Schooling Anglicostals, TBN, & Charismatics

Lee, Francis Nigel. Miracles and Pseudo-Miracles—What and When and Why? http://www.dr-fnlee.org/docs8/mapm/mapm.pdf. Accessed 30 Sept 2013.

Schooling Anglicostals, TBN, & Charismatics. Costals and their kinfolk aggressively pushed themselves forward with global marketeering; a pushback is long overdue.

Proverbs 12.1: “Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.”

A theological study about the nature of miracles and their cessation at inscripturation but the continuation of pseudo-miracles according to revealed religion from the fall of the first Adam till the second coming of the Second Adam.)

And now, for reproofs from F. Nigel Lee:

22. Abraham Kuyper Sr. on miracles past, present, and future

Rev. Dr. Abraham Kuyper Sr. was formerly Professor of Systematic Theology at the Free University of Amsterdam. He gave perhaps his most complete exposition of his
understanding of miracles in his 1892 four-volume 'Explanation of the Heidelberg Catechism' titled: E Voto Dordraceno.

The Heidelberg Catechism itself had stated: 49 "God's providence [is] the omnipotent and omnipresent power of God by which He still maintains and rules Heaven and Earth together with all creatures, as by His Own hand.... All creatures are so much in His hand, that they are able neither to stir themselves nor to move against His will.... 'All of them are Your servants' (Psalm 119:91)."

Here Kuyper states: 50 "Absolutely nothing rules from moment to moment, except His sovereign will.... Absolutely nothing operates from moment to moment, except the omnipresent power and possibilities of the Lord God. But He is essentially God; not merely in name! And every creature outside of Him -- even nature with all its powers and laws -- are all together His servants, which from moment to moment obey the command which proceeds from His mouth...."The Lord is such a King in the working-place of His creation.... Every natural element, and every power within such an element, is a servant: a slave of God, in His palace. And all these powers wait every morning and evening for the command which proceeds from His mouth -- to the uttermost ends of the created universe...."There is thus no question of intervention into the course of things. For nothing operates as a power outside of God. But everything operates exactly as it does, by the will of God. And as soon as He even for one moment ceases to will it thus -- it no longer operates. Or, if He wishes it otherwise, it operates differently.

"Miracles can and should therefore never be represented as disturbances, or as interventions. They are nothing other than God at a particular moment wanting certain things otherwise than had hitherto been willed by Him.... If you wish to walk on the sea, God wants you to sink -- and He Himself drags you down into the depths. But when Jesus and at length Peter walked on the sea, the same God equally freely willed the sea to uphold them. So God Himself upheld both Jesus and Peter with the same power of His will.

"He is the Almighty, the All-willing, the All-working God! He speaks, and it is done.

He commands, and it comes to pass. Nothing withstands His will.... The manna which rained down in the desert, is no more wonderful to Him than the weeds which He lets grow out of the earth through His will and power. The miraculous lies only in our concept and to our eye."

In the above connection, "a miracle is precisely the same as a normal operation of nature. For both things are...commands which have proceeded from the Lord's mouth; both are His servants; and both are executed by the elements and the powers of nature. If manna had always rained down, and if there had never been any weeds -- the sudden ripening of weeds in their pods rather than the falling of the manna would have been miracles for us. "Yet it should be kept in mind that God is not therefore like a magician who exhibits first this and then that in order to show his dexterity. The magician acts by whim; but God acts according to His will. And this will of God is reasonable -- that is to say, is tied in with the Wisdom of God. That is why normal occurrences are the rule, to God -- because He Himself remains the same, and because there can be no change or shadow of turning in Him. "This willing of things differently from what He hitherto willed them, can only be caused by God through a higher arrangement and a higher wisdom. The change which thus arises in the will of God is brought to pass not because God changes, but because His creature necessitates the change -- or [because of] God's willing this to be different...."From His counsel, both natural laws and miracles flow forth. Both are utterances of His Divine will. The only difference is that He wills the usual, to be permanent -- but the miracles, to occur only once.

"Miracle," explained Kuyper in his 1898 Principles of Sacred Theology,51 does not mean miracle taken as an isolated phenomenon which appears without causal connection with the existing world." Instead, it means: "miracle as the overcoming, penetrating operation of the divine energy by which God breaks all opposition and, in the face of disorder, bring His cosmos to reach that end which was determined upon in His counsel...."Every interpretation of 'miracle' as a magical incident without connection with the paligenesis [or the rebirth] of the whole cosmos which Jesus refers to in Matthew 19:28 – and therefore without relation to the entire metamorphosis [or change] which awaits the cosmos after the last judgment -- does not enhance the glory of God. But it degrades the Recreator of Heaven and Earth -- into a juggler.

In his 1910 Dogmatic Dictations, Dr. Kuyper mentioned52 that 'signs' or >
Were manifestations through ordinary things already present in the world which God subsequently set aside with a new meaning (e.g. the rainbow). On the other hand, he also stated that nippela>-6 th were manifestations through things which were not there -- but [things] which God wonderfully introduced.

These latter were not interventions of God into nature. For "that concept is irreligious and anti-Christian"; because it assumes that God was not in control of the normal world before He thus "intervened."

The wider truth, continued Kuyper, is as follows. "God's Counsel pre-determined that there would be a certain order of things with a fixed scheme. Even if sin were to topple the creature, that order would continue even under sin -- although it would then become a series of mathematical subtractions, instead of additions. Yet, because God had established this scheme according to His will -- it is God's energy which moves within the laws.... Wherever God's sovereignty requires it, in order to arrest the developing series of subtractions – God can also operate His energy outside of that scheme" (viz. in miracles). Whatever their various characteristics, Kuyper went on,53 all Biblical miracles serve one central purpose: the three-stage advancement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

First, there were miracles in shaping God's ancient people, cf. Jude 14 & Romans 4:17 & Exodus chapters 3 to 15 etc. Second, there were miracles in the central revelation of Jesus Christ Himself from the bosom of God's ancient people. Matthew 1 & Luke 3 & John 2 & Mark 16 etc. And third, there was "the irradiation of His miracles in those of the Apostles -- which Peter attributes exclusively to Christ. Acts 1:1-8 & 3:16 & First Peter 1:10-12 & Second Peter 1:16-21."

Schooling Montanists: Corrections from Francis Nigel Lee

Lee, Francis Nigel. Miracles and Pseudo-Miracles—What and When and Why? http://www.dr-fnlee.org/docs8/mapm/mapm.pdf. Accessed 30 Sept 2013.

Schooling Anglicostals, TBN, Charismatics, Montanists and Kin. Costals aggressively pushed themselves forward with global marketeering; a pushback is long overdue.

Proverbs 12.1: “Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.”

A theological study about the nature of miracles and their cessation at inscripturation but the continuation of pseudo-miracles according to revealed religion from the fall of the first Adam till the second coming of the Second Adam.)

And now, for reproofs from F. Nigel Lee:

21. B.B. Warfield: miracles were objective and supernatural

Rev. Professor Dr. B.B. Warfield is 'notorious' for his view that all miracles ceased
during the apostolic age. That is the gist of his famous book, Counterfeit Miracles.44 Yet even there, he stoutly defended the reality of miracles -- against those who deny that they ever occurred.

Less well-known is Warfield's essay The Question of Miracles. There, he argued: 45
"The question as to miracles is not precisely the question of the supernatural. There are modes of the supernatural that are not miracles. There is the subjective supernatural...."[Yet] miracles are objective supernatural occurrences in the external world.... Their actual occurrence is a matter of experience, and is a proper subject for testimony."

Since the inscripturating of the final book of the Bible, is the last miracle which has ever occurred -- there is no need to give any 'testimony' at all (and certainly never to claim any similar kind of authority) for any subsequent remarkable events such as immediate healings etc. For whatever the latter are, they are certainly not miracles.46

Warfield rejected the occurrence of any miracle as such, ever since the apostolic age.47 He assessed all so-called post-apostolic miracles -- to be pseudo-miracles.48

Schooling Anglicostals, TBN, Charismatics, Montanists and their Kin: Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) F.N. Lee

Lee, Francis Nigel. Miracles and Pseudo-Miracles—What and When and Why?
http://www.dr-fnlee.org/docs8/mapm/mapm.pdf. Accessed 30 Sept 2013.

Schooling Anglicostals, TBN, Charismatics, Montanists and their Kin : Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) F.N. Lee. Costals aggressively pushed themselves forward; the pushback is long overdue and is undertaken.

Proverbs 12.1: “Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.”

A theological study about the nature of miracles and their cessation at inscripturation but the continuation of pseudo-miracles according to revealed religion from the fall of the first Adam till the second coming of the Second Adam.)

And now, for instructions and corrections from F. Nigel Lee:

20. Thornwell: miracles were supranatural; provable; revelational; ethical

Rev. Professor Dr. J.H. Thornwell wrote a whole treatise on miracles. There, he insisted43 that "miracle presupposes God -- and so does the world. But the miracle, as a phenomenon, may be apprehended even by the atheist.... The Scriptural term which gives us the nearest insight into the real nature of the miracle, is...the word 'wonder'...."It is true that every wonder is not a miracle; but every miracle [certainly] is a wonder. The cause of 'wonder' -- is the unexpectedness of an event.... The 'miracle'...contradicts that course of nature which we expected to find uniform. It is an event either above, or opposed to, secondary causes. Leave out the notion of these secondary causes -- and there can be no miracle...."The essence of the miracle, consists in the contranatural or the super-natural.... Is the 'miracle' to command, absolutely and without further question, the obedience of those in whose sight it is done?" No!

"The Scriptures themselves warn us against the lying-wonders of the man of sin.... The miracle...is not only a specimen of the supernatural in general, but a specimen of the precise kind of the supernatural which it is adduced to confirm. It is a specimen of inspiration...."The true doctrine is that, as the miracle proves by an evidence inherent in itself – no 'miracles' should be admitted as the credentials of a messenger or doctrine but those which carry their authority upon their face. Doubtful 'miracles' are in the same category with doubtful arguments; and if a religion relies upon this class alone to substantiate its claims, it relies upon a broken reed.

