Truth Magazine

By Cecil Willis

In our last editorial, we directed our attention to a study of Christ’s miracles as recorded in the Gospel according to John. We also saw that those who profess to be miracle-workers today cannot perform the kind of miracles that Jesus did. They only attempt to imitate the miracle of healing. Within the next article of so, we shall study the nature of New Testament miracles, and see how they differ from the so-called miracles worked by pseudo-miracle-workers of today. But in this editorial, we want to devote our lesson to a consideration of the purpose of Biblical miracles. This lesson should definitely be an asset to us when we come to study the duration of miracles. Let me encourage you to pay careful attention to the purposes of miracles.

Miracles: Evidence of Divine Power

First, miracles were performed as an evidence of divine power. It would be but natural for us to demand some proof of the divine origin of one’s message. If I confront an individual today who claims that God, directly from heaven, gave him his message, I want him to present some miraculous credential. God never sent His spokesman away empty-handed. He always gave them proof, or evidence of divine power.

When we turn to the Old Testament, we find God’s sending forth Moses to lead the people out of Egyptian bondage. But Moses said, “Behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice; for they will say, Jehovah hath not appeared unto thee. And Jehovah said unto him, What is that in thy hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it” (Ex. 4:1-3). God then told Moses to take up the serpent, and it became a rod again. He then told him to put his hand in his bosom and it became leprous. God then told him to put his hand back in his bosom, and it became clean. And if the people refused to hearken to either of these sign, God told Moses to take water of the river, and pour it upon dry land, and it would become blood. So these miracles were Moses’ credentials. They were to be proof that God had sent him.

The signs that Jesus did were unanswerable proofs that God had sent Him. When John the Baptist had been put in prison, he heard of the works of Christ, and sent his disciples to Christ where they asked, “Art thou he that cometh or look we for another?” John wanted to know if Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus answered by telling him of the signs that He did. He said, “Go tell John the things which ye hear and see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good tidings preached to them” (Matt. 11:3-5). So

when John asked if Jesus was the Messiah, Christ replied by telling of the miracles that were worked, and which were His divine credentials.

We also see an instance in which the effect of the miracles of Christ is stated: “Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came unto him by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that thou doest, except God be with him” (Jno. 3:1,2). The signs that Jesus did were overwhelming proof to Nicodemus that God was with Jesus, for no man, unaided by divine power, could work the miracles that Jesus did. Such is the Biblical purpose of miracles. It enables the hearers to determine who was inspired of God, and who was not.

Paul wrought miracles in the presence of the Corinthians, and then stated that the miracles which he did were proof of his apostleship. Paul says in 2 Cor. 12:11, 12, “1 am become foolish: ye compelled me; for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing was I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I am nothing. Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, by signs and wonders and mighty works.” Paul proved his apostleship by working miracles. So again the miracles performed proved to be indisputable evidence of divine power and authority.

Realizing that when God sends a man forth with a message, He gives him the power to work real miracles to prove that God has sent him, it is but right that we should inquire into the credentials of men today who claim to be speaking by inspiration, and working miracles to prove their inspiration. In the first place, these men show that God did not send them by the very essence of their message. When God sent forth the inspired writers, He told them what to say, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, they recorded it in the Bible. Today various men are claiming divine authority for their message, and yet their preaching is contradictory to the truths taught in the Bible. Certainly God did not send forth the apostles with an inspired message, and now send forth men to deny the previous message.

It is perfectly right for us to demand proof of the divine authority of these men who claim to be working miracles. If one will but think about it, it is nothing uncommon that these fellows claim to work miracles. They realize that God bore witness with His messengers by enabling them to perform the mighty signs which they did. Therefore, since they claim that God has also sent them, they attempt to work miracles. Yet these men act like they are insulted when they are asked for the proof of their divine authority. They feel that one is beyond hope if he questions their authority. But, if they had their divine credientials as they claim to have, it would be a simple matter to produce it. I have been to many of these miracle-working meetings, and have as yet to see anything that is miraculous. The New Testament miracles were not questionable cases, but were undoubtedly performed by supernatural power. Such we do not see today.

Miracles: Persuasions Toward Belief

But let us now notice a second purpose of miracles as stated in the Bible: “Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book, but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus in the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name” Ono. 20:30). What was the purpose of the signs? John said that he was recording the account of Jesus’ signs in order that those who read his account may be persuaded that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. It is a well known truth that faith comes by the presentation of testimony, or of evidence. So the Gospel according to John, as well as the other Gospel accounts, are books of testimony or evidence which are calculated to produce implicit faith in the heart of those who read of Jesus’ divine power.

