "Do not ordain anyone in to ministry hastily and then share in other people's sin when they use God's ministry as a means to fulfill their own lust. Stay pure by checking their reputation for a time and then ordain them in to ministry." (1 Tim 5:22).
So the meaning of laying hands on someone for ordaining them in to ministry and laying hands on someone to get them healed in Jesus name are altogether a different thing. They should not be mixed with one another to create confusion in your mind.
So, it is not wrong to lay hand on anyone for healing. Nobody's sin we will receive when we depend on the promise of Jesus who said, " 15...“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: ... 18 .. they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:15-18). We should boldly lay hands on people and help them get healed in JESUS NAME when they are suffering from illness.
Laying on of hands for healing is based on faith in our heart for people to get healed, so that we might give them a opportunity to hear the gospel and save them spiritually for eternity ahead. Only sinners need the gospel, right?, so we will not share in other people's sin when we do lay hand's in obedience to Jesus' command to preach the gospel and expect for healing signs to happen before everyone. SIGNS OF HEALING THROUGH LAYING ON OF HANDS ON THE SICK PEOPLE IS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL VEHICLE TO PREACH THE GOSPEL IN ALL NATIONS TILL DATE. Blessings.....
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