p. 218 | MIRACLE-WORKING POWER by E. E. A.

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Apr 14, 1914

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 41, No. 14.

MIRACLE-WORKING POWER

By E. E. A.

Its Relation to Faith—Something More Important than Healing from Physical Disease—Miracles Not a Sure Evidence of Goodness

OD still lives, and listens to the prayers of His faithful servants. "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it can not save; neither His ear heavy, that it can not hear." Isa. 59: 1. If we do not see His power revealed in an extraordinary way in answer to our prayers, possibly it is because our iniquities have separated between us and our God, and our sins have hid His face from us, that He will not hear. Verse 2.

AT SIGHT OF WAVES HE BEGAN TO SINK

How often did the Saviour reprove His disciples for their lack of faith! When Peter, in obedience to the Master's invitation, "Come," stepped upon the water, his faith supported him, and he, like his Master, was able to walk upon the waters of Galilee.

"But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" Matt. 14: 28-31. Those who enjoyed the most exalted privileges ever conferred upon men; who for three and a half years were daily with their Lord, listening to His teaching; who witnessed the healing of the sick; who saw Him call Lazarus forth from the tomb, and heard Him speak as never man spoke,—to these chosen disciples Jesus, after His resurrection, said, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe." Luke 24: 25. How it must have grieved the heart of the Saviour to see those whom He loved to the end so slow to trust Him implicitly!

WOULD WE HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY?

We wonder how they could fail to believe Him fully, when they had so many indisputable evidences of His infinite love and of His supreme power. We are inclined to think that had we been in their place we would have done differently. Possibly we would, but I fear we would have done worse than they. Let us look at those same weak, hesitating, unbelieving disciples after the ten days of heart searching, of sincere penitence and confession. As they press the arm of faith up through the clouds, higher and still higher, it touches the throne of infinite power; the fountain of grace is unsealed, and they are baptized with the Holy Ghost. No more weakness, no more hesitancy, no more unbelief; but, strong, courageous, and powerful, they go forth on their mission of love, to meet opposition, persecution, and death, triumphantly to carry the glorious gospel of the blessed God to the ends of the earth.

HE WILL DO GREATER WORKS

Said the Master: "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. And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it." John 14: 12-14. While physical healing is a blessed work, and is one of the signs that were to accompany the preaching of the Word, it is not the object to be sought, nor the greatest miracle to be wrought. The healing of the soul, the restoration of the image of God in the heart, the creation of a new man in Christ Jesus—these constitute the supreme object of Christ's life on earth, of His suffering and death, and of His ministry at the throne of grace. To persuade men to believe in Jesus as their personal Redeemer and Saviour, to surrender to the control of His blessed Spirit, to obey His holy commandments, and to obtain an inheritance among those who are sanctified, are the supreme objects of the preaching of the gospel, and are therefore greater than the healing of the body alone. Undoubtedly it was this work, wrought for the thousands who believed on Pentecost and thereafter, of which Jesus spoke when He said, "Greater works than these [miracles of bodily healing] shall ye do."

MIRACLES OF HEALING NOT A CHIEF SIGN

Miracles of healing do not constitute the chief sign of apostleship, or of the true faith of our Lord. "Prove all things," said Paul; "hold fast that which is good." 1 Thess. 5: 21. The rule by which we may test the genuineness of any teaching is not the miracles that may be wrought to confirm it, however marvelous they may appear to be; but instead, we are directed by the prophet Isaiah "to the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word," says the inspired writer, "it is because there is no light in them." Isa. 8: 20. And again: "If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; thou shalt not harken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul." Deut. 13: 1-3. "There shall arise false christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders: insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Matt. 24: 24.

WROUGHT TO ENFORCE FALSEHOODS

Miracles will evidently be wrought in support of false teachings. Rev. 13: 14; 2 Thess. 2: 9, 10. Every doctrine is to be tried, not by the miraculous powers its advocates may seem to possess, but by the word of God, with which, if it be true, it will be in perfect harmony. Notwithstanding all the efforts of the enemy to deceive us, it is possible for us to know the truth. "Ye shall know the truth," said Jesus, "and the truth shall make you free." "If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God." John 8: 32; 7: 17. The one whose heart is fully surrendered to God, and who desires to know only the will of God, will know from personal experience "that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." Heb. 11: 6. He would have us "know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places." Eph. 1: 18-20.

DESIRES US TO EXPERIENCE RESURRECTION POWER

Think of it,—God would have His children know the power which was manifested in the resurrection of Christ, and in His ascension to His own right hand. He "is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." Eph. 3: 20. Often we meet with such wonderful promises as this: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." John 16: 23, 24. Why should we not, then, take all our trials, all our cares and perplexities, all our sorrows and our sicknesses, to Jesus, and ask Him to give us grace to endure the trials, leave our cares and perplexities at His feet, asking Him to sweeten the cup of sorrow, and, if He can be glorified in so doing, to heal our sicknesses? Let us ask in faith, and it shall be done.

THESE SOUL-HELPFUL PROMISES

How I love to think of those beautiful words of the Saviour of men: "Verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall . . . not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." Mark 11: 23, 24. Can it be possible that our dear Saviour meant to mock us with such promises? God forbid! All His promises are true. They are yea and amen in Christ Jesus. Like the commandments of God,

they "are sure. They stand fast forever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness." Ps. 111:7, 8. They are anchored to the throne of the great Creator, and they can not fail. Though the heart be deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, "A new heart also will I give you," says the Lord, "and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." Eze. 36:26. Though we have been in bondage to our depraved appetites and passions, and could not keep God's holy law, again the promise comes, "I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them." Verse 27. Are we sick, are our lives threatened with some terrible disease, and have we sought in vain for relief? "Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there?" Ah, yes; "the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up." Whatever our need, the promise of God, clear and beautiful and strong, covers our need. "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness." Isa. 41:10. "My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:19. "Have faith in God."