The God of Miracles

The God of Miracles

The Psalms describe God as the God who performs miracles, signs, and wonders (Psalm 72:18; 77:14 etc.). The New Testament, the Gospels and the Acts of the Holy Spirit in particular, illustrate the marvelous deeds the Son of Man and His apostles has done 2000 years ago – which if all the things Jesus did had been recorded (signs and wonders included) the world itself could not the books that could be written (John 21:25). As Christians of all denominations, we believe that the Bible – the infallible, inerrant, and incorrupt Word of God – is authoritative and all that has been written in It is true. The miracles and signs and wonders recorded within are true as well. Thus, God is truly the God of miracles, but despite some believe that God has ceased to do so in our current era, our God is not simply the God who is capable of performing miracles but the God who still performs miracles to this day.

My life is filled with signs and wonders. I have seen and personally experienced God’s healing and word of prophecy. But I will present this fact (which cessationists will think of as a ‘claim’) with Biblical reasoning. I do not think of this issue as a matter of debate (which is why I never thought about writing on it) but a matter of truth – for none can deny miracles that take place, whether in a Christian setting or not. On account of this, I do not like the term “continuationist”, even though I am technically classified as one, because the gifts of the Spirit were not meant to cease until the Second Advent.

In Relation to Tongues

Allow me to begin with the case of tongues. Those who do not believe in miracles will claim that there is no need for tongues today because we are living in the 21^st century where technology is ever-present, and compared to the context of the early church, there is less need for the gift of tongues to assist the spreading of the Good News to all nations. The Greek word for tongues, glossa, is the same word for language, which suits the notion of tongues being used as different languages for the sake of the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 2:18) – the Gospel. Nonetheless, we can clearly discern that passages such as Mark 16:17, “And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues” and Acts 2:1-11, “…they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance…each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? … we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God” are referring to the spiritual gift of tongues as languages. If all that is written in the Word of God concerning the spiritual gift of tongues were these, it would be easier to argue that the gift has ceased; but even so, could God not give a missionary the gift of tongues when approaching an ethnic minority?

Yet, there is so much more enlisted in God’s Word on tongues! 1 Corinthians 13 and 14 contain ample information on spiritual gifts, with emphasis on tongues and prophecy. Consider 1 Corinthians 13:1, which writes: “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” Clearly in this passage there is a differentiation between the tongues of men – which we discern as languages – and that of angels – which 14:2 affirms, as it is written that one who speaks in the tongues of angels speak not to men but to God. The person who does so cannot be understood by men as this person utters mysteries in the Spirit. Hence, we can clearly distinct two operations of tongues – one to humankind and another to God – which the tongue that speaks to God is not meant to be understood by humankind in the first place (14:2)!

In chapter 14 of Saul of Tarsus’ first letter to the church of Corinth, a highly spiritually gifted church that was also known for their indulgences in sin, the veteran missionary says that the gift of prophecy is better than tongues (14:1-3). Despite so, it is written in verse 4 that, “The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself [again not for others!], but the one who prophesies builds up the church.” Thus, clearly from this point on there should be no debate on the two operations of the spiritual gift of tongue, as the rest of the chapter reverses back on the first operation of tongues, that is, languages.

Hence, the gift of tongues as a whole is by no means ceased today because as believers, we are equally given the right to speak to God (and men if necessary) and to build ourselves up in a spiritual fashion. The Word of God does state that tongues will cease, as it is written, “...As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away” (1 Corinthians 13:8-10). Yet, please notice the sharp contrast between that which is partial or temporal, compared to that which is eternal. Tongues, knowledge, prophecies are classified here as temporal. Continuing on verses 11-13: “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Faith, hope, and love – especially love – is not considered as "partial" as verse 8 writes that “love never fails”, but the spiritual gifts are. Yet, most importantly, Paul contrasts his current time (which I believe is the same as now – you’ll see why), which he writes as seeing from a dim mirror, to the time where we see face to face.