"There are unquestionably phenomena which, surveyed from a higher point of knowledge, we should perceive at once to be perfectly 'natural'.... The effect is, where the line cannot be drawn -- that the[se] 'wonders' are not to be accepted. We do not [then] know them to be miracles -- and consequently have no right to give them the weight of miracles....But, as Cudworth has suggested, there are some miracles which carry their credentials upon their face -- so clearly above nature and all secondary causes, that no one can hesitate an instant as to their real character...."When we turn to the miracles of the Bible, we feel intuitively that they are of a character in themselves and on a scale of magnitude which render the supposition of secondary causes ridiculously absurd.... The scenes at the Red Sea; the cleaving of the waters; the passing over of the Israelites on dry land between the fluid walls; the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night; the daily supply of manna from the skies -- effects like these carry the evidence of their original on their face. There is no room for doubt...."And so [too] in the New Testament.... They reveal, at a glance, the very finger of God.... "Their principal office is to guaranty an external, objective revelation by which we can try [or test] the spirits, whether they be of God. They are the criterion by which a real is distinguished from a pretended revelation -- the mark by which we know that God has spoken, and discriminate His Word from the words of men.

"An external, objective, palpable test is the only one which can meet the exigencies of the case.... The necessity of such a test has been universally acknowledged.

"The Catholic feels it, and appeals to a visible, infallible society [the Romish Church] which is to judge between the genuine and spurious. The Protestant feels it, and appeals to his Bible.... 'To the Law and to the testimony! If they speak not according to this word – it is because there is no light in them' [Isaiah 8:20]...."The miracle...brings God distinctly before us -- and has a direct tendency to promote  the great moral ends for which the sun shines, the rains descend, the grass grows, and all nature moves in her...majestic course. Miracles and nature join in the grand chorus to the supremacy and glory of God....

"The true point of view, consequently, in which the miracle is to be considered -- is in its ethical relations. It is not to be tried [or tested] by physical but by moral probabilities.... We degrade ourselves, and we degrade our Creator, when we make the physical supreme; when we make the dead uniformity of matter more important than the life and health and vigour of the soul."

(49-50) Corrections for Anglicostals, TBN, Alpha, Charismatics, Mr. (Canterbury) Welby, Montanists and their Kinfolk : Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) F.N. Lee

Lee, Francis Nigel. Miracles and Pseudo-Miracles—What and When and Why? http://www.dr-fnlee.org/docs8/mapm/mapm.pdf. Accessed 30 Sept 2013.

Corrections for Anglicostals, TBN, Alpha, Charismatics, Mr. (Canterbury) Welby, Montanists and their Kinfolk : Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) F.N. Lee. Costals aggressively pushed themselves forward; the pushback is long overdue and is undertaken.

Proverbs 12.1: “Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.”

A theological study about the nature of miracles and their cessation at inscripturation but the continuation of pseudo-miracles according to revealed religion from the fall of the first Adam till the second coming of the Second Adam.)

And now, for rebukes from F. Nigel Lee:

19. Dabney: miracles were rare; supernatural; and attested God's messages

The view of the great Southern Presbyterian Church in its heyday, was essentially the same. Rev. Professor Dr. R.L. Dabney's Lectures in Systematic Theology boldly declared:41

"The prime end for which God has introduced miracles, [is] to be attestations to man of God's messages....It is the glory of the true miracle, that the more fully it is comprehended the more certainly it would be a smeion" alias a sign -- and indeed such a one as to attest "God's messages alias His words.

"A miracle," explained Dabney by way of definition, "is a phenomenal effect above all the powers of nature, properly the result of supernatural power -- i.e., of God's immediate power which He has not regularly put into any second causes lower or higher.... Miracles are not anarchical infractions of nature's order....Every miracle was wrought in strict conformity with God's decree. But this is in God: the natural law is impressed on the nature of second causes."

Miracles, Dabney further clarified (in his work Discussions: Evangelical and Theological), are all past tense. "We are all in substance agreed," he insisted, 42 "that a miracle was such a manifest suspension of the laws of nature -- as only God can work. Miracles were usually rare in their times. For, had they become customary, their end would have been disappointed...."While the Christian miracles are thus proved to be entirely credible, we have no need to claim that God now answers prayer by miracle. The doctrine of the Bible is that He answers prayers for spiritual good by grace in the hearts of men, and for natural good by that perpetual and special providence through which He regulates the working of every second cause in accordance with its natural law."

"Strange Fire:" Attitude Adjustments for Anglicostals, Pentecostals, Charismatics, Montanists and other frenzied wildcats from Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) F.N. Lee

Lee, Francis Nigel. Miracles and Pseudo-Miracles—What and When and Why? http://www.dr-fnlee.org/docs8/mapm/mapm.pdf. Accessed 30 Sept 2013.

Attitude Adjustments for Anglicostals, Pentecostals, Charismatics, Montanists and other frenzied wildcats from Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) F.N. Lee. Costals aggressively pushed themselves forward; the pushback is long overdue and is undertaken.

A theological study about the nature of miracles and their cessation at inscripturation but the continuation of pseudo-miracles according to revealed religion from the fall of the first Adam till the second coming of the Second Adam.)

And now, for reproofs from F. Nigel Lee:

16. A.A. Hodge (continued): miracles are objective and redemptive

"The gospel is not a disclosure of abstract moral or spiritual truths, but rather of a series of objective FACTS constituting the stupendous history of redemption....

Among the most convincing elements of this history, is the witness it bears to the events we call 'MIRACLES.'

The incarnation, the crucifixion, the resurrection, are the very substance of Christianity and its saving power.... These are the central suns of the constellations of miracles recorded in the Bible...."Sporadic, inconsequent 'miracles' could prove nothing -- and would themselves be difficult to prove. But, given a supernatural crisis; a supernatural teacher; and a supernatural doctrine -- MIRACLES are found to be in place like JEWELS on the state-robes of a king.

ALL the great MIRACLES recorded in Scripture, gather around two great foci in the history of REDEMPTION -- the giving of the Law through Moses" (right after the Lord saved His people from oppression in Egypt), "and the life and death of the incarnate God" in and miraculously conjoined to His human nature.

"If God did not carefully CONFINE His powers to the lines of established and known LAWS; if we lived in a world in which MIRACLES instead of being the INFINITE EXCEPTION were the RULE and God were constantly breaking forth with the exercise of supernatural power in unexpected places, and like the wild lightning eluding the most rapid thought as it dashes zig-zag across the sky -- we should find all thought and intelligent action impossible.... The universe would be a chaos, and the community of men a bedlam...."

If Adam had not apostasized, the entire course of human history would have been a NORMAL development in fellowship with God. The central principle of loyalty to God having been preserved intact; the whole moral nature of man would have GROWN healthily; and all his faculties in all their exercises, and all his relations with his fellows, would have been correspondingly normal.

"But since sin introduced rebellion against the supreme authority of God, the human character had been radically corrupted and human society disorganized.... In consequence of this state of facts, the God of Heaven has set up a Kingdom in antagonism to the kingdom of Satan and to all temporal kingdoms organized in Satan's interest; which Kingdom shall never be destroyed but, breaking in pieces all its antagonists, shall stand for ever. This Kingdom of the God of Heaven was introduced immediately after the Fall...."The process by which this Kingdom grows through its successive STAGES toward its ultimate completion can, of course, be very inadequately understood by us. It implies the CEASELESS operation of the mighty power of God working though all the forces and LAWS of nature, and CULMINATING in the supernatural manifestations of grace and of MIRACLE.... The omnipotent Holy Ghost works to the same end, directly and indirectly, in every sphere of nature and of human life....

"This Kingdom from the beginning and in the whole circle of human history -- has been always coming. Its coming has been marked by great EPOCHS -- when NEW revelations and new communications of divine power have been imported, from WITHOUT [alias from the OUTSIDE], into the current of human history. The CHIEFEST of these have been the giving of the Law; the incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and session of the King on the right hand of the Father; and the mission of the Holy Ghost." Thus Rev. Professor Dr. A.A. Hodge.

Readjusting Anglicostals, Pentecostals, Charismatics & Other Enthusiasts: Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) F.N. Lee

Lee, Francis Nigel. Miracles and Pseudo-Miracles—What and When and Why? http://www.dr-fnlee.org/docs8/mapm/mapm.pdf. Accessed 30 Sept 2013.

Readjusting Anglicostals, Pentecostals, Charismatics & Other Enthusiasts: Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) F.N. Lee. Costals aggressively pushed themselves forward; the pushback and conquest is undertaken.

A theological study about the nature of miracles and their cessation at inscripturation but the continuation of pseudo-miracles according to revealed religion from the fall of the first Adam till the second coming of the Second Adam.)

And now, for corrections from F. Nigel Lee:

13. Gisbertius Voetius: miracles were 'rare' and 'evident'

The 1588-1676 Rev. Dr. Gisbert Voet was the celebrated Reformed Professor of Theology at Utrecht. In his famous five-volume Select Disputations, he made some very useful observations about miracles.

First, Voet(ius) said that they may appear to be against a certain particular nature.34 They were "contra naturam aliquam particularem."

Second, he strongly insisted that although above and even beyond nature -- miracles were not contrary to universal nature as such. They were "non contra naturam universalem sed supra et praeter eam."

Third, he defined them very conveniently as: "immediate works of God; above the whole of nature; evident to the senses; rare; and for the confirmation of truth." A miracle, he said,35 is an "opus immediatum Dei, supra omnem naturam, in sensus incurrens, rarum, ad confirmationem veritatis."

