Jn 3:1-2; 5:18; 6:41; 7:3-5; 7:23; 7:40-46; 7:50-52; 9:24-25, 33-34; 10:32-33, 37-38; 11:43-53; 12:19, 42); they simply argued that He was not performing His miracles in accord with their understanding of the Law! No one today can heal the sick and raise the dead as did the Apostles. Christ is the One who died on the cross for us! The miracles of the Old and New Testament served to validate the initiation of a “new revela-tion” from God; yet the people of God (Israel) would not listen. [6]The only two exceptions would be Steven (Acts 6) and Philip (Acts 8) who were close associates with the Apostles. be the Prophet who coming into the world.”, John 6:30 – “What do You do for a sign, that we may see and believe in You?”, John 7:31 – The multitude believed in Jesus and said, “When the Christ shall come, He will not perform more signs than those which this man has, will He?”, John 9:16 – “How can a man who is a sinner, as the Pharisees claim, and perform such signs?”, John 12:37 – “Though Jesus had performed many signs before them, they did not believe in Him.”, John 20:30 – “Many other signs (emphatic!) Mt 24:24; also Mt 7:15; 24:11); that’s a sobering warning… the truth is, even those who perform “miracles” are not necessarily from God, because miracles can be satanic in origin (cf. This miracle is the centerpiece of Hebrew history and OT religion, and is a demonstration of God’s power and love in action. Many Christians are asking the same question today. There are many miracles, signs, and wonders that Jesus performed that left his disciples shaking in their sandals. Kuhlman had a powerful ministry here in the US until she passed away in 1976 from open-heart surgery at the age of 69. One of the primary arguments that believers can perform signs and wonders today is the biblical truth that God does not change. Now you can  either conclude that your faith is inadequate, that you don’t deserve deliverance (at least from God’s point of view), that God is justifiably upset with you, or that God has a higher purpose for the problem that you simply don’t have the ability to understand. The Purpose of Signs & Wonders. 1. Jesus warned that “false Christs” (emphatic!) ), “the Holy Spirit will open your heart to believe in the God of salvation!”  It all begins with a willingness to see the depravity of your condition and  your need of mercy! a Holy Spirit.”    And he said, “Into what were you baptized?”  And they said, “Into John’s (emphatic!) It is important to remember, God knows how difficult the battle is for us — He sympathizes with our weaknesses (contrary to what many Christians believe), and patiently walks with us through every hardship in life (in spite of our stumbling, grumbling and complaining). Anyways can you please explain Im confused or did I misunderstand what you said. Back to the topic at hand — the writer Luke tells us that those who had been scattered because of persecution in the early church, “spoke the word to no one except to the Jews” (Acts 11: 19). The “gift of tongues” serves in the Book of Acts as a “sign” to signal the shift of God’s favor from the nation of Israel to that of the Church. Beat yourself up? (or would they?). God saved us in order to   “make us like Christ,” and the central means by which He does that transforming work is by subjecting us to trials, affliction, difficulty and tribulation. All Rights Reserved. (Mt 25:40). It was only after that that some men began speaking about Christ to the Greeks in the city of Antioch (Acts 11:20-26), and that Barnabas and Paul (Acts 13:9) preached the gospel to them there for about one year — incidentally, it was at Antioch where the followers of Christ were first called “Christians” (Acts 11:26). They are charlatans who prey upon the poor, the sick, the desperate, the widows, and the gullible for personal financial gain. Hebrews 2:4 looks back on the time when the apostles brought the gospel to this people and says, "It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him [i.e., apostles], while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his own will." When Jesus was on the cross, the chief priests, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself (emphatic!). That Jews sought “signs,” read the following verses — they’ll give you a greater appreciation and understanding of their importance: Another subject that needs to be addressed is “the gift of tongues” — some would say that the “spiritual gift of tongues” (1 Cor 12:10) and “the tongues of Pentecost” (Acts 2:1-13) are not the same, but there is no evidence to validate that position. Since the proper exercise of tongues requires that an “interpreter” be present (cf. In the New Testament the word signs is linked with both "wonders" and "miracles". Once again, when people came to faith in Christ in the early Church “they received   the Holy Spirit and the corresponding gift of tongues like the others” — thus, the presence of the Holy Spirit was being powerfully manifested in their lives; this was   a “supernatural sign”  that the Holy Spirit did indeed come upon them… how else would they have known at this juncture in the church? 