Does God Heal Today?

Oasis

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« Reply #15 on: May 02, 2008, 08:36:09 PM »

The following is a portion of the study I mentioned on another board.

Quote:
There is much we can learn about the Holy Spirit and Spiritual gifts. I never gave it much thought up until a few years ago, when my study intensified out of concern for the abuse of the gifts I coninually see around me. I think it's important to understand the Biblical definition and application of these gifts; who they were given to; qualifications of the user; why some were temporary and some permanent; qualifications for an Apostle and prophet; etc...

I believe miracles are one of the most, if not the most abused gift there is. What is the Biblical definition of a miracle? "I got that job! It's a miracle!" That is not a Biblical miracle...or you'll hear, "We won the game! It was an absolute miracle!" It's a word that is thrown around much too casually. So, what is a miracle? Well, I've found several different definitions depending on one's particular faith or lack thereof. But among the different religious definitions there runs one common thread. It is a supernatural intervention that has no other explanation than that God is acting. It is obvious that only God could be responsible for it.

Why does God do miracles? I believe Scripture tells us it is to confirm He is who He says He is, and to confirm His revelation to us. Miracles were used to confirm the identity and deity of Jesus Christ.

"This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him."-John 2:11 NIV

"...for the very works that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me."-John 5:36 NIV

"Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are 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 20:30-31 NIV

I believe Scripture teaches that some of the gifts were permanent and some temporary. Miracles are one of the temporary gifts. Now, what do I mean by that? Look at the limited history of its use. In the Old Testament there was God revealing the law to Moses, and God using Elijah and Elishah to establish His prophetic revelation. In the New Testament, miracles came through Jesus Christ, the Apostles, and those they personally commissioned. We see in Scripture that Jesus did miracles to prove His identity as Messiah and God. The Apostles were also given the ability to perform miracles and for a very important reason. It was to verify their preaching. There was, as of yet, no written Word, so these men were God's mouthpiece and the miracles were given to verify the identity of Christ and the Truth that the Apostles, and those they personally commissioned, taught.

"The things that mark an apostle--signs, wonders and miracles--were done among you with great perseverence."-2 Corinthians 12:12 NIV

"How shall we excape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will"-Hebrews 2:3-4 NIV

...and what was his will? to confirm His revelation through Jesus Christ and these apostles. If we claim that miracles still occur today, and yet agree with Scripture that miracles were used to confirm God's revelation to man, then we are saying that the Bible is incomplete. Once God's revelation was complete, the purpose for miracles was done. I'm not saying that God can't and won't do miracles. I'm saying that Scripture teaches that they were used as sign gifts for a specific period of time and for the specific purpose of confirming revelation. It's important to note that miracles will come into use one more time in history. When?

"And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees nad the two lamplstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 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."-Revelation 11:3-6 NIV

One interesting thing I've learned in reading is that for years after the New Testament Church was established no miracles appeared...until the beginning of Roman Catholicism. All the sudden they were everywhere. Hmmmmm??? I guess God was showing the Roman church was the one true church and they would present His new revelation, huh? I don't think so. But check out some of these that were claimed by the Roman Catholics.

* In 415 the bones of Stephen were found. The bones were moved to Africa, and everywhere they went, miracles happened.

* A merchant in one town stole the arm of John the Baptist, which had been preserved in a shrine. As long as he kept it in his closet, he became rich; but when somebody found it and took it away, he became a beggar.

* In the early years of the forming of the Roman Church, Christians preserved feather droppings that supposedly came from the wings of Gabriel when he came to announce the birth of Jesus to Mary.

* Pilgrim monks boasted that they had been to Jerusalem and seen the real finger of the Holy Spirit.

* The churches of the saints Cosmas and Damien at Rome exhibited a miracle-working vial of the breast milk of the virgin Mary. This became such a popular miracle worker that many churches in France had bottles of Mary's breast milk to do miracles. They even said that this wasn't necessarily the milk which the virgin used to nourish the infant, but that she, through all the ages, had continued to nourish her children in times of deadly need. Even her statues and paintings would give milk at certain times to certain saints.

* Bernard of Clairvaux said that he was rewarded for his holy life by Mary visiting him in his cell and letting his lips be moistened by the food of the heavenly child.

* Many people have stigmatizations -- the signs of the cross showing up in their hands and feet and bleeding, much like St. Francis claimed.

* One saint, Pantaleon, had drunk so much of Mary's milk in his life that when he died they cut him open and out of his veins came blood and milk. They caught it in a vial, and the blood and milk would switch places each year. When the blood was on top, the country had a bad year; and when the milk was on top, it had a good year.

* Supposed apparitions of Mary have occurred all over the world at places like Guadeloupe and Lourdes. There are great shrines of Mary everywhere.

Pretty ridiculous stuff huh? This kind of thing continues today, and are just as foolish. Paul said,
"We live by faith, not by sight."-2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV

As Sandra's title to this thread testifies, counterfeit miracles continue. Miracles were used to confirm God's Revelation. God's Revelation is finished. There is no more reason for miracles until the next appointed time in God's plan for us.
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Many of us come from various backgrounds, that held different views about spiritual gifts. What was your feeling about them before you became a right divider? Has your veiw changed since then, or is it the same?

Thoughts anyone?

ybiC,
Kab