How to Interpret the Bible Lesson #10 - Miracles and Wonders
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Introduction. Unity among brethren is highly extolled in the Scriptures. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Ps. 133:1) God hates those who destroy this unity by sowing discord: “These six the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: ... one who sows discord among brethren” (Pr. 6:16). In spite of this, there is little unity and much discord among “disciples” of Jesus today. We can trace all this discord and lack of harmony to the “teachings of men” (Mt 15:1-13; 2Jn 9-11 2Cor. 11:12-15; 2Th. 2:1-12).
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The first to sow discord in the church were those seeking to bind the Law of Moses on the Gentiles (Acts 15). As the Holy Spirit removed the error, He also gave disciples the tools needed to reject error, hold to truth, and maintain unity until our Lord’s return. Peter’s example, the logic and deduction of Paul and Barnabas, and the direct statements of Scripture quoted by James brought them back into “one accord.” Many more attempts to sow discord followed. Paul spent much time in his letters warning the disciples against division and the false teaching that causes it (Gal. 1:6-9; Rom. 16:17-20; 1Cor. 1:10-13). All disciples today should be “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3-6) with the same zeal and fervor they did.
In order to destroy discord and maintain unity, we must be using the same tools the Holy Spirit gave to them. When teachers sow discord among disciples using the Old Law (Sabbath - Lesson 8), or by creating new doctrine from figurative language (Rapture - Lesson 9), we must use the tools of example, logic/inference/deduction and direct statements of Scripture to reject error, hold to the truth, and “keep the unity of the Spirit” Jesus prayed so fervently we would continue to have as those who believe in Him through their word (Jn 17).
A grave threat to unity, sowing great discord among brethren, is a new doctrine. It began slowly with isolated movements that crystallized into the Pentecostal church in 1901. In the 1960's the charismatic movement teaching that all Christians could prophesy, speak in tongues, and perform miracles today entered most denominations. From nearly no one in 1900, it has grown to over half a billion (584 million) “disciples” who now believe people are still speaking in tongues and performing miracles as they did during the early days of the church.
The purpose of all miracles, wonders, and signs in the NT were to confirm that the word being preached came from God and Jesus Christ. Once that purpose was fulfilled the need for spiritual gifts ceased. It was necessary for Jesus to be “attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him” (Acts 2:22). The Lord was “confirming the word through the accompanying signs” (Mk. 16:19-20), and “God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit” (Heb. 2:3-4). “The Lord, was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.” (Acts 14:3). Since the ability to perform miracles was given to prove the doctrines they taught had come from God, the same must be true today. It makes no sense that God would change the purpose of miracles without giving any guidance.
Yet there is no guidance. While the apostles received the power from the baptism of the Holy Spirit, only baptism in the name of Jesus remains today (Acts 8:14-17; Eph 4:4). While the disciples received the power to perform miracles through the laying on of the apostles' hands, there are no apostles today to do this. Paul clearly revealed that spiritual gifts would cease when “that which was perfect,” (the “perfect law of liberty”) had come (1Cor. 13; Jas. 1:25). With no means to receive them, no purpose for them, and God’s clear word that they would cease, they are not here.
The greatest indictment against these latter day miracles and prophesy is revealed by their fruits. (Mt 7:16). If the miracles being performed today were true, then everything they taught is being confirmed by God. This means every teaching of any disciple in any denomination performing miracles is the truth. Is anyone really prepared to accept that? Is God really confirming the very discord He condemned and in the process destroying the unity Jesus so fervently prayed for?