14. Charles Hodge: caution needed about miracles

Many sceptics -- like Hobbes, Spinoza, Hume, Strauss and Schleiermacher -- denied that true miracles had ever occurred. To refute them, the famous Princeton Presbyterian Professor of Systematic Theology Rev. Dr. Charles Hodge (1797-1878) then offered a well-constructed defense of the actual historic occurrence of miracles in the past.

"There are events" such as miracles, he insisted, 36 which have indeed "taken place in the external world." Note here Hodge's use of the phrase: "have taken place." Past tense.

Indeed, the examples of miracles he soon went on to give -- clarify his conviction that all miracles to date finished occurring precisely within Biblical times.

Hodge then went on to explain of miracles: "They are produced or caused by the simple volition of God -- without the intervention of any subordinate cause.... A miracle therefore may be defined to be an event in the external world brought about by the immediate efficiency or simple volition of God. An examination of any of the great miracles recorded in Scripture, will establish the correctness of this definition.

"The raising of Lazarus from the dead may be taken as an example.... The same may be said of the restoration to life of the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue on Christ's pronouncing the words Talitha cumi; and of His healing the lepers by a word.

So [too] when Christ walked upon the sea; when He multiplied the loaves and fishes; when He calmed the winds and the waves by a command. Any co-operation of physical causes is not only ignored, but by the clearest intimation denied."

Further: "God is the Author of nature. He has ordained its laws. He is everywhere present in His works. He governs all things by co-operating and using the laws which He has ordained -- nisi ubi aliter agere bonum est [unless it is somewhere else good to act differently]," e.g., by way of events such as miracles. "He has left Himself free" to do miracles -- or not.

"In the sudden rising of a fog which conceals an army and thus saves it from destruction; in a storm which disperses a hostile fleet and thus saves a nation; in any such providential intervention -- it is said [by the unorthodox that] we have all the elements included in many of the miracles recorded in the Bible.... It is true that the strict definition of a miracle does not include events of the kind just mentioned.

"Such events therefore are called by Trench37 'providential' as distinguished from 'absolute miracles'.... To prove an event in the external world to be miraculous we have...to prove that it is not the effect of any natural cause, and that it is to be referred to the immediate agency of God."

Finally, Hodge concluded: "The works of the Egyptian magicians and the predicted wonders of antichrist, are to be regarded [not as miracles but] as tricks and juggleries.... If we adhere to the definition [of miracles] given above, which requires that the event be produced by the immediate power of God -- they, of course, are not miracles. They are 'lying-wonders' -- not only because intended to sustain the kingdom of lies, but because they falsely profess to be what they are not....

"The character of the agent and the design for which a supernatural event is brought about, determine whether it is truly a miracle -- or whether it is one of the lying-wonders of the devil. From the Scriptures, this criterion of miracles was adopted by the Church. Luther says, 'Against authenticated doctrines no signs or wonders however great or numerous are to be admitted.'"

15. A.A. Hodge: comprehensive definition of miracles

Undoubtedly one of the finest analyses of miracles ever given, is that offered by Princeton Presbyterian Theology Professor Rev. Dr. A.A. Hodge (1823-1886). It is found in his excellent (posthumously-published) 1890 book Evangelical Theology, from which we now give an extended citation.

Declared Hodge: 38 "Miracle always presupposes grace, which it subserves and confirms.... Miracles...are supernatural events, implying a special and exceptional mode of God's providential action.... The terms 'miracle' and 'the supernatural' are not co-extensive.

Every miracle is super-natural, but every super-natural event is by no means a miracle...."'Nature' is from nascor -- to be brought to the birth; to be produced; to become. The external world is the common type of pure nature. It is always becoming.... The whole external universe is the natura naturans -- nature bringing forth.

And, viewed as a manifold effect, the same universe is every moment the natura naturata -- nature just brought forth.

"The 'SUPER-natural' is therefore that which is above nature, which springs from and therefore manifests a higher cause.... No action of angels or of devils could be classed as supernatural -- in the same sense that a miracle in the Bible sense of that word, is.

All created spirits, as well as all created worlds, have their genesis. All have their God-given natures; all are under law....

"We consequently draw the line between the natural and the supernatural, in this discussion: between God and the universe; between the Creator and the creature."

All miracles are not only supernatural, but in fact come immediately from God Himself.

Astounding natural events, and even inexplicable supernatural events which do not come immediately from God, are not miracles.

"The 'SUPER-natural' therefore is a peculiar kind or mode of God's action on and through His creatures.... This supernatural action of God...is exercised in the modes of (1) SPECIAL intervention in behalf of persons in the interest of a moral system; (2) GRACIOUS operation in the souls of Christ's people; (3) REVELATION of NEW truth, and INSPIRATION controlling the communication of truth in the cause of PROPHETS etc.; (4) 'miracles,' in the special and TECHNICAL sense of that word."

Technically, then, the initial acts of God -- both His exnihilatory creation of the universe, and His subsequent unique acts during the six days of its formation week (Genesis 1:1-31) -- are not miraculous, but pre-miraculous. So it is only after the universe had formatively been finished (Genesis 2:1f) -- only after the God-given natural order had been put into place normally and normatedly to regulate the subsequent behaviour of the universe (Hebrews 4:3f) -- that all super-natural miracles became possible from time to time.

Explained A.A. Hodge: "Creation or the BRINGING of the thing into existence, must differ from every mode of divine action on it or through it AFTER it is existent.

Creation is God's bringing His creatures into existence. Ordinary providence is God's sustaining and governing all His creatures and all their actions AFTER they are created. This ordinary providence ALWAYS works through NATURAL causes -- and according to the uniformities of natural law.

"The SUPER-natural working of God embraces all of His various modes of acting upon or through His creatures, which produce effects BEYOND their NATURAL powers to produce, and DIFFERENT from the uniform method of NATURAL LAW. This INCLUDES special interventions, gracious operations, revelations; and, specifically, miracles.

'MIRACLES,' as a technical word connoting a special matter in controversy, therefore refers ONLY to a class of SUPER-natural events alleged to HAVE occur-RED in connection with the ORIGIN of the Jewish and of the Christian Religions, which are record-ED in the Old and New Testament Scriptures -- as a mode of divine attestation to the divine ORIGIN of these...."We EXCLUDE, therefore, from this discussion: 1, All spiritualistic phenomena -- ghost-flitting, spirit-rapping, demoniac possession, or other manifestation of merely superhuman power. 2, Extraordinary providences, as the draught of fishes and the flight of quails mentioned in Scripture. 3, All possible special intervention and modification of the ordinary course of pro-vidence in the spiritual education of souls. 4, All the gracious acts of God in the spiritual sphere, regenerating and sanctifying the souls of His people. 5, His supernatural operations in the minds of His prophets, revealing truth, disclosing future events, and inspiring them as public teachers.

"The 'miracle' therefore, in the sense in which we now discuss it, should be defined thus: (1) An event, (2) occurring in the material world, (3) obvious to the sense[s], (4) of such a nature that it can be rationally referred only to the immediate act of God as its direct cause, (5) accompanying a teacher of religion sent from God, (6) and designed to authenticate his divine commission [etc.].... It is God acting from WITHOUT and down UPON and IN nature....

(39-42) Readjusting Anglicostals, Pentecostals, & Other Enthusiasts: Mr. (Rev.Dr. Prof.) F. N. Lee

Lee, Francis Nigel. Miracles and Pseudo-Miracles—What and When and Why?

http://www.dr-fnlee.org/docs8/mapm/mapm.pdf. Accessed 30 Sept 2013.

Corrections from Luther, Calvin, Westminster Standards and John Owen.

Correcting Anglicostals, Pentecostals, Charismatics & Other Enthusiasts

“Welcome to boot camp. Recruit, life as you know it has just ended.” Costals aggressively pushed themselves forward; the pushback and conquest is undertaken.

A theological study about the nature of miracles and their cessation at inscripturation but the continuation of pseudo-miracles according to revealed religion from the fall of the first Adam till the second coming of the Second Adam.)

And now, for corrections from Gunnery Sergeant F. Nigel Lee:

11. The Protestant Reformation on miracles: Luther, Calvin & Westminster

The above Thomistic deformation of the Biblical and Patristic doctrine of miracles, ultimately triggered off a Protestant correction by Luther -- and especially by Calvin.

At the Reformation, said Dr. Julius Köstlin -- in his famous articles on 'Miracles'19 -- "the older Protestant Theologians" opposed the Romish theory and practice of [quasi-]miracles" which in actual fact were really pseudo-miracles.

"To the boast of the Romish Church to be the 'True Church' because it yet [alleges to possess, and always to have] possessed, miraculous powers -- they [the Reformers] replied: that the time of miracles was past; [and] that those claimed by the Roman Church, were false."

Luther himself "assigned to the miracles of Holy Writ their place in the development of Christian revelation. But now that Christ had come, Luther asserted that miracles were no more needed; and therefore maintained that papal 'miracles' were either fraudulent or devilish."

Calvin, although conceding that divine gifts were still widespread (and by no means limited only to Christians), strongly opposed the Romish claims that miracles were still occurring. To the great Genevan, miracles were always confirmation of redemptive alias special revelation -- and disappeared at the close of the period of that special revelation.

Previously, Christ was the Author of miracles -- through the operation of His Holy Spirit.

Newness and unusualness were then the criteria for determining what constituted miracles when they had occurred.

At the same time, we need to see that even today highly unusual or even supernatural ability was and is no guarantee of godliness in those who were and still are thus endowed. As Calvin pointed out,20 "the minds of all men have impressions of civil order and honesty....Next come manual and liberal arts, in learning which -- as all have some degree of aptitude -- the full force of human acuteness is displayed.... This universality is of a kind which should lead every individual for himself to recognize it as a special gift of God...."The human mind, however much fallen and perverted from its original integrity, is still adorned and invested with admirable gifts from its Creator. If we reflect that the Spirit of God is the only fountain of truth -- we will be careful as we would avoid offering insult to Him, not to reject or contemn truth wherever it appears. In despising the gifts, we insult the Giver.... The Lord has been pleased to assist us by the work and ministry of the ungodly in physics, dialectics, mathematics, and other similar sciences. Let us avail ourselves of it lest, by neglecting the gifts of God spontaneously offered to us -- we be justly punished for our sloth."

