Miracles Without Faith: Series Introduction

 


 

Introduction

There is a well-known movie that follows the story of a “Faith Healer” and his entourage, going from town to town, preaching, teaching, and “healing” people. The whole of it is a huge scam and they show how these “miracles” are being done.

At a pivotal moment in the film, an actual crippled boy; one befriended by the preacher, comes onstage to be healed. The preacher knows he’s a fraud and is unable to do it. Not sure what else to do, he points out the local sheriff in the audience; one who’s unto his fakery, and states that since this man lacks faith, the healing won’t happen.

The scene concludes when the crippled boy does become healed but without the preacher’s help. As the movie closes, we see the preacher abandoned everything he built to go straight.

In our previous series of articles, we’ve looked at miracles in scripture and the fact that they have ceased. Contrary to what some believe that they continue even today. These “Faith Healers” will use the exit strategy of siting a lack of faith if a miracle does not take place.

In this new series of articles, we are going to look at several miracles that took place, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament in which no faith was present when the miracle occurred. There was faith afterwards, developed by what was witnessed but, at the time, it was not there.

 

Believing is Seeing

When Jesus appeared to His disciples a second time, Thomas was with them and this conversation occurred, And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:26-29).

The highlighted part is directed to us, even today. We do not need miracles to happen before we believe in God, Jesus, and the bible.


Conclusion

As the apostle Paul wrote, So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). We believe in miracles because of the what the scriptures teach. We don’t need them today because we have the complete bible to help us to learn and understand (1 Cor. 13:8-10; Jas. 1:25; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).

Some miracles happened in scripture when faith wasn’t present. Faith is not needed for miracles to occur. We’ll look at these examples in our next few articles.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

There are No Material Possessions

Image
  Things Not Found on Judgment Day, Part 4   Introduction A tough case was being argued in court. The defense attorney, feeling that he was in trouble, sent the judge a bottle of hundred-year-old brandy. The defendant was fit to be tied. “The judge will kill me,” he said. “Trying to bribe him; we’re dead.” “I don’t think so,” his attorney told him, “I sent it in the other lawyer’s name!”   You Can’t Take it with You In ancient Egypt, Pharaohs were buried with luxurious items such as gold, jewelry, family heirlooms, paintings, and even a chariot. It was said that they would need these items in the afterlife. In the more modern times, people are buried with sentimental items that meant something to the individual. For example, actor Bela Lugosi; known for his role as Count Dracula was buried in his Dracula cape. Princess Diana was buried with a set of rosary beads given to her by Mother Theresa. There are, others, who are buried with their fortunes; money mostly, bu
Read more

Who Wrote the Bible?

Image
  Introduction Several years ago, I attempted to talk to a co-worker about the bible and he wasn’t interested. I was trying to tell him it was written by God; even though he had several human writers. His comment to me was, “Are you trying to tell me that God whispered in the ears of these men of what to write?” At the time, I didn’t have an answer. But it does make one pause and ask the question, who did write the bible? We’ll look at some possibilities below.   Potential Authors AN UNBELIEVER—How ironic would it be if the scriptures were, in fact, written by an Atheist? He would show how foolish it is to waste time worshipping someone, or something, that doesn’t exist. For sure, he would discuss the worship of idols like in Isa. 44:8-19; how one would spend all this time worshipping an inanimate object, hoping to be rewarded. But it isn’t written by an Atheist as they wouldn’t include verses like Psalms 14:1, The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God."
Read more

The Death of Marriage

Image
  Divorce and the Bible, part 1   Introduction In Malachi 2:16, it is written, “For the LORD God of Israel says That He hates divorce, For it covers one's garment with violence,” Says the LORD of hosts. “Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously.” Marriage is an invention of God, divorce is an invention of man, therefore, God hates divorce. And, it’s not just an unscriptural one either. He hates it altogether. In this series of articles, we’ll look at what the bible has to say about divorce.   Definition of Divorce 1828 Webster’s Dictionary —   A legal dissolution of the bonds of matrimony, or the separation of husband and wife by a judicial sentence. This is properly called a divorce, and called technically, divorce a vinculo matrimonii.   Easton’s Bible Dict. — The dissolution of the marriage tie was regulated by the Mosaic law Deut. 24:1-4. The Jews, after the Captivity, were required to dismiss the foreign women they had married c
Read more