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Do Calvinists Believe in Miracles? Explanation and Examples

August 5, 2020 By Brooks Szewczyk Leave a Comment

In every movement within Christianity, rumors and false information start to spread. So we have to question some of the possible misinformation before we accept it. That’s why I’m digging into this topic.

Not all Calvinists agree on the extent of miracles in the current church, but they all believe that God acts in supernatural ways. Some Calvinists believe that the Holy Spirit no longer gives any revelatory gifts, but others believe in the continual and necessary use of the revelatory gifts.

I’ll dig deeper into exactly what this means, what Calvin himself taught, and what some popular Calvinists believe in the rest of this article.

It Depends on What You Mean by ‘Calvinist’

The term Calvinist can be used in one of two ways.

First, it can refer to someone who believes in Calvin’s understanding of salvation (theologians call this sotereology).

Some people, like myself, call themselves Calvinists because they agree with the acronym TULIP. These are called the 5-Points of Calvinism.

They stand for:

  • Total Depravity
  • Unconditional Election
  • Limited Atonement
  • Irresistible Grace
  • Preservation of the Saints

If a Calvinist is in this group, they might believe in miracles and the revelatory gifts of the Spirit.

The other group of Calvinists call themselves that because they are either confessionally reformed or agree with Calvin on almost all of his views.

To be confessionally reformed might sound confusing but it is super simple. It just means that they fully agree with one of the confessions of faith that were written during the reformation.

None of these confessions are continuationists. Therefore, you can assume that those in this group do not believe in miracles in the way that you might think.

However, its very important to understand what you mean when you say miracles.

It Depends on What You Mean by ‘Miracles’

Almost every Calvinist regardless of which group they are in would believe that God can do miraculous things.

They do believe that God heals.

They do believe that God works supernaturally.

There are very few Christians, Calvinists included, which would deny supernatural acts of God.

What Calvinists might not believe in is the continual gifting of God’s people with the power to perform miracles.

While many believe that God heals, they do not believe that God grants people with the gift of healing.

Many Calvinists might also push back against a common understanding of the frequency of miracles. They believe that they are a lot less frequent than many think or believe.

Timing Matters

Calvinists who do not believe that God currently gives specific miraculous gifts do believe that God used to.

Every Calvinist would believe that the miracles that God performed in the Bible were true miracles that actually happened.

The disagreement comes because many Calvinists believe that God stopped giving those gifts at a certain point in history. Other Calvinists do believe that God still give those gifts.

Note: The most common understanding of Calvinism is compatible with continuationism. Some might disagree with this.

What Did Calvin Teach?

I searched through John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion to find exactly what he wrote regarding miracles.

The most relevant piece of information came in his response to some who were asking for miracles to verify his gospel.

He writes this to begin his response:

In demanding miracles from us, they act dishonestly; for we have not coined some new gospel, but retain the very one the truth of which is confirmed by all the miracles which Christ and the apostles ever wrought.

John Calvin

You do see from this that Calvin accepts the miracles of the Bible and early church as real miracles.

However, he said this regarding their comments:

The deception would perhaps be more specious if Scripture did not admonish us of the legitimate end and use of miracles.

John Calvin

The implication that Calvin makes here is that he believes that the Bible admonishes us that miracles came to an end.

If you continue reading through this chapter, you can come to understand Calvin’s argument. He teaches that the purpose of miracles in the early church was to verify the gospel that they were preaching.

Since the gospel has been fully verified and the Bible is complete, he believes that miracles are no longer necessary.

Note this important distinction:

  • Calvin does believe that God can perform miracles.
  • Calvin does not believe that God still performs miracles.

So, Calvin did teach that miracles had ceased and therefore can’t be performed by the church today.

Calvinists Who Believe in Miracles

I would encourage you not to think less of any believer because of their view on miracles. Personally, I believe that the Spirit still performs miracles. But many faithful, God-loving Christians disagree with me.

Here are a couple of examples of Calvinists that still believe in miracles and what they’ve said about it.

John Piper

John Piper is still one of the most influential pastors in the world, calling many to live their life in service to Jesus Christ. He jokingly even calls himself a “7-Point Calvinist” adding 2 more points to TULIP. Regarding miracles, Piper says:

If we could collect all the authentic stories all over the world — from all the missionaries and all the saints in the all the countries of the world… we would think we were living in a world of miracles, which we are.

John Piper

John Piper not only believes in miracles, he believes that we are living in a world of miracles.