So even in corrupt human nature, insisted Calvin,21 "there is some room for divine grace-- such grace as, without purifying it, may lay it under internal restraint.... I admit that the specious qualities which [the B.C. 365 Pagan Roman victorious Army General] Camillus possessed, were 'divine' gifts" -- yes, "'divine' gifts" -- and thus "appear entitled to commendation when viewed in themselves.

"But in what way will they be proofs of a virtuous nature? ... If a natural man possesses such integrity of manners, nature is not without the faculty of studying virtue....Those are not common endowments of nature, but special gifts of God which He distributes in divers forms and in a definite measure to men otherwise profane."

Professor Calvin also warned that alleged "miraculous power or faith" -- if there is a natural or even a supernatural endowment -- rests at bottom on a "specific gift of God which a wicked man may possess and abuse -- such as a gift of tongues, prophecy, or other gifts."22 Genesis 4:20-24; Numbers 22:20f; First Samuel 9:2f; 10:5-13f; 16:14-23; Matthew 7:22; 10:4f; 24:24; Acts 8:9-20; First Corinthians 14:23; Second Corinthians 13:5f; Second Thessalonians 2:9f; Revelation 13:3-13; 16:13f; 19:20f.

The Calvinistic Westminster Standards teach the same doctrine, and uphold the clear distinction between the miraculous and the non-miraculous (cf. John 2:11 with 10:41).

Though not defining God's very various gifts to man, the Confession of Faith does imply23 that they originated at man's creation.

Then and thereafter -- teaches the Confession24 -- God through such gifts communicated even His special revelation. They were the Lord's excellent and extraordinary gifts, the employment of which resulted in events. Such occurred without, above or even against His ordinary providence25 -- and focussed especially on the Person and soon also on the saving work of the Lord Jesus.26 The "common operations of the Spirit" in man, however, work no redemption in him whatsoever.27
 
Later, we will present the Westminster Assembly's positive teaching on the cessation of miracles after the termination of the inscripturation of the Holy Bible.28 Later still, we will discuss also that Assembly's insistence on the continuation of non-miraculous 'lying wonders.'29

12. Rev. Dr. John Owen on the important significance of miracles

In Britain, Rev. Dr. John Owen was probably the most accomplished Theologian of all time -- and also the greatest writer ever, on the subject of the Holy Spirit. Shortly after the writing of the 1647 Westminster Confession of Faith -- which implies that miracles were means of Special Revelation and of supranatural Special Providence30 -- the Puritan Owen wrote the following in 1659 (in his own writing titled The Divine Original of the Scriptures):31

"Is it not evident, that the miracles...are preserved in the Scripture -- and not otherwise? ... Can these miracles operate upon the understanding or judgment of any man -- unless he first grant the Scripture to be the Word of God?" For only Scripture determines, for us, which events were true miracles. Scripture alone, and not the opinions of men, determines this.

"If numbers of men be allowed to speak" and say when events are miracles and when not, declared Owen, "we may have a traditional testimony given to the blasphemous figments of the Koran -- under the name of 'true miracles!' But the constant tradition of more than a thousand years, carried on by innumerable multitudes of men -- great, wise, and sober, from one generation to another -- doth but set open the gates of hell for the Mohammedans....

"Many writers of the Scripture wrought no miracles.... The Apostles converted many, [even] where they wrought no miracles (Acts 16 to 18).... Where they did so work [miracles], yet they were received [not for their miracles but] for their doctrine -- and not the doctrine on their account!"

Later, in 1674 (in Dr. Owen's informative and massive Discourse Concerning the Holy Spirit), he further wrote:32 "The immediate extraordinary operations of the Holy Ghost, absolutely exceeding the actings and compliance of human faculties, are miracles of all sorts....Such were many things wrought by Moses and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha.... These were all the immediate effects of the divine power of the Holy Ghost. He is the sole Author of all real[ly] miraculous operations....

"By 'miracles' we understand such effects as are really beyond and above the power of natural causes, however applied unto operation.... It is said expressly that our Lord Jesus Christ wrought miracles -- for instance, the casting out of devils from persons possessed – by the Holy Ghost. And if their immediate production were by Him in the human nature of Jesus Christ personally united unto the Son of God -- how much more must it be granted that it was He alone by Whose power they were wrought, in those who had no such relation unto the divine nature!"

Elsewhere, Dr. Owen concluded:33 "Unto the working of every miracle in particular, there was a peculiar act of faith required in them that wrought it. This is that faith which is called 'the faith of miracles' (First Corinthians 13:2).... "It had always a peculiar, immediate revelation for its warranty and security in the working of any miracle. And without such an immediate revelation or divine impulse and impression -- all attempts of miraculous operations are vain, and means only for Satan to insinuate his delusions by.

"No man, therefore, could work any miracle -- nor attempt in faith so to do -- without an immediate revelation that divine power should be therein exerted and put forth in its operation.... The use of this gift in the Church at that time and season, was manifold. For the principles which believers proceeded on, and the doctrines they professed, were new and strange to the world....

"In this state of things, this gift of miracles was exceeding[ly] useful -- and necessary unto the propagation of the gospel; the vindication of the truth; and the establishment of them that did believe.... Whatever miracles were wrought -- if the Word preached was not received, if that did not accompany them in its powerful operation -- they were but despised...."Some, upon hearing the Apostles speak with tongues, mocked and said: 'These men are full of new wine!' Acts 2:13. Yet, upon preaching of the Word which ensued -- they were converted unto God. And the Apostle Paul tells us that if there were nothing but miraculous speaking with tongues in the Church, an unbeliever coming in would say they were all mad, First Corinthians 14:23 -- [an unbeliever] who by the Word of prophecy would be convinced, judged and converted unto God (verses 24-25)."

(37-39) Boot Camp: Correcting Anglicostals, Pentecostals, Charismatics & Other Enthusiasts: Gunnery Sergeant, Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) F.N. Lee

Lee, Francis Nigel. Miracles and Pseudo-Miracles—What and When and Why?

http://www.dr-fnlee.org/docs8/mapm/mapm.pdf. Accessed 30 Sept 2013.

Boot Camp:  Correcting Anglicostals, Pentecostals, Charismatics & Other Enthusiasts: Gunnery Sergeant, Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) F.N. Lee


“Welcome to boot camp. Recruit, life as you know it has just ended.” (Recruit’s private thought: “Oh no, what did I get myself into?”) The Pentecostalists aggressively pushed themselves forward; the pushback and conquest is undertaken.

A theological study about the nature of miracles and their cessation at inscripturation but the continuation of pseudo-miracles according to revealed religion from the fall of the first Adam till the second coming of the Second Adam.)

And now, for corrections from Gunnery Sergeant F. Nigel Lee:

To this, the orthodox Augustine then replied:12 "We admit that what is contrary to the ordinary course of human experience, is commonly spoken of as 'contrary to nature.' Thus the Apostle uses the words, 'If thou art cut out of the wild olive and engrafted contrary to nature in the good olive.'" See: Romans 11:24.

But, explained Augustine, "contrary to nature is here used in the sense of contrary to human experience of the course of nature -- such as that a wild olive-branch engrafted into a good olive-tree should bring forth the fatness of the good olive-tree, instead of wild berries.

But God -- the Author and Creator of all natures -- does nothing contrary to nature.

For whatever is done by Him Who appoints all natural order and measure and proportion, must be 'natural' in every case. And man himself acts contrary to nature only when he sins...."There is, however, no impropriety in saying that God does a thing 'contrary to nature,' when it is contrary to what we know of nature. For we give the name 'nature' to the usual common course of nature; and whatever God does contrary to this, we call a 'prodigy' or a 'miracle.' But against the SUPREME law of nature, which is beyond the knowledge both of the ungodly and of weak believers, God never acts -- any more than He acts against Himself."

Augustine therefore believed that while a few 'miracles' were creative (or supralapsarianly immanent), nearly all were recreative (or infralapsarianly transcendent) and focussed precisely on Christ's redemptive work. Unfathomable by man, the latter not only amaze but especially fill the human beneficiary with great gratitude.

They were never superior to faith, but given merely to strengthen the faith of God's elect and to confound the unbelief of the reprobate. Miracles are not contrary to nature as such, but only contrary to nature as humanly known. Not miracles but only sin is contrary to nature -- which latter, once and for all laid down and given, is still maintained by the Triune God.

Details of Augustine's further views on miracles, will be dealt with later below.13 Such include his views regarding: the occurrence of remarkable events in his own day; the nonoccurrence then of events like the miracles of Biblical times; and the demonic nature of pseudo-miracles.

10. Worsening understanding of miracles in the Middle Ages

Even Albert the Great still rightly followed Augustine in asserting that God, Who had implanted the possibility of miracles in nature, never contravenes it. Indeed, Albert also distinguished between miracles and wonders -- attributing the former only to God, but ascribing the latter to human or demoniacal use of generally-unknown nature powers in unexpected ways.14

It was, however, the leading Roman Catholic Theologian Thomas Aquinas who (on miracles and on other matters) moved the Church radically away from Scripture. This is seen especially in his definition: "A miracle is something out of the order of nature."15

Indeed, with the adage miraculi nomen ab ad-mir-atione sumitur, he also derived16 the Latin word for 'mir-acle' from its root-word for 'ad-mir-ation.' Yet while this is linguistically correct for Latin and other cognate Japhethitic tongues, it does not grasp the Old-Semitic concept.