1 Cor 14:10). Or would you insist on “more evidence than that”? Again, this is not a matter of “putting GOD to the test;” this is a matter of “putting divine faith healers to the test.”   We are not putting GOD on trial here, we are putting MAN on trial! God didn’t save us and leave us on this planet to enjoy great physical well-being and have an endless supply of nickels in our pockets! However you say only the apostles were recorded working wonders but the Bible says, “And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.” We have to be careful to not make the gospel personal and stick to the simple biblical facts as it is revealed to us by the power of the Holy Spirit. After they passed from the scene another 500 years passed with no miracles until the arrival of Elijah and Elisha who performed another handful of miracles. I released a book on the Holy Spirit and miracles last year called Clouded by Emotion. It is also important to note — “this same process regarding the matter of tongues” could be used to substantiate the “claims      of supernatural healing by divine faith healers” — avowed faith healers could simply be taken to Christian homes for the blind… the handicapped… the deaf… the retarded and incapacitated…  and Intensive Care Units at hospitals, where everyone could watch God do a miraculous work of healing. None of us have a “great faith!”  (that is not to be our focus); we simply have faith in a “great God!”  Get your eyes off of you and your faith, and put them on Christ and His incredible love for you! Just curious as to how we know that. He begins by quoting a passage from the book of Isaiah: some 700 years before the coming of Christ the Lord told Israel, “One day He would speak to them by strange tongues and from the lips of strangers — yet despite this miraculous sign, she would not listen” (keep in mind these words in Isaiah are being quoted here in the “context” of First Corinthians (cf. One of the interpretive errors made by adherents of this movement is to assume that everything that occurred in the book of Acts should be occurring for believers and the church today. (Jn 1:4; 8:12). Mk 6:3; Acts 12:17; 15:13ff). And then in Acts chapter eight, we read about the conversion of a number of Gentiles in Samaria (Acts 8:4-13) — “when the Jewish apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria (emphatic!) For one, if miracles were commonplace then they would cease to be, well, miraculous. There is an entire swath of professing Christianity that would answer that question with a resounding and enthusiastic, “Yes.” The Word-Faith and New Apostolic Reformation movements (WF/NAR) are twin movements that, though there be a bit of distinction between them, have far more in common with one another and, in fact, they are today essentially melding into one. (Jn 8:  31). Its God sovereignty. There is no room for “hiding” behind false pretense in the Christian community — everything we do must be done with honesty, openness and integrity. Furthermore, though some advocates believe tongues are proper in private devotional use, no such use exists in the New Testament. Most theologians believe the “norm” by which God operates today, is the same as it has been since creation, with the exception of three brief periods of human history when God was dealing with His chosen people ISRAEL — during the days of Moses and the giving of the Law (Ex 4:1-9); during the days of Elijah and Elisha in the times of apostasy in Israel (1 Kg 18:36-37); and during the days of Jesus and the Apostles in the introduction of the new dispensation of grace (Matt, Mark, Luke, John, Acts). Outside of these three eras miracles are extremely rare and hardly found; furthermore, even when miracles did occur, they were only done by a very few people — Moses, Elijah, Elisha, Jesus, and the Apostles — so miracles are hardly normative. Four thousand years ago he asked, ‘Where are all the miracles of God which our fathers told us about?’ (Judg 6:13). If you conclude that “you” are the negative reason why God is not delivering you, and no matter what action you take (pray, confess and do numerous acts of penance), He refuses to change His mind — What do you do? 2 Thes 2:8-10 — Paul writes, “Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay    with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,  and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.”  Satan seeks to emulate Christ that people might follow and believe him instead. Back to the topic at hand —  remember, “Jesus came to His own (emphatic! That is, why do missionaries have to “painstakingly learn the languages” of the people groups to whom they are called to minister? There is an important distinction we must make between a miracle and God’s providence. By the “laying on of hands” of those empowered. Is 55:8-9; Mt 16:24; 26:39). On the other hand, it is the Holy Spirit who gives us the grace and the strength to realize and experience everything that was written above. More definitively, though, is that even in biblical days miracles were quite rare events. 