Paul And The Miraculous

How can we explain the difference between the "miraculous" Christianity expressed in the Gospels and the nearly miracle-free Christianity of Paul? In this historically informed study, senior New Testament scholar Graham Twelftree challenges the view that Paul was primarily a thinker and reimagines him as an apostle of Jesus for whom the miraculous was of profound importance. Highlighting often-overlooked material in Paul's letters, Twelftree offers a fresh consideration of what the life and work of Paul might teach us about miracles in early Christianity and sheds light on how early Christians lived out their faith.

Miraculous Gifts is a discussion of spiritual gifts in light of the basic differences between cessationalism and Pentecostalism. Many studies of this issue are written from a primarily theological perspective, and while theological arguments are valid, charismatics assert that this controversy concerns "biblical" gifts and miracles, and is therefore a matter of 'faith' to believe their claims, with theological arguments proving unsatisfactory. The fundamental question is, "Is this what the Bible discusses; is it biblical?" Miraculous Gifts attempts to answer that question by providing a biblically-based analysis of spiritual gifts in view of the charismatic controversy.

For more than a century, scholars have debated whether Paul the apostle was a faithful follower of Jesus or a corruptor of Jesus’s message and the true founder of Christianity. Signs of Continuity intervenes in this debate by exploring a largely overlooked element of similarity between the two men: the place of miracles in their ministries. In his close analysis of the miracles performed by Jesus and Paul, Greg Rhodea points to signs of continuity between these two historical figures of Christianity. He argues that both Jesus and Paul understood their miracles as accompanying and actualizing a message of gracious inclusion of the marginalized, resisted proving their ability to work miracles to those who asked for a sign despite the importance of miracle-working to their personal authentication, and interpreted miracles as proof of the presence of the eschatological kingdom. Based on these similarities, Rhodea concludes that Paul the apostle knew of Jesus’s miracles and that he imitated Jesus in his own ministry of miracle-working. In highlighting this previously unexplored area of continuity, Rhodea makes a significant contribution to the debate over the relationship between Jesus and Paul. Biblical scholars and students interested in this debate will find Signs of Continuity enlightening and informative.

The various contributions intend to demonstrate for what reason miracle stories were told in different religious, political and historical circumstances. All authors are experts in their field and position the narrating of miracle stories within a specific literary and religio-historical context.

“For thousands of years, the hope of heaven has called to people through miracles. When we stop to consider their stories, God’s voice calls to us as well.” In our age of constant innovation, technological achievement, and the sad tendency to see ourselves as the captains of our fate, we may be tempted to make little time for miracles, or give little credence to them. But to live our lives without a sense of the miraculous is to live impoverished lives. Our word for miracle comes from the Latin word mirari, “to wonder.” And well might we wonder when we consider the nature of miracles and their purpose. It is here that a grand conversation beckons. God has been our help in ages past. He is our hope for years to come. To learn of holy events and people—supremely, to look upon the Savior—is to see the power of God, and how He has always sought to draw us to Himself. He is our eternal home. Miracles point the way there. Look at a night sky, studded with numberless constellations of stars. Each is a celestial shard of glory—bestowing glimpses of the eternal. Miracles in Scripture are like the stars. They, like the heavens, declare the glory of God. In these pages are scenes and lives touched by eternity, settings of almighty declaration, moments marked by deliverance, by mercy, or visionary unfoldings of God’s divine intent. Kevin Belmonte provides learned insight into the profoundly important history of miracles. Miraculous is a richly researched text of wondrous things that have taken place from ancient times to the present.

Miracles—those wondrous moments of the inexplicable, when amazing things that can only be orchestrated by the hand of God happen. Through its brief vignettes that are easily accessible in morning or evening devotions, this book explores the many events in Scripture when God intervenes in the lives of ordinary people and creates extraordinary outcomes. Beginning with the numerous incidents in the New Testament when Jesus and later His disciples seek transformation in the human body, mind, and spirit, we learn how He made the impossible possible. But just as importantly, we see how God intends for us to believe and experience the same miracles in our lives. This is what makes the living Word active in our lives—when Scripture comes to life for us and triggers change in us, an explosion of faith that says, “Our God is able.” The text not only delves into New Testament episodes but also works its way through amazing Old Testament events that describe God moving across the earth and in the lives of people to reform nothingness into magnificence, heartache into joy, and tragedy into triumph. After all, isn’t that what the Holy Spirit seeks to do in us every single day of our lives? I hope you enjoy this book and its reimagining of the miraculous in the Bible. It was birthed through a love for God’s Word, shared on Christian radio and seasoned through life experiences. May each story affect a meaningful impact in your walk with Jesus.

Are Miraculous Gifts for Today? takes you to the heart of one of the most dividing questions in the Church today: how are the Holy Spirit’s miracles at work among God's people now? Is he still actively giving the gifts of tongues, prophecy, and healing that fill the book of Acts? Is he driving out demons when Christians command them to flee? Or are these events confined to the time of the early church and the apostles? This volume of the Counterpoints series provides an impartial format for comparing the four main positions on present-day miracles (including the history and distinctions between the three positions that affirm miraculous gifts) with voice also given to a large sector of open-but-cautious evangelicals: Cessationist: there are no miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit today. Pentecostal: gifts are intended for today, with certain nuances focused on baptism and speaking in tongues. Charismatic: gifts are intended for today and should be actively practiced. Third Wave: gifts are intended for today, with greater emphasis on baptism and less on tongues. This thought-provoking book will help Christians on every side of the miraculous gifts debate to better understand their own position and the positions of others. The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.