In today’s sectarian and religious
circles, the idea that there are modern miracles occurring even as we speak is controversial
at best, and at worst, rejected outright. Many folks don’t believe anything
they can’t see, or touch, or explain logically. Of course, there are those who
believe that miracles do still occur regularly. Other pundits on the internet
admit that there were miracles in Old and New Testament times, but insist that
the age of miracles ended with the death of the Savior and the original
apostles..
Here is a typical example taken
from the webpage https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/5-miracles. It
offers an argument for the cessation of miracles after the death of Christ, is
authored by Wayne Jackson and titled, What Does the Bible Say About Miracles? We read:
Now observe this very important point. If it can be
established that those early miracles do corroborate the testimony of Christ,
and those commissioned by him; and further, that the recording of these events
in the New Testament was designed to perpetually
accomplish that function, then it stands as demonstrated that the repetition of
such signs is not needed today. [italics added]
The fact is, that is exactly what is affirmed by the apostle
John. He declares that the “signs” of Christ, which he records in his gospel
account, “are written that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of
God” (John 20:31 ).
This is the actual text of that
scripture, which only defines one of the reasons that Christ performed miracles.
Reasonable people cannot construe the passage to mean that there are no more
miracles. In reality that interpretation was, and is, concocted to justify the
adversary’s counterfeit whisperings about miracles:
And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his
disciples, which are not written in this book:
But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is
the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his
name.
Another author, A.T. Robertson,
notes that:
It ought to be abundantly clear, therefore, that since the
miracles of the Bible continue to accomplish their original purpose, there is
no need for a repetition of them today. They are not being replicated in this
age!
A counterpoint to the texts above
is this quote from James E. Talmage. He says in his book, Articles of Faith:
The exercise of these powers, [the Holy Priesthood] resulting
in what are ordinarily termed miracles, is by no means an infallible proof of
divine authority; for some true prophets have wrought no such wonders, so far
as records show, and men have been known to work miracles at the instigation of
evil spirits.
Mormon 9:19 provides for us the perfect counterpoint to those who quote
John as justification for cessation of miracles:
And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an
unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would
cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.
And in Mormon 19:20 , Mormon explains the simple reason why Miracles cease, as
they have done many times in past religious history:
And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the
children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the
right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust.
In fact, a more careful study of
every miracle that Christ performed will show that the miracle was not accomplished
until Christ ascertained that the person who needed help had sufficient faith
to be healed. In many cases, if he only could find in the person the faith of
“a grain of mustard seed” {Matthew 17:20 and
others) he performed the miraculous act. Witness the following discussion in
Mark 9:23-24 between Christ and a father whose son was possessed of a devil:
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are
possible to him that believeth.
And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said
with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
Immediately, (Mark 9:25 -27) Jesus responded to the father’s grain of faith and cast
out the devil that plagued the boy:
When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he
rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge
thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of
him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.
But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he
arose.
Miracles do happen today. Those
writers who contend otherwise remind me of the scripture in 2 Nephi 9:28:
O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the
frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they
are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside,
supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and
it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.
In fact, the adversary is the
author of the idea that miracles do not happen. Again, in counterpoint, I offer the accounts
of priesthood bearers who wrought miracles similar to Christ's as he calmed the
waters, when the Saints were crossing the Atlantic Ocean
on the way to Utah
Journal of Hezekiah Mitchell. Thursday 15 November 1849 . The vessel rolled about very much,
some things were upset. One of my boxes were overturned, no [p. 20] particular
harm was done. Called on God to still the wind and in the name of the Lord
rebuked the raging of the sea and wind, which to our joy did so early on
(Friday 16) which caused us to rejoice and give thanks to our God.
Autobiography of William Probert, Jr. The old ship was
squeaking and groaning as though it could not stand it another minute, so
President Woodard called out all the elders and went upon the deck. They prayed
and rebuked the wind and waves, and in a short time the storm abated and
all were saved.
Isaiah M. Coombs relates a miracle of power over the
elements on board the ship Montana six
o’clock this morning
Brother Eccles came to my room and acknowledged that he was really uneasy. Just
then I heard one of the stewards exclaim, ‘… If that wave strikes us we can
never recover from it.’ I got up, dressed myself, and staggered into the saloon
[dining room] just as the ship was shaking this huge wave from its decks. The
sights and sounds outside were truly fearful. I went back into my room and,
kneeling down, asked the Lord to give me power to rebuke the winds and waves …
I went to the door that leads out onto the main deck…and looked out on the
wildest and most fearful sight that my eyes have ever beheld. The wind was
blowing fearfully and the waves were absolutely mountains high and sweeping the
deck from stem to stern with relentless fury….I stood there at that door
looking out at the fearful sight, and raising my heart to God for strength, I,
in the name of Jesus Christ and by the authority of the holy priesthood,
rebuked the winds and waves and commanded them to subside that our ship with
its precious freight of souls might go safe
into port, and called on God to seal the rebuke in heaven as I had on earth. My
prayer was answered almost immediately. In less than half an hour the wind died
away, the waves lessened, and the blessed sun was shining upon us.
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