Miracles Today? Is God performing miracles today? Is God empowering men with the ability to perform miracles today? 1-20-19 – Richmond, MO

Two Different But Similar Questions Is God performing miracles today? Miracles like: Lot’s wife made a pillar of salt – Genesis 19:26 Burning bush – Exodus 3:2 Wall of Jericho falling – Joshua 6:20 Consuming fire – 1 Kings 18:38 Flour and oil not empty – 1 Kings 17:9-16 Paul and Silas freed from prison – Acts 16:22-40

Two Different But Similar Questions Is God empowering men with the ability to perform miracles today? Miracles like: Peter and John healing a crippled man – Acts 3:2-11 Philip casting out demons and healing – Acts 8:7 Peter raising Dorcas from the dead – Acts 9:36-42 Spiritual gifts like: Tongue speaking, prophesying, healing – 1 Corinthians 12:8-10

Consider How many miracles are needed to prove that God is still performing miracles today? How many men, empowered by God, performing miracles are needed to prove that miracles still exist today?

Consider It would only take one miracle! One miracle would be all that is needed! Notice the power of one genuine miracle Acts 4:16 – This miracle: was a“fact” – it was a genuine miracle was“apparent to all” – it had credible witnesses “we cannot deny it” – impossible for enemies to give an alternative explanation

But, first, we must understand what we are looking for!

Definition of miracles Vine’s Expository Dictionary of NT Words Greek word dunamis "power, inherent ability, used of works of a supernatural origin and character, such as could not be pro­duced by natural agents and means“ “supernatural” – “Attributed to a power that seems to violate or go beyond natural forces.” American Heritage Dict.

Definition of miracles Webster’s Dictionary “an event or effect that apparently contradicts known scientific laws and is hence thought to be due to supernatural causes, especially to an act of God” “a wonder or wonderful thing”

Definition of miracles Oxford English Dictionary “A marvelous event occurring within human experience, which cannot have been brought about by human power or by the operation of any natural agency, and must therefore be ascribed to the special intervention of the Deity or of some supernatural being” “as applied hyperbolically to an achievement seemingly beyond human power, or an occurrence so marvelous as to appear supernatural”

Definition of miracles MacMillan Dictionary “an event that cannot be explained according to the laws of nature and is considered to be an act of God” “something extremely lucky that would not normally be possible” “It’s a miracle that no one was killed in the crash.”

Which definition of miracle is seen today? This? “an event or effect that apparently contradicts known scientific laws and is hence thought to be due to supernatural causes, especially to an act of God” Or this? “a wonder or wonderful thing”

Which definition of miracle is seen today? This? “A marvelous event occurring within human experience, which cannot have been brought about by human power or by the operation of any natural agency, and must therefore be ascribed to the special intervention of the Deity or of some supernatural being” Or this? “as applied hyperbolically to an achievement seemingly beyond human power, or an occurrence so marvelous as to appear supernatural”

Which definition of miracle is seen today? This? “an event that cannot be explained according to the laws of nature and is considered to be an act of God” Or this? “something extremely lucky that would not normally be possible”

Which definition of miracle is seen today? These are still seen: “a wonder or wonderful thing” “something extremely lucky that would not normally be possible” But are these? “an event or effect that apparently contradicts known scientific laws and is hence thought to be due to supernatural causes, especially to an act of God” “an event that cannot be explained according to the laws of nature and is considered to be an act of God”

Understand We cannot use occurrences of that which is wonderful or lucky as examples of miracles which are supernatural. Miracles which fall in the category of a wonderful or lucky thing are not synonymous with supernatural miracles. This difference must be understood and respected!

Remember Looking for a miracle like that in Acts 4:16? This miracle: was a“fact” – it was a genuine miracle was“apparent to all” – it had credible witnesses “we cannot deny it” – impossible for enemies to give an alternative explanation Does that type of miracle occur today? NO!

Miracles Today? Is God performing miracles today? Is God empowering men to perform miracles today? Since nothing today qualifies as a genuine, biblically defined miracle, the questions answer themselves!

Past Miracles Miracles were definitely performed in past generations and other dispensations. Why? Why did God perform miracles? Why did God empower men to perform miracles? Why aren’t supernatural miracles still occurring?

Purpose of miracles Proved God WAS God To apostate Israel – 1 Kings 18:21, 39 To Nebuchadnezzar – Daniel 3:28-30 To Darius – Daniel 6:19-27 Must that proof be offered to every generation? Miracles which are recorded for others to read accomplishes the same purpose. John 20:30-31

Purpose of miracles Proved the man was from God Confirmation of the man Elijah – 1 Kings 17:24 Elisha – 2 Kings 2:9-15 Paul – 2 Corinthians 12:12 Jesus – Acts 2:22; Luke 7:18-22; Jn 2:23; 3:2; 6:14; 7:31; 9:30, 33; 11:47-48; 20:30-31

Purpose of miracles Proved the message was from God Confirmation of the message Aaron & Moses - Exodus 4:29-31 Apostles - Mark 16:20; Hebrews 2:1-4 Paul - Romans 15:18-19; Acts 13:12; 14:3; 1 Corinthians 2:3-5 Philip - Acts 8:6

Consider If the men and the message have already been confirmed, there is no need for miracles today! They claimed to speak for God and proved they were! 2 Corinthians 5:20; 12:12 If God was still revealing His message, then confirmation would be needed of both the man and his message. Is God still sending revelation?

