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Biblical Miracles: Part III
Aspects of Miracles
Biblical miracles always, understand this, always accompany God’s message. Now think of the televangelist. No gospel is ever presented, nothing about sin, repentance or surrendering to Christ. What you see with the televangelist is simply the “healing” but for what purpose? It seems to be for the purpose of the individual being healed or the glory of the healer and his/her ministry, not the pursuit of the glory of the gospel.
Look to Elijah.
1 Kings 17
Verse 2: The word of the LORD came to him, saying
Verse 8: Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying
Verse 16: The bowl of flour was not exhausted nor did the jar of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke through Elijah
All to authenticate the word of the Lord.
And to clear it all up, look at verse 24. This is my favorite part of this entire understanding of biblical miracles. It is so clear.
Biblical miracles always, understand this, always accompany God’s message. Now think of the televangelist. No gospel is ever presented, nothing about sin, repentance or surrendering to Christ. What you see with the televangelist is simply the “healing” but for what purpose? It seems to be for the purpose of the individual being healed or the glory of the healer and his/her ministry, not the pursuit of the glory of the gospel.
Look to Elijah.
1 Kings 17
Verse 2: The word of the LORD came to him, saying
Verse 8: Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying
Verse 16: The bowl of flour was not exhausted nor did the jar of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke through Elijah
All to authenticate the word of the Lord.
And to clear it all up, look at verse 24. This is my favorite part of this entire understanding of biblical miracles. It is so clear.
Then the woman said to Elijah, "Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth."
This is three fold: The man of God is authenticated and the word of the Lord is truth. This is the reason for the miracle. To convert the woman by truth. In verse 12 she says "your God," there is no personal possession of God, but the Lord is Elijah's God not the woman's. Now, in verse 24 she calls the Lord, "THE Lord" showing more of a personal thought to God. Giving God His rightful place. He is no longer "a" god of Elijah, but THE God of all, including herself.
Think about the Paralytic being put through the roof. His sins were forgiven and, oh yeah, he got up and walked. The main emphasis is not on the miracle. The main emphasis is clearly on the forgiveness of sins. It is the thesis, it is the climax. The miracle is just to prove that Christ had the authority to forgive sins, but was not the importance.
We are also shown the same in John 9 where we have the blind man. Why was he healed? Christ tells exactly why… to show the power of God. Notice where man puts the emphasis throughout the entirety of the chapter…on the healing, not on God’s glory being shown.
Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God. For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
Romans 15:17-19
Why was there miracles? For the Gospel to be preached. All past tense, once again.
So, if miracles were being toned down, and that is how the prophets were authenticated, how do we authenticate someone now? The perfect and complete word of God.
Moses even tells us that there will be some who do miracles and signs and are not from the Lord, how do we test these people?
If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, 'Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,' you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you to find out if you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him.
Deut 13:1-4
Know also that the antichrist will come as well, with signs and wonders and deceiving if possible even the elect. (Matthew 24:24)
The last aspect of miracles is how they are performed and what happens when they are completed. You need to know something very important about the miracles in the Bible and how they are portrayed on TV. In the Bible when a miracle happened, everyone could see it and knew about the person. Everyone knew about the paralyzed and the blind because they had been this way for years. They sat at the city gates of these towns, begged for years, so all knew their hideous plight in life.
Not only were the people known to the region who had these deficiencies, but the healings that took place were obvious to all who stood in amazement. Hands stretching into place, leprous people being healed of their wounds, blind to see, lame to walk. It was NOT like what you see on TV. Where they say I have this small tumor in my back that no one can see. Or my back hurts and then they are fine. I believe most of this to be adrenaline, not the true working of a miracle man.
Do you know that there has never been an instance where a televangelist can give doctoral proof that someone was healed…never! Actually when skeptics have done follow ups with these who were healed on the stage, they are back to their pain once again three weeks later, but the evangelist is long gone with the person’s donation to their ministry in their back pocket.
The most amazing question is simply this: Did Jesus wait for the sick or did he go to them? Look at John 5:1-9
Let me ask you this. Why don’t these televangelists ever go to the hospitals and heal these people and then share the Gospel? Would this not be the most amazing revival we have ever seen? There is only one conclusion: they can’t really heal anyone.
Conclusion
First, I am not denying that God still uses miracles. I believe that He does many times, in many ways. My denial are those who purport that they have the gift of miracle healing power that the Christ and His apostles possessed. Know that when you understand biblical miracles, you are not putting God in a box, you are not saying God has changed, it is actually just the opposite. Really think of the word miracle and how you use the word. We say that if we find a good parking spot that it’s a miracle. But what it meant in the Bible was for:
Paralytics to walk; the blind to see; dead to life.
