Chapter 10.5

Human Miracle Working

The Delegated Power of God

 

Table of Topics

A) Physical Miracle Working by God’s Servants

A.1) The Nature of Delegated Human Miracle Working: Sign gifts

A.2) The Amazing Miracles of Christ

A.3) The Authenticating Miracle Working of Prophets & Apostles

A.4) The Powerful Miracle Working of Exorcism

A.5) The Awe-inspiring Miracle Working of Martyrdom

A.6) The Ministering Miracle Working of Angels

Table of Topics

Continued

B) Spiritual Miracle Working by God’s Servants: regeneration, virtue, & gifts

B.1) The Nature & Superiority of Spiritual Miracle Working

B.2) Supernatural Regeneration through the Gospel The greatest miracle working today according to Jesus (John 14:12)

B.3) Supernatural Virtue with the Resulting New Nature The greatest proof of Christianity today according to Jesus

B.4) Supernaturally Building Christians through Serving Gifts

Extras & Endnotes

Table 10.5: The Types of Supernatural Spiritual Gifts: Scripture, sign, & serving

Primary Points

• Most of the miracles recorded in Scripture occur through a representative of God who has been delegated His supernatural power.
• Delegated miracles occur by the command or touch of a person and never fail, as we have no record in Scripture of a God-appointed miracle worker commanding or attempting to perform a miracle that did not occur.
• The distinction between direct miracles and delegated miracle working is not merely a theological one, but important in the modern debate regarding miracles. We believe in miracles, not miracle workers.
• The purpose of delegated human miracle working was authenticating these humans as messengers of new extra-biblical divine revelation. This is why we refer to them as authenticating sign gifts and why, in Scripture, you will never find a person possessing the gifts of miracle working and healing who was not also a source of such new extra-biblical divine revelation.
• Spiritual miracles are confined to people (because only they are spiritual) and uniquely transform them on the inside.
• Super-supernaturalists do not share God’s preference for spiritual miracle working gifts such as teaching, over physical miracle working gifts such as healing.
• There is an unfortunate and universal mistake on the part of theologians to leave spiritual regeneration out of a discussion of miracles that God does, let alone miracle working that obedient Christians perform today.
• Jesus said the raising of the spiritually dead to eternal heavenly life through the ministry of the Gospel and the resulting supernatural regeneration of the Holy Spirit would be the greatest miracle working of any that has occurred!
• When a Christian is spiritually healed in regeneration, they are given the ability to continue working miracles of virtue with their New Nature. It is as if an arm were not only miraculously healed, but in the process, given a supernatural strength by which it can do things that other human arms cannot do
• A serving gift supernaturally provides someone with an ability that they would not have otherwise, in order to serve others.

A) Physical Miracle Working by God’s Servants

A.1) The nature & purpose of delegated human miracle working: Sign gifts

While the examples in the previous chapter demonstrated the direct working of God’s power without intermediaries, most of the miracles recorded in Scripture occur through a representative of God who has been delegated His supernatural power. For example, Hezekiah’s healing noted above did not occur through some supposed “faith healer” or other intermediate means, but occurred immediately by the direct power of God. Hezekiah did not “work” a miracle, but was simply given one. On the other hand, “miracle workers” such as Christ, Angels, OT Prophets and NT Apostles performed miracles upon command with delegated power from God. In fact, when the Apostle Paul is describing the gift of miracles he refers to those possessing it as “workers of miracles” (1 Cor 12:28). ^[1]

It can be noted here that God must perform the direct miracle of delegating supernatural abilities to someone, before they can perform delegated miracle working themselves. For example, God must extraordinarily give a person the supernatural ability to heal someone before they can do so. Likewise, God must perform the direct miracle of granting someone a serving gift (e.g. teaching) before they will possess the supernatural desires and abilities it gives them.

In general, we can say that direct miracles can occur in response to the simple prayer of anyone, but such requests are often not granted. On the other hand, delegated miracles occur by the command or touch of a person and never fail, as we have no record in Scripture of a God-appointed miracle worker commanding or attempting to perform a miracle that did not occur. Accordingly, direct miracles authenticate and glorify God alone. Delegated miracle working intentionally authenticates and unavoidably glorifies the human as well, because God desires to authenticate them as His divinely authoritative messenger.

The distinction between direct miracles and delegated miracle working is not merely a theological one, but important in the modern debate regarding miracles. Super-supernaturalism, which is the belief that miracles of all kinds are quite common today and that God-ordained miracle workers abound, often fails to make the biblical distinction between direct miracles of God and delegated human miracle working, with some unfortunate consequences.

For example, because many Christians deny that delegated human miracle working is operating today according to its biblical attributes and purposes, super-supernaturalism routinely insinuates that these Christians are also denying God is doing miracles today. On the contrary, of course God is still doing miracles! But this is far different from saying that God is still empowering human miracle workers as super-supernaturalism claims, but which we demonstrate elsewhere is a false claim. ^[2] We believe in miracles, not miracle workers, and by not distinguishing between them, super-supernaturalism has falsely accused others of believing in miracles less than they do. ^[3]

In addition, super-supernaturalism bolsters its claims to miracle working gifts by suggesting that miracles or healings occurring in response to prayer are examples of the sign gifts, such as healing, operating. On the contrary, as we demonstrate elsewhere, no biblical character with miracle working gifts ever healed people merely with a prayer. Biblical Prophets, Apostles, and Christ healed without fail through their command and/or touch of a person. ^[4] This is the important difference between the direct divine miracles God may, but not always do today in response to the prayers of any Christian, and the delegated human miracle working through miraculous sign gifts that, in Scripture, were only given to those who were also sources of new divine revelation from God.

Not only does the proper distinction between direct miracles and delegated miracle working help to distinguish Authentic Christianity from super-supernaturalism, but also from other religions. As we note elsewhere, other religions certainly claim direct divine miracles, but hardly delegated human miracle workers like Christ and the Apostles, which is one more demonstration of Christianity’s superiority. ^[5]

This leads us to the God-given purpose of delegated human miracle working: authenticating these humans as messengers of new extra-biblical divine revelation that must be believed or obeyed. This is why we refer to them as authenticating sign gifts and why, in Scripture, you will never find a person possessing the gifts of miracle working and healing who was not also a source of such new extra-biblical divine revelation. ^[6]

The miracle working of Moses, Elijah, Christ, and the Apostles illustrate that the miraculous gifts which empower delegated human miracle working are inseparably tied to those receiving new divine revelation which is authoritative for all of God’s people. More specifically, such people possessed new divine revelation (i.e. Scripture gifts) and authenticating miraculous powers (i.e. sign gifts), because God was implementing a monumental divine/human covenant. ^[7]

Accordingly, the writer of Hebrews says concerning the inauguration of the New Covenant:

This salvation [of the New Covenant], which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard Him. God also testified to [and authenticated] it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and [sign] gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will. (Heb 2:3)

Accordingly, the virtually unanimous opinion of the Christian Church for approximately 1600 years was that miracle workers did not exist in the Church because no new divine revelation was needed, nor being granted. ^[8] Along these lines, Augustine (354-430) reflected the inseparable relationship between human miracle workers and new divine revelation when he wrote:

For these most trustworthy books of ours [Scripture] contain in one narrative both the miracles that were wrought [by humans] and the creed [covenant] which they were wrought to confirm.” ^[9]

 

Likewise, the “Old” Princeton theologian Benjamin Warfield (1851-1921) comments in his exhaustive study on miracles:

[Miracle workers] do not appear on the pages of Scripture vagrantly, here, there, and elsewhere indifferently, without assignable reason. They belong to revelation periods, and appear only when God is speaking to His people through [them as] accredited messengers. . . .

Their abundant display in the Apostolic Church is the mark of the richness of the Apostolic age in revelation; and when this revelation period closed, the period of miracle working [not direct miracles] had passed by also. . . .

Therefore it is that the extraordinary working which is but the sign of God’s revealing power, cannot be expected to continue, and in point of fact does not continue, after the revelation of which it is the accompaniment has been completed. It is unreasonable to ask miracles, says John Calvin—or to find them—where there is no new gospel. ^[10]

Along the same lines, the influential Baptist theologian Augustus Strong (1836-1921) wrote:

[Miracle working is] the natural accompaniments and attestations of new communications from God. The great epochs of miracles – represented by Moses, the Prophets, the first and second comings of Christ -are coincident with the great epochs of revelation. Miracles serve to draw attention to new truth, and cease when this truth has gained currency and foothold. ^[11]

Contrary to super-supernaturalism then, these sign gifts of miracle working and healing are specifically granted for the purpose of authenticating messengers of new extra-biblical divine revelation that all of God’s people must believe and obey or otherwise sin against God. And because God has given no one that kind of revelation today, neither has he given them miracle working powers or any of the Scripture and sign gifts that are unfortunately claimed by so many today. ^[12]

A.2) The Amazing Miracle Working of Christ

Of course, the greatest miracle worker of delegated miraculous power in both biblical and human history is the incarnate Jesus Christ. As we noted in the previous chapter, while He was God Himself, He repeatedly made a point to explain that His miracle working power came from God the Father. Apparently, the first occurrence of this was turning water into wine (cf. John 2:1-11). Perhaps even more astonishing was His delegated ability for “healing every disease and sickness among the people” (Matt 4:23), including raising people from the dead (cf. Luke 7:11-15; 8:40-49; John 11:43-4).

