The Supernatural and the New Testament

[Achilles6129]

I'm going to quote some passages that will describe the sort of experiences a Christian is supposed to have based on the New Testament:

"14 Are they (angels) not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?" Heb. 1:14 (NASB)

"12 For our struggle is not against [e]flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." Eph. 6:12 (NASB)

"20 And He *said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you." Mt. 17:20 (NASB)

"12 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father." Jn. 14:12 (NASB)

" 6 even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed [d]in you, 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Cor. 1:6-7 (NASB)

Also, 1 Cor. 12 talks clearly about the "gifts of the Spirit."

All of these passages make it clear that the supernatural is to be a part of the experience of every Christian. In other words, it is to be a normative experience of Christianity. Your thoughts?

 

[PropheticTimes]

I'm going to quote some passages that will describe the sort of experiences a Christian is supposed to have based on the New Testament:

"14 Are they (angels) not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?" Heb. 1:14 (NASB)

"12 For our struggle is not against [e]flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." Eph. 6:12 (NASB)

"20 And He *said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you." Mt. 17:20 (NASB)

"12 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father." Jn. 14:12 (NASB)

" 6 even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed [d]in you, 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Cor. 1:6-7 (NASB)

Also, 1 Cor. 12 talks clearly about the "gifts of the Spirit."

All of these passages make it clear that the supernatural is to be a part of the experience of every Christian. In other words, it is to be a normative experience of Christianity. Your thoughts?

I agree. The Bible is overflowing with supernatural encounters and experiences. Yet for some reason people today scoff at the mention of the supernatural being very real in our lives today; still something I cannot quite understand.

 

[jhwatts]

This would be a good poll. I wonder how many have felt they have had a supernatural experience.

 

[Thedictator]

All of these passages make it clear that the supernatural is to be a part of the experience of every Christian. In other words, it is to be a normative experience of Christianity. Your thoughts?

I disagree, There is two parallel worlds going on simultaneously, the physical world and the spiritual world. Both worlds have laws that govern them. In the physical world most of the laws we call Physics or some other disciplines of science. The spiritual world also has laws that govern it as well, part of the these laws keep each world apart from each other. The supernatural is not the spiritual world, The supernatural is God's special power to set aside the natural laws of both the physical and the spiritual worlds. God does this very sparingly. In the thousands of years of human history God has performed very few supernatural acts. Not all miracles are supernatural, some are having the power to control natural forces like when Jesus calmed the storm, or having control over spiritual laws like expelling evil spirits from someone. Again the supernatural is God's power to set aside the physical and spiritual laws that govern this Universe. There have been many of God's people thought out History that has never experienced a supernatural act.

 

[mark kennedy]

I'm going to quote some passages that will describe the sort of experiences a Christian is supposed to have based on the New Testament:

"14 Are they (angels) not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?" Heb. 1:14 (NASB)

"12 For our struggle is not against [e]flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." Eph. 6:12 (NASB)

"20 And He *said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you." Mt. 17:20 (NASB)

"12 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father." Jn. 14:12 (NASB)

" 6 even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed [d]in you, 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Cor. 1:6-7 (NASB)

Also, 1 Cor. 12 talks clearly about the "gifts of the Spirit."

All of these passages make it clear that the supernatural is to be a part of the experience of every Christian. In other words, it is to be a normative experience of Christianity. Your thoughts?

When you come under conviction because God has called you to repentance, that is a miracle. When you hear the gospel, the eyes and ears of your soul becoming cognizant of the power of the age to come that is a miracle. When you believe the gospel, receive the Holy Spirit, die to sin and rise up to walk in faith being born again, that's a miracle.

When this happens:

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. (Col. 3:12-14)
​

That's a miracle. It's supernatural in that it's God doing what only God can do.

Grace and peace,
Mark

 

[Achilles6129]

Right, but several of these things are describing specific things that happen. The question is, how do you rationalize them if you don't believe that they're literal?

 

[Winken]

I'm going to quote some passages that will describe the sort of experiences a Christian is supposed to have based on the New Testament:

"14 Are they (angels) not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?" Heb. 1:14 (NASB)

"12 For our struggle is not against [e]flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." Eph. 6:12 (NASB)

"20 And He *said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you." Mt. 17:20 (NASB)

"12 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father." Jn. 14:12 (NASB)

" 6 even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed [d]in you, 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Cor. 1:6-7 (NASB)

Also, 1 Cor. 12 talks clearly about the "gifts of the Spirit."

All of these passages make it clear that the supernatural is to be a part of the experience of every Christian. In other words, it is to be a normative experience of Christianity. Your thoughts?

14 The new birth of each person is Spiritual (capital S). Those of us who receive Jesus as Savior are instantly inhabited by the Holy Spirit. He can't be anything but Holy. I would not refer to that as "super natural." That implies that the Spiritual (capital S) and that which is superior in the natural world (mind, mental, emotions), are equal. No way. Those ministering "spirits" in context are Spiritual in purpose. Remember: The Book of Hebrews is titled exactly that: "To the Hebrews."

12 Struggle between Christians was never intended. The struggle on earth is between those who are unsaved. Note the small letter s in "spiritual forces of darkness." Those are "out there" in evil. A capital S is not present, nor is one intended.

20 Matthew is addressed to Jewish folk. They were battered about with "little" faith. A Christian is saved by Grace through Faith, the GIFT of God. It cannot be "little".

 

[Winken]

When you come under conviction because God has called you to repentance, that is a miracle. When you hear the gospel, the eyes and ears of your soul becoming cognizant of the power of the age to come that is a miracle. When you believe the gospel, receive the Holy Spirit, die to sin and rise up to walk in faith being born again, that's a miracle.

When this happens:

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. (Col. 3:12-14)
​

That's a miracle. It's supernatural in that it's God doing what only God can do.

Grace and peace,
Mark

"That's a miracle. It's" Spiritual "in that" ..........

 

[Winken]

I disagree, There is two parallel worlds going on simultaneously, the physical world and the spiritual world. Both worlds have laws that govern them. In the physical world most of the laws we call Physics or some other disciplines of science. The spiritual world also has laws that govern it as well, part of the these laws keep each world apart from each other. The supernatural is not the spiritual world, The supernatural is God's special power to set aside the natural laws of both the physical and the spiritual worlds. God does this very sparingly. In the thousands of years of human history God has performed very few supernatural acts. Not all miracles are supernatural, some are having the power to control natural forces like when Jesus calmed the storm, or having control over spiritual laws like expelling evil spirits from someone. Again the supernatural is God's power to set aside the physical and spiritual laws that govern this Universe. There have been many of God's people thought out History that has never experienced a supernatural act.

There is natural (spiritual) world, the home of that which is outside the Spiritual. The entire world experiences the "spiritual," small s; that is, the super, beyond natural, "world."

 

[mark kennedy]

Right, but several of these things are describing specific things that happen. The question is, how do you rationalize them if you don't believe that they're literal?

What do you mean literal, being under conviction for sin or being born again. What possible good does it do us if it's all figurative?