These Miracles Follow Obedience To The Truth

1 Peter 1:22
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.

Miracles are real occurrences that defy human understanding and are attributed to the supernatural. Many will not mind witnessing or even experience a miracle. Our text today tells us that some miracles will follow obedience to the truth. Meaning after we obey the truth, the miracle will happen.

Miracles happened at the word of Jesus. The water turned into wine. The sick recovered. The dead were raised from the dead. A small boy’s lunch was multiplied to satisfy thousands of people. Peter walked on water, etc.

Miracles happened throughout the ministry of the Apostles. Peter and John healed a lame man. Peter raised Dorcas from the dead. Paul was unharmed by a poisonous snake.

1 Corinthians 12:10
to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.

The ability to perform miracles is not for every believer but for those who have the gift of performing miracles. Miracles are not obsolete, they still take place. The list of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that includes the performance of miracles is explained as having been given to some and not all, see Romans 12:6-8, also 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, and Ephesians 4:11-12. Not everyone can and should perform miracles, or speak in tongues, or preach, or lead, or whatever other gifts. The Bible clearly tells us in those passages that the gift is for some in the church, while others have different gifts.

Galatians 5:22-23
(22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

What we all share in common is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. The fruit of the Holy Spirit should be the same in any and every believer. But the gift does not have to be the same. We all should and must love, have joy, peace, etc., but we all cant be evangelists or leaders or performers of miracles. Gifts are different per believer. Fruit of the Spirit is the same for all believers.

The evidence of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer is not having a particular gift that others lack. The evidence of having the Holy Spirit cannot be the gift of being a Pastor, because not everyone can be a Pastor, that is a gift given to some and not all. The evidence of having the Holy Spirit cannot be speaking in tongues because that is a gift given to some and not all. The only evidence of having the Holy Spirit is bearing the fruit of the Spirit, being loving, being joyful, being patient, etc., that is the evidence that one has the Holy Spirit.

Mark 16:17-18
(17) And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; (18) they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

These signs will accompany believers as a body of Christ and not necessarily as individuals. This is because the items mentioned fall under gifts of the Holy Spirit. Gifts are not the same for all believers. Not all can perform miracles or speak in tongues. However within the church, the body of Christ, these gifted individuals will exist. Therefore, wherever the church will go or be, these gifted individuals will exist and play their part in the ministry of the church.

Gifts of the Holy Spirit will help the church prosper. The gifts are for the good of the church and not for individual aggrandizement. These signs will accompany those who believe…, the word those is plural not singular. In my name they will drive out demons…, they meaning plural not singular. Mark sixteen refers to the collective membership, the church, the body of Christ.

Matthew 12:39
He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

Matthew 16:4
A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away.

A religious quest for miracles is based on curiosity and not a search for God. Jesus condemned those who followed Him with a desire to see and experience a miracle. Any religious movement that is driven by the pursuit of miracles may satisfy curiosity and meet temporal needs, but will not serve the purposes of God. Jesus condemned the congregation that gathered expecting a miracle. All congregations that still gather to this day in search of miracles stand condemned by Jesus!

Revelation 16:13-14
(13)Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. (14) They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.

Satan and demonic spirits have the power and the ability to perform miracles. The miracles performed by satan and satanic forces are genuine and not fake. If all you need is a miracle, the devil can grant you a clean perfect irrefutable miracle, then you end up in hell. To make miracles a goal in one’s life is to follow a path that Jesus condemned and a path that satan thrives in. Miracles should only follow obedience to the truth and not stand out by themselves. It is possible for a false religion, false prophet, etc., to perform miracles because satan can assist them. Our safety is in seeking biblical truth and miraculous occurrences.

In our main text today, Apostle Peter tells the church that there are miracles that follow obedience to the truth. If you obey the truth. Take note, it is obeying the truth and not just knowing it. There are people who know the truth but do not obey it. They have read the truth, known it, but have not obeyed it. They have heard the truth preached and taught, they have known it, but not obeyed it. The miracle only follows obedience to the truth. It is useless to know the truth without following it. There is no miracle for knowing the truth, there is only a miracle for obeying the truth.

Knowing about baptism and not getting baptized is a waste of time. Knowing about the true church and not being part of it, is as useless as if you had never known it. Knowing about the need to quit alcohol, and other drug abuse habits and not quitting is not worth the knowledge. Why know about the Sabbath and not keep it? The only useful truth is the truth that is followed. Known truth unless followed is a waste. Miracles follow obedience of truth and not knowledge of the truth. Knowing about tithes and offerings without giving will never result in blessings. Miracles follow obedience to the truth and not knowledge of the truth. These miracles will follow obedience to the truth!

Obedience to the truth always results in one being purified. A stinking hopeless sinner gets purified by God when they obey the truth. Do you want a new life, clean before God and people? You will be purified if you obey the truth. Obedience to the truth will also result in love for one another in a very sincere way heretofore unknown.

These are miracles! That we dirty unworthy sinners can be purified is a miracle that follows obedience to the truth. That we bigots can abolish divisive beliefs and actions and truly genuinely love one another is a miracle. These miracles will follow obedience to the truth!

Dear God, enable us to obey the truth, and may these miracles and many more follow us, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

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