Is the Gospel Incomplete Without Miracles?

“Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?” Mark 12:24 (NKJV)

In today’s spiritual landscape, a growing number of movements claim that preaching the Gospel without signs and wonders is powerless and ineffective. According to this view, miracles aren’t just supplemental to the message—they are part of the message. Without them, they argue, the Gospel remains incomplete or unimpressive. But is that what the Bible actually teaches?

Movements like the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) are among the most vocal in promoting this idea. They often cite verses like Mark 12:24, 1 Corinthians 2:4, and John 14:12 to argue that if Gospel preaching does not come with healing, prophecy, or some miraculous demonstration, then it is not truly displaying “the power of God.” But is that really what these passages teach? Or is the Gospel being misunderstood—and even undermined—by this kind of theology?

Understanding Mark 12:24 in Context

Jesus’ words in Mark 12:24 were directed at the Sadducees, a religious sect that denied the resurrection of the dead. In this passage, they pose a hypothetical question about a woman who had married seven brothers, asking whose wife she would be in the resurrection. Their aim was to mock the idea of an afterlife. In response, Jesus rebukes them for not knowing two things: the Scriptures, and the power of God.

But what “power of God” was Jesus referring to? Not the power to heal or perform miracles, as some might assume. Rather, He was correcting their faulty theology regarding the resurrection. This becomes clear in the next verse, where Jesus says that in the resurrection, people will neither marry nor be given in marriage. The power of God in this context refers to His ability to raise the dead and to transform life in the age to come. Jesus was confronting theological ignorance about eternal realities, not promoting a miracle-working lifestyle.

To use this verse as a mandate for miraculous ministry is to ignore its context entirely. It’s not about performing signs and wonders; it’s about trusting in God’s sovereign power to fulfill His promises of resurrection and eternal life.

Does the Gospel Need Miracles to Be Powerful?

The broader claim of movements like the NAR is that signs and wonders must always accompany Gospel preaching for it to be truly effective. They argue that the Gospel without miracles is like a message without evidence. To support this view, they cite various passages in the New Testament, suggesting that the early church normatively operated in miraculous power alongside preaching.

But a closer examination of Scripture reveals that this is a serious misinterpretation. The Gospel’s power is not found in outward displays of miracles but in the message of Christ crucified and risen. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, declares that the Gospel itself is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). He does not say that miracles are the power of God, but the message!

1 Corinthians 2:4 – “…not with persuasive words… but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power”

“And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power…” 1 Corinthians 2:4

This verse is commonly used to claim that preaching must be accompanied by supernatural manifestations. But when read in context, Paul is actually contrasting his own preaching with the rhetorical showmanship of Greek philosophers. He had just finished saying in the previous chapter that “we preach Christ crucified… Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:23–24).

The “demonstration of the Spirit and of power” was not about theatrical miracles. It was about the Spirit of God working through the message of the cross to convict hearts and bring people to saving faith. Paul’s ministry relied on the transforming power of God’s truth, not spectacle.

Mark 16:17–18 – “These signs will follow those who believe…”

“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Mark 16:17-18

This passage is often used by the NAR to argue that every true believer should regularly perform signs and wonders as evidence of authentic faith and effective Gospel ministry. However, there are two important issues to consider.

First, this portion of Mark (verses 9–20) is part of a disputed textual section, absent in many of the earliest and most reliable Greek manuscripts. Most scholars acknowledge this passage may not have been part of Mark’s original Gospel, though it likely reflects early Christian belief and experience. Even if we accept it as genuine Scripture, it still needs to be interpreted carefully within the whole counsel of God’s Word.

Second, and most importantly, the passage is descriptive, not prescriptive. Jesus says, “These signs will follow those who believe,” but He does not say that every individual believer will do all these signs, or that these signs must accompany every Gospel encounter. The Greek wording indicates that such signs would accompany the believing community, especially as the Gospel began to spread. This is exactly what we see in the book of Acts: God sovereignly confirmed the message through miracles performed by the apostles and other key figures during the foundational phase of the Church.

Furthermore, the rest of the New Testament makes it clear that not all believers perform miracles (1 Cor. 12:29–30), and that spiritual gifts are distributed according to the Spirit’s will (1 Cor. 12:11). The Gospel is never presented as dependent on signs for its power or validity. It is the message of Christ crucified and risen that is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16).

In summary, while signs did follow believers in the early church, they were sovereignly appointed, not universally expected, and this passage should not be used to demand or measure the presence of miracles in every believer’s life or ministry.

John 14:12 – “He who believes in Me… greater works…”

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” John 14:12

This verse is frequently used by the NAR to claim that all believers should be doing more spectacular miracles than Jesus—healing the sick, raising the dead, even commanding nature itself. After all, Jesus said, “He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” On the surface, this seems like a promise to every believer for even greater supernatural exploits than those Jesus performed.