What about spiritual gifts? Many churches claim to have members who can prophesy and speak in tongues. Many tele-evangelists claim to have the power to heal. Are these miraculous manifestations still occurring today?

1 Corinthians 12-14 1 Corinthians 12 There are many different spiritual gifts, given by the same Spirit making them all equally important. There is one body comprised of many members with all being needed for the body to function. Desire gifts but understand there is a more excellent way, a more important thing for which to strive.

1 Corinthians 12-14 1 Corinthians 13 Love is the more excellent way! If one is the greatest in regards to any spiritual gift but lacks love, he receives no benefit. Love is…(descriptions of love) Love never fails but spiritual gifts will fail

1 Corinthians 12-14 1 Corinthians 14 Pursue love! Prophesying is greater than tongues Instructions for using spiritual gifts in the assembly.

1 Corinthians 13:8-13 “Love never fails” “to perish, i. e. to come to an end, disappear, cease” “Prophecy…knowledge…will be done away” “to render idle, unemployed, inactive, inoperative” “Tongues, they will cease” “to cease, leave off” “But now faith, hope, love, abide these three” “to continue to be, i. e. not to perish, to last, to endure”

1 Corinthians 13:8-13 Spiritual gifts (prophecy, knowledge, tongue speaking) will be inactive and cease but faith, hope and love will continue. When will that happen? “when the perfect comes” (vs. 10) The perfect comes; the gifts stop; faith, hope and love continue.

1 Corinthians 13:8-13 Faith Hope Love Gifts P E R F C T

What is the “perfect”? What some have said “the perfect state of all things, to be ushered in by the return of Christ from heaven.” Thayer “. . .indicates the ultimate goal of heavenly perfection as contrasted with the immediate and merely partial experience of saints on earth (1 Cor. 13:10).” Zodhiates

What is the “perfect”? What some have said “At the coming of Christ the final purpose of God’s saving work in Christ will have been reached; at that point those gifts now necessary for the building up of the church in the present age will disappear, because “the complete” will have come.” Gordon Fee

1 Corinthians 13:8-13 Faith Hope Love Gifts 2nd C O M I N G

The Problem If “perfect” refers to the 2nd Coming of Christ: How could faith remain after the perfect has come? 2 Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 11:1 How could hope remain after the perfect has come? Romans 8:24

The Question Can we explain “the perfect” in such a way that will allow faith, hope and love to remain but spiritual gifts to cease?

Defining the perfect Know and prophesy in part (vs. 9) Greek word meros “denotes (a) “a part, portion,” of the whole, ... "a part" as opposite to the whole” (Vine) “one of the constituent parts of a whole; a. universally: in a context where the whole and its parts are distinguished, ... 1 Cor 13:9,12; tou ek merous (opposed to tou teleion) (A. V. that which is in part) imperfect” (Thayer)

Defining the perfect Perfect defined (vs. 10) Greek word téleios “brought to its end, finished; lacking nothing necessary to completeness; perfect” (Thayer) “Finished, that which has reached its end, term, limit; hence, complete, full, wanting in nothing.” (Zodhiates)

Defining the perfect A part (meros) of the whole was being given by means of spiritual gifts. When the whole is completed (teleios) the means used to achieve completion will be done away. The desired end will have been accomplished.

Defining the perfect What were they being given a part of? The 2nd coming of Christ? How would one receive this in part? The revelation of God’s will to mankind? This is precisely what is seen in the New Testament Acts 2 then Acts 10.

Defining the perfect Consider Paul’s illustrations When maturity is reached, childish things put away When revelation is complete, the process used to reveal the parts will be put away because maturity (completion) has been reached. If 2nd coming, faith and hope would be childish things.

Defining the perfect Consider Paul’s illustrations Now one’s reflection in mirror is dim not fully revealed but then face to face Now one’s understanding is dim, incomplete but then it will be clear as if looking face to face. If 2nd coming how does one see this dimly?

Has the perfect come? The fact that no miracles are being performed today proves that it has come, at some point. Would come in the lifetime of the apostles Acts 8:14-21 Does this sound like the perfect has come? Jude 3 (AD 65ish); 2 Peter 1:3 (AD 65-68) Today, faith, hope and love abide and spiritual gifts have ceased.

Review Defined miracles and stressed the difference between the definitions must be understood and respected. The purpose of miracles and observed the intended purpose was accomplished thus no need for continued supernatural miracles. The usefulness of spiritual gifts have been realized since we have the completed revelation of God.

Miracles Today? Is God performing miracles today? No Is God empowering men with the ability to perform miracles today? No