This only leaves two possibilities. Either God no longer cares what people believe, or the miracles being performed today are false. While some might favor the former, Jesus has already declared it impossible. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”(Mt. 7:22-23)
As we analyze His warning, what logical deductions must follow? He begins with those who call Him "Lord". These are clearly those who believe that they are His disciples. He immediately puts a limitation and condition on them by saying, “not everyone,” but “only those who do the will of My Father.” Since His will is recorded in Scripture, it is the Word spoken by Jesus. “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him — the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” (Jn. 12:48). Only those who abide in His word are His disciples. “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (Jn. 8:31-32). If miracles are leading us away from His word, they must be false. As Jesus said, “why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?” (Lk. 6:46-47)
These words crush the hopes of the “many” (584 million) who trust miracles to bring them salvation. Those who place miracles above truth “practice lawlessness.” What else could we call it when truth is set aside and excused by these “miracles?” There will be “many” who will hear the words, “I never knew you,” and the awful words: “depart from Me you who practice lawlessness.”
God revealed that any miracle that doesn’t lead to a love of the truth is only done “according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” (2 Thes. 2:9-10) Anyone who “loves the truth” will see the logic of these words. Power, signs and wonders confirming error and division are lying miracles. If we cannot see this, then we are deceived by the “unrighteous deception among those who perish.” Satan now uses one of God’s greatest gifts to create faith in His people to destroy them.
God gave this warning the first time He ever used signs. There is a fruit that proves which miracles are false. “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’ — which you have not known — ‘and let us serve them’” (Deut. 13:1-2) No true prophet from the Lord would ever contradict or go against what had already been written. No matter what the wonder or sign, if the message it confirmed was error, then the signs and wonders were false. It is a test from God to assess our love for truth and respect for His commandments and voice. “you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.” (Deut. 13:3-4)
All signs and wonders, all spiritual gifts, speaking in tongues, and such must be assessed for this fruit. What are they being used to prove? If they are used to move people from God’s teaching, God called it a test to see whether or not “you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” All genuine servants of the Lord who “serve Him and hold fast to Him, walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice” will be protected from all false and lying miracles.
Conclusion. With no means to receive them, no purpose to having them and God’s clear word that they have ceased, there are no true miracles today. With nearly every doctrine in existence being confirmed by these miracles, they are lying wonders. With Jesus’ warning that miracles will not excuse lawlessness, and God’s warning that any miracles leading away from His commandments are false and testing our love for the truth, they can’t possibly be true miracles. It is impossible for the same Holy Spirit to validate the teachings of all who believe they are performing miracles. Since these “miracles” have become so prevalent, there has been a mighty surge of “lawlessness.” Multitudes of those calling Jesus Lord have set aside His laws without any fear or concern because they were moved to do so by these signs and wonders. What a terrible fruit. The only way to bring back “the unity of the Spirit” is to get these people to reject these miracles for what they truly are, “the working of Satan".
For additional study material from our archives, see the following:
In order to destroy discord and maintain unity, we must be using the same tools the Holy Spirit gave to them. When teachers sow discord among disciples using the Old Law (Sabbath - Lesson 8), or by creating new doctrine from figurative language (Rapture - Lesson 9), we must use the tools of example, logic/inference/deduction and direct statements of Scripture to reject error, hold to the truth, and “keep the unity of the Spirit” Jesus prayed so fervently we would continue to have as those who believe in Him through their word (Jn 17).
A grave threat to unity, sowing great discord among brethren, is a new doctrine. It began slowly with isolated movements that crystallized into the Pentecostal church in 1901. In the 1960's the charismatic movement teaching that all Christians could prophesy, speak in tongues, and perform miracles today entered most denominations. From nearly no one in 1900, it has grown to over half a billion (584 million) “disciples” who now believe people are still speaking in tongues and performing miracles as they did during the early days of the church.
The purpose of all miracles, wonders, and signs in the NT were to confirm that the word being preached came from God and Jesus Christ. Once that purpose was fulfilled the need for spiritual gifts ceased. It was necessary for Jesus to be “attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him” (Acts 2:22). The Lord was “confirming the word through the accompanying signs” (Mk. 16:19-20), and “God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit” (Heb. 2:3-4). “The Lord, was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.” (Acts 14:3). Since the ability to perform miracles was given to prove the doctrines they taught had come from God, the same must be true today. It makes no sense that God would change the purpose of miracles without giving any guidance.