Sam Storms

Sam Storms is an influential pastor in Oklahoma City, OK. He wrote a book defending Calvinism entitled Choosing Life: The Case for Divine Election. He is also a staunch defender of miracles in the current time. He writes:

So, does God work miracles among us, or do gifted individuals work miracles among us? Yes! God works miracles among us by awakening faith in his Word, in conjunction with or as a result of which he imparts a gracious divine enabling (i.e., a charisma, a gift) so that the believer can work miracles among us.

Sam Storms

Here, he defends God’s continual performing of miracles as well as God’s gifting of working miracles to his people.

Calvinists Who Don’t Believe in Current Miracles

Again, there are many God-loving people on this list who are worthy of our respect whether or not we agree on this.

Here are a couple of examples of Calvinists who do not believe in miracles and what they’ve said about it.

R.C. Sproul

Sproul was a faithful pastor and theologian who championed the glory and majesty of God in a time when many are focused on man. He wrote this:

I get this question all the time, “R.C., do you believe that miracles happen today?” If you want me to give the simple answer, the answer is no.

R.C. Sproul

He believed in the ultimate power of God, but he did not believe that God still performs miracles.

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon was one of the most influential pastors and teachers in the last few hundred years of church history. He made the gospel accessible and preached nothing but Jesus Christ. Regarding miracles, he wrote:

When the Holy Spirit was given in the earliest ages, He showed His presence by certain miraculous signs.

Charles Spurgeon

What Spurgeon clearly believed is that miracles were for the earlier ages when the authority of the gospel was not clearly established.

Brooks Szewczyk

Brooks is pursuing an MDiv with an emphasis in Biblical Counseling from Midwestern Seminary. He has a certificate in Bible and Missions and is the Marketing Manager at Bethany Global University, a college dedicated to training missionaries to reach the unreached.

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    What Ephesians Says about Your Depression

    April 14, 2020 By Brooks Szewczyk Leave a Comment

    Depression is universally recognized as a monumental issue in our society. People are plagued by not only constant discouragement but also constant disappointment. They feel sadness even through the happiest times in their life.

    While there is no shortage of people who want to help, there are very few answers to depression that address the problems that exist in the soul. The book of Ephesians provides a great foundation for a counseling plan with someone presenting depression in the counseling room. As a foundation, the approach to biblical counseling should be God-centered even in cases of depression… actually, especially in cases of depression. God must be seen as sovereign, as near, and as the answer to our problems.

    This is why the first act in the counseling room should be to establish reliance on prayer. We see that Paul often prays for the Ephesian church because he believes that God can do “above and beyond” what we can even think to ask of him (Eph. 3:20). We struggle to understand our own hearts, but God knows our hearts. We struggle to change ourselves, but God is sovereign even over us. Therefore, it is necessary to be in constant prayer while seeking healing from our heart issues. Paul even encourages the church to pray at all times with every request (Eph. 6:18).

    We struggle to understand our own hearts, but God knows our hearts. We struggle to change ourselves, but God is sovereign even over us.

    Moreover, we should recognize that God is truly able to help us. Ephesians places an overarching emphasis on the sovereignty of God in all things (Eph. 1:9, 1:22, 3:13). Pray knowing that God hears, cares, and is powerful to answer.

    We also see the importance of the body of Christ in our lives, especially in our struggles. Every person in Christ has been gifted for the good of the church (Eph. 4:16). We were not created nor intended to live alone.

    In fact, isolation is an enemy to healing. We need each other. The counselee should be encouraged to seek out Christian community to help them bear the burden of depression. Their gifts are essential to the body, but the body is essential to the individual. The counselee must be willing to be transparent with themselves, their community, and with God about their struggle.

    The counselee should also seek to be identified in the way that the Bible would identify them. Does their depression bear on their identity? No, they are first and foremost inheritors of the gospel of peace (Eph. 2:17). They are in Christ.

    It is easy to be defeated before the battle begins, but the counselee should be encouraged to let go of the idea that their presented depression is beyond cure. The overarching identity of the believer in Ephesians is that they are in Christ. They are a part of the body of the Lord, and the Lord is the bringer of peace. They are indwelled by the Holy Spirit, who is elsewhere called the comforter.

    Finally, they should be encouraged to continually thank God. Even when they do not see a reason to, there is always a reason to give thanks (Eph. 5:20). The counselee should be encouraged toward optimism, which is a more Christian position. While trials may come and go, our God remains forever. Our struggling is purposeful and God is still in control.

    In summary, Ephesians urges those struggling with depression to:

    • Establish a reliance on prayer.
    • Trust in the loving care of God.
    • Pursue Christian community.
    • Identify yourself biblically.
    • And always search for reasons to thank God.