Instead of using the word miracle know that it is God’s provision in your life. Your parents, your church, your friends, you living another day is not a miracle, but God’s provision.
I am not saying that miracles do not happen anymore, but I am saying that this is not a gift that is given to people these days.
The most amazing and unrecognized miracle that happens today is the miracle of rebirth. The miracle of a dead man awakening to the miracle of knowing Christ. Think of the biblical miracles. What did Christ have to do in order to heal the sick, make the blind to see, lame to walk? It was a simple word.
What did Christ have to do to bring the spiritually dead men to spiritual newness of life? He had to come, live a perfect life, die on the cross and rise again. You tell me which was a bigger miracle. We can see that the miracle of rebirth was, by far, the biggest, and continues to be, the biggest and greatest miracle for God’s glory ever known.
Do you know Christ? Do you know that you have sinned, if you have ever lied, even once, that is a sin and has separated you from God. You need a Saviour to pay for that sin or you will have to in hell forever. 2000 years ago, amidst all these miracles, the one that sticks out the most is the miracle of our God coming down from heaven, living amongst us, dying for us and then rising again on the third day.
I hope you are asking, “What must I do to be saved from my punishment of sin?”
Repent, or turn from your sin and run to Christ, and call on His name to save you. That is what He calls us to do: repent and believe.
If you are a Christian, think of the miracle of your rebirth. Do you take it for granted? Do you understand that we stand just as Lazarus did, being brought from death to life? Where is our thankfulness?
Don’t be like those in Christ’s time who were constantly looking for signs and wonders, but be like Stephen and be ready to die for the one who bought you.
5 comments:
An excellent, inspiring, encouraging, and challenging series, Seth. Welcome back!
Bnonn
Hi Seth,
I don't know how much time I'm going to have, as I noted on Turretinfan's blog.
First, I do not entirely disagree with you, so I'm not on the attack (this comment refers to the entirety of your three part series). Also, as I noted on TF's blog, I totally agree with you about the "TV evangelists" and those who try to gain from miracles, or command God... etc.. I am NOT defending them in the slightest.
I have a few questions:
1) You said: "Miraculous gifts have indeed ceased in the mainstream church and evangelized areas, but appear in unreached areas as an aid to spreading the Gospel".
What scripture do you use to support this view?
Have you considered that the gospel preached in the "mainstream church" might not be The Gospel? And/or, that some attending "mainstream churches" actually haven't ever heard the Gospel (even though their pastor might affirm the truth in this)... etc. In short, it has been my experience that many people in the US (as a prime example) walk around thinking that "the gospel" is that if you are good enough you will go to heaven (or some other variation of "not exactly", such as "all religions point to the same God, and God respects that), etc. This is true not only of professing atheists and agnostics and some post-moderns, but also of many Catholics (including my neighbor), as well as many "mainstream" but more semi-pelagian protestant denominations. Bottom line, there is a good chance that someone even on your own street has never heard the true Gospel.
While you might be right that miracles are reserved for unreached areas... I don't think these "areas" are very geographically distinct.
2) If miracles are purposed only to "indicate the coming of new revelation" and to "authenticate the messenger [of that new revelation]"... then how can you consistently hold that miracles happen at all (even in unreached areas)? For when we share the Gospel, we are sharing what has already been revealed (the revelation might be new to the person, but it is not "new" per se). It seems that IF miracles are only reserved for the advent of NEW revelation, then ALL miracles must have ceased. (I don't think that miracles have ceased-- rather, I would simply affirm that God does them as he sees fit and where he sees fit, and for the people he knows would benefit from witnessing them).
3) If Paul's "failing" to do miraculous healing at each opportunity was a sign that miracles were fading away... please address why Christ did not do many miracles in Nazareth (though he had the opportunity). Clearly, they were not fading away at the time of Christ's pre-cross walk... for the Apostles then proceeded to perform them in notable fashion after the assention (and it was the same message they were proclaiming).
3) I don't think we can conclude that "everyone" witnessed any of the miracles... so this does not seem to be a criteria for establishing a real miracle.
4) Why do you seem to equate miracles with spiritual gifts? (Aside from the fact that they both are given and ministered and conducted by God). I would suggest (on this question) that even in the days of the Apostles, that they did not go about using their spiritual gifts according to their own wills-- but only when and where it fit according to the will of God. I do not think God ever just gave out gifts and let people loose with them.
5) It seems that some of your argument for the cessation of miracles is based on the sham claims of televangelists (as well as the prophecy that many antichrists will come). But the existence of shams does not preclude the existence of the real thing.
6) If the "charismata" (or "miraculous" gifts) are reserved for those revealing scripture (i.e., the Apostles) then why was Paul telling "the saints" (i.e., all the believers) at his churches (at least Corinth and Rome) to pursue them? The believers were not revealing new scripture.
