Weekly Thoughts

Have you ever considered that when Elijah asked Elisha what he wanted Elisha said he wanted a double portion of the mantle which Elijah had. Elijah told him this was a hard thing he had asked. But it does seem that when he took up the mantle of Elijah that is exactly what happened. Elijah preformed 8 known miracles and Elisha 16. Reading the scripture below will set up my thought:
2Ki 5:25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.
Gehazi having seem 16 miracles and just having witnessed the cleansing of the leper who he followed after and retrieved of, filthy lucre(ill gotten gains), lied and told Elisha he had been no where in particular. (In questioning anyone where the answers are vague there is always a reason for concern.) The end of the story was that Gehazi lied and as a result received into himself the very same leprosy which followed him and all his generations. Gehazi having seen miracle after miracle still did not believe and was still seduced by evil. Judas was the same. How many miracles had Judas seen and still did not believe. In fact miracles are for those who are believers(past, present, and future) not to make anyone believe. If they did then everyone who saw these signs and wonders would believe or would have believed(past, present and future). Consider what the Priest wished to do after Christ raised Lazarus from the Grave. They sought to kill Lazarus. Which I am sure would have been considered a joke by Lazarus seeing how he had seen death conquered. That, I am sure, was especially true in the mind of Lazarus after Christ had risen and Death and the Grave no longer had it’s power. But back to the point: Thomas having seen many miracles was still a doubter. Peter went fishing. Two took the road to Emmaus, depressed over the apparent failure of the Messiah. The point is this: No matter how many wonders and signs God demonstrates to men none of them will draw man to God for salvation. Many see wonders and are and were still lost. It would lead one to think that the church has placed too much importance on miracles (not that they do not have their place)and in opposition, the world is placing too little importance on them. In fact if one is actually objective it does seem that wonders of evil tend to draw people toward evil but wonders of good do not tend to draw people toward good. Perhaps this is because people tend to be drawn easily toward evil for no other reason than evil is their nature.
Having considered most of this, in the simplicity of my mind, it does seem that man is not saved by the demonstrations of the power of God. In fact all through the wilderness, those who God had miraculously saved with powerful demonstrations over and over again did seek and actually did return to the Evil which God had taken them away from.
So what does save man:
One might say it is the sovereignty of God. This can not be biblically disputed without the argument eventually self destructing. One might say it is the responsibility of man. This can neither be biblically disputed with out the argument eventually self destructing. But then again every argument can be made to self destruct. So is this a paradox. No there is no such thing With God! So where is the syllogism found in the two apparently opposing premises. It can be found in the Great reconciler and redeemer, Jesus Christ! consider the Scriptures below which are just a few of many. (Excuse the inserts. They are used only to make the point.)
Mat 18:7 Woe unto the world because of offenses! for it must needs be that offenses come(this is the Sovereignty of God); but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh!(this is the responsibility of man)
Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.(this is the responsibility of man)
Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (this is the sovereignty of God)
Act 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God(the sovereignty of God), ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: (the responsibility of man)
So what is the conclusion: It is an opinion based on the best information that I have at hand. It is apparent the One True Sovereign God Saves man by grace through faith in, His Risen Son, Jesus Christ and man is responsible. It is apparent that this is why we needed a redeemer and reconciler found in, The Risen, Jesus Christ. It is apparent that miracles do not offer a steadfast answer to convincing or convicting man.
(Joh 2:18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign showest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Joh 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. )
This sign has been given and still it has not changed the hearts of those, who as a nation or as individuals, have rejected Christ.
So it does seem that it is not signs and wonders, miracles or the lack of which save men. In fact it does seem that men look for ways to explain them away, cover them up or use them for self serving cupidity and aggrandizement.
With that one might tend to think that the greatest miracle or wonder is this. With all the truths and evidences, both empirical and otherwise, people as nations and individuals have chosen to reject Christ. Perhaps this offers proof, more than anything else, of the Sovereignty of God. In fact, in my mind. To reject Christ is what I consider the greatest wonder of them all.
David