Thomas's definition opposed Augustine's Biblical doctrine that miracles are at variance only with known nature, and that they deal specifically with re-creation after the fall. For Thomas wrongly taught that miracles are opposed to nature as such -- and not essentially illustrative precisely of God's redemptive revelation (and liberation of nature too from sin).

To the extent Aquinas's view of miracles could also include the gracious work of Christ the Saviour, Thomas ended up by opposing grace and its miracles -- to nature.

Yet he should have opposed both nature and grace -- to sin.17

Thomas thus defined miracles as interventions by God into the normal course of nature, and as breaches of the laws of nature (contra naturam). Miracles, he said, are deeds of God "above and against the order of nature" -- deeds "which He Himself creates." For "by miracles, the natural order is temporarily suspended."

This incorrect definition is indeed harmful. It promotes the misrepresentation that nature usually operations by itself -- unless and until God occasionally concerns Himself with such earthly things, by way of miracles.

In actual fact, however, God is always engaged within nature. There He perpetuates its laws which He Himself instituted and maintains. For God is not only transcendent above but also essentially immanent within His creation (once it had been created).

Indeed, God never suspends His laws (e.g. the Ten Commandments); no, not even His laws for nature. Psalm 119:89f. Such a representation is radically false, and indeed very unworthy of any Christian view about God.18

(34-36) Boot Camp. Correcting Anglicostals, Pentecostals, Charismatics & Other Enthusiasts: Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) F.N. Lee

Lee, Francis Nigel. Miracles and Pseudo-Miracles—What and When and Why? http://www.dr-fnlee.org/docs8/mapm/mapm.pdf. Accessed 30 Sept 2013.

Boot Camp. Correcting Anglicostals, Pentecostals, Charismatics & Other Enthusiasts: Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) F.N. Lee

We say with Zachary Ursinus, "Friend, if entering here…be short and leave…or stay but assist us in our work." Or, boot camp. “Welcome to boot camp. Recruit, life as you know it has just ended.” (Recruit’s private thought: “Oh no, what did I get myself into?”) Yes, these Montanists have pushed themselves into public and the pushback is undertaken.

(We used [ ] to indicate Hebrew/Greek words which did not survive from pdf to Word to this forum. A theological study about the nature of miracles and their cessation at inscripturation but the continuation of pseudo-miracles according to revealed religion from the fall of the first Adam till the second coming of the Second Adam.

And now, below, some corrections from Gunnery Sergeant Lee:


For miracles are 'new creations' which either resuscitate or consummate either a part or the whole of the universe. Indeed, they do so specifically to the glory of the Lord and/or the Triune God's Central Person alias the Word Who became Jesus Christ.

Compare: Exodus 34:10; Numbers 16:30f; Deuteronomy 4:24 & 18:14-22 & 34:10-12; Isaiah 28:16-21; Jeremiah 32:18-21; John 2:11 & 11:23-47; and Second Peter 3:3-15.

8. Augustine's brilliant delineation and description of miracles

There were many Pre-Augustinian Theologians who described apostolic-age miracles and pre- and post-apostolic pseudomiracles -- many of whom insisted that miracles ceased with the apostles. Such Early-Patristic Theologians, all of whom will be dealt with later below, include: Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Quadratus, Diognetus, Justin Martyr, Tatian, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Irenaeus, Caius, Tertullian, Hippolytus, Asterius Urbanus, Cyprian, Arnobius, Eusebius, Athanasius, Cyril, Gregory of Nazianze, Basil, Jerome, and John Chrysostom.

None of them, however, offer us a definition of miracles.

Augustine of Hippo, the greatest Theologian of the Early Church, was certainly the first to attempt an adequate definition. To him, miracles were never contrary to God-created (and originally unsullied) nature as such -- but only contrary to (sin-stained) nature as known by man.

Now Augustine certainly held that all miracles and wonders had been fore-ordained by God from all eternity -- supralapsarianly. Yet they still resort under either one or the other of two kinds of 'hidden seeds' of either a miraculous or a wonderful nature: viz. those he called 'immanent' and those he called 'transcendent.'

Immanent wonder-revelations are exhibitions of the unlimited power of God – from 'seeds' which He actually 'hid' in the universe already at the time of its Genesis 1:1 creation.

Such are the wonders which were displayed during the Genesis 1:3-31 formation of our Earth -- even before the creation and the later fall of man.

Transcendent miracles, on the other hand, are those foreordained by the will of God but which would be inserted as 'hidden seeds' and then later proceed only after the fall of man.

God did not actually hide such seeds in the creature(s) already at their creation. Such seeds He would only later, from time to time, have implanted into various of His creatures after the first human sin. Thus Augustine.

The miracles mentioned in the Bible, are principally of this latter kind. They are linked to re-creation, after Adam's fall. Indeed, either directly or indirectly, they clearly focus on the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.6

One of Augustine's best statements on miracles, was made in a work from A.D. 391.

There, he explained:7 "By 'miracle' I mean something strange and difficult which exceeds the expectation and capacity of him who marvels at it.

"Among events of this kind, there is nothing more suited to the populace and to foolish men generally, than what appeals to the senses. But again, there are two kinds of miracle.

Some there are that merely cause wonders. Others produce great gratitude and goodwill.

"If one sees a man flying, one merely marvels -- for such a thing brings no advantage to the spectator beyond the spectacle itself. But if one is affected by some grave and desperate disease and at a word of command immediately gets better -- love of one's healer will surpass wonder at one's healing.

"Such things were done, when God as true man [Christ] appeared to men.... But why, you say, do such things not happen now?" Because such events were special revelations from God; and not just remarkable occurrences, then still humanly inexplicable, such as the wonders of nature.

As examples of the latter, Augustine stated: "Take the alternation of day and night...[and] the leaves falling [in the autumn] and returning [in the spring] to the trees.... If we could speak to someone who saw and sensed these things for the first time, we should find that he was overwhelmed and dizzy at such 'miracles' etc."

However, though astonishing, they are really not true "miracles" at all.

Augustine also rightly said:8 "God's miracles indeed seem to be in conflict with the ordinances of nature. Yet this is not really so. For God is the Creator of nature. Accordingly, He cannot do anything contrary to it.

"Miracles thus occur not against nature, but only against nature insofar as we know it.

In miracles, higher ordinances of God break through. These are previously-hidden powers which God allows to operate as miracles."

Indeed, God's true miracles were never against nature as such, but only and always against sin and its consequences. "Miracles were made known, to help men's faith....Miracles have no purpose, but [redemptively] to help [sinful yet penitent] men believe that Christ is God."9

9. Augustine (continued): miracles rare; not unnatural; but against sin

Augustine further discussed whether it is possible for things to keep on lasting, unchangeably, in burning fire. Exodus 3:2f cf. Isaiah 66:24, Matthew 25:41-46, Mark 9:43-48 & Luke 16:24.

In regard to such matters, some allege "that all miracles are contrary to nature." Yet, responded Augustine,10 such matters "are not so.

"For how is that which happens by the will of God, contrary to nature -- since the will of so mighty a Creator is certainly the nature of each thing? A MIRACLE, therefore, happens NOT contrary to NATURE; but CONTRARY to what WE KNOW as nature."

Formerly, wrote Augustine around A.D. 400, long prior to the christianization of the  Ancient World of the Roman Empire in A.D. 321, "miracles were necessary before the world believed -- in order that it might believe. But whoever now-a-days demands to see prodigies so that he might believe, is himself a great prodigy -- because he does not believe....

Many miracles were wrought to confirm that one grand and health-giving miracle of Christ's ascension to Heaven with the flesh in which He arose."

Augustine again touched upon miracles while refuting Manichaeanism. Faustus the pagan follower of the nature-worshipper Mani had himself just questioned:11 the miraculous virgin birth of Jesus; the claim that He had performed 'unnatural' miracles of healing etc; and His resurrection from the dead.

School time! Correcting Anglicanocostals, Pentecostals & Other Montanists: Corrections from Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) F.N. Lee

Lee, Francis Nigel. Miracles and Pseudo-Miracles—What and When and Why?   http://www.dr-fnlee.org/docs8/mapm/mapm.pdf. Accessed 30 Sept 2013.

Ding! Ding! School time! Correcting Anglicanocostals, Pentecostals & Other Montanists: Corrections from Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) F.N. Lee

It’s school time. If unteachable, bye-bye; if teachable, hello. We say with Zachary Ursinus, "Friend, if entering here…be short and leave…or stay but assist us in our work."

We used [ ] to indicate Hebrew/Greek words which did not survive from pdf to Word to this forum.

A theological study about the nature of miracles and their cessation at inscripturation but the continuation of pseudo-miracles according to revealed religion from the fall of the first Adam till the second coming of the Second Adam.

5. Providence, Preservation, Unusual Events, Lying-Wonders, and Miracles Here we cannot do better than quote the words of a very famous Princeton (Presbyterian) Theological Seminary Systematic Theology Professor. We refer to Rev. Dr. A.A. Hodge Wrote he:5 "Providence, from pro and video, literally means fore-sight and...the execution by God of His eternal decree in time, by means of the second causes He has originated in creation (cf. Acts 15:18).... Preservation is that continued exercise of the divine energy whereby the Creator upholds all His creatures in being [meaning 'ex-sist-ence'] and in the possession of all those inherent properties and qualities with which He endowed them at their creation, and of those also which they may subsequently have acquired (cf. Hebrews 1:3)...."Events like that of the flight of quails, and the draught of fishes, mentioned in Numbers 11:31-32 and Luke 5:6, as far as we know, differ from events occurring under the ordinary providential control of God only in respect to the divinely pre-arranged conjunction of circumstances. The events are not supernatural, only unusual....Their peculiarity is only that they occur in eminently felicitous conjunction with other events such as the needs of the Israelites and of the Apostles with which they have no natural connection...."A miracle is an event: (1) occurring in the physical world, capable of being discerned and discriminated by the bodily senses of human witnesses; (2) of such a character that it can be rationally referred to no other cause than the immediate volition of God; (3) accompanying a religious teacher, and designed to authenticate his divine commission and the truth of his message...."

