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APOLOGETICS

APOLOGETICS. MIRACLES. Miracles. Matthew 14:22-33 2 Kings 6:1-7 Exodus 3:1-4 I Kings 17:7-24. Characteristics of Miracles. A true miracle Has an unnatural dimension that commands attention Burning bush not consumed, fire from heaven, ax head floats

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APOLOGETICS

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  1. APOLOGETICS MIRACLES

  2. Miracles • Matthew 14:22-33 • 2 Kings 6:1-7 • Exodus 3:1-4 • I Kings 17:7-24

  3. Characteristics of Miracles A true miracle • Has an unnatural dimension that commands attention • Burning bush not consumed, fire from heaven, ax head floats • Has a theological dimension that presupposes a God who can work miracles • Has a moral dimension that reveals the character of God • Miracles bless, showing the love and mercy of God • Miracles punish, showing the justice of God

  4. Characteristics of Miracles A true miracle • Has a teleological dimension, a goal to accomplish, a purpose driving what actually happens • To glorify God, to declare Jesus to be divine, to edify the Church, etc. • Has a doctrinal dimension • Miracles directly or indirectly verify truth claims

  5. Characteristics of Miracles A miracle is an event that is contrary in some way to natural law • A temporary suspension of a natural law • A change in the rate of a process governed by natural law A miracle produces immediate results A miracle always brings glory to God A miracle never fails

  6. Kinds of False Miracles • Magical tricks • Psychosomatic curses • Anomalies of nature • Satanic signs • False claims to resurrection

  7. What about Providence? • James 1:17 • Matthew 5:45 • Acts 17:25 • Psalm 104:21, 27-28 • Birth • Growth • Health

  8. The Value of Miracles for an Apologist Confirmation • Acts 14:3 • Exodus 4:1-5 • John 20:30-31 Biblical miracles were intended to conduct, not to compel, humans to faith. • Luke 16:31 Fact does not force faith, but faith cannot be divorced from fact.*

  9. Famous Objectors: David Hume Miracles cannot occur. Here’s why: • A miracle is a supposed event that is contrary to the laws of nature • Everything that happens occurs within nature • So nothing that happens can be contrary to the laws of nature • Hence, miracles cannot occur Key assumption: Empiricism Corollary assumption: Naturalism

  10. Famous Objectors: Antony Flew A miracle is of value only if it can be identified • Christians assume God’s existence in order to identify miracles that confirm God’s existence • This is a circular argument • There is no definition of miracle that is adequate to identify an occurrence as being a miracle Key assumption: Only Christians resort to “properly basic beliefs”

  11. Can Miracles be ruled out of existence? Once identified adequately, it would be impossible to rule them out of existence. Here’s why: It’s impossible to prove a universal negative proposition. To demonstrate “No S is P” requires the objector to be • Omniscient • Omnipresent • Eternal

  12. History’s Greatest Miracle? The conception of Jesus • No male gamete • No sin nature • Radical alteration of conditions of life for the Son

  13. History’s Greatest Miracle

  14. History’s Greatest Miracle He claimed it would happen • Matthew 16:21 People saw it happen • 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 His resurrected body was experienced by the disciples • 1 John 1:1-3

  15. History’s Greatest Miracle History shows that the witnesses suffered for what they knew to be the truth about the miracle • The soldiers • The disciples In the spirit of Jerry McGuire, the new sect could have been stopped dead in its tracks by one thing: • “Show me the dead body” • But the skeptics could not show them the dead body: Matthew 27:62-66, Acts 2:23-24

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