Supernatural Signs and Truth

At all times and in all nations there has always been a widespread belief that the ability to demonstrate the supernatural suggests that a leader has divine support. The Bible’s writers do not agree. Extraordinary signs and the miraculous can come from other sources.

Pharaoh’s magicians in Egypt were able to perform very impressive miracles but these were not of God. Simon Magus, a magician, amazed ‘all the people of Samaria’. Using these skills he gave the impression that ‘he was someone great’. Simon’s powers were attributed by onlookers to his embodying divine power,

“All the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is the divine power known as the Great Power.” They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic.” Acts 8:10

In contrast we are told that it was Philip’s preaching of the ‘good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ’ that overcame this deep admiration for Simon Magus. Today, in a similar way, many ‘healing evangelists’ gain widespread popular attention and are even considered to be special channels of God or modern day prophets because of their apparent powers.

It is significant that John the Baptist, who was called by the Lord Jesus to be ‘the greatest of prophets’, was simply a sincere preacher of repentance who pointed people to Jesus. John the Baptist never performed miracles. The preaching about the consequences of sin, about Jesus being God’s Messiah and Saviour and about the possibility of becoming members of God’s kingdom has always been God’s chosen way to bring people back to himself.

The purpose of the ‘signs and wonders’ in the Bible is to highlight the significance of God’s involvement when he has rescued his people. In the time of Moses the Lord authenticated his rescue plan to deliver his people through the ‘signs and wonders’ Moses performed. In the New Testament the ‘signs and wonders’ ministry centred on Jesus and to a lesser extent on his chosen apostles. Why did God group ‘signs and wonders’ to particular times in the history of his people? The Biblical scholar Don Carson has suggested an answer,

“One of their major purposes is to call the people of God back to those foundation events, to encourage their significance, and to pass on that information to the next generation.”

This view is supported by the Bible itself. We are meant to live in the light of what God has done in the past. Special events in the calendar of God’s people are there to remind us of God’s interventions in history. Thus Jewish families were to re-enact the Passover every year for the purpose of reminding God’s people that their God was a powerful God who was not to be forgotten in the everyday routines of life.

“And the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is this day.” Deuteronomy 6:24

The Israelites were constantly tempted to forget God and his power. God’s solution was not to perpetuate the miraculous but to remind his people of what he has done to intervene in the past. For Christians we also have been given institutions such as the Communion service to remind us of what Jesus has done for us in history.

When Jesus was on earth he was frequently asked to show off his power to sceptics. He rejected such requests. Jesus was attracting increasing crowds of followers yet he said,

‘A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Ninevah will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.” Matthew 12:39-41

The important sign that should cause people to believe in Jesus was to be his death and resurrection. We remember this in communion services. These have the same significance for Christians as the Passover had for the Jews – they are to remind Christians of God’s intervention in history in order to rescue us.

Charles Spurgeon was a great nineteenth century Bible teacher. In his day some Christian teachers were intent on seeing miracles return to the church as in apostolic times. He rightly responded,

“A bottomless pit of fanaticism is yawning.”

He robustly challenged those who claimed to have these rediscovered apostolic gifts,

“The apostles were empowered to do many things, but who are you? Do you claim to be their successors? Then work miracles similar to theirs: take up serpents and drink deadly things without being harmed thereby; prove to us that you have seen the Lord, or even that cloven tongues of fire have sat upon each of you.”i

The Evidence of John

The apostle John teaches us that Jesus’ miracles were all also signs. They illustrated his message. When he turned water into wine he was not just demonstrating his power, but proclaiming that he, by making a superlative wine out of plain water, had come to ‘make all things new’. These signs were not to be continued for ever, the apostles looked back to them. They were recorded for posterity by responsible witnesses who were willing to die in support of their evidence.

“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

The purpose of miracles was to point to Jesus. This is surely why the omnipotent God, who is just as able to perform any miracle he wishes at any time, has chosen to work within his own laws of nature now. The amputated legs are not regrowing, the dead are not raised. Christians must be honest, God, for his own reasons, is not performing such organic miracles widely today. He respects his own laws of nature and is certainly not breaking them at the whim of a spiritual healer. There is however considerable lee-way within God’s laws and remarkable coincidences do occur in response to prayer. Diseases can remit. We are taught to pray about everything in order that Christ may be honoured through all of our lives, whether through good or ill..