But a closer look at the context and language shows something different. Jesus was speaking to all who would believe in Him—not just the apostles. So yes, the promise is to every true believer. But the “greater works” He mentions are not necessarily greater in miraculous power or intensity, but greater in scope, reach, and redemptive effect.

During His earthly ministry, Jesus’ work was geographically limited to Israel and mostly focused on preparing the way for the cross. But after His death, resurrection, and ascension, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the Church would be empowered to spread the Gospel globally. Through the preaching of the Gospel, millions would be spiritually raised from death to life, forgiven, regenerated, and indwelt by the Holy Spirit—realities that were not yet available until after Jesus was glorified (John 7:39).

This is the “greater” work: not more dazzling signs, but a greater harvest of souls through the proclamation of the finished work of Christ. Jesus’ own miracles served a specific purpose in confirming His identity as the Messiah. No one—not even the apostles—surpassed Christ in miraculous power or authority. But through Spirit-empowered preaching and disciple-making, believers after Christ’s ascension would take the Gospel to the ends of the earth, resulting in the transformation of countless lives.

So, the “greater works” are indeed promised to all who believe—but they are primarily redemptive and spiritual in nature, not necessarily more spectacular in form. This passage calls believers to participate in the mission of Christ, empowered by the Spirit to proclaim the Gospel—not to chase signs, but to bear fruit that remains.

Romans 15:18–19 – “…by the power of signs and wonders…”

“For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient—
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.” Romans 15:18-19

In this passage, Paul is describing his unique apostolic ministry, where miracles served to confirm his authority. But he never sets this up as a model for all believers or all time. He makes clear elsewhere that faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17), not by seeing miraculous signs.

Paul was clear that the effectiveness of his ministry came not from miracles but from the faithful preaching of the Gospel, through which the Holy Spirit works to save and sanctify.

Hebrews 2:3–4 – “…confirmed… with signs and wonders…”

“How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?” Hebrews 2:3-4

Here again, the passage refers to a specific historical period: the early days of the Gospel, when God confirmed His message through signs performed by the apostles. The language is in the past tense. It does not say that signs and wonders must always accompany Gospel preaching throughout history.

Instead, the emphasis is on the sufficiency of the message that was once for all delivered, and now preserved for us in Scripture. The Gospel is trustworthy not because of ongoing signs, but because it has been once-for-all affirmed by God’s Spirit through the apostles.

What Scripture Actually Teaches

Throughout the New Testament, there is a consistent and unshakable emphasis on the message of the Gospel as the means by which God saves, transforms, and builds His people. The power of God is revealed not through ongoing signs and wonders, but through the proclamation of Christ crucified, buried, and risen—a message that brings life, faith, and eternal hope to all who believe.

While the Bible clearly teaches that God can and sometimes does perform miracles, it never teaches that miracles are required to make the Gospel complete or effective. Miracles are not the message—they are not even essential to the delivery of the message. The Gospel is the message, and it is already the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).

Even Jesus Himself strongly warned against a sign-seeking mentality. In Matthew 12:39, when the scribes and Pharisees demanded a sign from Him—after they had already seen miracles—He responded:

“An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” Matthew 12:39

Here, Jesus was not condemning all signs or miracles—He had performed many. He was confronting a heart posture of unbelief, one that refuses to trust God unless He continually proves Himself through dramatic displays. This kind of faith is not faith at all—it is skepticism masked as spirituality. Jesus calls it evil and adulterous because it reflects a covenant-breaking heart, one that will not rest in God’s revealed truth but constantly demands new proofs on its own terms.

He then points to the only sign that truly matters: the sign of Jonah—His own death, burial, and resurrection. That is the climactic sign God gives to the world, and it is sufficient. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the ultimate confirmation of His identity and the cornerstone of the Gospel. To seek more than that—more signs, more wonders—as the basis for faith is to miss the point entirely.

What Is the True Power of God?

The true power of God is not found in a healing crusade, prophetic spectacle, or supernatural display. It is found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:18 that the message of the cross is the power of God to those who are being saved. In Romans 1:16, he affirms that the Gospel itself is “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.”

God can still do miracles, and He is sovereign to act as He wills. But the Gospel does not need miraculous signs to be authentic or effective. It is already complete, already powerful, and already capable of transforming lives because it is centered on Christ, not performance.

When Signs Eclipse the Cross

The notion that the Gospel must be accompanied by miracles to be valid is not only biblically inaccurate—it’s spiritually dangerous. It subtly shifts trust away from the finished work of Christ and the sufficiency of Scripture, and places it on human experience, emotion, and spectacle. When that happens, disappointment is inevitable, and truth is sacrificed.

When we elevate signs above the Savior, or miracles above the message, we lose the heart of the Gospel. The early church changed the world not by putting on signs and wonders shows, but by faithfully preaching Christ crucified, risen, and returning.

Don’t chase power apart from the Person. Don’t seek wonders and miss the Word. Don’t demand signs and forget the cross. The Gospel is not lacking. It is not partial. It is not incomplete. It is the very power of God—because Christ is enough…!