Signs and wonders testify to the truth.

[postroad]

Acts 14:3
So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.

2 Corinthians 12:12
I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles.

Acts 6:8
[ Stephen Seized ] Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.

Acts 2:22
“Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.


So is it only God who can manipulate his creation in order to create supernatural phenomenon?

If so what purpose does it suit him to do the same for false messengers?


2 Thessalonians 2:8-10 New International Version (NIV)

8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

Revelation 13:11-16 New International Version (NIV)

The Beast out of the Earth
11 Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. 14 Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. 16 It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads,

[polonius]

Postroad posted

Acts 14:3
So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.

Question: Are we supposed to believe that this actually happened? Anyone can claim just about anything.

[postroad]

[Replying to post 2 by polonius]

As per usual I'm simply testing the claims using the claims.

[JehovahsWitness]

...is it only God who can manipulate his creation in order to create supernatural phenomenon?

♦ANSWER: No, I don't believe so, according to scripture Satan and the demons can to a limited extent also produce supernatural signs and wonders. The Egyptian magicians, for example managed to duplicate the first three of Moses plagues and Jesus spoke of "workers of lawlessness" producing "miracles".

MATHEW 7 :22-23

Many will say to me in that day: ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works* in your name?’ And then I will declare to them: ‘I never knew* you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!’- NWT

* Ftn "many miracles"

JEREMIAH 14 :14


Jehovah then said to me: “... A lying vision and a worthless divination and the deceit of their own heart is what they are prophesying to you."

JEHOVAH'S WITNESS


RELATED POSTS

Are all supernatural experiences of divine origin?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 691#932691

Does the bible indicate the cessation of miraculous "gifts of the spirit"?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 926#917926

Are NDEs ( Near Death Experiences) of divine origin?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 332#928332

[postroad]

[Replying to post 4 by JehovahsWitness]

If supernatural events exist outside of God's authority I'm going to insist that he alone isn't the authority and creator of that reality.