Unfortunately the credit for any healing can be taken by the doctor or healer. Walter Chantry wrote perceptively in his book ‘Signs of the Apostles’,

“The gift of healing serves to enhance the authority of the one who has the gift. Great numbers believe the opinions of those who perform wonders because their ‘gifts’ indicate that ‘they are filled with the Spirit’. The implication of such logic is clear. How can anyone question the doctrine of miracle-workers? Even if one were to reason from the Scriptures, he would have no miracles to support his position. Many prefer to trust the teachings of men because of their ‘gifts’.ii

One of the tragedies of some modern churches is that their message has moved away from that of Jesus and his apostles. The Bible emphasises that God hates sin and that this wrath of God needs to be appeased or propitiated. Man cannot propitiate for his own sin. In heathen religions man has tried to appease God by offering sacrifices but in the Bible it is God himself who makes the propitiation by the willing sacrifice of his Son. This has always been the core Christian message. The reason Jesus entered this world was to become the propitiation of God through his death on the cross.

The apostle John emphasised how God now demonstrates his love for us. God does this now, not by giving us supernatural experiences, but by giving his Son in history. John reminds us how we can know God loves us personally in three adjacent verses.

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” 1 John 4:9

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:10

“We have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world.” 1 John 4:14

He could have suggested that they focus on experiences or supernatural gifts but these are not reliable proofs in the same league as that of the historical Christ who died for us. If the apostles shunned such experiential approaches, should modern churches not shun them also?

John does go on to explain, in a striking way, how this love of God, shown in Christ, can be experienced by others.

“No-one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” 1 John 4:12

He says that God’s love is completed or perfected in the way we love others. Again John does not suggest that emotional experiences are God’s means of convincing others. No, it is the love of God that others see completed or perfected in us that is really convincing. This love that others can see is evidence that we really belong to God and have His Spirit in us.

“God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.” 1 John 4:17

John is emphasising two great evidences that the Christian story is relevant for all people. The facts about Jesus’ life, his death to satisfy God and his resurrection, to confirm that God has accepted his sacrifice on our behalf, are central. But then seeing this same love changing his people so that we demonstrate the love of God to others is clearly God’s preferred means to draw others to himself.

Passivity or Partnership – Pauls teaching

Today there is an emphasis in some Christian groups on passivity, being possessed by the Spirit of God. Such mysticism is not Christian. The ancient Eleusinian Mysteries began in about 1600 B.C. and were an annual initiation ceremony, possibly involving drugs, into the cults of the goddesses Demeter and Persephone. They were held in secret at Eleusis (near Athens) in ancient Greece and continued for two thousand years, later spreading to Rome. They were very emotional times. Since then many religious groups have emphasised that their adherents can have an ecstatic experience of God. Judaism has its ‘kabbalah’ movement, Islam has ‘sufism’, Hinduism has those who seek after a ‘kundalini’ experience and early Christianity became infiltrated by Gnosticism. In all these groups adherents have wanted to be possessed by their God. The ancient Greek priests who gave the ‘Oracles of Delphi’ were also possessed and were not aware of the meaning of the sounds they were making.

However in contrast the Bible does not call on Christians to be possessed by the Spirit of God in the way these religious groups encourage their adherents to be possessed. The Old Testament specifically warns God’s people against seeking such possession. It is called ‘sharmanism’.

It is not the Spirit of God who encourages Christians to follow external revelations blindly, without thinking. Such passivity may have the appearance of spirituality but it is not Christian. A Christian has the mind and the thinking of Christ. False teachers delight in seeing others naively follow their teaching because their status is backed by the appearance of the extraordinary. Their followers are seduced into thinking that they are being Godly in following the preachers path when in reality they have fallen prey to deception. The great Chinese Bible teacher, Watchman Nee wrote a powerful book, ‘The Spiritual Man’, that warned churches of his day about the danger of passivity. The real test of spirituality is thoughtful obedience to the will of Christ, not the presence of experiences.

Christians are at all times to keep thinking and testing what they are told. Passivity, wanting to be possessed by the spirit, is the way to be deluded and led astray. Christians are to live thinking lives, determined to live for the glory of the one true God.

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:2

Liberal Christianity has been an attack on the authority of Jesus, his apostles and the Bible. Liberalism has been based on rationalism where doubt reigns supreme. But scepticism is a poor end-point. The Bible teaches that the truth can be found by clear thinking, but only if our minds are working on sound foundations. The Lord has taught us the truths we need to know but we must use our minds to understand and accept his teaching. We are responsible for the way we think and consequently for the way we live our lives. Too often selfish motives control the way we think.

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

Christians must determine to think as Christ thinks. When we start to do this and live his way, then we will know all that God wants for us. He has given all Christians a longing and power to obey him through his indwelling Spirit but we must still do the living. It is wilful ignorance that causes ungodly people to go astray.