He also performed other miracles over Nature including walking on water (cf. John 6:19), calming a violent storm with just a word (cf. Matt 8:23-26), multiplying fish and bread . . . twice (cf. Matt 14:15-21; 15:32-38), and causing a large amount of fish to gather at a particular place and time to fill the Apostles’ nets (cf. Luke 5:6; John 21:6). ^[13] Finally, while a magician may be able to make a coin appear in his hand, let anyone else attempt to make one appear in the mouth of a particular fish, that is caught by a particular person, at a specified time, which is just one of the more “minor” miracles performed by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords when He visited our Planet (cf. Matt 17:27).

While Christ certainly healed people, we suggest that His miracles over Nature particularly demonstrated His unique power, and there is a conspicuous absence of these in the miraculous ministries of His Apostles, not to mention those in super-supernaturalism claiming to be miracle workers today.

The essential purpose of Christ’s miracle working is clear: authenticating Himself as a source of new divine revelation from God. As we have noted repeatedly, anyone sent to be the direct representative of God will carry God-like, miraculous credentials. ^[14] Accordingly, Christ said:

The words I say to you are not just My own. Rather, it is the Father, living in Me, Who is doing His work. Believe Me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves (John 14:10-11; 10:37-8).

Likewise, the Apostle Peter said of Christ:

Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited [apodedeiumenon: “proven”] by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know (Acts 2:22).

A.3) The Authenticating Miracle Working of Prophets & Apostles

There are many examples of delegated divine miracle working by Prophets and Apostles with sign gifts in Scripture. The OT Prophets Moses and Elijah and the NT Apostles Peter and Paul immediately come to mind.

We read of Moses in the last words of the Pentateuch:

Since then, no Prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel. (Deut 34:10-12)

This statement was obviously made before Christ, the other Prophet like Moses (cf. Deut 18:17), had come. It clearly communicates that the plagues of Egypt were considered miracles of Moses because they occurred through his ministry. Why did God empower Moses to be a miracle worker? To authenticate him as God’s representative on Earth. Therefore, in God’s initial commissioning of Moses, He gives him miracle working powers after which God says, “This is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you” (Exod 4:5).

Perhaps the most remarkable miracle working performed by Moses with delegated power from God was the opening of the Red Sea. The account reads:

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. . . .

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. (Exod 14:15-16, 21-22)

Obviously, God performed this miracle, but He chose to accomplish it through the actions of Moses. In addition, as discussed elsewhere, we see perhaps one reason that a miracle worker has the miracle faith to command a miracle. ^[15] Here, God gives Moses a miraculous revelation of His command to perform the miracle, surely giving Moses certainty that such a miraculous event would occur at the simple raising of his hand.

Elijah and Elisha were also powerful miracle workers, so much so that while other miracle workers are primarily known for the divine revelations that always accompanied them, the ministry of these Prophets seemed to be essentially performing miracles. In fact, the magnitude (not quantity) of miracle working performed by them could be said to be equal to Christ Himself.

For example, both raised the dead to life (cf. 1 Kgs 17:17-24; 2 Kgs 4:32-7), multiplied food (cf. 1 Kgs 17:8-16; 2 Kgs 4:42-44), and performed miracles over Nature such as Elijah commanding a three year drought (cf. 1 Kgs 17:1; 18:1) and bringing down fire from the sky on several occasions (cf. 1 Kgs 18:17-38; 2 Kgs 1:9-15).

The relationship between these two miracle workers is unique as well, explained by the fact that Elisha inherited “a double portion of [Elijah’s] spirit” (cf. 2 Kgs 2:9, 15). This resulted in Elisha performing several of the same miracles as Elijah, but even greater ones it would seem, including the incident in which “some Israelites were burying a [dead] man” and accidentally “threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb,” and “when the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet” (2 Kgs 13:21).

In addition, we will note here that it would appear that Moses and Elijah are not done performing miracles. It would seem clear from Revelation 11 that they are the ones commanding the terrible judgments on the Earth during the future Day of Lord. We read:

 

And I will give power to My two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth. . . . These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the Earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. (Rev 11:3, 6) ^[16]

The reason for such a great period of human miracle working in the time of Moses is obvious. God was implementing a new covenant, a monumental process we have discussed elsewhere. ^[17] However, the reason for a burst of miracle working in the days of Elijah and Elisha is less clear. We suggest with others, and as we have argued elsewhere, that periods and places of great persecution and apostasy may induce God to grant an abundance of miracles such as these. ^[18] Nevertheless, we would expect any God-sent miracle workers to be sources of new divine revelation as were all those who are recorded in Scripture.

When we come to the Apostolic age in Scripture we, of course, see a great deal of miracle working by the Apostles of Christ. In fact, we would again suggest that their supernatural abilities were equal with Christ’s. For example, we read, “He called His twelve disciples to Him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness” (Matt 10:1; cf. Acts 5:16), language identical to that used of Christ Himself (cf. Matt 4:23).

Accordingly, both the Apostles Peter and Paul brought dead people to life (cf. Acts 9:36-42; 20:9-12). Likewise, reminiscent of the bleeding woman who was healed merely because she “touched the edge of [Christ’s] cloak” (Matt 9:20), we read that, “people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by” (Acts 5:15), and, “God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them” (Acts 19:11-12). The statement, “Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the Apostles” (Acts 2:43) is a recurrent theme of the early Apostolic Church.

The sign gifts of miracle working and healing were obviously also given to the Apostles to authenticate them as messengers of new extra-biblical divine revelation. Accordingly, when the Apostle Paul is defending his divine authority to the Corinthians he writes:

You have made me act like a fool—boasting like this. You ought to be writing commendations for me, for I am not at all inferior to these “super apostles,” even though I am nothing at all. When I was with you, I certainly gave you every proof [sēmeia: “sign”] that I am truly an Apostle, sent to you by God Himself. For I patiently did many signs [sēmeiois: “signs”] and wonders and miracles among you. (2 Cor 12:11-12 NLT)

A.4) The powerful miracle working of exorcism

Expelling demons from people was a rather common practice of the King (cf. Matt 4:24; 8:16, 28-34; 9:32-33; 12:22; 15:22-29; 17:14-18; Luke 4:33-35; 8:2-3) and His disciples (cf. Matt 10:1; Luke 10:17; Acts 5:16; 8:7; 16:16-18; 19:13-16). It is no doubt intended to be considered miraculous as it is often included in a description of such things. Accordingly, the following from Matthew is very typical: “When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to Him [the King], and He drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick” (8:16).

This same connection between exorcism and miracle working is reflected in Mark where we read:

“Teacher,” said John, “we saw a man driving out demons in Your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.” “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “No one who does a miracle [dunamin: “power”N-AF-SδύναμιςPDἐπί] in My name can in the next moment say anything bad about Me. (Mark 9:38-9)

The King Himself would seem to essentially refer to exorcism as a miracle. Reversing demonic possession, which we support as a demonic miracle below, ^[19] certainly would seem to require supernatural power that suffices for a miracle. And exorcism certainly can carry with it the awe-inspiring effect we have claimed is essential to a miracle as well. Again, Matthew is typical when he records:

While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus.  And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel” (Matt 9:32-33).

We see as well that exorcism can be a very powerful and wonderful miracle, apparently providing cures for those who are mute and blind (cf. Matt 12:22), crippled (cf. Luke 13:10-16), and experiencing severe seizures (cf. Matt 17:14-18). Accordingly, we would have to agree with the well known Presbyterian theologian Donald Bloesch who writes, “The working of miracles can refer to such phenomena as the multiplication of food and the exorcism of demons.” ^[20]

While exorcism certainly involves spirits, we would not categorize it as a spiritual miracle. It may certainly reverse some of the spiritual evil we describe below concerning demon possession, but this is not necessarily the case. Accordingly, our King taught:

When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.  Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. (Matt 12:43-45; cf. Luke 11:24-6)

We would suggest that one thing the King is communicating here is that exorcism does not necessarily result in a spiritual reformation. It may allow a person to superficially improve their life (i.e. “swept clean and put in order” v. 44). However, if a person’s life remains “unoccupied” (v. 44) by the Holy Spirit Who alone brings supernatural spiritual transformation, demonic spirits will be capable of returning and making, “the final condition of that man . . . worse than the first” (v. 45). ^[21]

This should strongly caution those, particularly in super-supernaturalism, who commonly view exorcism as a tool for spiritual transformation. It cannot and will not replace the need to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom 12:2) which comes with the teaching and believing of Scripture. Unfortunately, in the modern obsession over exorcism there can be a tendency to focus on the spectacular physical effects of the phenomenon and ignore the need for subsequent spiritual transformation, possibly leaving people in a more dangerous condition.