How can an event actually occurring, be certainly recognized as coming under the category of miracles as above defined? ... (1) There are some classes of effects about which no man can possibly doubt, e.g. the raising of Lazarus and the multiplying of the loaves and fishes. We may doubt about the exact boundaries of the supernatural -- but no man can mistake that which so far transcends the boundaries. (2) These effects were accomplished two thousand years ago.... (3) These effects were produced over and over again at the mere word of command, without the use of any sort of means or fixed physical conditions. (4) The works were divine in character and the occasions were worthy; the religious teachers and doctrines carried their own corroborative spiritual evidence; and the events fell into their place in the entire system of revelation."

Of course, also "evil spirits often have wrought supernatural works." But "the kingdom of Satan can easily be recognized by its character. Moreover, "no isolated event is ever to be recognized as a miracle. The man and the doctrine and their relation to the whole system of past revelations and miraculous interventions, will in every case be sufficient to discriminate the identity of the supernatural cause of an event."

6. The objective and real character of true miracles and/or wonders

God Himself is inherently 'Wonderful' -- from all eternity; right now; and everlastingly. But what was the very first wonder He ever performed? It took place when the Triune God (Father and Son and Spirit), with time and in time, unrepeatably and spectacularly revealed the entire universe (alias the remarkable realm of "nature") -- by bringing it into existence 'out of nothing.' Genesis 1:1.

Even "nature" was thus brought into existence 'pre-naturally' (and therefore 'super-naturally') -- by the great power of Almighty God as its First Cause and Sole Author. And after that Genesis 1:1 exnihilation, God 'wonder-fully' further unfolded and populated our created world in six extraordinary formation days (Genesis 1:3-31) -- thus turning the world from a Genesis 1:2 chaos into a Genesis 2:1 cosmos. Yet since then, God has never replaced but only sustained and advanced "nature." Genesis 2:2-3f cf. Nehemiah 9:6 & John 5:16-20 & Hebrews 1:1-3 & 4:3-14. And this He has done in two ways.

First, He has sustained and advanced nature ordinarily and constantly -- by His providential care through lesser causes. And second, He has sustained and advanced nature extra-ordinarily and occasionally (namely by His new and 'supernatural' and rare miracles).

This He has done by working in nature immediately; from above; and beyond all secondary causes.

All such miracles are SUPER-natural , but NOT anti-natural. They are not against nature (which the great God Himself created and keeps on sustaining). They are only against sin (which Satan caused and keeps on causing). Because miracles are against the Satan induced sins now disfiguring nature, they are in fact pro-natural (in that they help liberate nature from sin).

Miracles thus especially OPPOSE pseudo-miracles or 'lying wonders.' True miracles were less plentiful than are pseudo-miracles -- and very much rarer than the many much less vigorous non-miraculous events of God in the natural world. Yet true miracles often opposed and destroyed pseudo-miracles -- and, characteristically, always promoted the powerful development of God's Kingdom toward its glorious eschatological consummation.

7. Holy Scripture itself provides no definition of miracles

The Bible itself does not give us a definition of miracles -- nor, for that matter, of most other Biblical doctrines. Yet Scripture clearly distinguishes 'natural events' from 'miracles.' For 'natural events' are regulated by God-given natural laws, Cf. Psalms 119:89-91 & 146:8; Matthew 13:4-8: Mark 4:26-28. 'Miracles,' however, are direct new deeds of Almighty God. Cf. Exodus 8:16-19 & 34:10; Numbers 16:30; Matthew 12:22-28.

The remarkable deeds which Satan and his agents can perform, are at most only 'lying wonders' or 'pseudo-miracles.' Exodus 7:11,22 & 8:7; First Samuel 28:9-15; Isaiah 8:19; Matthew 24:24; Second Corinthians 11:3,13f; Second Thessalonians 2:9f; Revelation 13:5,13f & 16:14f & 19:20. But only God and His chosen agents can perform both true wonders and real miracles. Exodus 15:11; Psalm 72:18 & 77:13-15 & 86:8-10 & 136:4.

(28-30) Ding, Ding! School time! Anglican-costals, Pentecostals & Other Montanists: Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) F.N. Lee

Lee, Francis Nigel. Miracles and Pseudo-Miracles—What and When and Why? http://www.dr-fnlee.org/docs8/mapm/mapm.pdf. Accessed 30 Sept 2013.

(28-30) Ding, Ding! School time! Anglican-costals, Pentecostals & Other Montanists: Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) F.N. Lee

It's school time! If irreformable, bye-bye; if teachable, hello. We say with Zachary Ursinus, "Friend, if entering here…be short and leave…or stay but assist me in my work."

We used [ ] to indicate Hebrew/Greek words which did not survive from pdf to Word to this forum.

A theological study about the nature of miracles and their cessation at inscripturation but the continuation of pseudo-miracles according to revealed religion from the fall of the first Adam till the second coming of the Second Adam.

Again, the Mosaic Law (Deuteronomy 13:1-3) teaches that God might well test His people from time to time. This He has sometimes done, by allowing to arise (even among the Israelites) false-prophets or apostasy-promoting 'wonder-workers' (sic).

The predictions of true prophets and the real wonders of true ambassadors of God, always came to pass. Yet although the 'wonder(s)' of false-prophets and so-called 'wonderworkers' usually did not come to pass -- sometimes, as in the case of the Egyptian magicians, they did [ ] Either way, Deuteronomy 13:5f & 18:9-20 prescribed even the death penalty against all Israelitic false-prophets and
divinely-unauthorized wonder-workers. First Samuel 28:6f and Isaiah 8:18-20.

We are told centuries later that a "king of fierce countenance" would "destroy wonderfully" and "speak marvellous things" or nip-pel [ ] (Daniel 8:24 & 11:36). Too, in Matthew 12:22-45 cf. Luke 11:14-26, both the diabolical Pharisees and the godly Jesus admitted the reality of the casting out of demons at that time. But Jesus really did cast them out (through the Spirit of God). On the other hand -- the ungodly Pharisees, and their sons, merely claimed to. Indeed, in so doing, they ultimately but helped import even more demons into those a1ready possessed.

Jesus says (in Matthew 7:21-23) that He will disown the many workers of iniquity who profess Him as their Lord and who claim to have prophesied in His Name and to have cast out demons and done many wonders (dunameis pollas epoisamen). For "false-christs [pseudochristoi] and false-prophets [pseudoprophtai]...shall show great signs and wonders" smeia megala kai terata -- so that, "if it were possible, they would deceive even the very elect" or plansai ei dunaton kai tous eklektous. Matthew 24:24 cf. Mark 13:22.

And "no marvel [thauma]! For Satan himself is transformed [metasch matizetai] into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his servants too be transformed -- as if they were servants of righteousness." Second Corinthians 11:3-15.

Later, the wicked 'man of sin' would be manifested (which the Westminster Confession 25:6 and Classic Protestantism equate with the papal system and its ongoing pseudo-miracles). That 'man of sin' would come according to the working of Satan -- with all power and signs and lying wonders (or en pasi dunamei kai smeiois kai terasin pseudois). Second Thessalonians 2:3-9.

Similarly, in the book of Revelation, John sees an evil "beast coming up out of the Earth"-- which beast "does great wonders" or poiei smeia megala. Indeed,"he causes fire to come down from the sky" and then even "deceives the Earth-dwellers by those wonders" (dia tasemia). Revelation 13:11-14.

Then, in Revelation 16:13-14, "three unclean spirits like frogs" are seen "coming from the mouths of the dragon and the beast and the false-prophet" or pseudoproph tou. Such are "the spirits of demons [or pneumata daimonin], working wonders [or poiounta smeia]."

Yet finally (in Revelation 19:20), the beast shall be taken, "and with him the false-prophet [alias the pseudoprophs] who worked wonders [or poisas ta smeia]."

Consequently, God alone (either directly Himself or indirectly through creaturely) angelic spirits or human beings performs true miracles. Yet evil powers sometimes perform 'pseudo-miracles' which mislead many. Indeed, if it were possible, such latter might almost deceive even the very elect.

4. God before and above His Moral Law, the creation laws, and natural law.

Before creation, no laws but only God existed -- or "was" and "is" and "shall be." That was and is His essence -- pre-legally, and supra-legally. That was and is His eternal condition - pre-naturally and supra-naturally. He is before and above both laws and nature. Malachi 3:6 & Hebrews 6:17f cf. James 1:17.

Yet even then, from all eternity before Genesis 1:1, the Lord always was the everlasting and incorruptible and invisible and always-wise God. And He Alone always has possessed both morality and immortality (and always will). Too, He Alone always has dwelt and still keeps on dwelling in unapproachable ethical light -- and always will. First Timothy 1:17 & 6:16.

God's Moral Law alias the Decalogue is the everlasting reflection of His Own ethical nature. God does not lie, nor repent. Numbers 23:19 cf. Titus 1:2. His compassions and His faithfulness never fail. Lamentations 3:22f cf. Second Timothy 2:13. Even the natural laws that God has given, just like the calling of His elect, are quite without repentance. Romans 11:29.

At the very beginning of time, the Lord God created the realm of nature -- the Heavens and the Earth. Genesis 1:1 cf. John 1:1-3 & Colossians 1:17. Together with these first natural objects – the Heavens and the Earth -- God also created immutable natural laws to govern their behaviour (although some of those laws might only later have been put into operation from one time to another).

God Himself was and is not subject to the laws which He Himself instituted at Genesis 1:1f. However, because they are laws which He ordained for His creatures -- they are not arbitrary. In one way or another, they all express something (though only in a reflected way) of God's Own character.

