Tag: wonders

Romans 15:19 – Submissive Service

in mighty signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit of God, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum.

Truth to Learn

We need to submissively serve God wherever He leads us.

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “signs” is the Greek word semeion, which means “a wondrous public sign or token with a spiritual meaning and purpose.” It implies that the miracle has God’s finger prints all over it; that is, it is an amazing miracle which draws people’s attention to God.

“Wonders” is from the Greek noun teras. This is a derivative of the verb tereō, meaning “to watch, implying that, due to its extraordinary character, the thing observed causes amazement and wonder and is long remembered as a result.”

The Greek word translated “around” is kuklō, which refers to “a ring or a circle.” Metaphorically, it refers to an entire region.

 

Meaning Explained

In the previous two verses Paul confessed that he has reason to boast about what had been done in Christ Jesus through his own submission to God’s will and his own commitment to do whatever God directed him to do. His boasting, you will remember, was not in himself but in what God had done through him. He further clarified this idea by stating that he was not taking any credit for what others had done, only what had been done through him.

In the current verse Paul carries this even further by pointing out that what was done through him was not from his own efforts or his own brilliance. Rather, Paul cites the fact that it was through powerful miracles and wonders done in the power of the Spirit of God that his work was accomplished. The two words here translated as “signs and wonders” are often associated together in the New Testament. They do not refer to two different kinds of miracles but to two different aspects of these miracles.

In the second half of this verse, Paul proclaims that he has preached the gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum. What he means is that he has preached the gospel in all regions, from Jerusalem, the center and origin of the Christian faith, all the way to Illyricum. Illyricum is the area west of the Black Sea and north of Greece. If you follow Paul’s three missionary journeys you will see that he had, indeed, preached all around from Jerusalem to Illyricum.

I think Paul’s point is, as I said earlier, that he has been submissive and obedient to God’s call and has been faithful in preaching the gospel wherever God has called him, which included much of the known world of his time.

 

Application

Are you willing to go wherever God calls you, and are you prepared to witness the grace of God to those around you wherever that may be? Are you willing to leave your comfort zone, your family and friends and go somewhere unknown to serve Him? Are you willing to give your all to serve Him where you are? Or, are you too comfortable with what you’re doing right where you are? God doesn’t reward comfort, He rewards submissive sacrificial service that glorifies Him!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

2 Thessalonians 2:9 – Counterfeit Miracles

The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders,

Truth to Learn

Miracles do not prove that someone is “from God.”

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “coming” is parousia, the same word used in the previous verse in reference to Christ’s second coming.

“According” is translated from kata, which primarily means “down” or “down upon.” However, it is used metaphorically to express a relationship of one thing to another.” In other words, it means “in accordance with,” and in such a case is translated as “according to.”

“Working” is from the Greek noun energeia. It is made up of en, meaning “in” and ergon, meaning “work” or “power.” Therefore, energeia refers to the “operation” or “effective power” of something.

The word “Satan” is transliterated from the Hebrew word sātān, which means “an adversary.” As such, it has become the proper name or our adversary.

The words “signs” and “wonders” are from the Greek words sēmeion and teras. These two words both refer to miraculous events, but teras (wonders) refers to the extraordinary character of the event whereas sēmeion refers to the spiritual significance of the event.

“Lying” is translated from the Greek word pseudon, meaning “a lie” or “a falsehood,” that which is not based on the truth.

The words “of the lawless one” do not appear in the Greek text, but have been added for clarity. A literal translation of the Greek text for this verse begins, “whose coming is according to …” From the grammatical construction of this and the previous verse it is clear that this verse is talking about “the lawless one” mentioned in the previous verse.

 

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse, Paul talked about the revealing of the “lawless one” and parenthetically commented on how he will be destroyed at the second coming of Christ. In typical Pauline fashion, he now contrasts the coming of our Lord and the coming (or appearing) of the antichrist. The antichrist will come on the scene accompanied by miraculous events. These events will display power, signs, and wonders. According to Jesus, these will prove to be a very powerful deception:

For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. (Matthew 24:24)

According to Revelation 13:1-18, these miraculous signs and wonders (even calling fire down from heaven) will so convince the “earth dwellers” that the “lawless one” is a god, that these people will worship him as a god and even receive his mark on their hand or forehead.

It is important to note here that not all miracles are of God. The devil and his agents can, do, and will perform supernatural acts that will deceive many.

 

Application

Do not be deceived, my Christian friends, by people performing miraculous feats, even doing so in the name of God. If what these people proclaim is not in complete agreement with God’s Word, do not believe them! Read your Bible; search the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:10).

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 15:19 – Submissive Service

Romans 15:19 – Submissive Service

in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

Truth to Learn

We need to submissively serve God wherever He leads us.

Behind the Words

The word translated “signs” is the Greek word semeion, which means “a wondrous public sign or token with a spiritual meaning and purpose.” It implies that the miracle has God’s finger prints all over it; that is, it is an amazing miracle which draws people’s attention to God.

Wonders” is from the Greek noun teras. This is a derivative of the verb tereō, meaning “to watch, implying that, due to its extraordinary character, the thing observed causes amazement and wonder and is long remembered as a result.”

The Greek word translated “round about” is kuklō, which refers to “a ring or a circle.” Metaphorically, it refers to an entire region.

Meaning Explained

In the previous two verses Paul confessed that he has reason to boast about what had been done in Christ Jesus through his own submission to God’s will and his own commitment to do whatever God directed him to do. His boasting, you will remember, was not in himself but in what God had done through him. He further clarified this idea by stating that he was not taking any credit for what others had done, only what had been done through him.

In the current verse Paul carries this even further by pointing out that what was done through him was not from his own efforts or his own brilliance. Rather, Paul cites the fact that it was through powerful miracles and wonders done in the power of the Spirit of God that his work was accomplished. The two words here translated as “miracles and wonders” are often associated together in the New Testament. They do not refer to two different kinds of miracles but to two different aspects of these miracles.

In the second half of this verse, Paul proclaims that he has preached the gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ from Jerusalem to Illyricum. What he means is that he has preached the gospel in all regions, from Jerusalem, the center and origin of the Christian faith, all the way to Illyricum. Illyricum is the area west of the Black Sea and north of Greece. If you follow Paul’s three missionary journeys you will see that he had, indeed, preached all around from Jerusalem to Illyricum.

I think Paul’s point is, as I said earlier, that he has been submissive and obedient to God’s call and has been faithful in preaching the gospel wherever God has called him, which included much of the known world of his time.

Application

Are you willing to go wherever God calls you, and are you prepared to witness the grace of God to those around you wherever that may be? Are you willing to leave your comfort zone, your family and friends and go somewhere unknown to serve Him? Are you willing to give your all to serve Him where you are? Or, are you too comfortable with what you’re doing right where you are? God doesn’t reward comfort, He rewards submissive sacrificial service that glorifies Him!

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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