In addition, we suggest there are two other common abuses particularly in super-supernaturalism regarding exorcism. First, because of its powerful physical effects it is often confused with the sign gifts of miracle working and healing, and its occurrence then used to support the claim that these are still functioning. On the contrary, exorcism is never listed as a spiritual gift, even among the list of miraculous gifts (cf. 1 Cor. 12:8-10). Therefore, while it operated alongside the sign gifts in the ministry of Christ and the Apostles it should be distinguished from them. ^[22]

Accordingly, it could be performed by unbelievers (cf. Acts 19:13), and the Apostle John conspicuously leaves them out of his chronicle of Christ’s miracles that were, “written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31). While John was certainly interested in documenting Christ’s miracles, he never mentions an exorcism. This is because while exorcism may be considered a supernatural phenomenon, it was not the type of miracle that clearly authenticated a messenger of God, such as the gift of healing did.

The second common misunderstanding of exorcisms in super-supernaturalism is the assumption that merely because such a thing occurs in a “church” setting it is to be automatically interpreted as being empowered by God for holy purposes. On the contrary, exorcisms can be accomplished by unbelievers (cf. Acts 19:13-16), and even demonically empowered people (cf. Matt 7:22-23). ^[23]

A.5) The awe-inspiring miracle working of martyrdom

Perhaps nothing has revealed the supernatural power of God to the world more than the amazing grace He has given to His servants under torture and execution. The first recorded martyr of the Christian Church was Stephen of whom we read:

While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep [died] (Acts 7:59-60).

We would suggest a supernatural, extremely rare, and awe-inspiring power is at work here, as it certainly is not natural for a human to beg divine forgiveness for his murderers. The history of God’s people, both ancient and modern, is replete with examples of supernatural endurance, peace, and virtue even while being subjected to unimaginable cruelty. No other religion, race, or creed can match this testimony.

Archibald Alexander (1772-1851), the “Old” Princeton apologist, summarized the testimony of Christian martyrs when he wrote in his textbook on Christian apologetics:

Persons of all ages, of all conditions of life, and of both sexes, exhibited under protracted and cruel torments, a fortitude, a patience, a meekness, a spirit of charity and forgiveness, a cheerfulness, yea often a triumphant joy, of which there are no examples to be found in the history of the world. They rejoiced when they were arrested; cheerfully bade adieu to their nearest and dearest relatives; gladly embraced the stake; welcomed the wild beasts let loose to devour them; smiled on the horrible apparatus by which their sinews were to be stretched, and their bones dislocated and broken; uttered no complaints; gave no indication of pain when their bodies were enveloped in flames; and when condemned to die, begged of their friends to interpose no obstacle to their felicity (for such they esteemed martyrdom), not even by prayer for their deliverance. By what spirit were these despised and persecuted people sustained? ^[24]

It was obviously a supernatural Spirit that enabled such miraculous physical deeds.^[25] Actually, we believe the Apostle Paul specifically refers to a supernatural spiritual gift of martyrdom when in the context of mentioning various gifts to contrast them with love, including tongues, prophecy, miracle faith, and vows of poverty he writes: “If I [willingly] . . . surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing” (1 Cor 13:3). The Apostle seems to recognize that such an act, done in love, would be a demonstration of a supernatural grace of God. We believe this same supernatural gift will be provided, and have the same effect on pagans, particularly during the time of the coming Great Tribulation when God’s “elect” (Matt 25:22, 24, 31) on Earth will experience a “great distress [thlipsis: “affliction, persecution”], unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again” (Matt 24:21).

A.6) The ministering miracle working of Angels

Angelic miracle working is considerably more common in Scripture than many realize. This is the case even if we consider the Angel of the Lord in the OT as a theophany of God the Son. ^[26] Primary examples include Daniel’s rescue from the lions (cf. Dan 6:16-23), Daniel’s friends’ rescue from the furnace (Dan 3:14-30), and Peter’s rescue from prison (cf. Acts 12:5-10).

Such delegated miracle working by Angels illustrates the statement in Hebrews that they are “ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation” (1:14). In addition, we see that Angels do not work miracles just to help God’s people, but to punish others, as we read in Acts, “Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an Angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died” (Acts 12:23). Scripture also teaches that the plagues in Egypt were administered by divine Angels (cf. Psalm 78:49), particularly the slaying of the first born being attributed to “the destroyer” Angel (Exod 12:23) whom God sent. ^[27]

B) Spiritual Miracle Working by God’s Servants: regeneration, virtue, & gifts

B.1) The Nature & Superiority of Spiritual Miracle Working

As noted in the previous chapter, we distinguish between physical and spiritual miracles by the nature of their effect. Spiritual miracles are confined to people (because only they are spiritual) and uniquely transform them on the inside. More specifically they seem to supernaturally change the desires and abilities of people.

We noted previously that it seems God did this directly with some rare individuals in the OT such as Abraham, Moses, and David, granting them a faith and relationship with God that others did not have. However, the affect of spiritual miracles in the NT as we discuss here, occurs through human intermediaries instead of simply directly by God. Therefore, we see them as delegated divine spiritual miracle working.

We suggest there are three basic types of this kind of miracle. 1) the supernatural regeneration that occurs when the Gospel is preached, 2) the supernatural virtue exercised by Christians allowing the indwelling Spirit to control them, and 3) the supernatural building up of Christians that occurs as Spirit-indwelled people are faithful with the supernatural spiritual serving gifts (i.e. teaching, pastoring, leading, serving, etc.) they have been given.

All of these meet our definition of a miraculous deed: an extraordinary revelation of God’s supernatural power by which He intervenes in the ordinary and natural processes He has ordained because they are not sufficient to accomplish or communicate His will. But they are also spiritual miracles, affecting the internal desires and spiritual abilities of a person.

Two things worth noting will be evident about this kind of miracle working. First, they require the obedience of God’s people. Only obedient Christians are going to share the Gospel and experience its miracle working power over a repentant sinner. Only obedient Christians are going to allow the Spirit to control them so that they experience and display to others the supernatural fruits of the Spirit. And only obedient Christians are going to be faithful to use the spiritual gifts they have been given to supernaturally build the body of Christ. God is offering His Church the opportunity to experience the most amazing miracle working and supernatural achievements, but only if they will obey.

Secondly, and perhaps most important in our day, is the fact that these spiritual miracles are superior in value to any physical miracles occurring today. Physical miracles may transform human limbs, but spiritual miracles transform human lives. ^[28]

Accordingly, the author remembers being part of conducting a Pastors’ conference in Cameroon West Africa where super-supernaturalism is abundant. The concluding topic was an encouragement to return home and supernaturally love their wives, children, churches, and communities with the love God had indwelled them with. They were told: “I commission you and send you as miracle workers of the most powerful and important kind.” They understood.

It is important to note that physical miracles will not necessarily result in spiritual miracles or any spiritual affect at all. One is reminded here of the Israelites of whom the Psalmist writes:

He did miracles in the sight of their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan. He divided the sea and led them through; He made the water stand firm like a wall. He guided them with the cloud by day and with light from the fire all night.    He split the rocks in the desert and gave them water as abundant as the seas; He brought streams out of a rocky crag and made water flow down like rivers.

But they continued to sin against Him, rebelling in the desert against the Most High. . . . In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; in spite of His wonders, they did not believe. (Ps 78:12-17, 32)

Even the great physical miracles the OT saints experienced did not change them spiritually nor establish a relationship of trust with God.

Likewise, in the NT we think of the “ten men who had leprosy” whom the King healed (Luke 17:12). Though all ten had received such a miraculous physical healing, only “One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice” (v. 15). We read:

He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” (vs. 16-17)

It would seem that while all ten had experienced a physical miracle, only one had experienced a spiritual one which perhaps affected the rest of His life.

One wonders if the same thing is going on when the King heals the lame man at the Pool of Bethesda and Christ warns him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you” (John 5:14). Our point again is that a human limb may be extraordinarily changed, but a human life remain spiritually unchanged, making the latter kind of miracle superior to the former.

Further biblical evidence that God deems spiritual miracles as more valuable than physical miracles is the order in which the Apostle Paul lists spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 where we read: “In the Church God has appointed first of all Apostles, second Prophets, third Teachers, then workers of miracles” (v. 28). Commentators agree with the obvious conclusion that the Apostle was intentionally ranking these gifts in terms of their value to the Church. Contrary to typical super-supernaturalism, Paul claims that the gift of teaching is a more important, valuable, and powerful gift than physical miracle working. Unfortunately, if most Christians were asked whether they would rather have the power to heal limbs through commanding miracles or change hearts through teaching, they would choose the former. This is because they do not share God’s preference for spiritual miracle working gifts such as teaching, over physical miracle working gifts such as healing.

