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Articles
Purpose of Miracles
Today we want to study a few moments about the purpose of miracles in the New Testament. May we begin by affirming that there was a twofold purpose for miracles in the 1st century: to confirm the word and to reveal the word of God.
Miracles were divine "badges" given to God’s messengers, notice in Mark 16:20 "And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen." Notice again in Acts 14:3 "Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands." Notice also in Hebrews 2:3 "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?" Consider also IICor.12:12; Ac.2:22, 43; John 3:2. How would one know that these men who spake this "new" message was from God, back in the 1st century? Miracles were signs to confirm this message as truth from God.
How would folks know the mind of God before the New Testament was recorded? God’s truth was miraculously revealed by inspiration. It was given by verbal inspiration in gifts like prophesy, word of knowledge, tongues, and the interpretation of tongues, ICor.12-14. Then it was recorded in the Holy Scriptures by inspiration. When the perfect or complete revelation of the will of God was given, the need and purpose of miracles was ended. Miracles were not performed to merely accommodate the needs of men, but to fulfill the divine purpose. That purpose was accomplished, and thus miracles DO NOT HAPPEN TODAY!
