Hi Louis, Thanks so much for the GGO. I enjoy reading the articles every month. They are insightful. I did want to pose a question. I understand how & why miracles were used to confirm the God given authority of Jesus, the Apostles, and the New Testament. It seems to me that in today’s era people are performing miracles—particularly healing miracles and while I acknowledge that God can heal anyone at any time for any ailment they may have can the saints claim these miracles in God’s name given the time of using miracles as proof is done? The other thing that concerns me is should the saints be casting out demons from people? I don’t know too much about this myself but I do believe it was best left in Jesus’ hands. Your thoughts?
As the one posing the question acknowledged, miracles had as their purpose the confirmation of the Word of God and the validation of the presenters of new revelation (i.e., the New Testament), according to Mark 16:20. Once the New Testament was completed, around the end of the first century, miracles were slated to cease (1 Corinthians 13:8-13). Part of the list of miracles performed was casting out demons (Mark 16:17-18); demon possession was permitted by God during the time of miracles to demonstrate that Jesus Christ and His apostles had power from God over the spirit world, too. Hence, Jesus Christ showed during his earthly ministry that He had all power in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). Therefore, with the cessation of miracles, demon possession also ceased as well.
There is a difference between miracles and the providence of God. Miracles exceeded natural means and usually were manifested to prove something; they were visible and obvious. On the other hand, the same power of God lies behind His providence, but it is not visible, obvious or meant to prove anything; what is discernible to mankind of the providence of God is according to natural law. Therefore, since humans lack omniscience and divine inspiration, they cannot certify with certainty any particular event as being the result of God’s providence over any other circumstance in agreement with natural law.
Immediate healing of an undeniable, visible medical condition (e.g., broken bones, raising the dead after three days, etc.) would require a genuine miracle. Healing of illnesses or injuries over a period of time with medical treatment relies, instead, on the providence of God and natural law, which God put in place. Prayer appeals to God’s providence for not miraculous healing of the ill, but for a good outcome through natural law. We know that Bible type miracles are not now occurring because the inspired Word of God says so and because human observation verifies that supernatural healing, walking on water, multiplying bread and fish, etc. are not now happening. The bigger factor, of course, is because God through the Bible teaches that miracles have ended, since they served the purpose for which they were given. Among the miracles that have ended, then, is the casting out of demons; true demon possession was temporary and no longer exists.