“They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.” Ephesians 4:18

In contrast, Christians have been enlightened to live as pleases Christ. The prime role of Christian meetings is to remind people of what the Bible teaches.

“You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off the old self, which is being corrupted by its evil desires, to be made new in the attitude of your minds.” Ephesians 4:20-23

No wonder there is no place in Christian thinking for being ‘possessed’ by God. The Christian faith is not a matter of chasing experiences and having ‘top ups’ of the Spirit at emotional meetings. We do not need special gurus or preachers to initiate us into having a deeper experience of God. Trips to Toronto are totally unnecessary and may indeed be harmful. We have been saved to live for Christ and this is hard work. All Christians have been given everything of God that we need – we now lack nothing that prevents us from becoming the sort of people he wants. This is God’s promise to all his people,

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Ephesians 1:3

We are now responsible, using the motivation God has given us, for living this new life. It is our responsibility to live as Christ wants:

“. . . put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbour for we are all members of one body.” Ephesians 4:24-25

“Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands.” Ephesians 4:26-28

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up, according to their needs.” Ephesians 4:29

All this is hard work, so how does the Holy Spirit help us achieve these high standards? Significantly Paul now mentions his role.

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:30

It is clear that our role is to live in such a way that will please Jesus. The Holy Spirit always points people to Jesus. He leads us to believe and trust in him and motivates us to live for his pleasure. This is not a passive possession but an active participation in following Christ. We are independent created beings who are responsible.

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly beloved children, and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2

What a tragedy it is to hear of Christians who chase experiences but not godliness. What a tragedy it is when church leaders seem particularly concerned about giving people experiences. There is a real danger that their reputation in the public eye becomes than their personal holiness in God’s eye. The Bible makes it clear that the reason God called a people to himself was to create a Christ-like people. We have all the evidence we need that this is true. God wants an obedient holy people who live by faith not for experiences. What a tragedy it is when people stop questioning what they are told.

“The spiritual man makes judgments about all things.” 1 Corinthians 2:15

The church is battling against Satan, who is at work both within and outside the church. This battle will be won, as it always has been, not by promoting theatrical ‘miracles’, but by God’s righteous people standing firm, 'with the belt of truth buckled round your waist’. Our weapon is to be ‘the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.’ (Ephesians 6:14,17)

Mark Haville’s story is well worth reading.iii He had been trained to be a charismatic healing preacher within the ‘signs and wonders’ movement. He longed for God’s power in his ministry and one day, when leading his college prayer time he felt led to ask for the Spirit to fall on the meeting, as at Pentecost.

“Boy, did it happen! The whole school was gathered in the main hall for the entire morning. After about an hour, the place got ‘hit’. People were laid out on the floor everywhere, some crying, some laughing, some having visions. Others were just praying aloud. It was incredible. The sensation was awesome.”

After that he was invited to speak at a number of churches. He had learned how to create the right atmosphere.

“I knew that the nature of the worship itself was vital to the ‘anointing’ falling. . . The atmosphere was everything.”

“If you are ‘known’ to be ‘anointed’, believers become more susceptible to phenomena than someone who has never heard of you or experienced your ministry.”

“One characteristic trait, which was fast becoming an aspect of my own ministry, was my ability to blow on people and see them collapse on the floor, under the ‘anointing’. . . I ran around the room at full pelt, blowing on people. I had already noted where the most responsive people were sitting during the prolonged worship session. Their responses were astounding. Some were experiencing ecstasies for some time on the floor. Others shook energetically and praised God with mantra-like chanting.”

Yet Mark began to have misgivings about the validity of all this theatre. He noted the greed of some of the leaders of the movement. Then he realised that there was much dishonesty in the movement, that there were serious moral failings in some of the famous leaders and many financial irregularities. He came to the radical conclusion,

“Jesus never taught or practised this sort of thing.”

“I knew that God could not be behind much of what I was witnessing. It was also now becoming increasingly probable to me that neither was He behind the manifestations at my own meetings. In wanting more of God I had been deceived into wanting more “power” and in seeking first the kingdom of God I was really building a name for myself and a movement.”

As Mark Haville returned to study the Bible he came to the radical conclusion,

“I steadily saw where my teaching had been decidedly unbiblical.”

“In my early years I had confused “feelology” with theology. But now I know experience cannot dictate doctrine.”

i Charles Haddon Spurgeon, ‘New Park Street and Metropolitan Volumes’, vol 30 p. 11

ii Walter Chantry, ‘Signs of the Apostles’, Banner of Truth p 25

iii Mark Haville ‘An Illusion of Power’ in ‘the signs and Wonders Movement – Exposed” Ed Peter Glover Day One Publications 1997 p 1,3-37