But, again we have the same result. These men come along who claim to be sent directly from God with a God-given message, and they expect us to believe whatever they say is true simpl’ because they say it is the truth. God gave us evidence to prove Christ’s deity. Obviously, they believe that the miracles that Christ performed were inadequate, and that the Bible is not enough to make us believe in the Son of God, so they pretend to work yet other miracles. If the recording of Christ’s miracles can do what John said that it could do, we do not need the so-called miracle-workers of today. Once one is made to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, he will acquiesce to the dictates of Christ. We call upon these people who denounce as an unbeliever everyone who is the least bit skeptical of their authority and power to tell us whether they believe that the Bible can do what it says that it can. It claims to be able to produce faith. If it can do that, then tell us what additional good can come by their claimed power to work miracles?

Miracles: Confirm the Testimony of God’s Speakers

We will have room to discuss but one other reason or purpose for the working of miracles. It was to confirm the testimony of God’s speakers. In a sense, we have already discussed this point, but previously we said it was an evidence of divine power. But now the Bible declares that miracle-working is an infallible proof of the message as well. I want to cite four verses from Hebrews 2: “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that we have heard, lest haply we drift away from them. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation? which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that hears; God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and by manifold., powers, and, by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own Will” (vs. 1-4). Notice that this passage declares that God bore witness with “them” by signs, wonders, and manifold powers, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit. God confirmed the word spoken by miracles. A statement of this truth is also found in Mk. 16:16-20. Later in this series we will devote time to that passage. Note that the Hebrew writer spoke of the great salvation which was first spoken by the Lord, but was confirmed unto us by them that heard. Who are “them that heard”? Remember that it was with “them” that God confirmed their word by the miracles performed.

To be one of these individuals that received the power to work miracles as stated in this passage, one would first have had to hear the Lord proclaim the great salvation. And I just have my doubts as to whether any of these fellows who claim divine power today were present when the Lord first made proclamation of the great salvation. Do you think they were on this earth when Jesus was? Certainly they were not! So they cannot use this passage as proof that God has inspired them and enabled them to work miracles. This passage mentions ways that God bore witness with “them” by enabling “them” to work miracles, but it says nothing about men today as being inspired by the Holy Spirit, and being enabled by God to work miracles.

Conclusion

Miracles were performed: (1) as an evidence of divine power; (2) to produce faith; (3) to confirm the word spoken. None of these reasons for the working of miracles will fit the men who claim to be working miracles today. If you doubt it, study them carefully to see for yourself.

Truth Magazine XXI: 6, pp. 86-87
February 10, 1977

By John McCort

The church is plunging headlong down the pathway of spiritual drunkenness and is on a collision course with moral decay. Christians are, for the most part, staggering through life drinking the intoxicating wine of pleasure.

Most of us are on a pleasure binge with the price of intoxication mushrooming every day. While we revel in our pleasure and ease, the tumbleweeds of neglect begin to collect in our spiritual lives. Spiritual alcoholism has set in.

As we stagger through life, oblivious to our rightful responsibilities as Christians, like a true alcoholic, we require a more potent pleasure to satisfy our cravings. Occasionally we sober up enough to realize the price we have paid for neglecting our spiritual lives. The dull hangover of remorse sets in and we begin to crave the feverish whirl of pleasure so we can forget our spiritual troubles.

One day, though, we are going to wake up and realize that it was just a long, drunken, pleasure-binge. The dull, throbbing hangover will set in, our souls will be spent, our children will be lost, our sense will be deadened, and guilt will immerse our lives. We will realize that we have played the part of the fool.

We will then begin the long, lonely walk down the empty halls of spiritual barrenness. The echo of our footsteps will be hollow and lonely as we try to retrace the tragic steps of our lives that were at one time so bright and promising. By this time our talents will be spent and our wills broken. We will be doomed to walk the littered back alleys of spiritual frigidity and eventually eternal doom. We will sob out of anguish but it will be too late. Wake up brothers. “Awake, thou that deepest, and arise from the dead and Christ will shine upon thee” (Eph. 5:14).

