Miracles

I. Arguments Against Miracles

A. Hume’s argues against them by definition

B. They are improbable

C. They are not naturally possible and we can only know things in the natural realm

D. They are not naturally verifiable

E. They require extraordinary confirmation

II. Miracles Versus Anomalies

A. Not everything that is called is miracle is a miracle

1. Proper definition

B. A context is required

1. Someone coming back to life without a context is an anomaly. Someone coming back to life after predicting it, doing other miracles, stating that it would be a sign, has some credibility

C. Many unexplained events do have a natural explanation

1. Don’t use miracles to cover up ignorance

2. Plank’s prediction that science would ultimately push out the miraculous entirely

III. The Great Miracles

A. Miracles came in bunches

1. Usually at times of Inspiration of the Scriptures and turning points in biblical history

2. Moses, Prophets, Jesus and the Apostles

B. God can still do miracles

1. The method is not through miracle workers

2. Gift of miracles has ceased, at least as used by the apostles

a) The bunches argument

b) There was cessation in the past

c) Scriptural indicators

C. Important Miracles

1. Virgin Birth

a) The problem for us today is that apart from Scripture, this one is not verifiable

2. Resurrection

a) This is the key miracle, both theologically and historically

b) This one can be verified historically