The Bible lists many miracles. From the parting of the Red Sea to Christ’s Virgin Birth and resurrection from the dead, the Bible is clearly a book of miracles. Many atheists, while acknowledging that the Bible can be inspirational, can’t accept its overall truthfulness because of their predisposition that miracles are impossible. And while these same atheists will often say that Jesus was a great moral teacher they refuse to believe that He performed miracles. The main problem for atheists, whether they acknowledge it or not, however, is not with the miracles of the Old Testament or even the miracles of Jesus, but it’s with the very first verse of the Bible.
For you see the battle for the veracity of the Scriptures hinges on whether you believe that (Genesis 1:1) is true or not. If, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,” is true, then everything that follows in the Bible is possible. Jesus’ resurrection is an amazing miracle but it pales in comparison to what is clearly the greatest miracle – the creation of the universe from nothing – (Genesis 1:1). It logically follows that if God created the universe by just speaking it into existence, then He can do whatever He wants inside it. And we as Christians believe that the Bible tells us what God chose to do inside His created universe.
Apologist, Frank Turek, shares the following insightful observation: “Christians are mocked for believing in the Virgin Birth, Jesus walking on water, the Resurrection, and Jonah and the great fish. Yet those biblical miracles are nothing compared to the greatest miracle in the Bible. The greatest miracle in the Bible is not Jonah and the fish, Jesus walking on water, being born of a virgin, or even the resurrection from the dead. The greatest miracle in the Bible is the first verse: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” If that verse is true, then every other verse in the Bible is at least believable. If there is a God who created the universe out of nothing, then He can do whatever He wants that’s not logically impossible inside the universe. Jonah, water walking, and resurrections are easy for that kind of Being.”1
For the atheist, his problem is with the first verse of the Bible. His willingness to either accept or deny (Genesis 1:1) will determine his willingness to read the rest of the Bible.
But what the atheist doesn’t realize is that he actually does believe in miracles. In fact, his belief in how the universe came into existence to me is a greater miracle then what we read in (Genesis 1:1). Christians at least believe that an all-powerful eternal God created the universe. What the atheist believes in is an even greater miracle because they believe that nothing, by itself, created everything – our incredibly complex universe!
So, the question is not does the atheist believe in miracles, because he does, but why does he deny their reality? It all comes down to the fact that because of sin he suppresses the truth in unrighteousness. His love of sin and desire to not be accountable to our eternal God causes the atheist to clearly turn a blind eye to the greatest miracle in the universe – creation.
But just how can we reach the atheist. We need to get on our knees and pray that the Holy Spirit would convict him of sin and open his blind eyes to not only the reality of (Genesis 1:1) but of (John 3:16): “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” In this way we can be part of another great miracle – the salvation of a lost soul!
1 Charlie H. Campbell, Apologetics Quotes (Carlsbad, California: The Always Be Ready Apologetics Ministry, 2020), p. 38.
We recently had devotions about the relevancy of God’s word. Today we are considering the relevancy of miracles. These are not only two relevant topics but they are related in the life of the believer and the unbeliever.
The story is told by Luke of a young man who by eternal damnation is now a believer in the place of torment. To his credit, he wanted to spare his brothers the same fate by asking that a resurrected saint, Lazarus, be sent to them as proof that someone can rise from the dead. The Father of all the saints to this day, Abraham, explained the relationship of Scripture to miracles when it comes to repentance and salvation.
What the Holy Spirit uses to convict men and women of their need of a Savior is God’s Word, which never gives an empty return Isa. 55:11. Sinners must hear the law of God if they are ever to know their sin and need of a Savior from sin. Let them hear Moses! Miracles do not convince because they do not shed light on sin. We would not have known sin were it not for the law Romans 7:7.
So, if your apologetic is dependent on “proving” the power of miracles, in light of these verses and the ones below, you may want to reconsider your witness to the unbelievers whom God puts in your life. The gospel as presented in His Word is the real power Romans 1:16.
I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’” Luke 16