Lesson One

[Introduction] [Syllabus] [Lesson Two] [Lesson Three] [Lesson Four] [Lesson Five] [Lesson Six] [Lesson Seven] [Lesson Eight]

Lesson One: The Purpose and Duration of Miracles

Part One: The purpose of miracles

1. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, ______________________________, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord _________________, and _________________________________. Amen. (Mark 16:17-20)

2. In this passage, what was accomplished by the signs?

3. Who helped them to accomplish this?

4. Where was He during the time He was giving this help?

5. From this discussion, what would you say was the purpose of miracles?

Thought question (a):

Why do you suppose the word needed confirmation?

6. Using your concordance, what passage tells us the word “was confirmed”?

7. How does this passage say the confirmation was accomplished?

8. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are ______, that ye might ____________________, ________________; and that believing ye might have life through his name. (John 20:30-31)

Thought question (b):

Is there a difference between what the Bible says miracles were designed to accomplish and what John’s record of these miracles was designed to accomplish? If there is a difference, what is that difference?

9. What was the purpose of the signs, wonders and miracles?

10. What was the purpose of John’s record of the miracles of Jesus?

Part Two: The Duration of Miracles

Is the miraculous age still with us? Since the word has been confirmed, what purpose would miracles accomplish? What was the means of giving others the ability to do miraculous works? If this miraculous age ceased, when did it cease, and why? You will determine the answers to these questions in the following discussion.

1. Then Peter said unto them,_______, and be ________ every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall_______________________________. (Acts 2:38 )

2. Did those who repented and were baptized receive the gift of the Holy Ghost?

3. When the people of Samaria were baptized, why did they not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost? (Acts 8:5-19)

4. What was required to pass on the gifts of the Holy Ghost?

5. What were the requirements for one to be an apostle of the Lord? (Acts 1:15-22)

6. Are there any people alive today who meet those conditions?

7. Is it possible for those miraculous gifts to be passed on today? If not, why? If so, how?

1 Corinthians chapters 12, 13, 14 are the instructions of the apostle Paul to the church at Corinth concerning the function, duration, and proper use of these spiritual gifts. Because some of the Corinthian brethren were abusing these gifts the apostle Paul, by inspiration, tells them that the use of these gifts in an unloving manner was of no profit. He also tells them in the below passage that the existence of these gifts in the church was going to cease, and he also tells them when they are going to cease.

8. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies,_______________; whether there be tongues,____________ whether there be knowledge _____________________ . For we__________, and we____________. But ________________________ is come, then_____________ shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. (1 Corinthians 13:8-13)

[1]teleion: That which is perfect from teleios (tel'-i-os); from NT:5056; complete (in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, etc.); neuter (as noun, with NT:3588) completeness:

9. In this passage, what three things were going to fail, cease or vanish?

Thought questions:

(c) Why did they only know in part?

(d) Why did they only prophesy in part?

10. That which is in part is contrasted with what?

11. What is that which is in part?

12. Then “that which is perfect” must be __________________________________________.

13. Has that which is perfect come?

If it has, then those spiritual gifts which were needed to help the church in its infancy have been put away. (1 Corinthians 13:11)

Thought question (e):

If the church is no longer to be sustained by the miraculous, then what is there to sustain it and make the “man of God complete”? (Give Book, Chapter and Verse)

END LESSON ONE

[Introduction] [Syllabus] [Lesson Two] [Lesson Three] [Lesson Four] [Lesson Five] [Lesson Six] [Lesson Seven] [Lesson Eight]