Everyone Believes in At Least One Miracle

How would you engage a friend or family member who says, 'I can’t believe in the miracles of the Bible'? It is fair to assume that this person doesn’t believe in the supernatural, but has a more naturalist worldview, which means they believe there is nothing beyond this material universe, but deep down, they might not actually live that out to its full extent. 

Find a way to connect with their doubt 

Now, this is a good opportunity to establish common ground with the person. We can affirm our friend's belief that miracles can be hard to believe. Most people aren’t experiencing miracles in their daily lives, and there are individuals who are well-trained in “faking” miracles. We should commend our friend for thinking deeper about this and wanting some type of evidence.

Ask Questions

A good approach here is not to immediately go on the defensive, but to ask them a clarifying question. It can be as simple as “What do you mean by miracles?” Do not assume you both have the same thought in your head; have them explain what they mean. 

Listen Actively

Remember, the point isn’t to steamroll them with facts; it isn’t about even winning an argument. It is about the salvation of their soul, it's about the person, and it is about Jesus. Active listening lets them know you actually care what they have to say. Apologetics is a tool to remove doubts and help people receive the gospel.

What is a Miracle?

Here’s the definition of miracle from Merriam-Webster: “an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs,” or “an extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing, or accomplishment.”

Simply put, from a Christian perspective, a miracle is a special act of God that interrupts the normal course of the world. Miracles are typically rare events demonstrating God's divine power. If they weren’t rare, they wouldn’t get our attention. Popular philosopher David Hume, who had a massive impact on promoting naturalism, said that a miracle is “a violation of the laws of nature,” and that “natural laws are immutable(unchanging).” But here is the thing: who said that natural laws are unchanging? Creation itself shows that natural laws are not unchanging. Something doesn’t just come from nothing. But here we are. In their book Not Enough Faith to Be an Athiest, the authors say, “We also know that natural laws are not immutable because they are descriptions of what happens, not prescriptions of what must happen. Natural laws don’t really cause anything” [1]

Of course, some people point to natural explanations for the universe’s beginning. But even then, they’re still left with the question of how something came from nothing. Either way, we’re all admitting something extraordinary happened. The Bible doesn’t teach that natural laws are something separate from God. He didn’t make the universe and leave it to run itself. God established natural laws, and it is God’s ordinary way of moving in the natural world. 

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.” (Ps 19:1–2. ESV)

“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” (Heb 1:3.)

A miracle is God’s extraordinary way of operating in the natural world. 

Your Response

The response is simple. You could ask them if they have ever considered that they are living in a miracle? That the created universe is a miracle. It came into existence out of nothing. Of course, the Christian belief is that God created the universe by the power of His word. The creation of the universe is a one-time event that cannot be repeated. That is miraculous. 

What about your own birth? In 2025, there are 8.2 billion people in the world, but there’s still only one you. Your life is a one-time event that can never be repeated. That uniqueness is extraordinary; it shows us that not everything meaningful can be explained by routine or repetition.

Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” If that is true, then every other miracle in the Bible is easily believed.

[1] Geisler, Norman L., and Frank Turek. I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2004.