The True Christian’s Faith and Experience #025 Miracles (part 1 of 2)

Ohio Yearly Meeting's Podcast

This podcast is the first of a two part episode covering Chapter 18 of The True Christian’s Faith and Experience concerning Outward and Inward Miracles.

All miracles noted in the Old Testament were done through the power of God and were in themselves signs. We do not read of very many in scripture being converted by these outward miracles.

When Christ Jesus came, who performed various visible miracles before the hard hearted, not many were converted. Not many became his disciples or followers. And by the chief priests and leaders he was judged to be a deceiver and had a devil. Every true Christian is a witness of the power that is received by believing in Christ. He knows greater works and miracles performed through the power and the spiritual appearance of Christ within than all the outward miracles that Christ performed in the days of his flesh. The titular or nominal Christian knows nothing of this. In order to persuade him of this, the true Christian says that he himself was once dead in sins, yet he did not feel their weight or burden. His eyes were so blind, he could not see the exceeding sinfulness of sin. His ear so deaf, he could not hear the voice of God, though God often called him out of his sinfulness. His feet so lame, he could not walk one step in the way of God. He saw no eye to pity him or hand to save him. He was persuaded that nothing could cure or heal him of sinning (which belief is one of the strongest links in the chains of darkness). As does all mankind, the true Christian once lay in this state of slavery and bondage to sin and Satan, from which nothing less than the power of God through Christ Jesus is able to effectually liberate, save and deliver.

The true Christian’s testimony is that God’s faithful promises are fulfilled. “The hour is come wherein the dead hear the voice of God.” Ezekiel spoke of the dry bones in the valley coming to life. People once dead in sins likewise have been brought to life again through the power of God. They receive the breath of life and obtain the fulfillment of the promised land. Dead in sins, degenerated and estranged from the life of God, they are like these dry bones and have become witnesses to the same power to restore them to life. To witness this, effected through the Spirit and Power of the Lord, is more than to see a dead body outwardly raised to life. These things performed through the power of God in the inward man are greater miracles than any outward physical miracle.

References:

• The True Christian’s Faith and Experience Briefly Declared.
• The quote in our introduction is paraphrased from A FURTHER TESTIMONY TO TRUTH REVIVED OUT OF THE RUINS OF THE APOSTASY by Isaac Pennington,

A complete list of our podcasts, organized into topics, is available on our website.
To learn more about Ohio Yearly Meeting (Conservative) of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), please visit ohioyearlymeeting.org.
Any who might be interested in joining any of the Ohio Yearly Meeting Zoom online studies should check out the Online Study and Discussion Groups on our website. All are welcome!
We welcome feedback on this and any of our other podcast episodes. Contact us through our website, or email us at [e-mail].