It seems that all throughout time people have sought signs from God before they would be willing to place their faith in them. Today this is still prevalent in our culture today. So prevalent in fact that this theme often makes its way into movies and tv shows. With statements such as “God if you will only do this I will believe”. Or “God if you are real then do prove it by doing this”. At one time or another many of us have probably been guilty of uttering these very same lines. Failing to realize that even the greatest miracle will not spark the flame of faith that God’s word was not able to.
When someone is unwilling to trust God first based on the Word, they won’t even trust Him based on what they see. Just as they have found a way to explain away scripture they will find a way to explain away even the greatest move of God. Seeing someone who was healed as a faker. Viewing a testimony as a cleverly produced lie. Even choosing to not believe the very thing they asked for when it happens. Instead believing it that it was just freak a coincidence.
During His time on earth, Jesus performed many signs and miraculous acts. Healing the sick, producing vast quantities of food from only a little, raising the dead, and so much more. Yet every time someone requested a miracle to only inspire faith He refused for this very reason. He knew that a sign would never spark the faith required to save them that His word was not able to.
Matthew 12:38–39 (ESV)
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
Matthew 16:1–4 (ESV)
16 And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ 3 And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.
The Bible tells of a rich man who died and due to his wicked life was sentenced to hell. This man was given the opportunity to speak to Abraham from the other side. During their conversation, he asked if Lazureth who was in Heaven could be sent to warn his surviving family. The man believed if they could see someone raised from the dead they would believe and change their ways. However, Abraham made it clear that if they could not trust in the scriptures a sign such as that still would not be enough to inspire faith in their lives.
Luke 16:27–31 (ESV)
27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 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.’ ”
It may feel as though seeing will cause us to believe but that simply isn’t how it works with the things of God. An unwillingness to believe and listen to God’s word will always translate to an unwillingness to believe that even the greats signs were performed by God. God’s own word does not say that faith comes from seeing. Faith will only come by hearing and that is hearing the inspired word of God.
Romans 10:17 (ESV)
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Signs, miracles, and wonders will help to strengthen the faith of those who already believe in the word. But they will not be able to spark faith that scripture isn’t able to. When we hope to inspire faith in another we do not need to seek the miraculous but simply turn to the Bible. Because only God and His word have the power to save
If you have been seeking a sign before you begin to believe and trust Him know that God won’t provide it. Instead, dig into His word and rely on that alone. See the wisdom all through the Bible that could only come from an all-knowing God. Beliefs people of faith had long before science ever made the discovery. Which as the earth as round and is not being supported by anything.
Isaiah 40:22 (ESV)
22 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,
and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;
who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;
Job 26:7 (ESV)
7 He stretches out the north over the void
and hangs the earth on nothing.
Don’t keep asking God to do something to prove Himself in a way that will never truly spark faith in your life. Start cultivating faith today through His word that will only be strengthened by the signs you will begin to experience later. Listen to His word preached by men of faith and take the time to study for yourself. Scripture will spark faith and signs will only help to fan the fire.
Helps us keep others from the fruitless endeavor of seeking signs in the hopes of sparking faith in their life. Do this by taking just a moment to share this article on your social media. Simply click one of the social icons below and you will be halfway there. Thank you and God Bless!
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