Truth Magazine XXI: 6, p. 85
February 10, 1977

By William R. John

While after reading this article one would like not to think so, it nevertheless must be admitted that the University of Wisconsin is a fair representation of most state colleges and universities. State schools of higher learning have for some time supported such things as the Theory of Evolution, and certain atheistic philosophy, while easing into the realm of support for immorality as is represented by their “co-ed dorms.” However let us understand that these fortresses of ungodliness not only tolerate immorality, but produce it to the satisfaction of all who may have attached themselves to these citadels of Satan.

The following is an editorial taken from the Racine Journal Times of Sunday, November 24, 1974. It is entitled “Deep Throat on UW campus” and I quote the entire article.

“Deep Throat”, one of the most pornographically graphic films of all time, recently was shown on the University of Wisconsin Madison campus.

Students cheered the film’s star, Linda Lovelace, applauded the racier scenes and shouted verbal encouragement to the actors as they engaged in extremely naughty sex acts.

The film was sponsored by the UW Lecture Society in the Social Science building classroom. About 2,500 adults of all ages saw “Deep Throat”, including students, faculty and clergymen.

It appears that the new morality (or immorality) has become so accepted on campus that practically anything goes.

One might have expected at least some objection about the showing of a porno film in a university classroom. But there wasn’t one protest. Not one.

As each day passes, the responsibility of bringing up my children becomes more and more difficult because of the worldly influence upon all of my family. As I am responsible for the “nurturing and admonishing of my children in the Lord” (Eph. 6:4), it is also my responsibility to provide and secure the alternate to the “Deep Throat” attitudes and atmospheres which prevails upon our society. In the area of higher learning, Florida College is an alternate. In fact, as far as I am concerned, the only alternate in this particular area of my children’s growth.

There are some who would contend that I have no need or right to help establish or support that alternative. Needless to say, their voice becomes softer and softer in my ears and they are drowned out by the wound of sin which would kill the souls of my children, although the voice of my responsibility as a parent is louder than any because it comes from God’s word.

Before we send our children off to die under the influence of the likes of “Deep Throat,” we had better think more seriously about our parental responsibility. You and I do have a choice. Florida College, I believe, is the only choice (in higher education) that we have. The choice is yours and mine. Will it be “Deep Throat” or Florida College? Surely we can make the right decision.

Truth Magazine XXI: 6, p. 85
February 10, 1977

By Mike Willis

The church at Corinth faced numerous problems because of the culture with which it had to contend. Corinth was an extremely immoral city. It was the capital of the Roman province of Achaia and was geographically located in such a place that it inevitably became a trade center of the ancient world. Because of this, people from all areas of the world and with different backgrounds and cultures moved to Corinth. “One factor which contributed to Corinth’s deep dive into the cesspool of immorality was the stream of commerce pouring through the city. Located on the isthmus which joined mainland Greece to the southern peninsula, it was a major seaport town . . . . The waterfront anywhere in the world is always a tough neighborhood. Corinth teemed with sailors of all nationalities far from home. When they landed in Corinth they were looking for a good time. The pagan Corinthians were more than ready to provide them everything they were seeking.”(1)

The culture in Corinth was sex-crazed. Corinth “had a reputation for commercial prosperity, but she was also a by-word for evil and immoral living. The very word korinthiazesthai, to live like a Corinthian, had become a part of the Greek language, and it meant to live with drunken and immoral debauchery.”(2) In his work entitled Flesh and Spirit, Barclay described the immorality of the ancient Graeco-Roman world. Here are some of the quotations from ancient writers used by Barclay to describe the condition of the ancient world:

Demosthenes: “We keep mistresses for pleasure, concubines for the day-today needs of the body, but we have wives in order to produce children legitimately and to have a trustworthy guardian of our homes.”

Seneca: “Roman women were married to be divorced and were divorced to be married.” “Innonence is not rare, it is nonexistent.”(3)

He went on to describe how prostitution was legalized and state brothels were opened with the profits from them being used to erect, temples to gods. Even Messalina, the wife of Claudius Caesar, slipped out of the royal palace at nights to serve in public brothels. Homosexuality, unnatural vice that it is, flourished as well; many of the high government officials openly practiced homosexuality. Nero married a castrated youth called Sporus and went in a marriage procession with him throughout the streets of Rome.

