Sorry, but the LORD does not change!

[John Zain]

• “For I am the Lord, I do not change” (Malachi 3:6)
• “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

The NT church was GOD’s MODEL for all churches in the future …
re: their doctrines, evangelism, starting churches, church meetings, etc.
We know what the basic gospel message is …
but the NT tells us HOW it should be presented to the heathens:

Jesus claimed that the people needed to see signs and wonders
• “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Unless you people see signs and wonders,
you will by no means believe.’ ” (John 4:48)
• “Therefore they said to Him, ‘What sign will You perform then,
that we may see it and believe You?’ ” (John 6:30)

So, He gave them what they needed
• “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them,
and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.” (Mark 16:20)
• “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are
not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:30-31)
• “… (the gospel message) was confirmed to us by those who heard Him (Jesus),
God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles,
and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will” (Hebrews 2:3-4)

Paul thought it might just be a good idea to copy Jesus
• “… in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God
… I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.” (Romans 15:19)
• “… my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom,
but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be
in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)
• “For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power,
and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance” (1 Thessalonians 1:5)

This method of preaching is done by many evangelists throughout the world
The LORD is especially delighted to perform His signs, wonders, and miracles (SWM)
where the people are genuinely ignorant and innocent unbelievers, e.g. heathens.
These people not only hear “THE FULL GOSPEL” properly to help them believe, but
they are also healed of a multitude of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual problems.
The LORD is especially NOT interested in performing His SWM where the people are
steeped in UNBELIEF … for some reason the people have decided to NOT believe in SWM.
UNBELIEF in His precious word is extremely offensive to the LORD.
For this reason, His SWM are not experienced in many places in America.

 

[aspen]

of course God doesn't change, but that fact means very little to us because we will spend eternity contemplating the vast nature of God and will never comprehend all of his nature. God is beyond us and therefore will always appear as if He is changing.

 

[Arnie Manitoba]

john zain .... sounds like you are saying evangelists should all be able to do the same as Jesus and the disciples ..... that would be wonderful ....... but may i point out a couple of things

• “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Unless you people see signs and wonders,
you will by no means believe.’ ” (John 4:48)

.... "you people" that Jesus refers to , are Galilee Jews who had already seen miracles but demanded more ..... Jesus was giving them a bit of a rebuke ..... but he went ahead and did the healing anyway .....

------------------------------------------

• “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them,
and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.” (Mark 16:20)

It was the disciples who did that .... it was the mandate Jesus gave the disciples to perform after He left .... remember there was no written record yet (New Testament) and the disciples had the benefit of SWM to authenticate their message ..... we now have the NT and miracles should not be a requirement to prove Christianity on a regular basis.

-------------------------------------------

My point ?? ..... I do not think it proper to put a guilt trip on Christians or evangelists who do not do everything the disciples were able to do.

We are the believers who are here as a result of the teachings of the disciples and Jesus.

Most of today's christian believers did not witness Signs Wonders and Miracles in order to believe the gospel .

As a matter of fact , considering all the church crap and errors during the past 2000 years the gospel has thrived quite well.

People are still being saved today without SWM's ...... and mostly by Christians who do not claim any special filling of the Holy Spirit.

 

[biggandyy]

SWM's... my first read through I automagically read that as Single White Males... HA!

 

[Arnie Manitoba]

SWM's... my first read through I automagically read that as Single White Males... HA!

hehe .... you realize you just invented a new word .... automagically .....

 

[stefen]

Based on this title, I can also say that God will never change. But see some examples that God have changed his decisions based on prayers and some other reasons..!
God planned to fire entire sodom and gomorrah, but have changed His decision after Abraham's prayer. Some more examples are there like this in Bible..!
Jesus thought to not go to Jerusalem for festival when His brothers called. But He went afterwards..!