Again-- don't get me wrong. I'm not here arguing about folks like Benny Hinn (who, by the way, in addition to his failure to stand up to the rule of Scripture, has been outright wrong on at least one of his alleged prophetic predictions-- thereby disqualifying him as a prophet, and probably as a true Christian).
Theojunkie...thanks for stopping by...I will put my answers in italics to your questions.
I will try and answer each one of these to help you understand my position. I will say that my views on this must be taken together and to say that I can make an absolute: this is how it is! Is probably too much. My post is just to try and show why my convictions are in place as I draw out my conclusions from Scripture. My reasons for these posts was to draw out my conclusions for individuals who claim to have the gift of healing, not for miraculous healings in general. I think God heals people all the time from cancer, tumors and the like, but I have yet to find one shred of evidence of a “miracle worker of God.”
1) You said: "Miraculous gifts have indeed ceased in the mainstream church and evangelized areas, but appear in unreached areas as an aid to spreading the Gospel".
What scripture do you use to support this view?
Have you considered that the gospel preached in the "mainstream church" might not be The Gospel? And/or, that some attending "mainstream churches" actually haven't ever heard the Gospel (even though their pastor might affirm the truth in this)... etc. In short, it has been my experience that many people in the US (as a prime example) walk around thinking that "the gospel" is that if you are good enough you will go to heaven (or some other variation of "not exactly", such as "all religions point to the same God, and God respects that), etc. This is true not only of professing atheists and agnostics and some post-moderns, but also of many Catholics (including my neighbor), as well as many "mainstream" but more semi-pelagian protestant denominations. Bottom line, there is a good chance that someone even on your own street has never heard the true Gospel.
While you might be right that miracles are reserved for unreached areas... I don't think these "areas" are very geographically distinct.
First, that statement is just a definition of a “concentric cessationist” which I would purport as my view. I think the upcoming answers to your questions and my answers will show you why I support this view. I do understand that not all have heard the gospel in the states, sad, but true. If we are talking of all miraculous gifts, which I would defend are gone, we can see why they were used when speaking of tongues.
So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe.
1 Corinthians 14:22
Tongues are for a sign and my conclusion with my posts are that miraculous gifts of healing are as well.
2) If miracles are purposed only to "indicate the coming of new revelation" and to "authenticate the messenger [of that new revelation]"... then how can you consistently hold that miracles happen at all (even in unreached areas)? For when we share the Gospel, we are sharing what has already been revealed (the revelation might be new to the person, but it is not "new" per se). It seems that IF miracles are only reserved for the advent of NEW revelation, then ALL miracles must have ceased. (I don't think that miracles have ceased-- rather, I would simply affirm that God does them as he sees fit and where he sees fit, and for the people he knows would benefit from witnessing them).
The new revelation is shown to those who have not heard the new revelation from the messenger. It doesn’t mean that the revelations are new to the world, but to these people who have not heard. This is why as the apostles went to share the gospel, God was still using them to perform miracles; to show that they were from God. It is just as Moses did in Exodus 3 and 4. “How will they know?”
3) If Paul's "failing" to do miraculous healing at each opportunity was a sign that miracles were fading away... please address why Christ did not do many miracles in Nazareth (though he had the opportunity). Clearly, they were not fading away at the time of Christ's pre-cross walk... for the Apostles then proceeded to perform them in notable fashion after the ascension (and it was the same message they were proclaiming).
It is never the assertion that one MUST do miracles to authenticate the messenger or the message but is just one way to authenticate. We actually find that Christ didn’t perform miracles in some places because they WOULD have repented. (Matthew 11:20-24) I think by Paul not healing his friends gives more credence of “why” miracles were in place (if indeed Paul still had the gift). It was not to just make people feel better, but it was exactly as we have purported numerous times: for the spread of the Gospel. Can I make an absolute claim because of this? No, of course not. But with everything in place I think it gives us something to ponder on.
3) I don't think we can conclude that "everyone" witnessed any of the miracles... so this does not seem to be a criteria for establishing a real miracle.
When the crowds were gathered and when people were healed, the ones shown to us in the Bible were well known sick people so that many people would believe. It was not only that they were well known sick people but their ailments were also ones that people could definitely say, “those people were sick and now they are definitely healed.” So, I think you are taking my statement literally instead of seeing my intent of showing how the healings took place. We known blind, lame and leprous people were being healed and “many” people saw and reported the miracles. It was no mistake or trickery. I believe this to be a criteria for anyone that says that they have the gift of healing mentioned in Scripture. Because, from what I have read and studied, we don’t have one evidence in Scripture where one performed a miracle and it was something that the crowd, or people in general, didn’t know was ailing this individual who was healed.
