Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Miracles
By Ramone - June 29, 2007
This came late one night when I was thinking about how many times we misunderstand what miracles confirm or testify of. Often people think miracles show that this person or that person is an "apostle", etc. But no, miracles confirm who Jesus is, not who we are.
Jesus cited His miracles as witnesses of who He is and that Father had sent Him (Jn.5:36, 10:37-38, Lk.11:20, etc.). But it isn't the same for us: miracles don't prove we are this or that, but rather true miracles are witnesses that Jesus is who He said He is (Acts 3:16, 4:33, Mark 16:20, etc.). That is why our miracles are done in His name. They attest and witness to Him, not to us. They verify Him, not us.
Some of the confusion comes because many people want to think of "apostle" as if it were a position of rank (ironically such people are what Paul sarcastically called "super-apostles"). But "apostle" is not a position of rank: it's simply means someone has been "sent", and that they have been sent to lay a foundation. That foundation is simply Jesus Christ alone. They are called to betrothe believers to Christ like a matchmaker who introduces a bride to her husband (2 Cor. 11:2). So yes, miracles may be signs of an "apostle" (a "sent one") when they are done in Christ's name, because both the apostle and the miracle are signs sent to testify that Jesus is who He says He is! An apostle is meant to point to His Name, and miracles are meant to point to His Name. So all is for His Name.
(Notes: 2 Corinthians 12:12 is in the context of 11:4. Also, compare 2 Cor.11:5 with 12:11 and 12:20-21. The point of Paul mentioning miracles as a signs of an apostle is part of him saying, "I preached Christ to you! See! So don't accept some other 'Christ' from people bragging about their apostleship!")
*****
See also: "Signs Pointing to Me" (at Weeping Jeremiahs)
# posted by Ramone @ 2:24 PM 
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