Have miracles ceased? They have if we are talking about the kind of miracles performed by Jesus, the apostles, and those possessed of spiritual gifts in New Testament times. The purpose of those miracles was to confirm that the word spoken was from God himself. Such confirmation was needed. Put yourself in the shoes of those living back then. Here one comes into your midst claiming to speak for God. Is he delusional, a mad man? Is he a charlatan? Why should I give him the time of day?

People speak of blind faith. The kind of faith the Bible demands of men is not blind faith but faith built upon reason based on the word of God confirmed by miracles. I believe not because I am nave and will believe anything and will buy bridges in deserts but rather because God said, “come now, and let us reason together.” (Isa. 1:18 NKJV) I have done that " reasoning based on the word of God confirmed by miracles.

Why was the tomb of Jesus empty the third day? Why could the Romans not find the body of Jesus? Why did they not even look for it? What profit was there to be had in preaching Jesus as did Peter and the other apostles if they knew they had stolen the body and hidden it? Was there money in it? Was there power? Was there security in doing so or danger? Why did those 12 men put their lives on the line to preach the gospel? Faith built on reasoning with the truth, a truth confirmed by the greatest miracle of all " the resurrection of Christ, is not emotionalism. The unbeliever cannot explain the empty tomb nor the lives of the apostles.

The word spoken, however, would have little effect upon men in a day and age when revelation was not yet completed, indeed was just beginning to be given, without miracles accompanying it. The people living in places like Asia (modern day Turkey), Greece, and other remote locations knew nothing of Jesus originally. His life, his death, his resurrection was not broadcast over TV, all over the Internet, and was not in newspaper headlines. We have to put ourselves back in their time to understand what their situation was. When a man like Paul arrives in your village the question is who is this man? What is he talking about?

The Bible thus says that after Jesus gave the Great Commission in Mark 16:15-16 the eleven “went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.” (Mark 16:20 NKJV) Paul spoke of the signs of an apostle. He said in speaking to the Corinthians, “In nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing. Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.” (2 Cor. 12:11-12 NKJV) In his first letter to them (the Corinthians) he says of his preaching that it was, “in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (1 Cor. 2:4-5 NKJV) “Power” is a reference to the miraculous.

The writer of the book of Hebrews speaks of the same sort of thing when in talking about the preaching of the gospel message by those who had heard Jesus says, “God also bearing witness (with them " the speakers " DS) both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will.” (Heb. 2:4 NKJV) So we clearly see the purpose behind miracles, signs, wonders, gifts of the Holy Spirit, the miraculous in general when the word was being preached to people who knew it not.

The Bible also gives us a second reason or purpose for spiritual gifts in the New Testament church. After a person became convinced of the truth of the gospel and obeyed it what then? He cannot order a Bible or New Testament from Amazon or Abebooks. Not only is Amazon still over 1900 years down the road into the future but the New Testament has not yet been given in its entirety. The books were in the process of being written and delivered. How do the members of the church know how to live? How do they know right from wrong? The answer was spiritual gifts given by God for the purpose of instructing the church in righteous living. Paul says of these gifts, “the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.” (1 Cor. 12:7 NKJV) He is talking about spiritual gifts. Whatever your gift was (he gives a list of them in 1 Cor. 12:8-10, see also verse 28) it was to be used to profit everyone, not just yourself. “Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.” (1 Cor. 14:12 NKJV) Edification means to build up spiritually. “Let all things be done for edification.” (1 Cor. 14:26 NKJV)

Understanding the purpose behind miracles and spiritual gifts helps one greatly in understanding a passage written by Paul found right in the middle of his discussion of spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14, a passage where he declares that there will be an end to spiritual gifts not when Christ comes but before then. I refer to 1 Cor. 13:8-13.

“Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor. 13:8-13 NKJV)

Let us note some things from this passage. Paul says plainly that prophecies will fail, tongues will cease, and knowledge (talking about miraculously given knowledge) will vanish. The question then becomes when? Can we find out? Yes!

