Is it Wrong to be Wary of Miracles?

During my time at that cultic house church, which I wrote about in my How I Was Razed memoir, I believed every report I heard about signs, wonders, and miracles. Then I went through a period of denying supernatural events because of my previous gullibility. Now I take a more balanced approach toward these happenings.

But how do we make certain which occurrances are real and which aren't? One sure fire way is to ask if only God receives the glory from that event. Jesus warned about false miracles in Matthew 24:24 (BBE) when he said, "For there will come up false Christs, and false prophets, who will do great signs and wonders; so that if possible even the saints might be tricked."

Jesus also warned that these false workers of signs and wonders will be sent to hell on Judgement Day. Matthew 7:22 and 23(BBE) reads, "A great number will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, were we not prophets in your name, and did we not by your name send out evil spirits, and by your name do works of power?' And then will I say to them, 'I never had knowledge of you: go from me, you workers of evil.'"

God did his miracles so that they were indisputable and witnessed by others. When he brought Israel's descendents out of Egypt, everybody saw what happened. Deuteronomy 6:22 (BBE) is a reminder to parents to speak of those miracles, "And the Lord did great signs and wonders against Egypt, and against Pharaoh and all his house, before our eyes:"

Though people are healed in special circumstances, today's faith healers never cure people of diseases. They never improve either. But Christ's miracles were also either instantaneous or happened quickly. One of Christ's many healings was recorded in Matthew 8:2 and 3 (BBE). "And a leper came and gave him worship, saying, 'Lord, if it is your pleasure, you have power to make me clean.' And he put his hand on him, saying, 'It is my pleasure; be clean." And straight away he was made clean."

In that pseudo-church I attended, everybody wanted flashy spiritual gifts. I'm sure now that we all wanted to show off to the world and get the approval of people. But God's Word in Hebrews 2:4 (BBE) tells us why the apostles were given power. "And God was a witness with them, by signs and wonders, and by more than natural powers, and by his distribution of the Holy Spirit at his pleasure."

So if you hear somebody bragging that they cured blindness or raised some one from the dead, be cautious about believing it. Remember what Paul wrote about Satan, saying in 2 Corinthians 11:14 (BBE), "And it is no wonder; for even Satan himself is able to take the form of an angel of light."

I'll be dealing with this too in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? So many counterfeit Christians figure they'll be in paradise because of their flashy signs and wonders. But Jesus will sort them out from his genuine followers.

I'll be posting on Thursday about a dangerious charismatic practice.