Signs and Wonders (Part II)

Introduction: Charismatics believe that the ability to perform miracles was not unique to Christ and His specially appointed messengers. They believe that this power is available to all Christians but that it has been lost because of the spiritual deadness of the churches. They believe that the Charismatic church has re-discovered this "lost power," which disappeared from the Church for almost 2000 years.

Most miracles were performed to introduce an era of revelation from God: Miracles were performed by God's messengers to prove that they were God's messengers.
The Law, the Prophets and the New Testament constitute the three major divisions of the Bible. When God was going to introduce the Law through Moses, He authenticated Moses as His messenger by giving him the ability to perform miracles (EXO 4:2-4) and gave the reason for this miracle-making power (EXO 4:5 "That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers…..hath appeared unto thee").

When God was using the prophets to reveal His warnings to His people, He gave them the power to do miracles (1KI 17:17-23) and gave the reason for doing so (1KI 17:24 "And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth").

When Jesus preached the Gospel, He was authenticated as God's messenger by the miracles that He performed (JOH 10:25 "Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me." ACT 2:22 "Ye men of Israel hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs").

When God used the Apostles to write the New Testament, He empowered them with miracle-making power (2CO 12:12 "Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds").

In the early days of the Apostles' ministry, when they were unknown, God gave their amazing miracle-making powers (ACT 5:12-16 "And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people….that they brought forth the sick into the streets….that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow them….and they were healed every one"). After the Apostles were readily acknowledged as God's messengers, they lost their ability to perform miracles because there was no further need for authentication. At the end of his ministry Paul was unable to heal his co-workers Epaphroditus (PHI 2:25-27), Timothy (1TI 5:23) and Trophimus (2TI 4:20).

Therefore, the purpose of miracles is clearly taught in the Bible, namely, to authenticate God's messengers. After the completion of the Bible, there is no more new revelation from God (REV 22:18,19). Therefore, there is no more need for authentication of messengers of new revelation. Preachers of God's Word do not need to be authenticated by miracles because they do not preach "new revelation" and what they preach can be checked out as true or false by searching the scriptures (ACT 17:11 "…they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so").

Why can't we organize miracle and healing rallies to reach out to unbelievers?: Miracles are not meant for evangelism but for authentication. The Bible tells us that "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (ROM 10:17).

However, Charismatics often argue that preaching of the Gospel without accompaniment of signs and wonders lacks power to save. They promote "signs and wonders evangelism." But Paul says "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation…" (ROM 1:16). "It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe" (1CO 1:21).
To those who argue that miracles will convince unbelievers of the reality of God and His Gospel, Abraham's answer to the rich man refutes their argument ("And if they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead" LUK 16:31). Read LUK 16:19-31.

The Jews who were delivered from Egypt saw amazing miracles. They were fed by miracle-manna, and were led by a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night for forty years. Yet only two (namely, Joshua and Caleb) out of three million Jews had faith!

Jesus performed countless unprecedented miracles for three years throughout Israel and yet at the end of His earthly ministry the people cried: "Crucify him!"

We are commanded to "Go…and teach all nations" (MAT 28:19), not "Go…and heal all nations."

But did not Jesus promise believers that they will do greater works than the ones He did?: Jesus said in JOH 14:12 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."

Jesus did many great miracles during His earthly ministry, even raising the dead. Though the Apostles did great miracles, they did not perform "greater works" than Jesus in physical healing. So what were these "greater works" of which Jesus spoke?

The "greater works" must refer to things greater than physical and temporal healing and resurrection. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, it was only a temporary resurrection because he would die again. However, when the Apostles preached the Gospel and men were converted they received eternal life. Jesus ended His personal ministry on earth with just about 500 disciples (1CO 15:6) but Peter in a single day, at Pentecost, led 3000 souls into God's eternal kingdom.

Furthermore, Jesus confined His ministry within the boundaries of Israel, but the Apostles went to the uttermost parts of the known world.

Through the preaching of the Gospel and the help of the Holy Spirit we are able to lead more souls into God's kingdom than Jesus did in His earthly ministry. He was laying the foundation by authenticating His message of the Gospel through physical healing, we are given the privilege of reaping the harvest of souls by preaching the Gospel. Let us not go back to physical healing when we are given the greater work of spiritual healing through the preaching of the Gospel!