Definition and Nature

Miracles, as described in the Bible, are extraordinary events that manifest divine intervention in human affairs. They are acts that transcend natural laws and are often seen as a direct manifestation of God's power. In the New Testament, miracles are closely associated with the ministry of Jesus Christ and the apostles, serving as signs that authenticate their divine mission and message.

Biblical Foundation

The concept of miracles is deeply rooted in the biblical narrative. In the Old Testament, miracles are often associated with the deliverance and guidance of God's people, such as the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-22) and the provision of manna in the wilderness (Exodus 16:14-15). In the New Testament, miracles are prominently featured in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, who performed numerous miraculous acts, including healing the sick, raising the dead, and controlling nature (e.g., calming the storm in Mark 4:39).

Miracles as a Gift of the Holy Spirit

In the New Testament, miracles are identified as one of the spiritual gifts bestowed by the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, lists miracles among the various gifts given to believers for the common good: "To another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in various tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues" (1 Corinthians 12:9-10).

The purpose of these gifts, including miracles, is to edify the church and to bear witness to the power and presence of God among His people. The miraculous acts performed by the apostles, such as Peter healing the lame man at the temple gate (Acts 3:6-8) and Paul raising Eutychus from the dead (Acts 20:9-12), served to confirm their apostolic authority and the truth of the Gospel message.

Theological Significance

Miracles hold significant theological importance within the Christian faith. They are seen as a testament to God's sovereignty and His active involvement in the world. Miracles demonstrate God's compassion and mercy, as seen in Jesus' healing of the sick and feeding of the multitudes. They also serve as a foretaste of the coming Kingdom of God, where the effects of sin and death will be fully overcome.

Furthermore, miracles are a means through which God reveals His glory and draws people to faith. In the Gospel of John, the miracles of Jesus are referred to as "signs" that reveal His divine identity and mission: "Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so 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).

Contemporary Understanding

In contemporary Christian thought, the belief in miracles continues to be a vital aspect of faith. While some may view miracles as events confined to the biblical era, others believe that God continues to perform miracles today through the Holy Spirit. This belief is often associated with the charismatic movement, which emphasizes the ongoing operation of spiritual gifts, including miracles, in the life of the church.

The expectation and recognition of miracles today are seen as an expression of faith in God's unchanging nature and His ability to intervene in the lives of believers. As such, miracles remain a powerful testimony to the reality of God's presence and power in the world.1 Corinthians 12:10
To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Holy Spirit is Called the Gift of God in the Scriptures. By ...
... and some have those; although all have the Gift itself by ... to each is divided to Him,
ie the Holy Spirit. ... signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts ...
/.../augustine/on the holy trinity/chapter 19 the holy spirit is.htm

Prophecy was not Only from the Father and the Son but Also from ...
... but also ministers of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. ... first apostles,
secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers; then miracles, the gift of healings ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter xiii prophecy was not.htm

The Baptism with the Holy Spirit.
... Are all workers of miracles? Have all the gift of healing ... saw it was clearly taught
in the Scriptures that one might be baptized with the Holy Spirit and still ...
/.../torrey/the person and work of the holy spirit/chapter xx the baptism with.htm

Grieving the Holy Spirit
... perseverance of a saint for a single day, is a multitude of miracles of mercy. ... Son
of God, the Father seals us as his children, by the gift of the Holy Ghost ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/grieving the holy spirit.htm

The Gift of the Spirit
... poor had the gospel preached to them, and miracles of divine ... we not hunger and thirst
for the gift of the ... Lord is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to those ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 5 the gift of.htm

On the Holy Trinity
... Chapter 11.--Miracles Which are Done by Demons are to Be Spurned. ... By the Gift
of the Holy Spirit is Meant the Gift Which is the Holy Spirit. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/on the holy trinity/

The Spiritual Gifts.
... psalm-like prayer or song, uttered from a spiritual trance, and in a peculiar language
inspired by the Holy Spirit. ... [624]. 9. The gift of Miracles [625] is ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 45 the spiritual gifts.htm

On the Words of the Gospel, Matt. xii. 32, "Whosoever Shall Speak ...
... of idols, forasmuch as they say that the Lord Christ wrought miracles by magical ...
wax cold." [2405] Now perfect love is the perfect gift of the Holy Spirit. ...
/.../sermons on selected lessons of the new testament/sermon xxi on the words.htm

Whether Free Grace is Appropriately Divided by the Apostle
... On the third point: the gift of healing is distinguished from the general working
of miracles because it ... numbered with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, on the ...
/.../aquinas/nature and grace/article four whether free grace.htm

Whether the Invisible Mission of the Divine Person is Only ...
... with some qualifying term; just as we read of certain ones receiving the gift of
the spirit of prophecy, or of miracles, as having from the Holy Ghost the ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the invisible mission of.htm

What does it mean that God is a God of miracles? | GotQuestions.org

What is the spiritual gift of miracles? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about demonic/satanic miracles? | GotQuestions.org

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