B.2) Supernatural Regeneration through the Gospel: The greatest miracle working today according to the King (John 14:12)

While it is possible that spiritual regeneration had occurred in very rare cases in the OT, ^[29] this miracle comes to the fore in the NT. This is, of course, the miracle of “rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Tit 3:5) which we have spoken of at length elsewhere. ^[30]

There is an unfortunate and universal mistake on the part of theologians to leave spiritual regeneration out of a discussion of miracles that God does, let alone miracle working that obedient Christians perform today. This is particularly surprising when the King Himself said this miracle working would be greater than His own, which, therefore, makes it the greatest miracle working of any that has occurred!

Our King said the following to His disciples near the time of His death:

Believe Me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things [ergon: “miracles”] than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:11-12)

These words have perplexed many and have unfortunately been abused by super-supernaturalists to support their claim that the NT gift of physical miracle working is operating today. A careful examination of the passage reveals no such thing. Rather, the King is speaking of spiritual miracle working, something much greater and God-glorifying.

It is important first to define the “greater things” that Christ speaks of. The previous verse (11) would seem to clearly define these “greater things” as physical “miracles.” Although the NASB simply translates the Greek ergon as “works,” Christ is referring to more than just His good deeds, as ergon is regularly used in the NT to refer to miracles. ^[31] Our King is specifically pointing to His miraculous deeds as proof that “the Father is in Me” (10, 11). ^[32]

This obviously brings up an important question. What miracle could “anyone who has faith in” the King do that would be “greater” than the miracle working He did? It is agreed by most that the “greatest” miracles performed by Christ would have been His ability to grant physical life to those who were physically dead (cf. Matt 9:18-26; Luke 7:11-16; John 11:43-44). So there is a need to find something in the Christian’s experience today that is more powerful and God-glorifying than raising the physically dead to temporary earthly life. The clearest answer would seem to be the raising of the spiritually dead to eternal heavenly life through the ministry of the Gospel and the resulting supernatural regeneration of the Holy Spirit. There are several items that would support this view.

First of all, the King says that the Christian will do greater miracles “because I am going to the Father.” This becomes significant when He later explains that “It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the [Paraklete: i.e. Holy Spirit ^[33]] will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you” (John 16:7). So in essence, Christ was saying that we would do greater miracle working than He because of the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Of course, super-supernaturalists wish to claim that Christ is referring to the continuing ability to work physical miracles. But this is again partly because they do not understand that God values spiritual miracles more. Accordingly, among the many new things that came with the arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was the miraculous, life changing, born-again experience which accompanied the preaching of the Gospel.

It would appear that the King had introduced this idea before in John’s Gospel. In chapter 5 the Pharisees are inquiring into the nature of Christ’s ability to perform miracles, and particularly the physical healing of a paralytic. Our King responds:

The Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees His Father doing. . . . Yes, to your amazement He [the Father] will show Him [the King] even greater things [meizona erga] than these. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them [physical] life, even so the Son gives [spiritual and eternal] life to whom He is pleased to give it. (John 5:19-21).

John uses the exact same Greek phrase here, translated “greater things,” as he used in John 14 (The only two places it is used in the NT). And here in John 5, Christ makes it clear that the “greater things” that the Father will do through Christ is something more than restoring physical life, which is clearly the giving of eternal and spiritual life.

There is no doubt that the spiritual rebirth of a human being is a greater work of God than any physical miracle working. This granting of spiritual eternal life that began occurring in people’s lives particularly upon Christ’s departure and the Spirit’s arrival is much greater than a restoration of mere temporary physical life. Spiritual rebirth has eternal consequences, the other only temporary. Modern emergency medical procedures can, essentially, restore physical life to the physically dead, but the world is totally incapable of producing “a [spiritual] new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17).

Accordingly, Michael Horton, Professor of Theology and Apologetics at Westminster, has written:

For Reformation Christians, the most important activity of the Holy Spirit is not raising the dead here and now, but raising to spiritual life those who “were dead in trespasses and sins.” ^[34]

Along the same lines, Richard B. Gaffin, Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster has said:

No work of the Spirit . . . is more radical, more impressive, more extraordinary, and more thoroughly supernatural, than the work He does [present tense] — now, today, a work of nothing less than [spiritually] resurrecting people who are nothing less than “dead in transgressions and sins” (Eph. 2:1, 5). ^[35]

Spiritual regeneration clearly qualifies as a miracle according to our definition of an extraordinary revelation of God’s supernatural power by which He intervenes in the ordinary and natural processes He has ordained because they are not sufficient to accomplish His will. As noted in the previous chapters, miracles are “extraordinary” in the sense that they are supernatural, extremely rare, and awe-inspiring. Understanding that salvation does not occur apart from a supernatural act of God, considering that relatively “few” (Matt 7:14) humans will ever experience it, and recognizing that the life transformation that occurs with it is indeed awesome, spiritual regeneration is clearly a miracle.

If the initial physical creation of human beings in the Garden is to be considered a miracle, than so is the spiritual new creation of humans through the Gospel, and an even bigger one than the former because it automatically brings eternal life. And because humans are born spiritually, “dead in . . . transgressions and sins” (Eph 2:1), and cannot “accept the things that come from the Spirit of God” (1 Cor 2:14), the miracle of regeneration is necessary to accomplish God’s will of saving His Elect.

We note as well that God only does the miraculous when the natural condition of something is not sufficient to fulfill His purposes. Such is the case with regeneration under the New Covenant. The Scriptures teach that the Old Covenant that was perhaps implemented by a few regenerated souls was not sufficient to produce a people who truly loved God. God therefore instituted spiritual regeneration for all those under the New Covenant, so that, unlike their OT counterparts, they would remain faithful to God because they have been given a “new heart” that loves God.

Accordingly, God describes this miracle when He says:

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees and be careful to keep My laws. (Ezek 36:26-27; cf. Heb 8:10-13; Ezek 11:19-20; Jer 24:7; 31:33; Isa 32:14-18; 44:3)

This is the most amazing miracle of all, it is spiritual in nature, and it is not directly performed by God, like perhaps in the OT. Rather He has delegated supernatural power to us to perform it. This divine delegated spiritual miracle working of “rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Tit 3:5) occurs exclusively through the preaching of the Gospel by obedient Christians. Contrary to pluralists and universalists we know of no cases in either NT or human history that it has occurred otherwise. ^[36]

This is the reason the Apostle Paul writes the Roman Christians:

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the One of Whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? . . . Consequently, [saving] faith [and the supernatural spiritual regeneration that accompanies it] comes from hearing the message [Gospel], and the message is heard through the word of Christ. (Rom 10:12-15, 17)

We would suggest the Apostle believed that the supernatural regeneration that occurs with spiritual salvation only occurs through the instrument of “someone preaching to them” (v. 15). This is why he referred to the “Gospel” as “the [supernatural] power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Rom 1:16).

The Apostle Peter concurs when he writes:

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God [the Gospel]. . . . [T]he word of the Lord stands forever and this is the word [Gospel] that was preached to you. (1 Pet 1:23, 25; cf. 1 Pet 1:12; Gal 3:2; John 6:63; Heb 4:12; Jas 1:18)

The fact that the greatest of all miracles occurs through our preaching of the Gospel is precisely why the King said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing [performing miracles]. He will do even greater things [miracles] than these [physical miracles], because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12), and subsequently the Holy Spirit would come to regenerate people through the Gospel.

Accordingly, the respected NT scholar Leon Morris (1914-2006) writes concerning John 14:12:

This is probably to be explained in terms of the coming of the Holy Spirit, who will not come until the Son goes away (16:17; cf. 7:39). What Jesus means we may see in the narratives in Acts. There are a few miracles of healing, but the emphasis is on the mighty works of conversion. On the day of Pentecost alone more believers were added to the little band of Jesus’ followers than throughout his entire earthly life. There we see a literal fulfillment of doing “even greater things than these.” ^[37]

We note here that the required “faith” Christ speaks of in order to do these “greater things” is not merely saving faith that saves us, but the empowering faith we exercise to believe and obey God’s commands. ^[38] In other words, not every saved person will perform this miracle of initiating spiritual regeneration through communicating the Gospel, but only those obedient to the Great Commission (cf. Matt 28:18-20).

Obviously, the exercise of such faith in preaching the Gospel does not have automatically miraculous effects. The spiritual death we are physically born into requires no miracle as this is the natural process of Nature (cf. Rom 3:9; Eph 2:1; Col 2:23). But humans are not born with the power to spiritually regenerate themselves to spiritual life, and therefore, a miracle is required. As with any miracle, God must intervene supernaturally to bring about the supernatural results involved in spiritual regeneration to eternal salvation. Accordingly, we read in Acts:

[M]en from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s [supernatural] hand was with them, and [therefore] a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. (Acts 11:20-21; cf. Acts 16:14; 1 Cor 1:24; 2:4; 1 Thess 1:5; 1 Tim 2:25)

Therefore, it would seem that the greatest delegated human miracle working ever performed was not by Christ, the Prophets, Apostles, and certainly not through the modern so called “miracle” workers claimed by super-supernaturalism. We suggest the greatest delegated human miracle working ever in human history has occurred when any obedient Christian has led a sinner to salvation, enabling them to “cross over from [spiritual] death to [spiritual] life” (John 5:24) by sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them.

