Do Miracles Validate Teaching?

Many Christians think that their pastors or teachers must be teaching the truth of God because they are able to do miracles in the name of God. Some pastors and teachers even point to their ability to do miracles as validation that they are teaching the truth of God.

This attitude comes from the assumption that miracles can only be done by people who teach the truth of God. However, this assumption is not biblical. The Bible indicates that true miracles can also be done by false teachers.

In the biblical law, God warned his people against false teachers who were able to do miracles and make accurate predictions:

Deuteronomy 13:1–3 ESV “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, ₂ and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ ₃ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

Even if someone were able to do a real miracle, his teaching may still be false. In order to drive home this point, God used the most obvious example of false teaching: worshipping false gods. Someone who teaches something so clearly wrong could still do miracles in order to validate his teaching!

Jesus and his disciples were not the only ones who could do miracles! Speaking to Pharisees, Jesus said:

Matthew 12:27 ESV And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.

There is no doubt that the teachings of the Pharisees were false. Yet, Jesus’ saying implies that the “sons” of the Pharisees, that is, their disciples, were able to cast out demons.

Jesus also taught that there will be people who can do miracles in his name even though they never had a right relationship with him. He said:

Matthew 7:22–23 ESV On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ ₂₃ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

These people thought that they were saved since they were able to do miracles and mighty works in Jesus’ name. Yet, Jesus will tell them to depart from him.

Jesus and the New Testament writers predicted that false teachers will deceive many people into believing them by doing miracles:

Matthew 24:24 ESV For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

2 Thessalonians 2:9–10 ESV The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

Revelation 13:13–14 ESV It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.

Therefore, just because someone is able to do miracles in the name of God does not prove that he is a true teacher from God, since even false teachers are able to do miracles—even in Jesus’ name!