We hear stories about incredible events such as an individual being cured from cancer after their doctors have given up, or an individual surviving an avalanche against incredible odds, and then have these events described to us as "miracles". Although these are wonderful events and can show the providence of God, do they constitute miracles as performed in the Bible? Vine’s Bible Dictionary defines a miracle as: "power, inherent ability, is used of works of a supernatural origin and character, such as could not be produced by natural agents and means."
From this definition we see that a miracle must be from a supernatural origin and must not be producible by natural agents or means. The event of the creation where God (supernatural) spoke the world into existence (unnatural means) is an example of a "true" miracle (Genesis 1:1). Another is when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:11). Jesus (the supernatural) and the act of raising someone from the dead (can not be reproduced by natural means) is a Biblical miracle. The avalanche victim survived by chance. This is not a miracle. The cancer patient as certain defense mechanisms that can fight off cancer thus has a natural means of defeating the cancer. This does not constitute a Biblical miracle either. So now that we know what constitutes a Biblical miracle, why were they performed, who performed them, and are they still occurring today?
Miracles were performed as proof. Proof that people were who they said they were, and proof that what they taught was from God. Jesus performed miracles to prove He was the Son of God (Matthew 11:2-5, John 20:30-31). The apostles performed miracles to prove they were preaching God’s message (Mark 16:19-20, Hebrews 2:3-4). And in the absence of God’s completed revelation, some of the first century Christians performed miracles to edify the early church (1 Corinthians 14:12). Without these miracles as proof we would not have our faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God (Romans 1:4), or know God’s will for us today (1 Corinthians 2:9-12).
In the New Testament we have examples of four types of people performing miracles: God, Jesus, the apostles, and people on whom the apostles laid their hands. The latter group could not pass on the gift to others, so when the apostles died there was no one left to pass on the gifts (Acts 8:5-6,14-18). And when these people died, there was no one left on earth to perform miracles. The people who could perform miracles all died out shortly after the first century.
Biblical miracles are not performed today, since there is no one here who can perform them. There is also no need for proof. We have the completed revelation of God in our Bibles. The Bible speaks of a time when miracles would end (Zechariah 13:1-2). Also, 1 Corinthians 13:8 states, "Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away."
"That which is perfect" is not Christ. The verse states "that which" and not "he who," therefore it does not indicate an individual. Also notice that even when the perfect arrived, faith, hope, and charity were to abide (v. 13). Therefore, the perfect cannot be Jesus, for when He returns, faith and hope will not be needed. The "perfect" is God’s completed revelation, the Bible. It is that which allows us to "know even as we are known." Since we now have that complete word of God, the time of miracles is past (James 1:25; 2 Peter 1:3). No further proof is needed, as they are recorded for our benefit in the Bible.
We believe every recorded miracle in the Bible; we must if we believe in God. Since we believe the Bible, however, we must also believe that miracles have ceased, since that is what is taught in the Bible (Zechariah 13:1-2, 1 Corinthians 13:8). People claiming that they perform miracles today are false teachers and they deceive many who do not understand what is a miracle, who performed them and why they were performed.
From this definition we see that a miracle must be from a supernatural origin and must not be producible by natural agents or means. The event of the creation where God (supernatural) spoke the world into existence (unnatural means) is an example of a "true" miracle (Genesis 1:1). Another is when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:11). Jesus (the supernatural) and the act of raising someone from the dead (can not be reproduced by natural means) is a Biblical miracle. The avalanche victim survived by chance. This is not a miracle. The cancer patient as certain defense mechanisms that can fight off cancer thus has a natural means of defeating the cancer. This does not constitute a Biblical miracle either. So now that we know what constitutes a Biblical miracle, why were they performed, who performed them, and are they still occurring today?
Miracles were performed as proof. Proof that people were who they said they were, and proof that what they taught was from God. Jesus performed miracles to prove He was the Son of God (Matthew 11:2-5, John 20:30-31). The apostles performed miracles to prove they were preaching God’s message (Mark 16:19-20, Hebrews 2:3-4). And in the absence of God’s completed revelation, some of the first century Christians performed miracles to edify the early church (1 Corinthians 14:12). Without these miracles as proof we would not have our faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God (Romans 1:4), or know God’s will for us today (1 Corinthians 2:9-12).
In the New Testament we have examples of four types of people performing miracles: God, Jesus, the apostles, and people on whom the apostles laid their hands. The latter group could not pass on the gift to others, so when the apostles died there was no one left to pass on the gifts (Acts 8:5-6,14-18). And when these people died, there was no one left on earth to perform miracles. The people who could perform miracles all died out shortly after the first century.
Biblical miracles are not performed today, since there is no one here who can perform them. There is also no need for proof. We have the completed revelation of God in our Bibles. The Bible speaks of a time when miracles would end (Zechariah 13:1-2). Also, 1 Corinthians 13:8 states, "Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away."
"That which is perfect" is not Christ. The verse states "that which" and not "he who," therefore it does not indicate an individual. Also notice that even when the perfect arrived, faith, hope, and charity were to abide (v. 13). Therefore, the perfect cannot be Jesus, for when He returns, faith and hope will not be needed. The "perfect" is God’s completed revelation, the Bible. It is that which allows us to "know even as we are known." Since we now have that complete word of God, the time of miracles is past (James 1:25; 2 Peter 1:3). No further proof is needed, as they are recorded for our benefit in the Bible.
We believe every recorded miracle in the Bible; we must if we believe in God. Since we believe the Bible, however, we must also believe that miracles have ceased, since that is what is taught in the Bible (Zechariah 13:1-2, 1 Corinthians 13:8). People claiming that they perform miracles today are false teachers and they deceive many who do not understand what is a miracle, who performed them and why they were performed.
No comments:
Post a Comment