The spiritual miracle working power of the Gospel is revealed in the fact that it can almost instantly transform the greatest sinners into the greatest saints. The Gospel is so potentially supernaturally powerful that even sinful unbelievers can preach it and bring miraculous regeneration to people (cf. Phil 1:15-18). ^[39] Therefore, when Christ gave us the Gospel and “committed to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:19), He gave us the ability to perform miracles greater than any He did.

Super-supernaturalists who focus so much attention on physical miracle working and “faith healers” need to take better notice of this. ^[40] Accordingly, it might be said that Christian Evangelists are by far the greatest miracle workers operating in the world today. Along these lines, Jonathan Edwards (1703–1758) preached the following during the Great Awakening:

Under what great means and advantages you continue in sin. God is now favoring us with very great and extraordinary means and advantages, in that we have such extraordinary tokens of the presence of God among us; his Spirit is so remarkably poured out, and multitudes of all ages, and all sorts, are converted and brought home to Christ. God appears among us in the most extraordinary manner, perhaps, that ever he did in New England. The children of Israel saw many mighty [physical] works of God, when he brought them out of Egypt; but we at this day see works more mighty, and of a more glorious [and spiritual] nature. ^[41]

And Edwards was not talking about physical miracles, but the miracle of “rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Tit 3:5).

While it seems clear that the “greater works” Christ was referring to are to be understood as the spiritual miracle of regeneration through belief in the Gospel, super-supernaturalists routinely interpret it as a promise of greater physical miracle working, in order to claim a biblical promise to the continuance of the miraculous sign gifts. For example, Jack Deere, a prominent teacher in the movement, uses John 14:12 to erroneously claim that modern super-supernaturalism will produce miracle workers who will “do greater works [e.g. physical healings] than the Apostles, than Jesus, or any of the Old Testament Prophets.” ^[42]

Also attempting to give biblical support for continuing gifts of physical miracle working through “faith healers,” super-supernaturalist apologist J. P. Moreland writes:

The implications of this understanding of Jesus’ ministry are remarkable: Jesus is living proof of how those who are his followers may exceed the limitations of their humanness in order that they, like him, might carry to completion against all odds their God-given mission in life -by the Holy Spirit. It is becoming clear that when Jesus said that “greater works than these he [i.e., the one who believes in Jesus] will do, because I go to the Father” (John 14:12), he meant it in the ordinary way these words would be interpreted. In imitation of Jesus’ ministry, the church is invited to exercise the extraordinary power of the Spirit in the service of the Kingdom [to do physical miracle working]. ^[43]

Accordingly, NT scholar D. A. Carson writes concerning John 14:12:

The passage has become a more or less standard proof text not only in many traditionally charismatic circles but also for many in the Vineyard [movement]. . . . [I]t cannot mean more spectacular works or the like-though some such meaning seems to be assumed by many Vineyard people. . . .

I know of no one in the Vineyard, or anywhere else, for that matter, who claims, with any sort of public attestation at all, that he is performing more spectacular miracles than these [physical miracles that Christ did]. I know no person who is matching them; I know no group that is collectively matching them. . . .

Before summarizing what the text means, it is worth mentioning what it can’t mean. First, it cannot simply mean more works: the church will do more things than Jesus did. There are perfectly good ways to say that sort of thing in Greek, and John did not choose any of them. ^[44]

The proper interpretation of John 14:12 gives no support to the super-supernaturalists claim that Christ was promising the Church continual physical miracle working abilities such as healing. What sane Christian would claim they have performed physical miracles greater than Christ did? Even the most spectacular of the mere physical miracle working performed by supposed modern day “faith healers” pale in comparison to not only the physical miracle working of Christ, but the contemporary spiritual miracle of the new birth. Our point again is that a human limb may be miraculously changed, but a human life remain spiritually unchanged, making the latter kind of miracle superior to the former.

Is it possible that super-supernaturalists are forgetting this? When they accuse others of diminishing and limiting the power of God ^[45] do they forget that the greatest and most powerful miracles are still occurring today when someone is spiritually transformed into a “new creation” (2 Cor 5:17)? Or how about when through the teaching of the Word of God a Christian is, “transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, Who is the Spirit” (2 Cor 3:18).

Here we are reminded of something that the founder of the Great Awakening revival in the eighteenth century, George Whitefield (1714-1770), wrote concerning a similar misconception then:

Great need have you, my brethren, at this time to take the Apostle’s advice and to try the spirits whether they be of God. For the devil is beginning to mimic God’s work and, because terrors will not do, he is now transforming himself into an angel of light, in order more effectually to gain his point.

Brother________, as well as brother _________, I believe, imagines there will be a power given to work miracles. . . . But, alas! what need is there of miracles, such as healing sick bodies and restoring sight to blind eyes, when we see greater miracles done every day by the power of God’s Word? Do not the spiritually blind now see? Are not the spiritually dead now raised and the leprous souls now cleansed, and have not the poor the Gospel preached to them? And if we have the thing already which such miracles were only intended to introduce, why should we tempt God in requiring further signs?” ^[46]

This is the same question we would ask super-supernaturalists today.

To accuse anyone who is actively involved in evangelism and teaching of being adverse to miracle working reveals a Pharisaical attitude that strains a gnat but swallows the camel. Such an accusation at least implies a belief that the healing of a physical ailment is at least as powerful or miraculous as the spiritual healings that are constantly occurring today through the communication of God’s word. The miraculous gifts that some so desperately crave today are far inferior to the miraculous works that God is performing through His Word. Have super-supernaturalists simply become bored with the New Birth? God is doing the greatest, most spectacular miracles today! And it is not just within the super-supernaturalist camp as they claim.

B.3) Supernatural Virtue with the Resulting New Nature The greatest proof of Christianity today according to the King

Not only does the reception of the Gospel work the greatest miracle in us by giving us spiritual life, it also creates in us a New Nature through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Our New Nature is then capable of working the most amazing miracles of supernatural virtue. This virtue is certainly supernatural, as we wrote in a previous chapter:

[T]he initial miracle of regeneration for salvation, continues to be evidenced in the supernatural power born again believers have to love others like God through their New Nature. Against the backdrop of humanity’s constant and complete selfishness, love is as great a miracle as levitation, violating all kinds of “natural laws” at least as pervasive as gravity. ^[47]

Accordingly, we have demonstrated elsewhere, that even the King claimed this supernatural virtue is the greatest of all apologetics and proofs of the exclusivity of Christianity regarding salvation when He said:

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another (John 13:34-5). ^[48]

 

It is the Gospel that causes the miracle of spiritual regeneration, and it is in turn the supernatural effects of the miracle of spiritual regeneration that authenticates the Gospel. The Apostle Paul would seem to allude to this when he writes the Thessalonians:

For we know, brothers loved by God, that He has chosen you, because our Gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. (1 Thess 1:4-6)

First, the Apostle explains that the salvation and regeneration these Christians experienced came through the Spirit-empowered communication of the Gospel (v. 5). Secondly, he notes that he and His companions lived a supernatural life of love among the Thessalonians in order to not hinder their reception of the Gospel or their belief in Paul as a messenger of it (v. 5; cf. 2:1-11). ^[49] Finally, the Apostle illustrates the miraculous fruit of their regeneration when he describes them as having “joy given by the Holy Spirit,” “in spite of severe suffering” (v. 6). We would suggest this is a miracle, and one that cannot be produced by mere human power, but only by supernatural power. Again, the Gospel causes the miracle of spiritual regeneration which gives us a New Nature capable of miraculous virtue.

Accordingly, God has given all Spirit-indwelled Christians delegated miracle working powers to exhibit the supernatural fruits of the Spirit. So then, every time a born again Christian allows the indwelling Spirit to control them, thereby producing the supernatural fruits of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control” (Gal 5:22-3) they are exhibiting attributes that no unregenerated human can, ^[50] and reflecting the greatest of miracles by God’s power as well.

Accordingly, we have written elsewhere:

In fact, do you want to see a list of the greatest, most supernatural miracles in the Bible? Maybe you think we should go to Exodus and the miracles of Moses, or 1 and 2 Kings to read about Elijah and Elisha, or surely the Gospels and Acts to study the amazing miracles of Christ and His Apostles. No, even from God’s perspective, these are not the places where we read of the greatest miracles.

Rather, that list of the greatest miracles is found in a passage of Scripture that is read at virtually every Christian wedding ceremony. Here it is:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (1 Cor 13:4-8)

Being “patient” and “kind” to people who hurt or hate you is miraculous. Not envying what others have, nor boasting about what you have, is a moral miracle. Not being “self-seeking” but others-seeking in all you do is an amazing miracle. Keeping “no record of wrongs” done to you and forgiving everyone is simply supernatural. Having an unconditional love that “never fails” no matter what happens is the greatest of all miracles occurring today.