Even though the general morality of the Graeco Roman world was low, the morality at Corinth was below average. One evidence of this is the fact that the word korinthiazesthai had come to be associated with immorality. Another evidence of this fact was the presence of sacred temple prostitutes in Corinth. “Above the isthmus there towered the hill of Acropolis, and on it there stood the great temple of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. To that temple there were attached one thousand priestesses who were sacred prostitutes, and at evening time they descended from the Acropolis and plied their trade upon the streets of Corinth . . .”(4)

The emphasis on sex was one of the characteristics of Corinth; hence, to “corinthize” meant to be engaged in immorality. Since the Corinthian culture so greatly emphasized sexual immorality, that the church in that city had problems with fornication and adultery should not surprise us (cf. l Cor.5:1-3; 69-11,15-20).

To “Americanize”

Have you ever stopped to think what characteristics largely represent our American society? I was never very conscious of this until I read the newspaper accounts of the Communist takeover of South Viet Nam. The first thing the Communists wanted to do was to get rid of the vestiges of American culture. What did they get rid of? Cars, TV’s, electrical appliances, etc. ? No! Rather, the vestiges of American culture in South Viet Nam of which they wanted to rid themselves were things such as mini-skirts, drugs, brothels and prostitutes!

That America has become nearly as sex-crazed as ancient Corinth is becoming more obvious every day. Merchants sell everything from cars to shaving cream to gasoline and oil through an appeal to sex. If this were not working, you can rest assured that another approach to selling their products would be used. Our televisions are showing an increasing number of movies which are recommended for mature audiences. Christianity Today recently reported the following:

“More than one mlllion teenagers –10 per cent of all girls 15 to 19 in the United States–become pregnant each year according to a study published by Family Planning Perspectives magazine. More than one-third of the births are to unmarried mothers, the report says, and nearly one-third of the pregnancies end in abortion. Meanwhile, Playboy notes in a survey of students at twenty colleges that virginity is claimed by only 26 per cent of the women students this year (compared to 49 per cent In 1970) and by 26 per cent of the males (up from 18 per cent).”(5)

The Dayton Journal-Herald similarly reported the following:

“Interesting Data: Did you know that babies born out of wedlock accounted for 51 percent of all births in Washington, D.C. last year?

“It marked the first time, the National Center for Health Statistics reports, that a major U.S. city has had more children born to women who were not married than to women who were.

“Nationwide, only about 13 percent of all births were illegitimate.

“However, In Dayton last year, 33.6 percent (1,127) of all births (3,352) were illegitimate, according to Connie Martin, supervisor of data processing for the Montgomery County Health District. That’s an increase from the 31.9 percent illegitimate birth rate in 1974.”

Yes, my brethren, more and more the phrase “to Americanize” will become associated with the ideas of graft, corruption, and especially immorality.

Christians and Culture

Many contemporary theologians are teaching that ethical rules fluctuate with the society. One such example of this theology is that of John A. T. Robinson, an Anglican bishop; he said,

“For nothing can of itself be labelled as `wrong: One cannot, for instance, start from the position `sex relations before marriage’ or `divorce’ are wrong and sinful in themselves. They may be in 99 cases or even 100 cases out of 100, but they are not intrinsically so, for the only intrinsic evil is lack of love.”(6)

In a similar vein, Joseph Fletcher said,

“Is adultery wrong? . . . . One can only respond, ‘I don’t know. Maybe. Give me a case. Describe a real situation’ . . . . What is to be done in any situation depends on the case, and the moral issue is, therefore, quite relative.”?(7)

But are ethical commandments (or doctrinal beliefs, for that matter) relative?

If there were ever a situation in which ethical commandments were altered by the moral standards of the people, the situation at Corinth would have altered them. Yet, what did Paul teach Christians in Corinth? Did he say, “Since everyone else is engaging in pre- and extra-marital sexual relationships in your city, you can also engage in them with discretion”? Absolutely not! Instead, he wrote,

“It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife.. And you have become arrogant, and have not mourned instead, in order that the one who had done this deed might he removed from your midst. For 1, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Cor. 5:1-5).

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revflers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10).

“Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? May it never be! Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a harlot is one body with her? For He says, ‘The two will become one flesh.’ But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee Immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body” (1 Cor. 6:15-18).

My brethren, sin is not determined by the ethical norms of society or by one’s own personal conscience; sin is determined by God’s word. Anything which violates God’s word is sin, regardless of what society’s attitude toward it might be. Therefore, we Christians must dare to be different! We must walk by God’s commandments even when our contemporaries “are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excess of dissipation, and they malign you” ( 1 Pet. 4:4). God’s word, and not man’s ideas, should determine how we live.

Truth Magazine XXI: 6, pp. 83-85
February 10, 1977