Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” I used to believe in only things that were observable. I actually boasted that ,”Unless I can see it, I don’t believe it.” What hubris. Many, today, proclaim in the same “visible” faith. The thing believed must be obvious, recognizable, measurable and reasonable or have a rationale explanation according to the physical processes we currently understand. Basically, “I need to see it to believe it.” That is why magic tricks are so popular and appreciated. On one level, the “prestige” or punch line of the trick, grabs our attention and entertains. The rabbit pulled from the hat. The flower that turns into a dove and flies away. The lovely assistant that gets cut in half. The man who disappears, all amaze and amuse. Then, on another level, we know it couldn’t have really happened, so we wonder, “How did He do that?” Go back stage and the trick is reasonably explained. Pulleys, trap doors, wires, mirrors, sometimes even twins are used to create the illusion. Behind every good trick is a well designed system of rationale, observable, explainable physical actions. At first the eye sees something that seems to defy natural, familiar physics. But, backstage we can observe the many reasonably designed steps that, when put together in perfect timing, create the appearance that something supernatural has occurred. Thus, we have pure entertainment, nothing more.
Jesus challenged His critics, “..because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.” John8:45. He only spoke truth, from the word of God, but they would not hear of it because they hated Him so vehemently. They attacked Him and demanded an explanation for the things He was teaching. He responded, "I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father's name, these testify of Me. John10:25. Again in verse 38, “But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, (the miracles) that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” The Bible records many bonafide miracles, things that are supernatural and defy all reasoning based upon natural processes. I remember being a skeptic, not believing that burning bushes, talking donkeys, parted oceans, fire from the sky, multiplied bread, water into wine, sickness healed, the dead rising and the like were actual, real occurrences. “That’s impossible, would never really happen.” The better, more scientific explanation is that ,”Biblical miracles are nothing more than literary illustrations, not to be taken as factual.” Therefore, the Bible is not to be taken as factual, it’s merely a fairytale. This reasoning holds merit if one does not recognize who Jesus truly is. Another interaction with His critics was over His teaching about forgiveness of sins. As they held contempt for Him, He said, “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’? “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He then said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your bed and go home.” And he got up and went home.” Not a magic trick. No backstage. Not a fairytale. Not a literary illustration. No illusion. This is record of a real miracle, performed by the one who created, from nothing, all things. Let’s see Houdini do that.
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