God’s purpose for “signs, wonders, miracles, & gifts”, as revealed by the Holy Spirit thru His inspired Word – Jn 8:32(Is 55:8,9-11; 42:5-8; Ps 19.7-11; 119; Pro 30: 5-6; II Tim 3:16-17; II Ptr 1:16-18,19-21; Rev 22:18-19***:
Note (Hebs 2:3-4) that message (spoken Word) was not abt “miracles”, “signs & wonders” or “gifts”. The message, declared by Christ (Mk 1:15) & the apostles, was abt our Father’s wondrous plan of redeeming grace (Ephs 1:3-6; Ephs 1:7-14). The signs & wonders, miracles, & gifts were God’s validation of the deity & divine authority of that message & of our precious Lord in all His earthly Messianic ministry. He likewise empowered His Apostles, being commissioned by Him, to do likewise after His ascension to the right hand of His Father, & until the completion of the NT canon. All such gifts were revelatory as described here, ending by the time of the death of the last apostle (John), & were never intended to be the ongoing Biblical way of evangelism or sanctification. The miracles of our Lord & His apostles never one time served the purpose of, in any way, overcoming unbelief – Mk 1:15; Jn 3:1-6; Roms 10:9-10; 1 Thess 1:9-10 (Mt 10:1; Mt 10:29-30; Mk 6:12-13; Lu 10(70 sent); 19:19-20; 16:31 – Jesus refutes all things Charismatic (signs/wonders/gifts/miracles/ personal, new revelation) ***Jn 4:48; II Ptr 1:16-21***; Jude 1:3(“…..once for all…..”); Hebs 1:1-4; 5:7-10.