Something will abide after these spiritual gifts have ceased. What will that be? Faith, hope, and love. What does that mean? Well, for one thing it means that if hope still abides after spiritual gifts are gone the spiritual gifts will be gone before Jesus returns to earth. We still “hope” after the gifts have vanished but why am I hoping if Christ has already returned and I am now in possession of that for which I had been hoping. Once you have received that which you were hoping for you do not continue to hope for it " there is no need. Do not let anyone tell you that spiritual gifts are going to last until Jesus returns. This passage destroys that false doctrine. One must understand that prophecy, tongues, and inspired knowledge as spiritual gifts were representative of all spiritual gifts in that all were to vanish and not just those three.

That which “is perfect” in the passage is the final total revealed will of Christ " the completed revelation of Christ " the New Testament in its totality of inspired teaching. Revelation was not all given in a single day or a single year. It was a matter of a gradual revealing of the truth over a period of a few decades in the first century until all was given that was to be given. Perhaps reading 1 Cor. 13:10 will help you see this when read from another translation, “But when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.” (1 Cor. 13:10 ESV) Spiritual gifts were the partial. Completed revelation was the “perfect.”

One has to bear in mind that the word “perfect” often means “complete” in New Testament usage and this passage is an example of it. The International Standard Version of the Bible translates 1 Cor. 13:10, “But when what is complete comes, then what is incomplete will be done away with.” (ISV) The New Living Translation has it as follows, “But when full understanding comes, these partial things will become useless.” (NLT) Full understanding came when full revelation was complete.

Another passage teaching the same thing is Eph. 4:11-15, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ.” (NKJV)

Note that apostles and prophets were to be only for a time " note the word “till” in verse 13. When would the “till” arrive? We can figure that out. We have enough information to do that. Note that when that time arrives we will no longer be children tossed about by every wind of doctrine. This tells us that when the “till” comes (”we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood” - Eph. 4:13 ESV) that false doctrine will still be taught but we will no longer be carried about by it. This means we are talking about a time prior to the return of Christ for upon his return false doctrine becomes a thing of the past. So again we prove that miracles, spiritual gifts, etc. are not to last until the return of Christ. They are gone before his return. So again do not let anyone tell you that miracles and spiritual gifts are to last until Christ's return.

But, one might object to this argument on the grounds that if this be true then it would also eliminate evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Yes, it would " those miraculously qualified to do the work by being the recipient of a spiritual gift. One needs to bear in mind, however, that with the completed revelation of Christ to man one no longer needed spiritual gifts to qualify or enable him for the work.

Also beware lest you be led astray thinking that since what is called Christendom today is divided that “the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God” never arrived. Yes, that has been lost today but that does not mean they never had it say back in 150 A.D. (just using that date as an example). Believe it or not there was a time when things were not like they are today.

The unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God and how to obtain to mature spiritual manhood in Christ are found in the pages of the completed New Testament. Outside those pages you can know nothing of or about Christ or of the faith. If you are carried about by false doctrine you need not be. That is what you have a New Testament for " so you will not be led into false doctrine and can know the truth (if you really want to know it which is where a lot of the problem lies " in the will to accept it in all its teachings).

Now what are the implications of miracles having ceased or put another way what are the implications if miracles have ceased? Let me say to start that the implications are so great that some religious bodies will never ever accept it as fact for the simple reason it would destroy them as a religious body. If a religious group's very existence is dependent on the continuation of miracles that is an exceedingly strong incentive to fight for them and argue for them and not accept New Testament teaching on the subject.

Remember the purpose of miracles was to confirm the word. If you still want the world to believe you are a source of revealed authoritative teaching and preaching, teaching that cannot be found in the pages of the New Testament (emphasis here), received directly from God, then you must have miracles to confirm the word. You cannot have the Catholic Church without miracles can you? If they want to hand down law and claim God's authority for it then they have to have God performing miracles among them. No choice about it.