This stuff just doesn’t happen apart from the working of Almighty God. While levitation is recognized as an amazing miracle because of the great power and pervasiveness of gravity in Nature, so love should likewise be recognized because of the great power and pervasiveness of selfishness in humanity. Patience, kindness, humility, selflessness, forgiveness, and faithfulness are the greatest miracles ever performed by anyone, even God Himself. They are, in fact, the most supernatural thing about God the Father in Heaven and the Son when He was on this Earth.

Remember that the Apostle Paul is writing this in the context of arguing what truly is supernatural. Like the miracle-hungry Corinthians, he no doubt thinks that the abilities he has listed are miraculous including, “gifts of healing . . . miraculous powers . . . speaking in different kinds of tongues [human languages],” “the interpretation of tongues,” a “gift of prophecy [that] can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and . . . a faith that can move mountains” (1 Cor 12:9-10; 13:2).

However, the Apostle says that if those possessing such gifts “have not love” they are “nothing.” Why? In large part because in a world where every human is born with an irresistible and overpowering selfish nature, love is a much greater miracle than all of these miracles combined. Doctors are “healing” people, scientists have solved a great number of “mysteries,” linguists can teach you foreign “tongues,” and engineers can “move mountains.” But no one, apart from the enablement of the only God, can unconditionally love sinful people like He does, and Christians do. ^[51]

While we cannot even come close to matching God in power or knowledge, He commands us to love like He loves because with our New Nature, we have the ability.

While we discuss elsewhere that miraculous interventions into Creation normally subsequently blend back into Nature, such is not the case with the “new creation” (2 Cor 5:17) that occurs with the spiritual regeneration of the Spirit. For example, if someone’s broken arm were miraculously healed, it would subsequently and naturally operate as any other human arm, being indistinguishable from other healthy human arms. However, when a Christian is spiritually healed in regeneration, they are given the ability to continue working miracles of virtue with their New Nature. It is as if an arm were not only miraculously healed, but in the process, given a supernatural strength by which it can do things that other human arms cannot do. ^[52]

But even an arm with supernatural powers must be exercised in order for those powers to operate. Such is the case with the miracle working abilities of our New Nature, which is the reason that we are repeatedly exhorted in Scripture to let it control us (cf. Eph 4:22-24; Gal 5:16-24). A regenerated human being will never be the same again. They can ignore the fact that the Holy Spirit lives in them, and because of old deception and desires, can fall into sin and suppress the effects of their New Creation. However, the new “natural” nature of the Christian is now the supernatural fruits of the Holy Spirit which are “love, joy, [and] peace” (cf. Gal 5:22-3).

There is again here a lesson particularly for super-supernaturalists. Their teachings and practice often result in dividing believers into two groups: 1) “super Christians” who are supposedly performing or experiencing a multitude of merely physical miracles, and 2) the second rate Christians who cannot perform or experience such miracles because of a lack of gift or even faith on their part.

Not so. The greatest miracles from God’s perspective can be performed by any obedient loving Christian. And while super-supernaturalist Christians certainly claim a superiority in physical miracles, hopefully not even the most arrogant of them would claim a superiority in the most supernatural thing, which is unconditional love. Contrary to super-supernaturalists, supernatural virtue was intended by God to replace the miraculous authentication provided by the sign gifts. Unfortunately, we fear that some super-supernaturalists are trying to take a spiritual shortcut and cover up for spiritual immaturity and a lack of supernatural virtue by claiming an abundance of physical miracles.

B.4) Supernaturally Building Christians through Serving Gifts

The Apostle Peter wrote:

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace [supernatural power] in its various forms.  ¹¹If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the [super-human] strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. (1 Pet 4:10-11)

The Apostle is speaking here of what is normally simply called spiritual gifts. Elsewhere, we have differentiated between spiritual Scripture gifts (i.e. Prophets, Apostles) which enabled a person to speak “the very words of God” (v. 11), and sign gifts which miraculously authenticated such people (i.e. healing, etc.). ^[53] The Apostle here also speaks of spiritual gifts that allow one to serve, “with the strength God provides.” Accordingly, we refer to this kind of spiritual gift as a serving gift. It supernaturally provides someone with an ability that they would not have otherwise, in order to serve others.

The fact that these gifts require an extraordinary “grace” (v. 10), “strength” (v. 11), and ability given by God, suggests to us that they are miraculous in nature. They enable us to do something that we could not do in our own natural human power. The Apostle Paul seems to refer to this as well when he writes concerning his ability to effectively preach the Gospel:

Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Cor 3:4-6)

Obviously, the physical miracle working abilities (i.e. sign gifts) of an Apostle were supernatural in nature (cf. 2 Cor 12:12), but the Apostle describes the serving gift of evangelism as being supernaturally enabled as well.

While the serving gifts may not seem as miraculous as the Scripture and sign gifts because the former are much more common, they do involve divine intervention as well. The Apostle Paul perhaps provides the most complete list of serving gifts when he writes in Romans:

We have different gifts, according to the [supernatural] grace given us. If a man’s gift . . . is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. (Rom 12:6-8)

We see again the supernatural nature of these spiritual gifts, being “the [supernatural] work of one and the same Spirit” (1 Cor 12:11), as the Apostle writes elsewhere. And while they certainly include supernatural virtues such as generosity and “mercy” (cf. Rom 12:8), their particular uniqueness is seen in their enabling people with enhanced skills they would not have had apart from the supernatural working of God.

We read of an OT counterpart to such gifts in Exodus:

Then the LORD said to Moses, “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts—to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship. 

Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given skill to all the craftsmen to make everything I have commanded you. (Exod 31:1-6) ^[54]

Obviously, people have learned such craft skills in more natural ways through instruction and experience. But here, God supernaturally gave these men these skills quite apart from normal means. No doubt they could improve them with further practice and study, but the initial skills were directly given by God.

Such would seem to be the case with other serving gifts such as “teaching,” “leadership” (Rom 12:7-8), pastoring, and evangelism (cf. Eph 4:11) in the Church. Again, such abilities can be acquired naturally and naturally improved upon, but those with these gifts would not be as capable in them without the supernatural grace that accompanies such serving gifts. We would suggest as well that it is not only new, supernatural abilities that are granted through such gifts, but new supernatural desires as well, such as an overwhelming aspiration to teach, lead, shepherd God’s people, and evangelize the lost. ^[55]

Finally, we would suggest that the effects of Spirit-given serving gifts are supernatural as well. The Apostle writes in Ephesians:

It was He [Christ] Who gave some to be Apostles, some to be Prophets, some to be Evangelists, and some to be Pastors and Teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. . . .

[S]peaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From Him [through these gifts] the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work [and the gifts operate]. (Eph 4:11-13, 15-16)

First, we can distinguish the Scripture gifts of “Apostles” and “Prophets” mentioned here from the serving gifts of “Evangelists . . . Pastors and Teachers.” While the former no doubt built up the Church spiritually in their day, Paul had noted previously in this very letter that, the Church was “built on the foundation of the Apostles and [Christian ^[56]] Prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone” (Eph 2:20; cf. 1 Cor 3:10). Therefore, like Christ, NT Apostles and Prophets with Scripture and sign gifts had a unique and temporary purpose of receiving and authenticating the New Covenant revelation and founding the Church, while subsequent serving gifts have been teaching the New Covenant revelation and building the Church. ^[57]

This spiritual “building up” of the Church (cf. Eph 4:12, 16) results in a supernatural “unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God” (v. 13), and a spiritual maturity and growth (cf. vs. 13, 15-16) that would appear to go beyond anything naturally attained. For further clarification on the various types of spiritual gifts see Table 10.5 below under Extras & Endnotes.

The biblical prescription for supernatural church growth, then, is the serving gifts. Here we encounter what we would suggest is another problem with super-supernaturalism. Its primary focus is placed on conjuring up Scripture and sign gifts that no longer operate, and it cannot duplicate, at the expense of devaluing the serving gifts that God has given for the building of His Church. Perhaps the Apostle Paul had already hinted at how he personally viewed the relative value of particularly sign gifts and serving gifts when he purposely ranked the gift of teaching above the gift of miracle working (cf. 1 Cor 12:28), which should serve as a rebuke to any church that generally ignores sound doctrine but craves miracles.

Extras & Endnotes

Table 10.5: The Types of Supernatural Spiritual Gifts:

Scripture, sign, & serving

	Example	Refs.	Purposes	Status
Scripture gifts	Prophecy Knowledge (Apostles)	1 Cor 12:7-10, 28-29; Eph 2:20; 4:11 Rom 12:6 KOG: sec. 3.9.B.2; chs. 3.20-23	The reception of new divine revelation in order to implement a new divine/human covenant	For 1900 years the Church believed them to have ceased, but super-supernaturalists claim their return today, despite not being able to match their biblical attributes.
Sign gifts	Healing Miracle-working Tongues	1 Cor 12:7-10, 28-29; 2 Cor 12:12; Heb 2:3-4 KOG: secs. 3.8.C.1-3; chs. 3.12-3.19	The miraculous authentication of those possessing the Scripture gifts. Why there are no God-sent miracle workers in Scripture who were not also messengers of new extra-biblical divine revelation.	For over 1600 years the Church believed them to have ceased, but super-supernaturalists claim their return today, despite not being able to match their biblical attributes.
Serving gifts	Teaching Pastoring Evangelism Leading Encouraging Mercy	Rom 12:6-8; Eph 4:11; 1 Cor 12:28-29 KOG: sec. 3.8.D.2; 8.?	While Scripture and sign gifts founded the Church (cf. Eph 2:20), the serving gifts remain to build & expand the Church (cf. Eph 4:11-12)	Being devalued & ignored in super-supernaturalist environments, resulting in the immaturity of many Christians & churches.

