Many decades ago, before I came to faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior, I thought, “If only God would show me miracles. Then I would believe. Yes, a clear miracle. Why doesn’t he do miracles? Then people would believe.” I was ignorant of the power of the sinful nature.
Even if God does a miracle, faith does not immediately and permanently follow. Jesus and the apostles performed miracles that even the greatest sceptic could not rationalize as being a natural occurrence. Yet, many did not believe. Signs, wonders, and miracles accompanied Paul and the other apostles’ message, and people did not believe. Or perhaps they did for a while, then later they fell away from the truth.
Signs, wonders, and miracles accompanied Paul’s ministry of reconciliation. However, while he was away, some split-tongued self-proclaimed snakes came into their congregation, discredited Paul and the gospel he preached, and led them astray. No. Witnessing miracles does not lead to a lifetime of humble faith and obedience. There may be some rare occurrences of this. But after all the miracles Israel witnessed through Moses, the prophets, and then Jesus, wasn’t enough, why ask for a miracle as proof now?