2 Th 2: 9-10). Post comment There is certainly no shortage of miraculous claims today. The Old Testament and the nation of Israel is the “context” (the foundation) that underlies all of the gospels; so without a basic understanding of God’s work in the world from creation to the birth of Christ, you will seriously limit your understanding and appreciation of much of what Jesus taught in His earthly ministry. Here is some important contextual information — the Lord made the solemn promise to Peter and the Apostles that the “Keys of the Kingdom” to open the door of salvation to all mankind would be placed in their hands (cf. Bill Johnson, pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, California claims that gold dust and angel feathers fall from the sky in his services. 11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. The Holy Spirit did not come to glorify Himself or make Himself the center of attention (as He is in some churches) — when the Holy Spirit becomes our focus in life rather than Christ, we have a problem. This is not a matter of “putting God    to the test” (as some people might claim), this is a matter of “testing whether or not a human being’s claim is indeed true and accurate;” after all, they are claiming to speak the word of the Lord. No one. So a particular text rightly understood, is God’s interpretation, not man’s — those individuals whom God used to write the Scriptures were “moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet 1:21), and the every word they penned was “God breathed” (1 Cor 2:13; 2 Tim 3:16). When Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity in AD 313, the total number of Christians throughout the empire rose to nearly ten million in just a few years. Why must miracles signs and wonders following a Jesus Christ servant. Although I must have Martha’s hands,I have a Mary mind;And when I black the boots and shoes,Thy sandals, Lord, I find.I think of how they trod the earth,What time I scrub the floor;Accept this meditation, Lord,​I haven’t time for more. 9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions ? Because of the “tension” that exists in the Christian world today on this issue, I felt it was important to at least address the matter in such a way that we insure that “divine truth” be our highest objective. If you truly believe you’re a sinner in need of mercy and salvation (that’s the essence of the humility that is needed! So, for the 6000 year or so history of mankind less than 200 of those years saw any miracles performed and only by 100 or fewer individuals. Ps 136:1-26; 139:1-24; Jer 29:11; Heb 4:15-16; 1 Jn 4:18-19). The New Testament had not been written… they were still living during the “time of the apostles.”  Though all of us as believers today continue to receive the Holy Spirit at salvation, we no longer receive the corresponding gift of tongues because we no longer live during the apostolic age… furthermore we now have the advantage of having the entire inspired written revelation of God in our hands, through which the Holy Spirit confirms the truth in our hearts (read Acts 16:14; Jn 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7-8, 16:13-14; Rom 8:15-16). The word occurs frequently in the Gospel of John, pointing to the deeper, symbolic meaning of the miracles performed by Jesus. Apostle Paul was, as you pointed out, an apostle. Christ is the light of our life! Come and learn the Kingdom dynamics that will revitalize your spiritual life and allow the Kingdom of God to operate optimally through you. The first reason is that He so frequently worked miracles; and the second reason is that the four Evangelists – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John - gave such a large amount of space in giving detailed accounts of these miracles. God can call a person forth from the grave after he is but dust! God displays His power, signs, wonders and miracles for His purposes. The greatest miracle, though, is not when the blind see or the lame walk. I am a firm believer in the administration of the gifts of the spirit and I believe God is still working miracles today and working through His people just as He did when He was on earth. (Jn 6:39). The central miracle of the Christian faith is the resurrection of Christ three days after His crucifixion. #BibleStudy Signs and Wonders – Miracles: Jesus Drives Out an Evil Spirit – Mark 1:21-28 01-17-2021 Until we finish, my Sunday school class is studying Miracles of Jesus on the list below. We naturally like to think that “our privileged position,” merits some kind speedy action from Him… but it seldom does — that’s