Gauging Your Grasp

1. What are the biblical attributes of delegated human miracle working? Which kind of miracle makes up the most of those recorded in Scripture- delegated human miracle working or direct divine miracles?
2. Regarding the modern debate regarding miracles, why is the distinction between direct miracles and delegated miracle working important?
3. What do we mean when we say “We believe in miracles, not miracle workers.”
4. What was the purpose of delegated human miracle working in Scripture? What biblical fact demonstrates this?
5. What is the gift of martyrdom and what are biblical references to it?
6. How do we define spiritual miracles and how do they differ from physical ones?
7. What are some examples of spiritual miracle working?
8. Why does spiritual miracle working require the obedience of God’s people?
9. What do we claim are the “greater things” that Christ said His followers would do when the Holy Spirit came? Do you agree or disagree and why? Why would such a thing be the greatest miracle?
10. While most things return to their natural functions after a miracle has affected them, what is an example of something that does not?
11. What is a serving gift? Why would we categorize its use as spiritual miracle working? Do you agree or disagree and why?

Publications & Particulars

1. It is true that “workers” is not in the Greek text of 1 Corinthians 12:28, which simply has dynameis (“miracles”). The idea of workers of miracles as opposed to direct divine miracles seems demanded by the text. For example, the literal translation of verse 29 would be “all are not miracles?” Because it appears in a list of gifts attached to people, even the rather literal NASB renders this, “workers of miracles.” ↑

2. For a biblical critique of the idea that God is empowering miracle workers in the Church today see chapters 11.1 and 11.7. ↑

3. For further discussion of super-supernaturalism see chapter chapters 7.13-16. ↑

4. For further discussion of the nature of biblical miracle working and how it is distinguished from merely receiving a miracle in answer to prayer see section 11.1.B. ↑

5. For further discussion of miracles in other religions see section 11.2.E. ↑

6. For discussion of the inseparable relationship between divine miracle workers and divine revelation see section 11.1.F. Our arguments there include such biblical characters as Philip, Ananias, and Stephen. ↑

7. For further discussion of the relationship between Scripture and sign gifts and the implementation of divine/human covenants see sections 7.3.C-D. ↑

8. Our claim that the unanimous opinion of the Church for at least 1600 years was that miracle working gifts had ceased, reflects the fact that all early Church leaders agreed that such gifts had ceased c. 250 and only fringe, heretical groups claimed them in the centuries following until super-supernaturalism became popular c. 1950. For further discussion see chapter 11.7. ↑

9. Augustine, City of God, City of God, xxii.8; online at www. ccel.org. ↑

10. B. B. Warfield, Counterfeit Miracles (Banner of Truth Trust, 1972), 25-27. Notice Warfield’s specific mention of “miracle working.” Teachers in super-supernaturalism such as Jack Deere (Surprised by the Power of the Spirit [Zondervan, 1993]) routinely misrepresent Warfield as saying that direct miracles occurred only during periods of revelation. This would of course be easy to disprove, but that is not what Warfield believed and his teaching remains convincing in spite of recent attempts to answer his historicist arguments. It could be said, however, that Warfield could have been more careful to speak more consistently of “miracle workers” rather than “miracles” in his Counterfeit Miracles. ↑

11. Augustus H. Strong, Systematic Theology 3 Vols. (Judson, 1907, 1953), 128. ↑

12. For further discussion of the biblical purpose and historical cessation of the miracle working gifts see chapter 11.7. ↑

13. It should be noted that Christ did not simply know the fish were there, but caused them to be there, unless we want to say that the Apostles were so lucky to be in the right place at the right time. On the contrary, luck had nothing to do with the two recorded instances of this miracle. ↑

14. For further discussion regarding the authenticating work of Christ see section 3.1.B.3, 3.3.C.4, 3.3.D.6, 3.12.A.6. ↑

15. For further discussion regarding miracle faith see chapter 11.4. ↑

16. Further biblical proof that Moses and Elijah have a special place in the future implementation of God’s Kingdom on Earth includes their appearance at Christ’s transfiguration (cf. Matt 17:1-3), and Malachi’s prophecy that Elijah would come before the Day of the Lord (Mal 4:5), John the Baptist being a near partial fulfillment of a future full fulfillment of the same prophecy (cf. Matt 11:14; Mark 9:11).

    This is a typical attribute of biblical prophecy (see?) and seems implied by Christ Himself when He remarks:

    To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him. (Mark 9:12-13)

    Our King makes it clear here that Elijah would have two appearances in fulfillment of Malachi 4:5. The first is through John the Baptist which Christ is clearly referring to in v. 13. But the Baptist did not “restore all things” ushering in the Consummation. This fact prompts Christ’s question that if the Baptist had completely fulfilled Malachi’s prophecy, then why must He yet suffer? Because there is yet another appearance of Elijah after Christ’s suffering which is recorded in Revelation 11:3 and in the context of the restoration of “all things.”

    Concerning Moses, we are reminded of his rather mysterious burial in which Scripture says: “And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. He [God] buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is” (Deut 34:5-6). On this, Keil and Delitzsch are worth the following rather lengthy quote:

    The fact itself that the Lord buried His servant Moses, and no man knows of his sepulcher, is in perfect keeping with the relation in which Moses stood to the Lord while he was alive. Even if his sin at the water of strife rendered it necessary that he should suffer the punishment of death, as a memorable example of the terrible severity of the holy God against sin, even in the case of His faithful servant; yet after the justice of God had been satisfied by this punishment, he was to be distinguished in death before all the people, and glorified as the servant who had been found faithful in all the house of God, whom the Lord had known face to face (v. 10), and to whom He had spoken mouth to mouth (Num 12:7-8).

    The burial of Moses by the hand of Jehovah was not intended to conceal his grave, for the purpose of guarding against a superstitious and idolatrous reverence for his grave; for which the opinion held by the Israelites, that corpses and graves defiled, there was but little fear of this; but, as we may infer from the account of the transfiguration of Jesus, the intention was to place him in the same category with Enoch and Elijah.

    The purpose of God was to prepare for him a condition, both of body and soul, resembling that of these two men of God. Men bury a corpse that it may pass into corruption. If Jehovah, therefore, would not suffer the body of Moses to be buried by men, it is but natural to seek for the reason in the fact that He did not intend to leave him to corruption, but, when burying it with His own hand, imparted a power to it which preserved it from corruption, and prepared the way for it to pass into the same form of existence to which Enoch and Elijah were taken, without either death or burial.

    There can be no doubt that this truth lies at the foundation of the Jewish theologoumenon mentioned in the Epistle of Jude, concerning the contest between Michael the archangel and the devil for the body of Moses. (C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, Electronic Edition STEP Files CD-ROM [Findex.com, 2000], loc. cit.)

    Historical support for interpreting the Prophet in Revelation 11 as Elijah can be found in Tertullian (Treatise on the Soul, 50) and Hippolytus (On Daniel, II.22) (both online at http://www.ccel.org) although they understand the other Prophet as being Enoch. Gregory Beale also mentions several Jewish and Christian apocryphal works that apparently interpret these witnesses as Moses and Elijah (G. K. Beale, The Book of Revelation, NIGTC [Eerdmans, 1999], 572-3, fn. 293). In the Expositor’s Bible Commentary Alan Johnson notes that, “Jewish tradition taught that Moses and Elijah would return, and this view is followed by a number of Christian interpreters.” (Frank E. Gaebelein, ed. CD-ROM [Zondervan, n.d.], loc. cit.). ↑

17. Regarding the unique revelatory events surrounding covenant making see section 7.3.C-D. ↑

18. For a discussion of how persecution of God’s people may result in a greater number of miracles see section 10.3.C.2. ↑

19. For our argument that demon possession is a miracle see especially section 10.6.B.2. ↑

20. Donald Bloesch, The Holy Spirit: Works and Gifts (Intervarsity, 2000), 293. ↑

21. D. A. Carson comments on Matthew 12:43-5:

    The point here and in Luke is that those who through the kingdom power of God experience exorcisms must beware of neutrality toward Jesus the Messiah, for neutrality opens the door to seven demons worse than the one driven out. Commitment to Jesus is essential. (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary (EBC) Frank E. Gaebelein, ed. CD-ROM [Zondervan, n.d.], in loc.).

