God's Book: An Honest Look at the Bible's Toughest Topicsნიმუში

GOD OF MEDICINE AND MIRACLES

Supernatural stories of extraordinary miracles may discourage some people from taking the Bible seriously. There seems to be a disconnect between the world we inhabit, where the laws of nature reign supreme, and the world of the Bible, where things go whizz, pop, bang. Secular scholars try to explain the difference by suggesting ancient people saw the world in a more primitive way. But stories of contemporary healings, recorded by academics such as Craig Keener, challenge the assumption that miracles in the Gospels and today are mere fabrications. For one thing, the gospel writers include many incidental details that could only come from eyewitnesses who saw what really took place. The secular choice between medicine or miracles is therefore a false choice. The God of the Bible can work by both natural and supernatural means.

In the Gospels, miracles excite a sense of wonder. However, we should not assume that a genuine miracle will always convert people. When Jesus healed a paralysed man, lowered through the roof by his friends, the religious leaders were also in the house. They saw what happened. But they concluded that Jesus was an evil sorcerer. A miracle is like the sun’s rays: it can thaw the ice or harden the clay. Healings may get the attention of those who are open, but they may also draw out hostility from those who are closed.

True faith must be based on more than subjective experiences. God does not promise miracles on demand, and we won’t always perceive what he is doing. Instead, we believe based on objective truths revealed in Scripture, most importantly the resurrection of Jesus, that is the bedrock of our faith. Then, as we step out in obedience, God will add further experiences that confirm the truth. In this sense, faith is a journey. It will include wonderful times when prayers are answered and wilderness times when we hang on in hope.

REFLECT: Imagine you were the paralysed man. What emotions would you have felt before and after being healed? Now imagine you are the friends of the paralysed man. What risks did you take to put faith into action?