    God has been infinitely gracious to each of us. We have reason to be hopeful even in the midst of hardship. We have reason to be thankful in every circumstance. The counselee should be encouraged to seek out reasons to constantly thank God and glorify him.

    Brooks Szewczyk

    Brooks is currently pursuing an M.Div. with an emphasis in Biblical Counseling from Midwestern Seminary. He is a Pastoral Intern at Redemption Hill Church and the Marketing Manager at Bethany Global University.

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    How and Why Did God Create Us?

    November 28, 2018 By Brooks Szewczyk Leave a Comment

    New City Catechism Q4: “God created us male and female in his own image to know him, love him, live with him, and glorify him. And it is right that we who were created by God should live to his glory.”

    God Created Us

    God doesn’t act without purpose.

    We are created beings. Nothing originated from man. Wisdom, intellect, consciousness, and humanity are all ideas from God. And this is a rarely disputed fact. That God created us is not a belief that is unique to Christianity. In fact, almost all people from all times and in all places assume our creation.

    Why do people all throughout history believe that we are created? Romans 1 gives us the answer, “[God’s] invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what he has made.”

    God has partially revealed himself through creation. The skies, animals, humans, and everything else all point to an intelligent, creator God.

    And we all know that God doesn’t act without purpose. Unlike us, he is not capricious. God created us with a reason, and his intentions will surely be met.

    Male and Female

    The first thing mentioned by the answer from the catechism is that we were created male and female. This may seem obvious to some, but there is actually deeper truth to be found here that can impact the way that we live our lives.

    The first person created was a man name Adam. It wasn’t long after Adam’s creation that God saw that it was not good for him to be alone.So, he created a helpmate for him: a woman named Eve.

    We were created male and female because we are meant to complement each other. Man and woman are meant for each other, and are better together. This is God’s good creative order.

    Click here to continue reading at RedemptionHillDSM.org.

    How Many Persons Are There in God?

    November 6, 2018 By Brooks Szewczyk Leave a Comment

    This post is regarding Question 3 of the New City Catechism.

    Question: How Many Persons Are There in God?

    Answer: There are three persons in the one true and living God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are the same in substance, equal in power and glory.

    Importance of The Doctrines of the Trinity

    The doctrine of the Trinity has been one of the most foundational, essential beliefs of the Christian church throughout our history. This doctrine was taught by the apostles and by God himself through his word. And specific beliefs regarding the Trinity were clarified by councils and creeds of the early church.

    Nature, Persons, Substance, and Essence

    One necessary distinction that is made is that between persons and being. God is three persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. But, he is one being, meaning that he has one nature, substance, and essence.

    We do not have three individual gods; Christianity is a monotheistic religion. As stated by the Shema from Deuteronomy 6, “The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” Nevertheless, our unified God exists in three distinct persons.

    Following is an explanation of the divinity of each of the three persons of the Trinity.

    Click here to continue reading at RedemptionHillDSM.org.

    Pride Will Kill You – 10 Practical Ways to Kill it First

    November 16, 2017 By Brooks Szewczyk Leave a Comment

    Pride says to God, “I’m more important than you.” Pride would have its own way, rather than the Lord’s. God alone is worthy to receive honor, glory, and praise. But pride tries to hijack it for ourselves.

    1 Peter 5:5 says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Which do you want from God: his opposition or his grace? If grace is what you want, it is vital that you lay aside pride.

    Pride is the root of every sin. It has the audacity to disobey the loving, wise God who has purchased you. Pride wreaks havoc on your spiritual life.

    We must declare war on pride lest we fall into sin and put enmity in between us and God.

    What is pride?

    It’s essential to know our opponent in this war. We need to know what pride is and what it looks like. We must be able to identify pride from a mile away. Let’s take a look inside the camp of our enemy.

    Pride is that desire in you to receive more praise. It is the desire to be exalted rather than to glorify God. The proud person is confident in their own ability, and they do not rely on God’s grace.

    Here is a non-exhaustive list of indicators to be watchful of:

    • Frequently putting all of the attention on yourself
    • Struggling to empathize with the sorrows of others
    • Feeling self-pity when you’re not praised
    • Constantly considering what others think of you
    • Avoiding people who are better than you at something
    • Easily finding flaws in others

    Now that you can identify pride, you’ve got to know how to fight it. Here are 10 practical ways to be killing pride:

    (Click here to continue reading on at BethanyGU.edu.)

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