As John Calvin said: "God is free, above the laws, but not against them" -- Deus legibus solutus sed non exlex.4 All things are from and through and unto the Triune God. Romans 11:36. By the Son, He made the world-ages. Hebrews 1:2 cf. 11:3. That Divine Son keeps on upholding all things by the Word of His power. Hebrews 1:3 cf. John 1:3f. For by Him, all things “consist" or keep on adhering together. Colossians 1:l7.

When the Triune God first created the Heavens and the Earth, the realm of nature, He also created and settled the laws which would govern their operation everlastingly. "For ever, O Lord, Your Word has been settled in Heaven. Your faithfulness is unto all generations. You have established the Earth, so that it keeps on abiding. They, the Heavens and the Earth, keep on continuing to this very day according to Your ordinances. For they all keep on serving You." Psalm 119:89-91.

Step by step, during Earth's formation week, God then made the various creatures and subjected them for ever to the various laws through which He governs them. Genesis 1:3-31.

"You waters that are above the sky -- praise the Name of the Lord! For He commanded, and they were created. He has also established them for ever and ever. He has made a decree which does not pass away." Psalm 148:4-6 cf. Genesis 1:6-8.

"The waters stood above the mountains...They go up by the mountains, they go down by the valleys, unto the place which You have founded for them. You have set a boundary which they may not transgress." Psalm 104:6-8 cf. Genesis 1:9-10.

On the fourth day of the formation of our Earth, the Lord made "the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night." Jeremiah 31:35 cf. Genesis 1:14-19.

From Earth's fifth formation day onward, "God created great sea-monsters and all kinds of winged animals" -- subject to the various laws that even now control them. Consequently, also "the stork in the sky knows her appointed times." Thus too the turtle-dove and the crane-bird and the swallow still regularly observe their migration seasons. Genesis 1:20f cf. Jeremiah 8:7.

Then, on the sixth formation day, God made man as His Own unique image, and subjected him to the everlasting Ten Commandments as the expression of the Lord's Own unchanging moral character and will for all mankind. Genesis 1:26f & 2:17 cf. Ecclesiastes 7:29 & Romans 2:14-16 and the Westminster Confession 3:1-6 & 4:1-2 & 5:1-4 & 19:1-7. "For in Him we live, and move, and have our [very] being.... For we are also His offspring" -- as even pagan philosophers and poets recognize. Acts 17:28.

Consequently, God is not divorced from His creation and the laws which He Himself instituted to govern it. For He works, natur-ally -- namely through His Own laws governing the course of nature. See too: Genesis 1:26-28; 8:22; Job 38:10-33; Ecc1esiastes 1:5-10; Jeremiah 5:22-24; 33:20-25; Matthew 5:45; 7:25-27; 8:27; 16:2-3; Hebrews 6:7-8; James 3:3-7; etc.

All of the above – God's exnihilation of the universe at the very beginning of time, and His formation of the cosmos in six days – were certainly very wonderful and humanly inexplicable.

But were they mir-acles? Not in the sense that they were ad-mir-ed by fallen men and pointed to the restorative work of the Second Adam Jesus Christ. Nor were they miracles in the sense that they were against sin (cf. Augustine). As the Lord later challenged the fallen Job (38:4), "Where were you when I laid down the foundations of the Earth?" Adam too was not yet there!

To be miracles, all of those wonders of creation and its resultant works of formation would need (when they occurred) to have been admired by the angels specifically after some of them had fallen into sin. This would necessitate the angelic fall before the exnihilation of the universe itself at the very beginning of time itself – a view that roots in Zoroastrian dualism rather than anywhere in the Holy Bible! (On these points see sections 8, 23 and 47 below.)

(25-27) Back to School: Anglican-costals, Pentecostals & Other Montanists: Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) F.N. Lee

Lee, Francis Nigel. Miracles and Pseudo-Miracles—What and When and Why? http://www.dr-fnlee.org/docs8/mapm/mapm.pdf. Accessed 30 Sept 2013.

(25-27) Back to School: Anglican-costals, Pentecostals & Other Montanists: Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) F.N. Lee

If irreformable, bye-bye; if reformable, hello. We say with Zachary Ursinus, "Friend, if entering here…be short and leave…or stay but assist me in my work."

We used [ ] to indicate Hebrew/Greek words which did not survive from pdf to Word to this forum.

A theological study about the nature of miracles and their cessation at inscripturation but the continuation of pseudo-miracles according to revealed religion from the fall of the first Adam till the second coming of the Second Adam.

Now, some words from Mr. Lee:

"Similarly, more often than not, the Greek word thauma (or "marvel") and its derivatives (thaumasios, thaumastos and thaumaz) refer to non-miraculous actions rather than to miraculous occurrences. See, for instance: Matthew 8:10,27 & 15:31 & 22:22 & 27:14; Mark 5:20 & 6:6 & 12:17 & 15:5,44; Luke 1:21 & 2:18 & 4:22 & 7:9 & 8:25 & 9:43 & 11:38 & 20:26 & 24:12; John 3:7 & 4:27 & 5:20f & 7:15-21 & 9:30; Second Corinthians 11:14; Galatians 1:6; Second Thessalonians 1:10; First John 3:13; Jude 16; and Revelation 13:3 & 17:6-8.

Too, the Hebrew word [ ] (a "doing"), is used with non-miraculous meaning at: Deuteronomy 22:14,17; First Samuel 2:3; Psalms 14:1 & 78:11 & 99:8 & 141:4; Ezekiel 14:22f & 20:43f & 21:24 & 36:17; and Zephaniah 3:7,11. Its New Testament equivalent, praxis, is used with non-miraculous meanings at: Matthew 16:27; Luke 23:51; Acts 19:18; Romans 8:13; and Colossians 3:9.

Likewise, the Hebrew word [ ] and also its Greek equivalent erga (meaning "works") are very frequently used to describe non-miraculous acts (rather than specifically miracles). See, viz., the non-miraculous meanings of ma'ath at Genesis 20:9 & 44:15 & Ezra 9:13 etc.

Compare too the non-miraculous meanings of erga at Matthew 5:16 & 11:2 & 23:3f & 26:10 and Mark 13:34 & 14:6 etc. Indeed, note too that ktisis ("creation") and its related words all refer to non-miraculous yet highly remarkable events -- at Second Corinthians 5:17 and Ephesians 2:10,15 & 4:24 & Colossians 3:10 and Galatians 6:15.

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word [ ] is translated only twice as: "miracle."

However, it is also rendered 60 times as "sign"; 14 times as "token"; twice as "ensign"; and once as "mark."

For example: at Genesis 1:14, it refers to the sun and the moon; at 4:15, to Cain's mark; at 9:12-17, to the rainbow; and at 17:11, to circumcision. At Exodus 3:12-14, it refers to Moses' repeating the name Jehovah; at 12:13, to the blood of the lambs; at 13:16, to sacrifices for the firstborn; and at 31:13-17, to the sabbaths. In Numbers 2:2, it refers to flags; and in 16:38, to the censers. In Deuteronomy 6:8, it refers to God's laws; in 11:18, to God's Word; and at 28:16, to God's natural curses.

In Joshua 2:12, it refers to a scarlet rope; and in 4:6, to a cairn of stones. At First Samuel 2:34 cf. 4:11, it refers to the slaying of Hophni and Phinehas. At Psalm 65:8, it refers to natural sounds; and at 74:4, to the ensigns of the enemies.

At Isaiah 8:18, it refers to Isaiah and his children; at 19:20, to a pillar; at 20:2, to Isaiah's walking barefoot for three years; at 44:25 cf. 47:13, to astrological charts; and at 55:13, to trees. In Jeremiah 10:2, it refers to signs in the sky; and at 44:29, to a remnant in Egypt.

Whereas at Ezekiel 4:3, it refers to an iron pan; at 14:8, to a disobedient Israelite; and at 20:12-20, to the sabbath.

In the New Testament the word smeion is indeed (some 22 times) translated "miracle."

It is also (some 51 times) translated 'sign.' It is once translated "token" -- where it refers to Paul's own signature (Second Thessalonians 3:17). Indeed, in some of those 51 cases, this word cannot possibly imply a miracle.

Compare too its use: at Matthew 16:3f (meaning weather indications in "the signs of the times"); at Matthew 26:48 (referring to a kiss); at Luke 2:12 (pertaining to a baby in a manger); at Luke 11:30 (indicating Jonah's preaching to Nineveh); and at Romans 4:11 (having reference to circumcision).

Our conclusion, then -- anent this Biblical word-study -- is as follows. Scripture indeed calls some signs or smeia "miracles" (John 2:11). But the Bible also shows that other smeia were clearly non-miraculous (John 10:41). For Christ's turning water into wine at Cana is authoritatively stated to have been the first of His miracles -- whereas John the Baptist did no miracles.

Now there is no word in Biblical Hebrew or Biblical Greek with the exclusive meaning of 'miracle.' Whenever miracles which occurred were recorded in Scripture, the Bible writers used words which referred to striking phenomena (whether miraculous or not). Such are: [ ]

So whenever such words are used in Scripture, only a careful study of the surrounding context can establish (sometimes easily yet often with difficulty and on occasions only inconclusively) whether the case concerned refers to a miracle or not.

Accordingly, the matters as to what miracles are and when they occur (or alternatively ceased occurring) have to be established from the general investigation of the Holy Bible in particular -- rather than from just a few isolated prooftexts (such as Mark 16:l6f and First Corinthians 13:8f).

3. God alone is truly 'Wonderful'; yet wicked ones often do 'lying wonders'

No man or angel or demon but God Alone can perform true wonders -- either immediately and irrespective of His creatures, or mediately through the agency of His chosen instruments. As the inspired Moses exclaimed to the Lord (in Exodus 15:1-11): "Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises -- doing wonders [ ] "You," says Asaph (Psalm 77:14), "are the God Who does wonders [ ].

