Signs and Wonders – Why Can't More Christians Perform Miracles?
Signs and Wonders – Why Can't More Christians Perform Miracles?
Tim Barnett of Stand to Reason explains what Jesus means by believers doing “greater things” in John 14:12.
#StandtoReason #Apologetics #Christianity
——————————– CONNECT ——————————–
Website: https://www.str.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/STRtweets
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/standtoreason93
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/standtoreason
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stand-to-reason/
Have a question or comment? Call Greg Koukl of Stand to Reason live Tuesdays 4-6pm Pacific Time – (855) 243-9975. If you’d like to submit your question ahead of time, fill out the online form here: https://www.str.org/training/broadcast.
———————————- GIVE ———————————-
Support the work of Stand to Reason: https://www.str.org/donate
John 14:12 KJVS
[12] Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
If you are ‘he that believeth’ on Jesus, then it is possible for you to do ‘the works’ that he did, just as he said.
How do you reconcile this verse?
Mark 16:17–18 (ESV): And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 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.”
That explanation doesn’t work either. The vast majority of individual believers don’t have 12 converts to their “ Ministry” so that interpretation falls way flat also. Even with his YouTube ministry He probably doesn’t have 12 converts to his name. He’s just preaching to the choir of already existing believers.
I kind of see his point, yet like some who’ve commented here, it doesn’t appear as if Jesus is speaking about “quantity of miracles.” It IS a very perplexing struggle, bc it isn’t most of our experiences, and I don’t really believe the majority of early believers had more faith or walked a more holy lifestyle. The BIGGEST difference I see is they were persecuted, and we’re really not—I think this is why u often hear about miracles and signs in countries that persecute Christians.
A very good example of using a false interpretation of scripture to cause unbelief
there is NO contradiction between Paul and Jesus.
His problem is how he defines the people who are promised the signs, and what is meant by woriks
John 10:32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
We must not use our lack of experience to interpret scripture and then explain the truth away because of our lack of experience. Jesus always put the cause of the lack of signs, wonders, and miracles, and healing as a lack of faith
We love to think we have great faith because we believe a few verses. I find no verses undoing Jesus’s final words in Mark 16
the speaker compares apples and oranges when he said Paul could not heal his friend.
Mark 16 is for evangelism and non beievers.
And scripture never says that those that were left sick were ever prayed for
Yes, Jesus only saved the 12, that is a greater thing, but so is healing by Peter’s shadow.
consider the 2 witnesses of Rev. They will do things Jesus did not do
Satan loves it when we deny God’s power and we leave him alone while he brings disease and bondage to others. God HATES all of satan’s work and sent Jesus to show he had not power. Why do we not hate his works?
Thank you Tim Barnett for being satan’s mouthpiece here. He needs all the evangelists he can get
It takes more faith and devotion to walk in the Spirit and we do not want to be the type of disciples Jesus defined. Jesus gives power to disciples, not Laodiceans
And we have chosen to be unlike Jesus who came to set the captives free – we do not care about their earthly captivity. Jesus did and it cause people to know that He is KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS
Hosea 4:6. ?!
I believe it just like Jesus said it. I wouldn’t ever change what Jesus said. I think if Jesus said we can, we can. We just need to grow in faith and go after what’s possible.
the honest is we dont know all the rest is rasholizations fake answers .i have heard Pastors like this guy BUT they have NO Power do they just words
No one believes on God anymore. And when I say believe I mean putting ALL your trust in. We are to busy in life and put God on the back burner. We make time for him when we are done doing everything we want to do.
There is a difference between works and miracles. I can do great works like feeding, clothing, housing and teaching thousands if not millions but I can not save myself. Men may pretend they can do miracles but God reserves all the credit and judges us on what we have done with what He alone has given us.
WHAT IF I ASK GOD
WITH FAITH AND PASSION FOR THIS?
If Jesus said it, don’t use your backside experience to twist His words to fit your worldview, use the words of Jesus to change the World to His view. Oh ye of little faith!!! Jesus was referring to his BODY which is composed of many. 1 Cor 12 talks about the GIFTS which is for ministerial work, Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. This does not deny those who actually BELIEVE in the Power of the name of Jesus to move mountains literally. We have come to the end times and you are going to see true Believers actually doing these miracles like breathing since their lives would be depending on it. Peter was doing greater miracles than Jesus, when someone was in his shadow he would get healed, Jesus did not have that story in the Gospels. Oh it would be better than Sodom and Gomorrah than you for stopping the belief of people to do the miracles that He proclaimed (done for selfless reasons though).
Why can’t more Christians perform miracles? Because they don’t truly have his spirit. They are professing to be a Christian without the Biblical evidence and confirmation of the true spirit of Christ.
Spot on. The purpose of visible supernatural signs and wonders was to validate the writings of the Apostles (like Paul) after the Ascension of Christ as we get instruction for the purpose of the church. If supernatural signs and wonders were present today, it would be really confusing, since many Pastors could claim visions from God would need new books of the Bible. God had a better way, and the conclusion of the supernatural signs and wonders put a nice period on the entire Bible itself.
In answer to your question, the reason why people don’t do more miracles is because people like you preaching doubt and unbelief.
How does this position resolve with Matt 17:20? Perhaps we do not commonly see miracles because of the quality of our faith? We live in a world fashioned under the strong influence of philosophical naturalism. Should we be expending our efforts with hypotheses regarding the lack of manifested miracles or should we be concentrating on building our faith?
Amen
Or maybe it just isn’t true. It seems the more likely explanation. No offense
That is a lie no one can do greater work than jesus