JANUARY 17, 2010
THINGS THAT ARE NOT DONE BY MIRACLES
A miracle is an act of God above the laws of nature or contrary to the laws of nature. Webster's first definition of a miracle is "an extraordinary event manifesting God's intervention in human affairs." Vine defines "Dunamis" as being "used of works of a supernatural origin and character, such as could not be produced by natural agents and means". Things that some men call miracles are nothing more than unusual things happening in harmony with the laws of nature. Many things have been attributed to the miraculous that do not rightfully belong there. We believe that the parting of the Red Sea was a miracle when Israel passed through it. We believe that Jesus Christ arose from the dead on the third day just like the gospels reveal. We believe that Jesus Christ really raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:44). Also that Peter by the Spirit of God raised up Dorcas (Acts 9:36-40). All the other miracles revealed in the Old and New Testaments are authentic.
1.Conversion to Christ has never been done by a miracle. Jesus said a man must be born of water and the spirit if he is to enter into the kingdom of heaven (John 3:5). This the Lord interpreted when he told the apostles to preach the gospel to every creature in all the world and he who believes and is baptized shall be saved (Mark 16:15, 16). The Holy Spirit's part in the new birth was through the word he revealed. Souls are purified in obeying the truth through the Spirit. (I Peter 1:22). We are born again by the word of God that lives and abides forever (I Peter 1:23). God makes available the gospel throughout the whole Christian dispensation so any time a person will hear it and obey it he will be saved. Man's part is to receive the word into his heart and act on it in his life to be saved. (James 1:21). When this is done there is created in us a new heart· by the change of understanding, change of emotions, and change of the will. Check up on the conversions in the book of Acts and you will find that this was always the case in every conversion. Miracles were done to show the authenticity of the word of God but the conversion came about when men believed the truth, repented of their sins, and were baptized. (Acts 2:38; 8:12; 9:18; 10:47,48; 16:13-15; 16:30-34; 18:8).
2. No man was qualified to be a gospel evangelist as the result of a miracle. In the absence of the New Testament books in the first century people had the apostles hands laid on them and thus were given the gifts of prophecy, knowledge, and wisdom so they could preach the gospel without any mistakes. But for them to be given these gifts they had to first be converted by the gospel message, and secondly they had to be faithful By Timothy's time here was the pattern: "The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." (2 Timothy 2:2). How would Timothy commit these things to faithful men? 2 Timothy 4:2 states "Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season: reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." Preaching is teaching, so by teaching the word to these men would enable them to teach others. The Great commission shows that baptized people are to be taught to observe the same things that the apostles were to observe. Learning and teaching the gospel is what makes one a gospel evangelist.
3. No man was ever qualified to be an elder of the church by a miracle. A great deal of effort and preparation is necessary on the part of a Christian man to be qualified for the eldership. "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach, not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetos; one that ruletll well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (for if a man knownot how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, let being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and snare of the devil." (I Timothy 3:2-7). It is said in Acts 20:28 that the Holy Ghost made those men overseers of the church, but the way He did this is by instructing them in qualifying themselves and in their duties of oversight.
4. No man was ever made to be faithful to the Lord by a miracle. No man spoke with more tongues, nor prophesied more, nor did more miracles than the Apostle Paul, yet he still had to be faithful to Christ individual effort. He said, "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." (I Corinthians 9:24-27). He had to personally practice the principles he taught by inspiration in order to be saved.
Everyone of us must set our affections on things above, put off sinful practices, and be faithful as Christians or we will not reach heaven. (Colossians 3:1-17).