Yet there is no guidance. While the apostles received the power from the baptism of the Holy Spirit, only baptism in the name of Jesus remains today (Acts 8:14-17; Eph 4:4). While the disciples received the power to perform miracles through the laying on of the apostles' hands, there are no apostles today to do this. Paul clearly revealed that spiritual gifts would cease when “that which was perfect,” (the “perfect law of liberty”) had come (1Cor. 13; Jas. 1:25). With no means to receive them, no purpose for them, and God’s clear word that they would cease, they are not here.
The greatest indictment against these latter day miracles and prophesy is revealed by their fruits. (Mt 7:16). If the miracles being performed today were true, then everything they taught is being confirmed by God. This means every teaching of any disciple in any denomination performing miracles is the truth. Is anyone really prepared to accept that? Is God really confirming the very discord He condemned and in the process destroying the unity Jesus so fervently prayed for?
This only leaves two possibilities. Either God no longer cares what people believe, or the miracles being performed today are false. While some might favor the former, Jesus has already declared it impossible. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”(Mt. 7:22-23)
As we analyze His warning, what logical deductions must follow? He begins with those who call Him "Lord". These are clearly those who believe that they are His disciples. He immediately puts a limitation and condition on them by saying, “not everyone,” but “only those who do the will of My Father.” Since His will is recorded in Scripture, it is the Word spoken by Jesus. “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him — the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” (Jn. 12:48). Only those who abide in His word are His disciples. “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (Jn. 8:31-32). If miracles are leading us away from His word, they must be false. As Jesus said, “why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?” (Lk. 6:46-47)
These words crush the hopes of the “many” (584 million) who trust miracles to bring them salvation. Those who place miracles above truth “practice lawlessness.” What else could we call it when truth is set aside and excused by these “miracles?” There will be “many” who will hear the words, “I never knew you,” and the awful words: “depart from Me you who practice lawlessness.”
God revealed that any miracle that doesn’t lead to a love of the truth is only done “according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” (2 Thes. 2:9-10) Anyone who “loves the truth” will see the logic of these words. Power, signs and wonders confirming error and division are lying miracles. If we cannot see this, then we are deceived by the “unrighteous deception among those who perish.” Satan now uses one of God’s greatest gifts to create faith in His people to destroy them.
God gave this warning the first time He ever used signs. There is a fruit that proves which miracles are false. “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’ — which you have not known — ‘and let us serve them’” (Deut. 13:1-2) No true prophet from the Lord would ever contradict or go against what had already been written. No matter what the wonder or sign, if the message it confirmed was error, then the signs and wonders were false. It is a test from God to assess our love for truth and respect for His commandments and voice. “you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.” (Deut. 13:3-4)
All signs and wonders, all spiritual gifts, speaking in tongues, and such must be assessed for this fruit. What are they being used to prove? If they are used to move people from God’s teaching, God called it a test to see whether or not “you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” All genuine servants of the Lord who “serve Him and hold fast to Him, walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice” will be protected from all false and lying miracles.
Conclusion. With no means to receive them, no purpose to having them and God’s clear word that they have ceased, there are no true miracles today. With nearly every doctrine in existence being confirmed by these miracles, they are lying wonders. With Jesus’ warning that miracles will not excuse lawlessness, and God’s warning that any miracles leading away from His commandments are false and testing our love for the truth, they can’t possibly be true miracles. It is impossible for the same Holy Spirit to validate the teachings of all who believe they are performing miracles. Since these “miracles” have become so prevalent, there has been a mighty surge of “lawlessness.” Multitudes of those calling Jesus Lord have set aside His laws without any fear or concern because they were moved to do so by these signs and wonders. What a terrible fruit. The only way to bring back “the unity of the Spirit” is to get these people to reject these miracles for what they truly are, “the working of Satan".
- "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;" (Prov. 3:5)
For additional study material from our archives, see the following:
- "H" for "Holy Spirit"
- "M" for "Miracles"
- "T" for "Tongues"