Indeed, says David, "there is none like You, O Lord.... For You are great, and do wonderful things. You Alone are God!" Psalm 86:8-10.

Hence the Psalmist (136:4) also urges us to "give thanks...to Him Who Alone does great wonders [ ]

Indeed: "Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who Alone does wondrous things.” Psalm 72:18.

Yet there are also some passages of Scripture which indicate that the Lord God not just does 'wonderful things' but is Himself 'Wonderful.' Thus, Isaiah 28:29 says that the Lord of hosts is "wonderful" or hip-pel).

Indeed, Isaiah 9:6 adds that the Messianic Son would Himself be called "Wonderful" or Pele.

In this sense, God Alone is 'Wonderful.' These passages are not saying that the Lord merely performs remarkable 'wonders' (nor even that He Alone performs real 'miracles' which no human will ever be able to explain). These passages are actually saying that God Himself is 'wonderful' -- and would still have been so, even if He had never performed a single miracle.

Yet significantly, we are never told that God is Himself a 'miracle.' And this fact clearly differentiates the 'wonderful' from the 'miraculous' in theology.

Ultimately, all things are wonderful, because God made them thus. See: Second Samuel 1:26; Job 42:3; Psalms 107:8-31 & 139:14; and Prov 30:18 etc. But it is certainly not so that all things are miraculous. For sand, microbes, plants, animals and also most people – are never so described in God's holy and infallible Word. They are all wonderful, but surely not miraculous.

Indeed, also the humanly-inexplicable acts of Satan and his demons and of the various antichrists and especially of the man of sin -- though certainly called "great signs and wonders" or smeia megala kai terata (and so forth) -- are nevertheless not true miracles at all. They are, at the most, merely 'lying-wonders' or terata pseuda.

Thus, even the pagan Egyptian magicians could and did turn their rods into serpents --and also turned waters into blood, and brought frogs upon the land of Egypt. Exodus 7:10f, & 8:7. Note, however -- at Exodus 8:18 -- their powerlessness to bring forth lice in the way that God through Moses did.

(19-21) Schooling & Reforming Anglobaptacostatractaholics: Words from Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) F.N. Lee

Lee, Francis Nigel. Miracles and Pseudo-Miracles—What and When and Why? http://www.dr-fnlee.org/docs8/mapm/mapm.pdf. Accessed 30 Sept 2013.

Schooling and reforming Anglobaptacostatractaholics: Words From Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) Francis Nigel Lee.

Reforming the unreformed, Anglicanobaptacostalistictractaholics, Pentecostals, charismatics and others who could be—might be—be teachable and reformable. If not reformable, tis’ a new day for some goodbyes and dissolutions of connections; if unreformable, tis’ a day of new beginnings, new hellos and new associations. Now for some further instruction from Mr. Lee. 

We regret that some Hebrew and Greeks words did not transfer.  We will insert [ ] to indicate the loss in transmission, but now, for Mr. Lee.

"Thomas Aquinas said: 3 "The name 'mir-acle' is taken from 'ad-mir-e.'" Compare too the function of the root of our word 'mir-acle' -- in everyday English words like 'ad-mir-e' and 'mir-ador' and 'mir-ror' etc. A 'miracle' is thus, very linguistically speaking, simply something seen which arouses man's ad-mir-ation.

"However, in this present work of ours we shall use the word in its normal theological sense—viz., a supranatural act of God (whether humanly admitted to be so or not) which changes something within the physical world in a humanly inexplicable manner to the glory of God in Christ. Our work consists of seven parts.

"First, as above, we shall attempt to define miracles. A survey of past definitions offered, will soon show just how difficult such a task is.

"Second, we shall trace the history of miracles. That will range from their very first inception until their suspension at the inscripturation of the completed Bible -- till their next reoccurrence at Christ's final coming, miraculously to consummate the ages at the very end of world history.

"Third, we shall strongly argue that the apostolic offices and miraculous gifts and also all miracles whatsoever ceased during the apostolic age. By this, we mean miracles that last occurred before the death of the last Apostle who had personally seen the risen and ascended Christ as the 'Absolute Miracle.'

"Fourth, we shall show that there is no patristic evidence whatsoever which establishes that miracles indeed continued during the post-apostolic age(s). Properly interpreted, all patristic references to miracles only very clearly relate to occurrences during the apostolic age (or even earlier)—and not to occurrences during the subsequent patristic age.

"Fifth, we shall demonstrate that much patristic and subsequent evidence affirms that all such miracles indeed ceased. They did so at the very completion of the inscripturation of the Bible.

"Sixth, we shall discuss (real and imagined) still-continuing deceptions. Together with this, we shall also take a very good look at Satan's super-natural yet non-miraculous 'lying wonders' or pseudo-miracles.

"Finally (seventh), we shall summarize our findings. There, our conclusion will be that while pseudo-miracles in varying degrees indeed keep recurring till the end of world history--all true miracles terminated at the inscripturation of the last book in the Holy Bible. Indeed, miracles will not recur again -- till the miraculous return of Jesus on the clouds of Heaven, to raise the dead and to meet His saints in the air.

"PART I: WHAT ARE TRUE MIRACLES?

"What are true miracles? Are they simply wonderful signs? Is God alone wonderful? Did miracles occur at creation? Are unusual events: 'miracles'? Are 'lying wonders' miracles, or even 'wonders' at all? What is the true character of miracles? Does Scripture give any definition of them?

"To answer the above questions, after the Holy Bible we also need to study the views of those who have carefully scrutinized the teachings of the Holy Bible on these questions. Here we shall present the in-depth views about miracles of: Augustine; Albert the Great; Thomas Aquinas; Luther; Calvin; the Westminster Standards; John Owen; Voetius; the two Hodges; Godet; Shedd; Dabney; Thornwell; Warfield; Dr. Abraham Kuyper Sr.; Geesink; Bavinck; Hepp; Machen; Honig; Berkhof; Professor John Murray (of Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia); Berkouwer; Buswell; Hoeksema; Potgieter; Heyns; Boice; Erickson; Van Genderen; Velema; Morton H. Smith; Wayne Grudem; and Francis Nigel Lee.

"The Biblical words translated 'miracles' and 'wonders'

"Study of the Biblical use of the word "miracle" shows this phrase is often used to translate various Biblical words. In the Old Testament Hebrew, there is the word.
(Exodus 7:9; Deuteronomy 29:3; First Kings 13:35; Second Chronicles 32:24; etc.). Other words used there include: (Numbers 14:22 & Deuteronomy 11:3) and (Exodus
34:10 cf. Judges 6:13).

"In the New Testament Greek, there is the word dunamis. Mark 9:39; Acts 2:22; 8:13; 19:11; First Corinthians 12:10,28-29; Galatians 3:5; Hebrews 2:4. Then there is also the word semion. Luke 23:8; John 2:11,23; 3:2; 4:54; 6:2,14,26; 7:31; 9:16; 10:41,47; 12:18,37; Acts 4:16,22; 6:8; 8:6; 15:12.

"Means: 'miracle'; 'wonder'; 'sign'; or 'type.' Means 'singular' or 'amazing' or 'marvellous.' [Ed. Again, some of the Greek and Hebrew terms did not transfer. Ergo, we will use [ ] at places that are not clear. We refer the reader to the URL above for further information] [ ] simply means 'sign' (whether miraculous or not). The word dunamis essentially means 'power.' Indeed, the word semeion merely means 'sign.' Not just the word 'miracle' (as above) but even the word 'wonder' is similarly used, in many cases, to translate these same Hebrew or Greek words. For 'wonder' translates the word[ ] in: Exodus 4:21 & 7:3 & 11:9,10 & 34:10f; Deuteronomy 4:32-34 & 6:22 & 7:19 & 13:12 & 26:8 & 28:46 & 34:11; First Chronicles 16:12; Second Chronicles 32:31; Nehemiah 9:10; Psalms 78:17-32, 43 & 105:27 & 106:22f & 135:9; and Jeremiah 32:20-21.

"The same word 'wonder' translates the word [ ]—in Exodus 3:20 & 15:10-12; Joshua 3:5; Judges 13:19f; Nehemiah 9:17; Psalms 77:11-14 & 78:4,11f & 106:1f & 136:4f and Micah 7:15. It so renders also the word [ ] -- a 'miracle' or a 'wonder' -- in Daniel 4:2-3 & 6:27

"On the other hand, the word 'wonder' is not used to translate [ ] or 'sign'). Yet it does sometimes translate semion (in Revelation 12:1-3) and 'great [pseudo-]wonders' of Satanic deceit (in Revelation 13:13).

"The word 'wonder' is used to translate also teras (a 'prodigy'). At Matthew 24:24 and Mark 13:22, it means false and anti-christian 'signs and wonders.' Yet elsewhere, it is also used to describe true miracles -- viz. at John 4:38f; Acts 2:19-22,43f & 4:30 & 5:12f & 6:8 & 7:36 & 14:3 & 15:12; Romans 15:19; Second Corinthians 12:12; and Hebrews 2:4.

"There are also other words in the Holy Bible sometimes used to describe the concept of miracle. Such word include: 1, [ ] means: 'a new thing' or 'a new creation.' It is used in Scripture but once (Numbers 16:30). There, however, it clearly refers to a miracle. The word nip-pel [ ] 'amazing things' -- from [ ](as above) -- clearly carries the same meaning of 'newness' in Exodus 34. Indeed -- compare too the similar usages of [ ] at Genesis 1:1 & Jeremiah 31:22.

"For ktisis and its derivatives, see later below. This clearly seems to be the New Testament equivalent of [ ] ('a new creation'), and is to be addressed in our next section (2 below). [ ] (or 'mighty power') is sometimes used to describe a miracle. See its usage in Psalms 106:2-8 & 145:4-12 & 150:2. Ma'assooth simply means 'works.' This is so seen in Psalms 8:6 & 19:1, compare 1:14f.

God willing, more to follow.