Written by John W. Ritenbaugh
02/11/2018
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(24) For
false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and
miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. Matthew 24:24
(13) And he
performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down
from heaven to earth in full view of men.
(14) Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the
first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them
to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword
and yet lived. Revelation 13:13-14
(22) Many
will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your
name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'
(23) Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you
evildoers!' Matthew 7:22-23
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(1) If a
prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces
to you a miraculous sign or wonder,
(2) and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he
says, "Let us follow other gods" (gods you have not known) "and let us
worship them,"
(3) you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The
LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all
your heart and with all your soul.
(4) It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere.
Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.
(5) That prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he preached
rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt and
redeemed you from the land of slavery; he has tried to turn you from the
way the LORD your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil
from among you. Deuteronomy 13:1-5
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In each case, Christ's
admonition is that we should have a healthy skepticism of miracles
because miracles may produce deception. It is not that the miracle does
not occur. The more important point is, does it witness to the truth?
Does it witness to the ultimate reality, the will of God?
In both
Jesus' instruction in the New Testament (Matthew 24:24; 7:22-23;
Revelation 13:13-14) and in Moses' teaching in the Old Testament
(Deuteronomy 13:1-5), it is clear—regardless of the wonder done—if a
person even implies that we are free to disobey God, the miracle is not a
demonstration of God's truth. A miracle it was, but it does not
validate God's truth.
We must be especially skeptical of those
who say that they believe in keeping God's laws, and then turn right
around and say that the Sabbath and holy days are no longer necessary
and that "true Christians" can keep Christmas, Easter, Halloween, etc.
But they "believe" that they are to keep God's laws! It is especially
deceptive because so many of such people are really nice individuals.
— John W. Ritenbaugh
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