    Likewise, Leon Morris comments on the parallel passage in Luke 11:24-26: “When anyone gets rid of an evil spirit and puts nothing in its place, he is in grace moral danger” (Luke, [Eerdmans, 1999], 218). Finally, Darrell Bock concludes: “Exorcism alone is not sufficient. Exorcism only benefits when one then responds to God” (Luke [Baker, 1996], 1092).

    It needs to be remembered that what gives a demon influence and authority in a person’s life is the lies the person believes. If the mere presence of a demon is forced away, but the lies the person believes are not replaced with protective truth, and their mind is “unoccupied,” the person will be susceptible to even more deception and accordingly more demonic control. ↑

22. For further discussion of the relationship between exorcism and the gift of healing see section 11.10.B ↑

23. For further discussion of the potentially demonic nature of exorcisms see section 11.10.B. ↑

24. John Gerstner, Reasons for Faith (Harper & Row, n.d.), 185-86. ↑

25. Along these lines, Joseph Addison (1672-1719) wrote in his classic treatise, Evidences of the Christian Religion:

    Under this head, I cannot omit that which appears to me a standing miracle in the three first centuries. I mean that amazing and supernatural courage or patience which was shewn by innumerable multitudes of martyrs, in those slow and painful torments that were inflicted on them.

    I cannot conceive a man placed in the burning iron chair at Lyons, amid the insults and mockeries of a crowded amphitheatre, and still keeping his seat; or stretched upon a gate of iron, over coals of fire, and breathing out his soul among the exquisite sufferings of such a tedious execution, rather than renounce his religion or blaspheme his Saviour. Such trials seem to me above the strength of human nature, able to overbear duty, reason, faith, conviction, nay, and the most absolute certainty of a future state.

    Humanity, unassisted in an extraordinary manner, would have shaken off the present pressure, and have delivered itself out of such a dreadful distress, by any means that could have been suggested by it. We can easily imagine, that many persons, in so good a cause, might have laid down their lives at the gibbet, the stake, or the block but to expire leisurely among the most exquisite tortures, when they might come out of them, even by a mental reservation, or an hypocrisy, which was not without a possibility of being followed by repentance, and forgiveness, has something in it so far beyond the force and natural strength of mortals, that one cannot but think there was some extraordinary power to support the sufferer. . . .

    Let any man calmly lay his hand upon his heart, and, after reading these terrible conflicts in which the ancient martyrs and confessors were engaged, when they passed through such new inventions and varieties of pain as tired their tormentors, and ask himself, however zealous and sincere he is in his religion, whether, under such acute and lingering tortures, he could still have held fast his integrity, and have professed his faith to the last; without a supernatural assistance of some kind or other.

    For my part, when I consider that it was not an unaccountable obstinacy in a single man, or in any particular set of men, in some extraordinary juncture; but that there were multitudes of each fact, of every age, of different countries and conditions, who, for near 300 years together, made this glorious confession of their faith in the midst of tortures, and in the hour of death; I must conclude, that they were either of another make from what men are at present, or that they had such extraordinary supports as were peculiar to those times of Christianity; when without them the very name of it might have been extinguished.

    It is certain that the deaths and sufferings of the primitive Christians had a great share in the conversion of those learned Pagans who lived in the ages of persecution, which, with some intervals and abatements, lasted near three hundred years after our Saviour. Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Lactantius, Arnobius, and others, tell us, that this first of all alarmed their curiosity, roused their attention, and made them seriously inquisitive into the nature of that religion which could endue the mind with so much strength, and overcome the fear of death, nay, raised an earnest desire of it though it appeared in all its terrors.

    This they found had not been effected by all the doctrines of those philosophers whom they had thoroughly studied, and who had been labouring at this great point. The sight of these dying and tormented martyrs engaged them to search into the history and doctrines of him for whom they suffered. The more they searched, the more they were convinced; till their conviction grew so strong, they themselves embraced the same truths, and either actually laid down their lives, or were always in readiness to do it, rather than depart from them. (Greenfield: John Denio, 1812, VII:4, 6-7).

    For further examples of extraordinary martyrdoms see section 5.9.B.1. ↑

26. Regarding the “Angel of the Lord” in the OT being Jesus Christ see section 10.9.C. ↑

27. While some interpret the destroying angels as demons, Keil and Delitzsch note:

    [These] are not wicked angels . . . but angels that bring misfortune. The mode of construction belongs to the chapter of the genitival subordination of the adjective to the substantive, like אֵשֶׁת רָע, Prov 6:24, cf. 1 Sam 28:7; Num 5:18, 24; 1 Kings 10:15; Jer 24:2. . . . Therefore, [these] angels [are] not of the wicked ones (i.e. wicked angels), which it might signify elsewhere, but . . . misfortune-bringing angels (loc. cit.).

    While this angel may have been the Angel of the Lord, or the pre-incarnate Christ, as Keil and Delitzsch claim, we cannot be certain. ↑

28. For further discussion on the limited effect of physical miracles apart from the spiritual miracle of regeneration see section 4.13.B. ↑

29. For some biblical evidence of spiritual regeneration in the OT see section 4.16.E. ↑

30. Regarding regeneration see chapters 4.15-16 and 6.3. ↑

31. For further discussion on the use of ergon in relation to miracles see section 10.2.A.1. ↑

32. Peter Davids comments on John 14:10-11:

    What are these works? We know they are not his teachings, for he refers to his works as evidence for believing his teachings. Thus they must be “the miracles” (as the NIV correctly translates), for those are the works which in John are connected with people believing. It is immediately after this that Jesus says that “anyone who has faith in” him will do “greater works” than these. Given the context, the greater things can only be greater miracles. (Hard Sayings of the Bible [Intervarsity, 1996], 502) ↑

33. The NIV translates paraklete as Counselor which is not only an unlikely rendering but is misleading. For further discussion see section 14.13.B. ↑

34. Bloesch, 98 ↑

35. Richard B. Gaffin, Jr., “Challenges of the Charismatic Movement to the Reformed Tradition” online at http://www.the-highway.com/charismatic2_Gaffin.html#40, endnote 39 ↑

36. For further discussion of pluralism and universalism and their claim that saving faith can occur apart from the communication of the Gospel see section 6.10.B. ↑

37. Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John (Eerdmans, 1995), 573-4 ↑

38. For further discussion on the important biblical distinction between saving and empowering faith see section 6.2.C.1. ↑

39. For further discussion of the fact that false Apostles will preach the Gospel see section 11.13.E. ↑

40. This is why it is rather sad to see super-supernaturalist authors claim that what Christianity really needs is more physical miracle working. For further discussion see section 7.13.A.1. ↑

41. Jonathan Edwards in John Gerstner, The Rational Biblical Theology of Jonathan Edwards, 3 vols. (Berea, 1991), I:272. ↑

42. Jack Deere, “Intimacy with God and the End Time Church,” Vineyard Christian Fellowship, Denver, CO, 1989, audiotape, session 2A. ↑

43. J. P. Moreland, Kingdom Triangle (Zondervan, 2007), 174 ↑

44. D. A. Carson in Power Religion: The Selling Out of the Evangelical Church? (Moody, 1992), 108. ↑

45. For illegitimate accusations made against Christians by super-supernaturalists see section 10.16.G. ↑

46. Arnold Dallimore, George Whitefield, 2 vols. (The Banner of Truth Trust, 1970), 348-9. ↑

47. Excerpt from section 10.2.A.4. ↑

48. For further discussion of John 13:34-5 see section 5.3.B. For further discussion of what we call virtue apologetics see Book 5: Biblical Apologetics. ↑

49. Regarding the Apostle’s life of virtue apologetics see section 5.4.A.3. ↑

50. For further discussion of unregenerate humanity’s inability to produce the supernatural virtues of unconditional love and holiness see chapter 5.7 and section 5.16.B. ↑

51. Excerpt from section 5.4.A.2. ↑

52. For a discussion of unregenerated humanity’s inability to unconditionally love see section 5.16.B.1. ↑

53. For further introduction to the concepts of Scripture gifts (i.e. Prophets, Apostles) and sign gifts (i.e. predicting, healing) see section 7.3.C-D. ↑

54. Admittedly, the supernatural gifts spoken of in Exod 31 are difficult to narrowly categorize according to the scheme we are using. These gifts included a supernatural “knowledge” (v. 3) that involved direct divine revelation, and would be an example of extraordinary communication from our perspective. Such extraordinarily obtained knowledge would normally not be a part of a serving gift such as teaching, leading, pastoring, serving, or evangelizing. Teachers get their knowledge from the more natural means of study and evangelists get the Gospel from Scripture.

    Also, while we have categorized serving gifts as a spiritual miracle because of their effects, the gifts described in Exodus 31 would seem to be more of a physical nature. So while we use them as an OT example of serving gifts they are significantly different. ↑

55. For further discussion on how serving gifts affect the direction of our personal lives see chapter 7.13. ↑

56. For further discussion on the fact that the Apostle is referring to Christian Prophets as opposed to OT ones in Eph 2:20 see section 9.6.C.1 ↑

57. For further discussion on the purpose & characteristics of Scripture & sign gifts see sections 7.3.C-D. ↑