“Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest except God be with him.” (This was spoken to Jesus in John 3:2).

A miracle is a happening that contradicts the natural laws of science. It is evidence of a power beyond this world and is used by many movements, both occult and Christian, to validate their cause.

However, Jesus Himself refused to perform miracles just for show as false leaders do (Luke 4:9-12; 23:8, 9). Jesus rather performed them to relieve the effects of sin and human suffering such as restoring life to a withered hand (Luke 6:6-11) or raising the dead (Mark 5:35-43). He often commanded the recipients not to tell anybody. He did not want people to follow Him for the “loaves and fishes” but out of a commitment to His message of righteousness. (John 6:10-15). Under Jesus’ ministry, “The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them” (Matthew 11:5).

Secularists Disagree!

These Bible accounts along with any claims of divine intervention are of course challenged by secular scientists today. World Book Encyclopedia says, “Devout members of a religion believe in miracles and consider them a divine sign. Others have an equally firm belief that there is no such thing as a true miracle. They feel that all so-called miracles can be explained through scientific or psychological knowledge. Thus, secular materialists attribute all unnatural phenomena to ignorance and superstition and believe that with close scrutiny a natural explanation can be found sooner or later.”

God is not a crutch
for what we don’t know,
but the cause for
what we do know.

This unbelief, of course, also needs proof to be valid. With an increasing knowledge of our phenomenally complex and ordered biosphere the burden of proof lies with the secularist to show how inert elements could self organize themselves into complex life. Without this proof, they have a baseless faith.

Established scientific laws show the rule of entropy in our world. All material things disintegrate and wear out with time. The second law of thermodynamics states that in our universe all energy moves to a less usable form. This is in harmony with the Bible statement that “the earth . . . shall wax old as doth a garment” (Hebrews 1:10-12).

With the decoding of the human genome, five billion bits of information (more or less) were found to determine all the features and functions of our bodies. Nothing constructive just happens. There is a cause behind it. Masses of constructive, orderly information would need to be added to the genome for a fin, a leg, or a wing to “evolve.” Mutations are always compromises of this original complex information. Reproduction of copying mistakes in the genome can duplicate (six fingers, for example). It can block information (no horn, for example). Or it can corrupt this information which can bring deformity or death. However, in observational science, there is no evidence of an increase of orderly information added to the genome.*

The evolutionist has no cause for the writing of the original perfect genetic codes that this points to. The Christian has that cause which is outside the natural laws of science—the one true and sovereign God.

God is not a crutch for what we don’t know, but the cause for what we do know! In light of the poverty of naturalism to explain the complexity in nature, even respected scientists in the evolutionary community have resorted to the paranormal. Stephen Gould proposed “punctuated equilibrium” stating that evolution happened in spurts too fast to see in the fossil record. (Since no true transitional fossils can be found but are according to kinds [Genesis 1:25]). Another theory proposed is that life was seeded on earth from outer space. Thus, the media popularized a meteor rock they thought was from Mars that appeared to have a bacteria in it. (This was later disproved.) So-called scientists can manufacture an issue for anything they want to believe for the moment. This is so often the nature of the historic “evidences” for evolution.

Evolutionists require miracles for what they believe but allow for no miracle worker. The Christian, believing his Bible, can see farther than the scientist looking into his microscope or telescope.

Kinds of Miracles

Miracles that over-rule or suspend natural laws are the most evident forms of divine intervention. Such miracles include:

• The waters of a sea standing up as walls while the children of Israel passed through (Exodus 14:22).
• When Jesus walked on the sea (John 6:19) or when solid iron floated (2 Kings 6:5-7).
• When the earth’s rotation stopped and the sun and moon stood still for a day (Joshua 10:12-14).
• When water changed to wine in an instant (John 2:7-11).
• When dead bodies were raised to life (John 11:43, 44; Acts 10:36-41).

Of course God who established all the laws of creation (Hebrews 11:3) and now “upholds them by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:3) can also suspend them at His will.

More common supernatural events are miracles of time and place. Although these happenings are according to natural laws, they defy all odds of happening when asked for. Such are:

• A cloud formed and rain came during drought when Elijah told Ahab it would. (1 Kings 18:41-45).
• An earthquake opened prison doors when a prayer meeting was held for Peter’s release. (Acts 12:5-19).

The Christian sees God’s providential hand in answers to prayer and protection from danger. These cannot be understood by a skeptic but “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). This is the Christian’s peace to know that the greatest power in the universe oversees our lives and “tempers every wind that blows,” whether good or bad, for our ultimate welfare.

The Greatest Miracles

The greatest creative miracle, of course, was the origin of the universe from nothing. “The worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things that are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Hebrews 11:3). “He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalm 33:9). Therefore, the earth was hung upon nothing and all the biodiversity of plants, animals, and man came into existence.

The greatest miracle of circumstances within the laws of nature was the destruction and re-creation of the earth in the global cataclysm of Noah’s flood. This upheaval of nature was when human grief and suffering had reached an intolerable peak because men had filled the earth with violence and wickedness. “And the lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.” (Genesis 6:7).

Lying Wonders

Christians are not the only believers and recipients of miracles. Many occultists, spiritists, and professing Christians claim daily miracles also. They make the area between reality and imagination very foggy. The Scriptures show that evil men and seducers will use the miraculous to ensnare people. The test is if they use their dreams or wonders to lead people after themselves or away from the true God. (Deut. 13:1-3).

Jesus said false christs will come in the last days who shall show great signs and wonders to deceive Christians. (Mark 13:22). Such miracle workers may have occult power but usually use trickery. Houdini and other magicians had trick boxes and the like which were later exposed.

The greatest false miracle worker will be a beastly personage who arises out of the sea of humanity in the culminating events of the world. (Rev. 19:19,20). Paul foretold this “man of sin” who comes with “lying wonders” in 2 Thessalonians 2:9.

Reality Miracles

By maintaining a loyalty to God’s word and practical applications in Christian living, we can divide the true from the false. We see the true marvels of God all about us. (The monarch butterfly migrates to the same valleys in Mexico that its ancestor visited five generations before. The genetic instinct information placed there by God had to pass through numerous eggs and caterpillars to the final host).

As we live daily in tune with the God who is real, we experience His providential care. It is a privilege to move the hand of God in prayer relating to physical and spiritual needs of ourselves and others. This is a fact understood by faith in His promise. It cannot be proved by science and will only be fully understood in heaven. This saving experience is through the regeneration in a man’s heart and is based on the miraculous resurrection of Jesus bodily from the grave!

“Jesus of Nazareth, [was] a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know“(Acts 2:22).

Resources for study: *Not by Chance by Dr. Lee Spetner; Miracles by Henry Morris.

-by Elvin Stauffer