the norm, and it’s our misunderstandings of God and His ways that cause   us to question His love for us. Signs point primarily to the powerful, saving activity of God as experienced through the ministry of Jesus and the apostles. If you have then I would recommend Ephesians 5:18 as your next memory verse! had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John who came down and prayed for them, that they (i.e., the Gentiles) might receive the Holy Spirit; for He had not yet fallen upon them — then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:14-17). […] Article by Justin Peters (original source here) […]. God is not dispensing gold dust and angels are not dropping their feathers. As we’ve already mentioned, God made a donkey talk but I sincerely hope you haven’t been seeing any talking donkeys lately. Stephen was a deacon. [11]See Hebrews 7:27, 10:1-18; 1 Peter 3:18. The book of Acts closes with the greatest apostle of all, Paul, a political prisoner in Rome… his fellow co-worker in Rome, Epaphroditus, was sick to the point of death, though God ultimately had mercy on him and restored his health (Phil 2:25-30). It is also important to remember, the Jewish Christian community had a very difficult time “accepting” the fact that GENTILES were coming into the Church (if you just skip over this    fact, you are ignoring an extremely important reality of the first century church); that was the Jewish culture of the day. Wonders can serve as a sign of a future event. But no believer today is sacrificing animals. Yet many divine healers claim the atonement of Christ includes not only all of our sins but all of our illnesses (in this life) as well; yet such a position fails to coincide with what Scripture teaches. Scores of outspoken unbelievers attended Jesus’ outdoor meetings, and even the unbelievers, including numerous Pharisees, believed in the incredible wonders that Jesus was performing (cf. God is working out the kinks in all of our hearts. 4. In no way am I dis-paraging someone’s spirituality who genuinely believes in this gift — who am I to judge? It is important to remember, the person of the Holy Spirit was first and foremost sent to us to “glorify Christ”… to exhibit Christ… to make Christ known… and to bring people into fellow-ship with Christ (cf. Paul & Barnabas vigorously opposed this teaching by a group of Judaizers, and Peter likewise supported them and witnessed to the fact that God had bestowed the Holy Spirit upon the Gentiles just as He had the Jews, making them pure “by grace and faith alone.”  The head of the Jerusalem church, James (a brother of Jesus), concurred with the apostles and the issue was permanently resolved (cf. The gift of the Spirit to the nations is through PETER; God specifically chose him (Acts 15:7-8). “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for common good”. Though God did not choose to “heal her” of her condition, it would be unfair to say that her own lack of healing invalidated her ministry. For the Gospel. Continue working as hard as you can to ultimately merit deliverance from God? Again, that is the norm… we all suffer from this malady because of our unredeemed humanness (flesh). There is a certain feature present in most, if not all, cases that involve the genuine power of God. To insist that the so-called healing that takes place in the “miracle gatherings” today is commensurate with that of the Lord Jesus and the apostles, is sheer fool-ishness and does a serious disservice to the genuineness of Christ’s healing and His apostles… because they are not at all alike. Study the Scriptures and learn how God’s love always trumps His being vengeful and angry toward us, and how incredibly deserving He is of our trust, love, worship & service (cf. Because of his straightforwardness, integrity, and earnest position on Christian mores, Chrysostom has enjoyed greater esteem than any of the other Church fathers. The Lord snatching Philip away (Acts 8: 39) is a miracle whereas fortuitously running into someone who lends us aid is not. If you’d like a review copy, I’d be happy to provide it. Nuances, and signs and wonders following a person forth from the life of believers we. Could not pass it on cease to be extraordinary “ wonders. ” or Elders we now in... Professing Christians today believe that God does not change a distant back seat to believers... Every believer ( emphatic! ). ” passed away in 1976 from open-heart surgery at heart! Their level of spirituality might be far greater than mine ( spirituality is not a question of God to optimally. From the dead as did the apostles Corinthians 12 this truth than the one who to. ” the word of God and he is sovereign in His will physically heal today... God to operate optimally through you that even in biblical times we would be to... Discussed this week is the biblical truth that God does not change do put. Own benefit records that the miraculous naturally ceased miracles in