The Catholic Church claims authority and teaches many doctrines that cannot be found in the pages of the New Testament (I think they will agree with me on this). Why should any man believe them? There is only one reason " miracles. They must make the claim of miracles being performed among them and do their best to get people to believe they are genuine. They will never accept that miracles have ceased. If you are Catholic logic requires that you believe in modern day miracles. The miracles confirm that God is among them approving of them and of their teaching. They must have miracles to maintain their authority. They will have their miracles by hook or crook with no New Testament passages bothering them.

One must remember the Catholic Church believes authority resides with them and not solely with the New Testament. They are not willing to accept the New Testament alone as the final authority in religion.

Pentecostal groups have a different motivation. As far as I know they have not tried to get humanity to think that God hands down law today through them, law not found in the New Testament, but they have misunderstood the New Testament. Their existence does depend on the continuation of miracles and spiritual gifts. All know this who know anything about them. If miracles have ceased they are left high and dry, out in the cold, and have taught false doctrine. They must fight against what has been taught in this article. If miracles have ceased, as I have been teaching, then where does that leave Pentecostalism?

If spiritual gifts and miracles still abound in the church today (as Pentecostals believe) then what does that imply about churches that do not believe in those things and make no claim to have them? A Pentecostal would have a hard task ahead of him, if he was to be consistent in his teaching, to make any claim that a church that did not have and exercise these gifts was Christian. He would really have to deny it if he was to be logical and consistent in his teaching. I add, however, I make no claim for logic or consistency in what passes for Christianity in today's denominational world. I do know, however, about necessary implications.

One must remember that doctrine does not exist in a vacuum. Every doctrine has implications. As we all from time to time examine our beliefs we would do well to see where our thinking leads. We must accept the implications for we really have no choice unless we are to throw all logic and reason out the window.

For preaching a little different than what you are use to hearing try the audio sermons of Waymon Swain.

How was Noah and his family saved through water? Peter, in 1 Peter 3:20-21, says they were but just how is a little hard to understand without some thought and study. The passage reads as follows: when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us, namely baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (NKJV)

How was Noah and his family saved through water? What was he saved from? What is an antitype? Was he saved by grace or by works (he did build the ark)? There are a lot of questions. Let us start from the beginning.

We are all aware of the story of how the flood came about. After God made man in due time mankind came to be great sinners before God. Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Gen. 6:5 NKJV) God determined to destroy man for his evil, an evil so great it grieved God in his heart and made him sorry he had created man. (Gen. 6:6-7)

However, the text then says, But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. (Gen. 6:8 NKJV) One cannot emphasize too much the teaching of this text. That said it goes against almost everything that men today have to say about grace. Grace today, as men see it, means you need do nothing at all toward your own salvation other than believe in Jesus. If more was required of you that would be, so they reason, salvation by works. How did God show Noah grace? Was it not by telling him what was going to happen (judgment was to befall the inhabitants of the earth and life on the earth be destroyed) and what he (Noah) needed to do to save himself? That was it exactly.

But, in todays world of so called Christendom this is not grace. Noah had to work some say, based on Gen. 6:3, one hundred and twenty years on the ark. Peter spoke of the longsuffering of God waiting in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared (1 Peter 3:20) so it was no short term project. Noah received grace but had something to do, an obligation to fulfill, if he was to be saved. Being saved by Gods grace does not mean man has no part in his own salvation, that man has nothing to do. There is also one other very important New Testament verse on Noahs salvation. By faith Noah, being divinely warned (Gods grace-DS) of things not yet seen, moved with Godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. (Heb. 11:7 NKJV) How is it we freely admit that Noah was saved by grace and faith and yet he had to work many, many years building this giant ark and yet we say if a man is baptized to be saved it is being saved by works even though the whole process takes but minutes?

