Before reading the post this week, click on his name to cheek out a short video clip by Eric Metaxas on his book Miracles.
How does the possibility of miracles affect your Worldview? How many of us have really stopped and looked at our Worldview? Do we believe what we believe (about God, life, purpose and destiny) is really true? Or, have we been deceived by following others who would dictate what we should view as truth?
I was once challenged to check out the evidence for myself and I did, have you?
In the previous posts we have looked at evidence for the existence of God starting with 1) objective truth, I found that it is knowable; and 2) science provides overwhelming evidence for the existence of God through cosmology, teleology, biochemistry, and the existence of universal moral truths. If, from evidence in these areas we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that God exists, then is it possible that the God of the Bible could be that one true God?
Do miracles exist?
Let’s look at another premise set:
Premise #1: God exists if miracles exist.
Premise #2: Miracles do exist based on evidence from human experience, historical reporting and lack of alternative explanations in the natural sciences.
Premise #3: God exists.
To Confirm Premise #1:
What is a miracle?
A miracle is something which would never have happened had nature, as it were, been left to its own devices. -Antony Flew (former atheist)
Miracles are not possible inside the natural realm, therefore if a miracles occurs then it must have been accomplished by someone outside the natural realm who is all-powerful and all-knowing. This person must be outside of our limited time-space continuum and is not held to the rules of nature that He would be able to control.
Miracles can be described as: “Special acts of God that interrupt the normal course of events.” In contrast, natural laws are laws that have been instituted by the Creator and the Creator can manipulate these laws to point His Creation towards Him and His purpose.
- Natural laws are only descriptive of what God has set in motion, not prescriptive of what must always happen.
- Natural laws describe what happens regularly by means of natural causes, whereas miracles describe what happens rarely by means of supernatural causes.
To confirm Premise #2:
I’ve heard people say that miracles are not possible and that they can always be explained by a natural occurrence. But, miracles are not only possible miracles are actual, because the greatest miracle of all—the creation of the universe and everything in it out of nothing—has already occurred. So with regard to the Bible, if Genesis 1:1 is true—In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth—then every other miracles in the Bible is easy to believe.
If we admit God, must we admit Miracle? Indeed, indeed, you have no security against it. That is the bargain. -C.S. Lewis
You can go anywhere in the world and ask people the question: “Have you ever experienced a miracle?” Most people, especially people with more years put in on this earth, will tell you that they have experienced some type of miracle in their lives. Most evident will be the amazing stories of miracles coming out of places with less access to God’s Word (Muslim countries and places with little contact to the outside world).
Check out this short interview by the “One Minute Apologist” with former Muslim Nabeel Qureshi. Also read his book: Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus.
What is and isn’t a miracle?
There are different types of events that can occur and not that many are true miracles. That doesn’t mean that God is not intervening through what is better termed as “providence.” Unique and unusual events can be classified as follows:
- Anomalies: These are freaks of nature. They come from nature’s power and are natural events with a pattern. Example: Bumblebee’s ability to fly. Their wings are too small for the size of their bodies yet scientists have found that their bodies are designed with a type of power packs.
- Magic: these are sleights of hand. They come from human power and are human controlled. Example: A rabbit appearing out of a hat, a card trick or the escape artist.
- Psychosomatic: This is mind over matter. It comes from our own mental abilities and require only belief. It is human controlled and fails often. Example: Psychosomatic illnesses or cures.
- Satanic signs: These are evil powers from the supernatural realm. They are limited powers and come in partial truths usually from the occult. Example: Demonic possession or influence.
- Providence: These are prearranged events or interventions by God. They have divine power and a spiritual context but can be explained naturally. Example: Fog at Normandy or missing the plane that ends up crashing.
- Miracles: These are Divine acts that are supernatural occurrences. They happen rarely and are outside the realm of natural explanations. They never fail and they always give glory to God. Example: Raising the dead or parting the sea.
For more on these categories read Norman Geisler and Frank Turek’s book, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be An Atheist
If God exists then has He communicated with us and if so how? (This in itself would be a miracle)
Screwtape, the senior demon, to his disciple Wormwood:
You must have wondered why the Enemy (God) does not make more use of His power to be sensibly present to human souls in any degree He chooses and at any moment. But you now see that the Irresistible and the Indisputable are the two weapons which the very nature of His scheme forbids Him to use. Merely to over-ride a human will (as His felt presence in any but the faintest and most mitigated degree would certainly do) would be for Him useless. He cannot ravish, he can only woo. –From C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape letters
The King’s Seal:
- In ancient times a King’s Seal (or sign) authenticated their messages.
- A Seal (or sign) must be unique, recognizable, and something only the King possesses.
- God’s Seal (or sign) of authentication could be found in His ability to control Creation outside the established rules of nature, i.e. miracles.
- Miracles can be considered as a Seal (or sign) to confirm an authenticated message from God–we find this message recorded in His Word, the Bible.
God has not made it hard for us to see His communication about the truth of who He is and what He has done for us, in fact He has made it plain. (see Romans 1:20)
There are several ways God has communicated to us through…
- His Creation: Natural Revelation (see Genesis 1:1; Psalm 19:1-4; Psalm 89:11-12; Romans 1:19-20)
- His Word: Special Revelation (see 2 Timothy 3:16; 1 Peter 1:22-25; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
- His Son, Jesus: The New Covenant (see Psalm 89:3-4; John 3:16; Hebrews 9:15; 2 Peter 1:16-19)
- His Holy Spirit: The Spirit of Truth (see John 14:15-16; John 15:26; Acts 1:5, 2:1-4)
God confirms His message through His Word which includes the evidence of miracles. He also confirms His message through His Son. All of Jesus’ miracles were done to point people toward God and every miracle from God will always be done to bring glory to Him; it will point people toward His Kingdom; and it will help people recognize that the God of the Bible is the one true God. This includes the miraculous prophecy fulfillments from the Old Testament found in the New Testament!
Therefore, Premise #3 is true!
Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, you his servants, the descendants of Israel, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob. 1 Chronicles 16:11-13
(Jesus speaking) Don’t believe me unless I carry out my Father’s work. But if I do his work, believe in the evidence of the miraculous works I have done, even if you don’t believe me. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.” John 10:37-38
If you would like to go deeper in the study of miracles get the two volume set called Miracles, by Craig Keener.
You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in!
Join us this year as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.
Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.
Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.
Teri Dugan