Christianity is characterized by miracles. In hardly any other religion is the direct intervention, and the “bending” of existing natural laws, of God so present and important as with Christians. In the old testament God proves his power by miracles… But today? Do Christians have to believe in miracles or is it a nice accessory?
In the modern world, people like to doubt miracles and try to explain everything without miracles. But Christians should believe in miracles, because otherwise they would also have to doubt the miracle of salvation through Jesus Christ and/or limit God.
Table of Contents
What are miracles for Christians?
Before this statement can be explained, we must briefly clarify what miracles (for Christians) actually are. After all, according to the Bible, God has everything under control and constantly controls everything. Therefore, the definition cannot be “intervened by God”. Because that would mean: God has something not under control.
But God has created the world with a certain structure, which we can grasp with our brain (to some extent). We understand for example what days are and recognize day-night-rhythm. We can also understand how nature works – simply by observation – and conclude how it will be in the future.
Jesus himself uses examples of sowing and harvesting in some of his teachings – in this respect this “looking ahead” is intended by God and also known to him. So we as humans are able to derive certain rules of nature from the existing conditions on purpose in order to react accordingly. Alone that God put certain Jewish celebrations on certain dates speaks strongly for it.
Our world consists therefore of certain expirations, which are firmly given by God and can be recognized by us. All procedures which contradict these regular sequences are miracles. Whereby the unique is to be emphasized with this procedure!
If a certain regularity with the expiration occurs again and again, the expiration must be adapted. A good example would be for example a lunar eclipse. If something occurs only once, this has the character of a miracle.
Some classic examples would be the parting of the dead sea, the 7 plagues over Egypt, etc.
Regular miracles in the Bible
Now the attentive reader is likely to interject one thing: So this, what Jesus did, is not a miracle? After all, he regularly went to people and healed them! Yes. True. However, spontaneous healings are in themselves a thing that does not occur with regularity and usually cannot be assigned to a specific reason.
The source, however, is and remains one that is not subject to any regularity. Jesus did not have to heal them – and he certainly did not heal all the people he met. It is the will of Jesus that heals. And that a will of a person can heal is definitely beyond any rules.
What am I actually getting at?
God’s direct action is equivalent to a miracle. As soon as you stop believing in miracles, it becomes harder and harder to believe in God. That in itself may not sound so critical – as long as you hold on to a miracle.
The one miracle that all Christians believe in
It is often written that the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the miracle that holds Christianity together. But I say that this miracle is only the proof that is yet to come for us believers: The resurrection after death and life with God.
Yes, I say: The life after death in paradise with Jesus is a miracle. According to God’s actual standards, we would all have to burn in hell (since we have sinned against Him – according to the Letter to the Romans, everyone has sinned against God!). But God has found a way for us to escape this fate.
This is not a matter of course! Here God changes the possibility for all people to change the regularity. As long as God, and only he can allow this, it must be considered a miracle. In this respect, the resurrection after death – through the salvation of Jesus – counts as a miracle for me.
At least Christians must believe in this miracle. This is the core content of religion. That Christians should be open for miracles and believe in miracles! Because without miracles there would be no Christianity.
