I Don’t Believe!

READ: John 2:1-11

This, the first of His miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed His glory, and His disciples put their faith in Him.

Jesus walking on the water, raising people from the dead, and healing the sick without medicine couldn’t have happened. Miracles are just not possible.”

Have you ever heard an objection like that to your Christian faith? Let’s consider why Christians are justified in holding a supernatural worldview.

The Bible tells us that nature gives daily evidence of a powerful and intelligent Creator. People ignore or turn away from this truth, and so God allows them the freedom to worship and serve a substitute instead of Him (Romans 1:18-25). Some scientists have incorrectly concluded that the laws of nature are absolute and inflexible, and that there can be no exceptions in history.

The Christian also recognizes that natural law does operate consistently as a general rule. But he also believes the laws of nature owe their existence to a Creator who has the freedom to interact with them (Genesis 1:1). When God does this—we have a miracle!

In his book Miracles, C. S. Lewis tells us that a miracle is the introduction of supernatural energy that alters natural law. He points out that miracles are rare events, which increase with frequency when God wants to emphasize something. This explains why there were so many “signs and wonders” during the ministry of our Lord Jesus on earth. Miracles were given as credentials to reveal Jesus as the Messiah (John 10:37-38).

Lewis also sees a uniqueness in the “style” of Jesus’ miracles. Every year God uses natural law to transform water into wine through the fermentation of grapes. But at a wedding in Cana of Galilee, we see God in the person of Jesus Christ “skip a step.” Through miraculous power Jesus turns water directly into wine without the need of a vine.

As Lord of creation, His miracles have a parallel in natural law because He created them. They have the supernatural signature of the original Architect. —Dennis Fisher

REFLECTION

• Do I have any friends who object to biblical miracles?
• Next time the subject is brought up, what can I say in response?

Miracles are God’s supernatural messages.

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