1 Corinthians 13:8-13 clearly states tongues and knowledge and prophecy will cease when we see (who else?) GOD face to face. Of course when we see Him face to face all that is temporal will cease because the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelations 19:16) will come down in fire and His chariots like a whirlwind (Isaiah 66:15), which every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord (Isaiah 45:23; Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10). Can you see our Lord, Creator, and Saviour Jesus Christ face to face right now? Thus, nowhere has it been written in the Word of God that spiritual gifts have ceased alongside the knowledge of Him in our current time. Furthermore, why has not knowledge ceased if tongues (and prophecy) has ceased upon the establishment of the canon (or whatever date ceasationists propose)? Has it not been written in Daniel 12:4 that knowledge will increase until the end of time – which is completely logical as knowledge on every matter of life has increased correspondingly to time?

Thus, tongues have not ceased. Yet, Paul also encourages the congregation of Corinth not to speak in tongues so that the unbelievers will not be bewildered or think of them as demon-possessed (1 Corinthians 13:22-23). Hence, we need to use tongues with discernment and love.

What about the establishment of the New Testament canon?

Another major argument from cessationists concerns the Bible – which is not the “perfect” mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13:9 – as proven above. No one but God is perfect (Matthew 5:48). A generic argument from them states that God does not need to use miracles and signs and wonders because He has already given us His Word. Principle-wise, this claim appears to make sense, but our God is gracious and compassionate (Psalm 145:8). In terms of principle, even when the Israelites received the Law – the Word of God – God would still perform miracles and signs and wonders for His people. God also gave them His prophets and spokespeople. The only major difference apart from Jesus Christ is that the Holy Spirit was not poured out onto all believers of God, but His presence was with a selected few, such as Joshua, Moses, and David etc.

God performed signs and wonders to the Israelites in the Old Testament before He gave them His Word (the Law), but even after that, He still continued to do so. Today, the people of God is not confined to a single ethnicity, but the whole world. Thus, why would God take away spiritual gifts, signs, and wonders especially when the Spirit of God – the one who pours out spiritual gifts – lives in each and every believer? The notion of cessationism suggests that the Spirit of God now lives in us and we can access Him, but not His gifts. That itself is contradicting as all of those whom the Spirit of God had mightily come upon had spiritual gifts, such as Samuel – who had the gift of prophecy (1 Samuel 10:6).

Consider 1 Corinthians 12. As tongues still exist today, so are the other varieties of spiritual gifts (12:4) which originate from the same Spirit. The chapter continues to give examples of spiritual gifts – aside from tongues and prophecies – such as healing, knowledge, wisdom, ability to distinguish between spirits, and faith (12:8-10); which all are empowered by the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as He wills (12:11). As each of these gifts is given for the common good (12:7), which the gifts of tongues and prophecy will not cease until we see God face to face, there is no reason nor biblical evidence to support the notion that the other gifts will. (Why do cessationists not find any problem with the spiritual gifts of knowledge and wisdom, but with prophecies and tongues when they are all charismata – the gifts of the ever-present Spirit? And as mentioned in the section regarding tongues, they all still exist; for they will all cease upon the coming of Jesus Christ)

In relation to Prophecies

From the section about tongues, which touches upon prophecy as well, it clearly depicts that all of that which is “partial” will cease when the perfect comes, who is Jesus Christ. Yet, many Christians today are skeptical towards the idea of prophecy because there are many who claim to have received a divine relation from God. For instance, one may say “God revealed to me this and that…”, and some of the hearers may develop doubts – which is fine – because the “divine revelation” the specific person received is not enlisted in the Word of God. Thus, one of the most prevalent questions is how do we distinguish a Spirit-inspired prophecy compared to fortune-telling or one’s own thought, impulse, or opinion?