4) Why do you seem to equate miracles with spiritual gifts? (Aside from the fact that they both are given and ministered and conducted by God). I would suggest (on this question) that even in the days of the Apostles, that they did not go about using their spiritual gifts according to their own wills-- but only when and where it fit according to the will of God. I do not think God ever just gave out gifts and let people loose with them.
I don’t know the reason for this question. God gave certain people, the apostles and their ministry, the gift of healing people (1 Cor 12:9,28,30). I also am not understanding part II of this question. Is this just a statement or something I said? Not sure…
5) It seems that some of your argument for the cessation of miracles is based on the sham claims of televangelists (as well as the prophecy that many antichrists will come). But the existence of shams does not preclude the existence of the real thing.
Never made this argument. What my claim is, is against the gift of miracles as used today. Not miracles themselves. I should have been more clear on this. What my posts are purporting is the use of men or women as the agent as where God performs His miraculous powers.
6) If the "charismata" (or "miraculous" gifts) are reserved for those revealing scripture (i.e., the Apostles) then why was Paul telling "the saints" (i.e., all the believers) at his churches (at least Corinth and Rome) to pursue them? The believers were not revealing new scripture.
Again-- don't get me wrong. I'm not here arguing about folks like Benny Hinn (who, by the way, in addition to his failure to stand up to the rule of Scripture, has been outright wrong on at least one of his alleged prophetic predictions-- thereby disqualifying him as a prophet, and probably as a true Christian).
Can you please give me your Scripture reference for the above question? I don’t want to go into a Scripture reference you are not referring to. I am thinking of a lot of different ones you “could” be thinking of, but I would rather you let me know specifically so I can address it for you.
What I want you to understand is that I am not a traditional cessationist. What my conclusions are, based on Scripture as a whole, (again…my conclusions) is that miraculous gifts given to men are to authenticate the message and the messenger. Everytime we see this happening in the Bible it is historically always when NEW revelation came about. The continuation of this new revelation and miracles continued to happen when the apostles were spreading the new revelation to people who had never heard the Gospel and so, because of that, I can conclude that when those who have never heard the gospel are being preached to, God CAN, does not have to, use miracles to show His message is true.
Hope this helps.
Thanks Seth.
"I don’t know the reason for this question."
Your posts (and your reply) seemed to indicate that you equated the charismatic gifts with miracles. You have now clarified that you believe "direct miracles" still occur, but that "miracles by way of spiritual gifts" do not occur.
I disagree, but I see the distinction that you are making.
"Can you please give me your Scripture reference for the above question?"
In 1 Cor 12, Paul is addressing the letter itself to the church at Corinth (specifically, the "saints"-- believers, but all of them-- at Corinth)... and the opening of chapter 12 reaffirms this with the use of the term "brothers". Further, his whole point about the different gifts is rooted in the concept of "the one Body" (the entire Church of Christ, including all the saints) made up of "many parts" (different individuals with different roles to play).
I say, what is different about the "lay people of Corinth" in those times, compared to the "lay people of Downtown Chicago" in these times? The Corinthians were not revealing scripture, just spreading the gospel... and they were given these gifts as the Spirit found best mete. Is not modern Chicago (or name your city) the same situation as Corinth?
Romans 12:5-8 as a similar message and contextual message recipients.
theojunkie.
first, I think we both know that this conversation is longer than a simple comment section, so I will keep my thoughts short and we can go from there.
First, Romans 12 says nothing about miracles so that wouldn't have precedence here. I see prophecy as other cessationist do: prophecy can be speaking about the future (before it happens) or speaking God's word before a group of people. The former has ended, the latter is of course still in tact through the teaching of the word of God.
It would take a lot of effort to exegete the entirety of 1 Cor 12-14 but I will tell you that there were a lot of sins that were happening at Corinth so there is a lot of correction happening in this letter. I think we see what Paul is trying to get across in 1 Cor 12:29-31. Notice that he also speaks of apostles here. This does not mean that some were called to be apostles. So, the ones who had the gift of miracles could have easily been attested to the apostles and not for the generality of use at the church in Corinth. Also, the intent of this entire passage comes in the understanding of the word "desire" in 12:31 is the same as used in verse 4 as "jealous." So, I see this use in the negative form not in the affirmative.
But, this is still at the time that miracles were taking place so there might have been some who had the gift. Remember that 1 Corinthians is one of the earliest books written in the NT, so there were definitely still reports or some among them who either had the gift of miracles or heard about the gift. Again, this is still when the Gospel is in its infancy compared to what we see now in our land.
I hope I am at least clear on my position, if not, keep asking and we will get there. thanks for your patience.
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