Is it ignorance, is it prejudice, is it hypocrisy, is it something else? I have no answer. This much I do know"Noah was saved by grace through faith the same as we are today (Gen. 6:8, Heb. 11:7). He was moved so much by faith that it instilled within him godly fear (Heb. 11:7) and put a diligent work (or obedience) ethic into his life. James says, so faith without works is dead also (James 2:26 NKJV) which is exactly where Noah would have ended up without the works. There is a difference between a work of obedience to Gods command and a work that merits salvation. The Bible condemns the latter. You cannot merit your way to heaven by works. Dont you think Noah was well aware that the God who caused the flood was just as capable of capsizing the ark Noah had built if he chose to do so? Do you really believe that people who believe the Bible teaches that baptism is necessary in order to be saved think that they are saving themselves apart from God when they are baptized and that they have no fear of God? If the ark of salvation floats, whether it be Noahs or our own, it is only because the grace of God allows it.

How was Noah and his family saved through water? By water they were saved from a sinful world, separated from it, separated to God. They became creatures in a new world, one without sin. The water that brought death to others brought life to them as it lifted the ark up placing them in a place of safety above the waters of destruction. To say they were not saved, they were already saved with or without water, is to argue with the text which says specifically, eight souls, were saved through water. (1 Peter 3:20 NKJV)

Do you think it strange that the water that brought salvation to the 8 brought death to the multitudes? One cannot help but think of the waters of baptism of our own era. The water that brings salvation to some (Mark 16:16) will bring death to others who are willingly disobedient to the command.

This brings us to Peters use of a word somewhat strange to many - the word antitype used in verse 21 in the New King James version and also the word that is found in the Greek text. Let me quote that to you again. There is also an antitype which now saves us, namely baptism. (NKJV) Some of the more modern versions phrase it like the ESV or nearly so, Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you. The New American Standard is very close to this when it says, And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you. Many of the things in the Old Testament symbolized or we might say were types of things that would come to be under Christ in the new dispensation. The waters of the flood in the days of Noah were the type while baptism today is that which corresponds to it, baptism is the antitype.

If we wish to deny that baptism saves us today (the text does not say baptism is a symbol of salvation already achieved, it says it saves us) we do two things. (1) We deny the very words of the text. (2) We essentially end up denying also what the text says about Noah being saved for his salvation was the type and ours the antitype. His salvation as per the newer versions corresponds to ours or ours to his.

What did the water do for Noah and how does it correspond to baptism today? (1) Both place those who are obedient by faith (believers) into a new spiritual world. The world Noah entered through water was cleansed of sin. The world we enter when baptized is a spiritual world that has been cleansed of sin. [see Acts 22:16, Acts 5:25-26, Titus 3:5] (2) Both salvations were by grace for Noah was warned and given an opportunity for salvation and so are you and I. God was under no obligation to warn Noah and give him a way to be saved and the same can be said of you and I today thus both were acts of grace.

I would not begin to know how many verses there are in the New Testament telling us about baptism and our need for it but let me give it a shot - Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, 1 Peter 3:21, John 3:5, Eph. 5:26, Col. 2:11-12, Titus 3:5, Mark 16:16, Matt. 28:18-20, Rom. 6:3-6, Gal. 3:26-27, 1 Cor. 12:13, Heb. 10:22. These were just those that came to mind without using a concordance. I barely touched the book of Acts.

Like Noah we have been given warning. We will like him be obedient with godly fear or else we will take God on by being disobedient. Who do you think is really saved by grace? Is it the man who hears and believes and obeys or is it the man who hears and disbelieves and does not obey? Who truly has the answer of a good conscience toward God? (1 Peter 3:21 NKJV) I am sure Noahs conscience was clear as he obeyed God and did all he was told and that out of faith. How does a man have a good conscience toward God all the while being disobedient? Will he say I didnt know? Will he say I heard the passages, I read them, I just did not believe them? Will he tell God it was Gods fault for being unable to communicate effectively?

What saved Noah? The answer is Gods grace, Noahs faith, and Noahs obedience. If you and I are saved today it will be because of Gods grace, our faith, and our obedience. Yes, everything depended on Gods grace for without it Noah was helpless, a doomed man. The same can be said of you and I but just like Noah we must act if Gods grace is to benefit us. We must believe and respect God enough to obey him.

Denny Smith's articles are all listed on his web site - dennysmith.net - along with many audio sermons by Waymon Swain. There are also links that will take you to hundreds of other articles and audio sermons found on other recommended sites.

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