In Search of Signs and Wonders

Recently in India, as many as 50 people in Kottayam district went blind after staring at the sun for a prolonged period of time looking for an image of the “Virgin Mary”.

Believing in false signs and wonders can be dangerous and even detrimental to one’s health as evidenced in the story. Yet throughout generations, man has been looking for divine signs and wonders to prove the existence of God and/or bolster their faith.

Many of us Christians shake our heads at that, but what we don’t realize is that in the Visible Church itself, many are looking for the same things.

I am not talking about the Roman Catholic obsession with miracles and apparitions of Mary (I don’t consider the Roman Church part of the Visible Church anyhow), but the obsession with signs such as tongues, healing, and other ‘miracles’ in some Christian circles.

This post is a response to what Justin said in his first personal video (which I applaud as very well done!) on his blog Awesome Purpose with regards to the signs that our Lord Jesus Christ said would accompany those who follow Him:

And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.

Mark 16:17-18

Justin believes that these signs are available even to us believers today, while I am of the opinion that they were only for the Apostles, because reading it in context just says so.

When our Lord Jesus Christ said this, He was with just the eleven (Mark 16:14) prior to His ascension (Mark 16:19). Had the message been intended for a wider audience, He would have addressed others too.

These signs were necessary to show that the Apostles were the chosen. In addition, the miracles and signs given to the many so that they might believe. Besides the Apostles, those whom they laid hands on also received the power but, note this, it was a case where an Apostle had to lay hands on for someone to receive that anointing.

How do we know this?

In Acts 8, we read of Simon (the magician) who upon seeing how the Apostles had given the power of the Holy Spirit to others by laying hands on them, asked that they do the same for him even offering money for the favor.

Notice that he said to the Apostles Peter and John “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 8:19), but how he did not approach others whom the Apostles have laid hands on even after being rejected and rebuked.

I could be wrong, but my reading is that the power is only of the Apostles, and even those given it aren’t able to pass it on.

Note also that the Apostles are mainly quiet in their epistles on these gifts being a sign to those who believe. There’s simply no mention of such gifts being available to us by Peter or John. You’d think that such a major doctrine would be repeated incessantly, as a study of the Bible would tell us.

A simple rule of thumb in studying the Bible is that where the Bible is mostly silent on an issue, we don’t formulate our own doctrine for it, i.e. we keep silent as well for we are definitely not smarter than God!

Before I go on, I know that there are those who will disagree strongly with me on my stand on this and perhaps even worry that I’m without faith and putting God in a box, but let me assure you that I am not a cessationist — I believe in miracles and signs from God, just not the type we see and experience nowadays that primarily come out of the Charismatic/Pentecostal movement.

Anyhow, back to our topic — I don’t know about you, but I hold a personal view that today, the Visible Church is spending too much time and effort looking for, and looking to experience, signs and wonders. This is evidenced in many heated debates on whether tongues are real, or if they are actually gibberish or actual languages spoken by others in another part of the world (I’m of the latter persuasion), and the list goes on.

Then there’s also this fascination with healing crusades (e.g. Hinn and company), prophesies (most of which are too generic in my opinion and nothing close to what the Word of God holds standard).

Even when faced with overwhelming evidence, many dare not point out falsehoods and false teachers because of the teaching in 1 Chronicles 16:22 and Proverbs 17:15. It is no wonder that these are oft-quoted verses lifted out of context by those who support those ministries!

In my meditations on this issue, I was pointed to our Lord’s warning that many shall be snared by the false prophets and his minions performing many signs and wonders so much so that, if possible, they might even fool the elect!

For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

Matthew 24:24

The first time I read that as a young Christian, I thought it’d be impossible for surely we could spot those ‘magic tricks’ miles away, but now I’m seeing it all the more how it might be possible that many can be led astray! If there are many who look for such signs and believe unto them, there’s no doubt that when the evil ones come and do the same, many shall fall for the tricks of those.

What, then, is indicative of true believers in Christ today? And what are the true miracles?

From my understanding reading God’s Word, it is the reformative and transforming work of the Holy Spirit in us that makes us more like Christ when we yield to the Spirit’s guidance.

I once read this testimony (I’m sorry but I can’t remember where it was, and the exact details but it was something like what I shall describe, but I am definitely not making it up!) where a drunkard became a Christian. When someone asked him weeks later if he had spoken in tongues and what he thought of those signs and miracles, his simple answer was that he didn’t know about those things but what the miracle was for him was that where his family had once to contend with his empty beer bottles (but not food) on their dinner table, he now puts food on the table.

Signs and wonders are but an external manifestation, and I strongly believe that we should not count on having experienced, seen or received them in order that we have faith or that God is real, wonderful and all-powerful. God doesn’t need to prove anything to you.

In addition, signs and wonders are no indication that someone is a true believer, else our Lord would not have said to those who argue that they have performed signs and wonders in His name that He knew them not.

Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Matthew 25:41

Finally, I just think that this unhealthy obsession with signs and wonders is akin to the Jews at the time of Jesus who asked Him for a sign, to which our Lord replied

But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Matthew 12:39-40

It is enough that we believe and have faith that that sign has come to pass, so why are so earnest in seeking more as like the wicked generation?

Soli deo Gloria!

Photograph “It’s A Miracle” by Mharrsch.