To begin with, consider prophet Jeremiah. In the book of Jeremiah, there is a clear contrast between God-ordained prophets – Jeremiah – and false prophets. Yet, both Jeremiah and the false prophets prophesied in the Name of the Lord God of Hosts (E.g. 22:1, 25 respectively). In a nutshell, the noteworthy difference between a true prophet and the false one, apart from their lives (23:18), was their message (23:28). Israel and Judah played the harlot against God and was awaiting destruction, but the false prophets proclaimed in the Name of the Lord that there will be peace (Ezekiel 13:10, 17), and calamity will not come upon God’s people (23:17) – in a sense similar to the prosperity gospel. These "prophets" are prophesying from their own inspiration (Ezekiel 13:17), as none of their prophecies had taken place. On the other hand, as for Jeremiah’s message, Jeremiah foretold them from the Spirit’s inspiration (2 Peter 1:21) that He will bring forth disaster to Jerusalem.

However, until the message prophet Jeremiah said had taken place, it would be very hard for the masses to distinguish whether the revelation from him was truly from God or whether the false prophets were true – unless they had known the Word of God. This is evidenced because God had clearly stated in Deuteronomy 28:15-68 that they will be destroyed if they disobey the Lord – which was what Israel was doing!

From the example of Jeremiah, we can discern two things about prophecies. First of all, a true prophecy, which comes from God, will not contradict from His Word. The general public in the time of Jeremiah did not need to testify whether the false prophets’ revelation was true because it was against what God had previously declared to them – Biblical principles! Yet, going back to our current time, there are obviously claims of divine revelation that do not contradict with Biblical principles, what do we do then?

Thus, secondly, in 1 Thessalonians 5:20, it is written that we do not despise prophecies but to test everything! Similarly, in 1 John 4:1-2, it is written: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God”. If one – a biblically-grounded Christian who believes in one’s heart and confesses with one’s tongue that Jesus is Lord (Romans 10:9-10), and aspires to be a living sacrifice and honorable vessel, who aims to do the Will of the Father and lives according to Philippians 1:21, “to live is Christ and to die is gain” –  claims to have received a divine word from God and it does not contradict with Biblical principles, let us thence test and see whether one’s prophecy is truly from God! If it is, what the person of God has said will take place according to what the Spirit has revealed to him or her.

In relation to discrediting miracles to the Holy Spirit

The blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, mentioned in Matthew 12 and Mark 3, cannot be repeated today as Jesus Christ is not physically on earth. However, there are a lot of similarities between one who does not believe in miracles – as in the gifts of the Spirit (cessationist) – and those who blasphemed the Holy Spirit.

Both Matthew 12:22-32 and Mark 3:22-30 present Jesus Christ healing a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. When the masses saw and testified that the blind and mute man was healed, they were amazed. Yet, the Pharisees accredited the work of the Holy Spirit to the devil – a sin that is unforgivable. The Pharisees did not deny the fact that the demon-oppressed man was healed. They could not do that because the miracle took place right before their eyes, and what happened had truly happened. Yet, instead of praising God, they accredited the work of the Holy Spirit to the devil. 

The truth is, miracles still take place today. It is a matter of fact. For instance, there are living testimonies of people who are blind but now see. It is a fact, an undeniable fact. Even non-believers such as doctors cannot deny it. However, the problem lies in whether or not you accredit it to God. There are no coincidences, for God is fully sovereign, and everything that takes place is either God-willed or God-permitted. Thus, if a science-defying miracle takes place and you are a cessationist, claiming that spiritual gifts such as tongues, prophecy, and healing have ceased, then who or what are you accrediting the miracle to? Is it not written, "but whoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age, or in the age to come?" (Matthew 12:32)

Last but not least, our God is the unpredictable God. He works in ways beyond our comprehension as Psalm 147:5 writes: “Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.” Do you have faith in the God of miracles, believing that He can work in miraculous – logic-defying – ways in your life and through your life? El Shaddai – the Almighty God – is not only capable of performing miracles but the Lord God of Hosts who still performs miracles for His own glory and Name’s sake in this still day until He returns.

-Barnabas

PS: If your loved one was sick and suffering from an illness or injury, will you not pray or lay hands for healing and deliverance? Or would you simply wish him or her “the best of luck” because God does not heal anymore?