Yes — the overwhelming witness of Scripture and Christian history is that God still acts in the world in extraordinary ways. Whether that means in the same form as biblical signs and wonders is where sincere, Bible-believing Christians genuinely disagree. Both sides have real arguments worth taking seriously.
What a Miracle Actually Is {v:John 2:11}
Before entering the debate, it helps to define the term. A Miracle is not simply a surprising answer to prayer or a fortunate turn of events — it is a direct act of God that suspends or transcends the normal order of creation. Turning water into wine. Healing a man born blind. Raising the dead. These are the categories Jesus operated in, and they were meant to signify something:
This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. (John 2:11)
The miracles were not just impressive — they were revelatory. They pointed to who Jesus was.
The Cessationist View {v:1 Corinthians 13:8-10}
Cessationists (from the Latin cessare, to cease) argue that the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit — tongues, prophecy, healing, signs and wonders — were given specifically to authenticate the apostles and establish the early church. Once the New Testament canon was complete, these "sign gifts" were no longer needed and therefore ceased.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13 that certain gifts will "pass away" when "the perfect" comes. Many cessationists understand "the perfect" as the completed Scripture. On this view, God still answers prayer and works providentially, but he no longer operates through dramatic miraculous signs.
This is not a fringe view — it has been held by serious theologians including B.B. Warfield, John MacArthur, and much of the Reformed tradition.
The Continuationist View {v:Acts 2:17-18}
Continuationists argue that the gifts of the Holy Spirit were never promised to cease in the apostolic age — and that the global evidence suggests they haven't. Peter's sermon at Pentecost quotes the prophet Joel:
"And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy… even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy." (Acts 2:17-18)
The "last days," continuationists note, began at Pentecost and continue until Jesus returns. The outpouring of the Spirit was not a brief opening act — it was the shape of the whole age. Credible testimonies of miraculous healing, answered prayer beyond statistical probability, and Spirit-prompted knowledge continue to emerge from every continent.
Continuationist scholars include Gordon Fee, Wayne Grudem, and much of the Pentecostal and charismatic tradition.
Where Both Sides Agree {v:Hebrews 13:8}
Underneath the disagreement is solid common ground. Both views affirm:
- God is sovereign over all events, natural and otherwise
- Prayer matters and God responds
- The Holy Spirit is active in the world today
- Jesus Christ is "the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8)
The real dispute is about form and frequency, not whether God acts. Cessationists simply locate God's extraordinary action more in providence and Scripture than in dramatic signs. Continuationists expect both.
What This Means in Practice
If you're asking because you're wondering whether to pray for a miracle — pray. Scripture never conditions the command to pray on resolving debates about cessationism. James writes simply: "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him" (James 5:14). The instruction stands regardless of your theological position.
If you've witnessed something you can't explain — something that looked like a miracle — the honest answer is: maybe it was. God is not constrained by either camp's framework. He acts according to his purposes, in ways that bring glory to himself and good to his people.
The Bible is clear that miracles were never meant to be the foundation of faith. They are signs pointing to someone. That someone — Jesus — is still present, still active, and still worth turning toward, whether the sign is dramatic or quiet.