The Fundamental Miracle

This is not the same thing as saying that all the recorded miracles are of equal religious importance. The most important matter is not the question of the floating axhead or the sun
standing still at Joshua's command. The most important matter is whether or not we are grasped by the fundamental miracle of Biblical faith. And if we are, we are entitled to and obligated to look at other reported miracles in relationship to the fundamental miracle.

What is the fundamental miracle? Surely, it is the fact -- the miraculous, inexplicable fact -- that God loves stumbling, sinful people like us. As this theme is developed throughout the Bible -- in God's choosing of Israel, his continued forgiveness, particularly his sending of his Son, his gift of the Holy Spirit, his concern with us to this very day -- we come to see how miraculous it all is, how totally unexpected, how far beyond anything we have a right to expect, how contrary to what we know of the way life usually goes. That God loves sinful men and enters into fellowship with them is the heart of the Biblical assertion. It is the fundamental miracle. Particularly as we see it focused in Jesus Christ, we see that it is the really important matter. After we understand that, we can go on to ask about this or that miracle not only concerning the trustworthiness of our report of it, but, more important, how and to what extent it helps to illumine and further clarify our understanding of the fundamental miracle of Jesus Christ.

So let us turn to examine more fully the fundamental miracle.