When I was new Christian, I often wondered at the seeming lack of dramatic miraculous happenings. Healings. Exorcisms. Resurrections. They are talked about so much in the New Testament and often in the Old Testament that it appeared to be a major disconnect. And today, I still regularly hear people wonder at this very same thing.

And sure, there are still places and situations where these miraculous things take place. But they are far from the norm and though I’ve heard the arguments that it’s our national church’s deficiency to blame, I’m very much unconvinced.

What to me, is more surprising is that most of us miss the truly incredible, totally wild, thing that happens every day: the forgiveness of God’s enemies and their immediate resurrection from spiritual death into spiritual life. Then, their subsequent ascent into submission to Christ.

In Luke 5:20-24 Jesus is in a crowded room teaching. A paralyzed man is unable to reach him for healing, so some friends lower him through the roof. Most of us know the story. When the man finally reaches Jesus, this is what the scripture says:

And when he saw their faith, he said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, "Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"—he said to the man who was paralyzed—"I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home."

Now, the statement Jesus makes is not primarily that forgiving sins is greater than healing of the physical body. It’s more about his own supremacy. But the point comes across anyway.

We are apt to look around and feel a lack of legitimacy when we don’t see miraculous happenings around us. But I think that if Jesus would respond to this right now, he would marvel at how quickly we overlook what is truly impressive. I think he would say something like, “You want to see miracles, but you’ve missed the greatest miracle I’ve performed. Your very own salvation.”

I’ve heard it often argued that it is unfair for unbelievers today because Jesus and the disciples are not here doing the kinds of signs and wonders that were happening in biblical times. That perhaps if they were, those who will not believe on the testimony of God’s Word would believe. Of course, we know from scripture that those who will not believe the Word, won’t believe miraculous signs either (John 11:11).

Now, some believe that these signs are still happening today somewhere and that we don’t see them here in our country for one reason or another. However, I subscribe to the belief, which I believe to be a biblical one, that we do not see these kinds of signs today for precisely the same reason.

The signs that were performed in the days of the early church were so that we today might believe. If the kinds of signs seen in the early church continued today, it could easily be argued that the bible itself were somewhat null, since there were another God-breathed source of spiritual revelation.

Take a look at a couple of the concluding verses in John.

John 20:30-31:

“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

The signs performed by Jesus and his disciples weren’t a pattern for the way that people would believe the Gospel, rather they were the sign that we should believe the Gospel—even today on the very same testimony and sign.

God’s word in the bible is the sign for believers and unbelievers alike.