Results 1 - 7 of 7
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Only for the early Church? | NT general Archive 1 | Rowdy | 122260 | ||
How many witnesses certified this blind person to have been blind from birth? If you'll look carefully, you'll see a contrast between what Jesus refused to do and the failure of a miracle due to a lack of faith on the part of the recipient as is claimed by modern miracle workers. Please don't misunderstand. I'd be the last person in the world to deny that miracles are done. They're performed by God directly to the recipient as in the remission of cancer given up by doctors, etc. What I'm saying we must apply the same standard we see in our Bibles, thus the need for absolute proof. According to the Bible, there were two ways to get these powers: 1) directly from the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 and 10 and 2) laying on of the Apostles hands. So since we don't have anyone about 2000 years old, there's very little likelihood of human beings have such powers. But again, if there's anyone that supports such an idea, we at least should agree to use the Bible standard, correct? Again, we are going to "test the spirits" as commanded and do that testing with the only standard approved by God, correct? In my mind, there shouldn't be any disagreement, can there be?? God bless. --Rowdy |
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2 | Right purposes for miracles | NT general Archive 1 | Zsuzsi | 122336 | ||
In my opinion, as long as our inner purpose is to get renowned for working miracles, we can wait forever for the Holy Spirit to give us the power to carry them out...! Even Jesus had the sole purpose of glorifying the Father, not gaining personal glory: John 10:38: But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father." Notice that even He did not do any miracles for Herod - probably He could have saved His life - His mission was far more important to Him than personal fame: LUke 23:8: "When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle." The working of miracles is not supposed to be anything special for Christians who truly live in God - in fact, it is mentioned as a gift of the Holy Spirit at least as common as the ability to teach! 1Cor 12:28: "And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues." Jesus clearly stated that faith would work greater miracles than what He did... He said "anyone"; to me that is not just the apostles. John 14:12: "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the Bible does mention that God did refuse to work miracles or answer the prayers of people, for His purposes. A few well-known examples: - David did not get to build the temple even though he wanted to (1Kings 8:18; also see 2Samuel 7) - The Father 'refused' to save Jesus Himself (even though He did pray, sweating blood in agony, for His 'cup' to be taken from Him (eg. Luke 22:42)! - compare with Matthew 26:53: "Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?") - The Lord refused to heal Paul's "thorn in the flesh", even though he asked Him 3 times "lest I should be exalted above measure" (2Cor 12:7) - please read the whole chapter of 2Corinthians 12... Looking at the examples of miracles in the Bible, I conclude that God will only work miracles for us (it is Him who does it, not the actual person; John 10:32, Acts 19:11, Gal 3:5 etc) if the effect of the miracle will be glory to His Name rather than a top story on the front page of tabloid papers... Do we want our problmems solved more than we want His will to be done? Do we want to easily impress others by healing them in the mortal body more than we want to work hard to heal them in the immortal soul? Do we want glory for ourselves more than we want His Name to be glorified? If the honest answer to either of those questions is "yes", then our prayer really should not be "Let me work this miracle", but "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." Psalm 51:10 God bless you, Zsuzsi |
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3 | Right purposes for miracles | NT general Archive 1 | Rowdy | 122338 | ||
I'm not certain if you meant this post to be directed or linked to my statement. I read your statement completely and I'd like to think I agree with your position. You ask several questions but they seem to be rhetorical in nature as all Bible students know the correct answers. You've labeled this post as a question, maybe by mistake. If correctly, labeled, what exactly is your ultimate question? More to the point of discussion (at least in my opinion), here's mine: 1) Is there miracles in today's world being performed by human beings (God through people)? 2) Are they deceiving themselves and others into believing these miracles? 3) What do we use to determine if these miracles actually come with God's blessing in accordance with His command to "test the spirits." See 1 John 4:1-2 We have been charged by God to be watchful and to avoid false teachers. Awaiting your reply. God bless. --Rowdy |
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4 | Right purposes for miracles | NT general Archive 1 | following him | 122347 | ||
1) Is there miracles in today's world being performed by human beings (God through people)? Yes! 2) Are they deceiving themselves and others into believing these miracles? What is the basis for you to think they are deceiving themselves if they heal somebody. If one gets healed how can that be a deception. You sound like the pharisees who could not believe that the blind man was healed by Jesus. The blind man's response was, all I know is that I was blind but now I see (John 9:25). Regardless of what we have seen or done through the Holy Spirit in the realm of healing, you will not believe. 3) What do we use to determine if these miracles actually come with God's blessing in accordance with His command to "test the spirits." See 1 John 4:1-2 You need to reread this reference. The test does not mention what they do but what they teach about Christ. You keep using it as a guage to what they are doing. |
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5 | Right purposes for miracles | NT general Archive 1 | Rowdy | 122365 | ||
You seem to be forgetting the main purpose behind these miracles IF indeed they're from God. According to His Word, miracles have always been an used as "signs and wonders" to confirm the person performing them as having God's seal of approval. We even get such examples from the OT, like Elijah against Baal and his false prophets, 1 Ki 18. But from the NT we have Matt 24:24 "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Mark 13:22 for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect. John 4:48 So Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe." Acts 2:19 'AND I WILL GRANT WONDERS IN THE SKY ABOVE AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BELOW, BLOOD, AND FIRE, AND VAPOR OF SMOKE. Acts 2:22 "Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know-- Acts 2:43 Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. Acts 4:30 while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus." Acts 5:12 At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon's portico. Acts 6:8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. Acts 7:36 "This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. Acts 14:3 Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands. Acts 15:12 All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. Rom 15:19 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. 2 Cor 12:12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles. 2 Thess 2:9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, Heb 2:4 God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will. So we see from Jesus Himself that false people would also be performing these kinds of miracles (signs and wonders). We want to believe that only God's children (christians) could perform these miracles but alas God expects us to "test these spirits" and determine which is the real deal. Which ones have God's seal of approval just as in the first century? Thus we must use God's Word to inspect the quality of these miracles. We see this pattern started by the Bereans and endorsed by God. What did they do? They listened to one of the greatest Gospel preachers of all time but they didn't take Paul's word for the accuracy of his Gospel message. They compared what they were hearing to their scriptures. So we must do the same, in principle. So again, I ask in accordance with God's Word: 1) What characteristics between the miracles of today do we see matching those in the Bible? 2) What is the purpose of these miracles being performed in today's world? I would say this kind of investigation of today's miracles is paramount to prevent false teachers in dividing the Lord's church. God bless. --Rowdy |
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6 | Right purposes for miracles | NT general Archive 1 | following him | 122381 | ||
No Rowdy, I am not forgetting that. The warning against false prophet and teachers is all through the OT and NT. In Rev the beast will do miracles to specifically decieve the elect. But its the criteria which you have chosen that I have a problem with. How do you judge the "Quality" of a miracle. You keep using the reference in 1 John "Test the spirits" as you basis. But this scripture says nothing about testing the actual miracle itself but what those performing the miracle "SAY" or "TEACH" about Christ. Even in the OT the test for a false prophet was if they led the people away from serving God. Tell me if I prayed for someone who had a broken toe and it was healed would that be a valid miracle? Why or why not? | ||||||
7 | Right purposes for miracles | NT general Archive 1 | Rowdy | 122427 | ||
As long as it really was broken, confirmed by X-ray and then confirmed completely whole by another X-ray. Naturally, both the person with the healed toe and the miracle would be most anxious for this proof to be accomplished. Also the person healed would be able to jump, walk and run on that foot. Once again these miracles have to meet the same standard as seen in the Bible, that is something truly supernatural. Hope this helps and God bless. --Rowdy |
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