Welcome to today’s installment of Reverent Sundays, where I write about an aspect of my faith. This can deal with recent books I have read on Christianity, my thoughts on religion and current issues, as well as particular messages I find touching and/or powerful. I am aware that most of my readers are not religious, and that is fine — you are more than welcome to not read these posts if they make you uncomfortable, enrage you, or bore you to tears. I am open to debates and discussions in the comments section as long as everyone remains respectful. Enjoy!
The parting of the Red Sea. Joshua stopping the sun. Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.
The Bible is full of miracles such as these, and whether you believe that they actually happened or not, you can’t deny that they are magnificent stories that can only be classified as miracles.
But as people who live in this modern world, we can’t help but question: if there are no awe-worthy miracles happening today (and if they were, they would surely be covered by Fox News 😉 ), why should we even believe that they happened in the past?
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There exists a common misperception behind this question. And it is the belief that the miracles of the Bible occur continually throughout biblical history.
While it is true that the Bible is filled with miracles — about 250 of them — most of these miracles occur in very small frames in history, and during three time periods in particular: during the times of Moses, Elijah and Elisha, and Jesus and the apostles.
So why then? It is because those were the times when God was confirming new truth and new messengers with that truth. It is during these times when God was creating new covenants with mankind.
And during all the other times in the Bible? There actually exist huge gaps where there are no recorded miracles from God — sometimes even hundreds of years! And the reason for this is because there was no need to confirm messages from God, and miracles usually acted as ways to confirm new word from God.
Thus brings the explanation behind the lack of biblical miracles today: because if the Bible is true and complete (which we believe), God is not confirming any new revelation and, as a result, does not have this main purpose for performing miracles. In other words, there is no new word from God that needs to be confirmed by God.
Now, I am not saying that God cannot perform miracles today, or that He never does. Being God, He can conduct a miracle anytime He wants. It’s just that He may not have a reason to publicly display His power the way He did during biblical times because all of the truths He wanted to reveal have already been revealed and confirmed.
I personally believe that smaller miracles continue to take place today, but that they almost always take place with people who have been forsaken or forgotten by the rest of the world — those who need God’s help the most, and are usually cut off or shunned from society. (And, as such, news of these miracles do not reach us.) Or, in places where Christians are persecuted for their faith, as in the case of Brother Yun.
Besides, do we not witness small miracles every day? 😉 I know that I do, whenever I look upon the faces of my daughters.
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As a lutheren and some who knows quite a bit abourpt science, I have even considered a degree in physics, I have struggled with questions of modern faith more than once in life.
Miracles, as you mentioned, have little place in our modern world, based on your argument they may never be seen here on earth again. But I think they are far from over. The sheer numbers involved in some of the science behind physics and space travel is simply mind blowing. And we get it right!
I am not suggesting that devine intervention ‘is happening, but men and women have gone to space and returned, we have landed on mars, and we are beginning to see evidence if just how mind blowing large space is. I think devine insperation may have played a role 🙂 .
Life is a miracle in my eyes 🙂
Thank you for having this series. It means a lot 🙂
Also wanted to pipe up and say thanks for this series! 🙂
Great post. As I began to read I realized I had forgotten the explanation for there being few or not widely witnessed miracles today, and I think your point that God has nothing new to prove is spot on. I think of the people who say, “I just want a sign,” or “Let God strike me with lightning if He’s real”… I think the lack of response on God’s part isn’t because He’s not there or that He doesn’t care, but He’s given us what we need in the Bible and in the person of Jesus already. If we ignore that or demand more that’s OUR problem.
Miracles still happen every day in God’s Kingdom. We have several testimonies of people’s health, finances and relationships being restored. For example, one member was declared clinically dead for 16 min and Pastor called her back to life baffling the medical staff, another was cured of their terminal brain cancer or recently a child was cured of her deafness. Miracles still exist when one walks in faith.
I very much look forward to this series! Long time fan.
I am so enjoying this series! It’s so thought-provoking and interesting, and you speak so well about various facets of our Christian faith. Like you, I do see small miracles in my life all the time. They may not look like the parting of the Red Sea, but they are powerful reminders that God is always there.
Facts become stories. Stories become myths. Myths become legend. Legend becomes faith. Say, I know of a recent miracle: didn’t God talk to Joseph Smith recently, and he started a church because of it? Just saying.
Nice story, but if you think logically about it, you’ll come to the conclusion that so-called miracles don’t happen in the modern day because we’re a lot more educated as a society than we used to be, and there are ways to verify and record history in great detail.
Case in point: there was recently an indian tribe which it had been confirmed had never seen any human outside its own clan. The BBC flew helicopters over them, landed some cameras, and the tribe was introduced to modern technology in a somewhat crude manner. But they couldn’t believe some of the things they saw. To them, they might be miracles. To us, it’s science and technology.
Anyway, believe in whatever you want, but at the end of the day, please know that it’s not up to a higher power. It’s up to you.
Still not convinced that anything in the Bible really happened. People say they had God speak to them. How does that happen? Do you hear an actual voice? Does it come to you in dreams? I’ve prayed to God since a child and I’ve never heard anything. Have never seen anything happen in my life that couldn’t be explained by science and modern medicine.
You will seek God and find him when you seek him with all your heary.
Sorry for the mis spelling . When you seek God with all your heart.
You are all a bunch of sheep. Only sheep need a sheppard. You need to wake up and live YOUR life. I cant believe that society is filled with such mindless people that they would take words feom a book that contradicts everything that you can touch, see, hear and taste and hold it as truth. Its all about money now, not faith, not god. I wait for the day that people wake up and learn to be individuals.
You need faith and without it you will experience and see nothing.