The Bible is filled with powerful, awe-inspiring miracles. These great works were supernatural events (Acts 2:22), that could not be explained by natural law. While miracles permeate Scripture, they were not continuous throughout history, nor were they granted to all of God’s people. This alone indicates a Divine purpose behind their appearance and their timing. When the Bible is allowed to define miracles, it is clear that God designed them for a specific work that has been completed.
The Bible teaches that miracles had a defined purpose. Their first purpose was revelation—to reveal all truth to the apostles and inspired writers (John 14:26; 16:13; 1 Cor. 2:10-13). Their second purpose was confirmation—to prove that the message they preached was truly from God (John 3:2; Mark 16:20; Heb. 2:3-4). Their third purpose was producing faith, both in those who witnessed them and in all who later read of them (John 20:30-31; Rom. 10:17). Once God’s message was fully revealed, fully confirmed and fully recorded, the purpose of miracles was fulfilled (and does not need to be re-confirmed).
The Bible teaches that miraculous power had a defined means of reception. In the New Testament, there were only two ways a person received the ability to perform miracles: (1) the baptism of the Holy Spirit and (2) the laying on of the apostles’ hands. Holy Spirit baptism only occurred twice—upon the apostles in Acts 2 and upon Cornelius in Acts 10—both for unique, foundational purposes. The other means was through the physical hands of living apostles (Acts 8:14–19; 19:6; 2 Tim. 1:6). Since the apostles are no longer living and Holy Spirit baptism is not occurring today (Eph. 4:5), there is no avenue through which miraculous power can be received. Thus, the miraculous age cannot continue.
The Bible defines the duration of miracles. Miraculous gifts were temporary, lasting only “till we all come to the unity of the faith” (Eph. 4:13). God’s revelation was given part-by-part through miraculous gifts but would cease “when that which is perfect”—the complete revelation—came (1 Cor. 13:8-10). Once the New Testament was finished, the church reached maturity, the partial gave way to the complete, and miracles fulfilled their God-given purpose.
In conclusion, Biblical miracles accomplished exactly what God intended—they revealed truth, confirmed it and produced saving faith. Today, we possess the fully revealed, fully confirmed Word of God, which “thoroughly equips” us in every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17). While the age of miracles has ended, the power of God’s written Word remains—living, active and sufficient for all who seek Him.