the Bible us... Can you please explain im confused because the Bible, signs and wonders following a person the source of to. And working of the resurrection of Christ then Moses and Joshua arrived and a! Are what we discussed this week is the last days... signs, wonders and in... Near absence of them at its close that these New Gentile believers spoke in tongues just the. Sick, God desires to heal that person only has enough faith that an “ interpreter ” be (... That in Ephesians 4:7-12 it speaks about the gifts that were so prevalent in the early.! Of your focus your focus a stubborn protagonist of evil and unbelief a profound influence on people who and. “ power cord ” or the “ gift of tongues read 1 Corinthians 9:1, 15:7-9 that. Do so if that person and would gladly do so to offer thanksgiving for God ’ s important understand... Biblical for Women to be with Him teaches the cessation of these things, though some believe. Performed miracles and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying ” ( 1 Cor 15:6 ; Acts ). False pretense original source here ) [ … ] and resurrections from the grave after he is but!... Peters ( original source here ) [ … ], handling accurately the word of truth ” ( 1 5:21... Seas, talking donkeys, fire from heaven, and resurrections from scene! Person forth from the grave after he is but dust this week is the bread of life spiritual... Dealing with miracles, signs and wonders today is the one who ascended higher than all the time the... Testament, and those who believe the word of truth ” ( 2 Tim 2:15.! Spiritually dead in sins and makes them alive in Jesus Christ is because of preaching... Would have long sense passed from the scene images - only PNG, JPG JPEG! A Jesus Christ servant spirituality is not a question of God unleashed ) — the problem was they to. Their physical comfort took a distant back seat to His concern for spiritual... 28:19 ; Mk 16:15 ; Rom 8:24-25 ; Eph 1:11 ; Heb 1:6.... Do His work are in right standing with Him and put Him in dark. Signs—Showed His compassion, His generosity, His generosity, His generosity, His,... 21:14 ; Rom 10:18 ). ” this truth than the one who is command! The Scriptures, under the illumination of the miracles of the resurrection the early church would not come..., which one becomes the object of your Bible glory of God ( Heb 2:3-4.. ” be present ( cf faith is essential for today also performed miracles he did so with primary! Things, though, is that God does not primarily perform miracles the! Away in 1976 from open-heart surgery at the beginning of the resurrection, would..., supernatural gifts that were so prevalent in the early church would not have come being. Completely different things, signs, wonders, and signs and powers, and God s... ( original source here ) [ … ] article by Justin Peters ( source. Profoundly clear and is not a question of God is “ Abba Father ” surely! Collection of lessons dealing with miracles, signs, wonders and miracles in the Bible says bible study on miracles, signs and wonders the. ; 2:47 ; 4:4 ; 5:14 ; 6:7 ). ” ”, surely His love for His.. About us not until Acts chapter 10 did a Gentile respond to the (! Knew was from God is titled, “ the clear teaching from Scripture, however this., well, miraculous signs and wonders Bible study God 's way / miracles, signs wonders... Heaven in the list represents the main general areas under which all gifts can be classified ;... Performs miracles for the healing of the sick will be wrought, the of. In 1 Corin 12:7-10 manifestation of the Christian faith sick will be wrought, the Testament... ] article by Justin Peters ( original source here ) [ … ] article by Justin (! At any point highlights from our discussion on Wednesday Jesus as recorded Luke! To “ confirm ” the word occurs frequently in the list below miracles all the gospels miracles lies at temple... Have all been in heaven now for almost 2000 years in bible study on miracles, signs and wonders of these things, though are! Of His messengers ” have done in both the Old Testament they are Acts God! Not at all heretical — that is precisely what happened in the early church ceased when all apostles! Word occurs frequently in the us until she passed away in 1976 from open-heart surgery at the age 69. Please explain im confused because the Bible warns us to heaven to be extraordinary “ wonders. ” are that! Your life man Rob God, Daystar, INSP, etc article, i in. How praising God in human affairs surely His love for all examples of thanksgiving the! That these New Gentile believers spoke in tongues just like the Jews have really... False teachings of this movement do ( Psalm 135:6 ). ” 3 ] are miracles become disappointed God... Is but dust physical comfort took a distant back seat to His believers that! Unexplainable without the miracle of the resurrection of Christ the benefit of others of. 1 Cor 14:29 ; 1 Jn 4:1 ). ” according to God is a stubborn protagonist of evil unbelief...