Is salvation a miracle?
Question:
Hello Brother Jeffrey,
Is salvation considered a miracle? I ask because the gospel is described as the power of God and in the Strong’s Concordance, the same word is used in some places for miracles. Also, Ephesians 2:1-10, Titus 3:4-7, II Timothy 1:9-10, John 6:44-45, Colossians 2:11-12, II Timothy 2:24-26, Acts 2:48, Philippians 1:3, 2:12-13. God does the work on the heart and I understand we must be willing, but we do have evidence in the gospel of miracles being performed but souls are unwilling to believe.
Please advise.
Thank you.
Answer:
When miracles were done in the New Testament, sometimes the person didn't know he was being offered a miracle (Acts 3:3-8). If you claim that salvation is a miracle, then to be consistent, you must also claim that it is God's fault that there are those who are not saved. This contradicts "This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (I Timothy 2:3-4). If God wants everyone saved and there are some not saved, then it must be a problem on men's part and not God's.
Miracles in the Bible weren't done for the miracle's sake. The miracle demonstrated God's power and proved that God supported the person bringing His message. To be notable, miracles were not everyday occurrences. They were shocking because humans could not do what just happened. Miracles basically break the fundamental laws of this universe. Thus, while the birth of a baby is amazing, it is not a miracle. While it is wonderful that someone chooses to follow God, his salvation is how God designed it to work.
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16).
The gospel message is the way God converts people (I Corinthians 1:18).
"Power" can refer to miracles, but it also can refer to authority (I Corinthians 4:20; 5:4). It can even refer to the strength of meaning in words (I Corinthians 14:11), the strength of rulers (I Corinthians 15:24), or the strength of sin (I Corinthians 15:56). These are not references to miracles. It is a mistake to assume that since a word can be used for one purpose in one context, it must carry the same meaning in all contexts.
Response:
Hello Brother Jeffrey,
Thank you for the comprehensive explanation!
