Supernatural isn’t a bad word as it relates to Christianity. There are certainly ways that it can be misapplied and go off the rails; however, the Christian faith rests on the resurrection of the dead, the power of the Holy Spirit, and divine grace imparted to sinful humans. We see humanity trying to make the supernatural natural by reducing God’s work to something we can produce, suppress, explain, manipulate, or engineer.

Supernatural Versus Sensational

The Christian faith rests on the reality of a God who acts supernaturally. He creates from nothing (ex nihilo). He parts seas, sends plagues, delivers nations, and redeems sinners. How absurd for us to think that we can outperform Him with the cheap parlor tricks of sensationalism. While God makes the deaf to hear and dead to live again, we suppose that a musical experience or emotional high in a service will impress the audience, if not God. Like Moses striking the rock, we would do well to learn that God’s way is the way of truth and power. Water did flow, but there were consequences when Moses took God’s work into his own hands. We should trust in the promises of God rather than adopt the approach of P.T. Barnum. Sensationalism cannot create the supernatural.

Supernatural Versus Stoic

We often conflate charismatic practices with the supernatural. In so doing, we think that pushing off in the other direction toward stoicism is a more faithful paradigm. Accordingly, we can philosophically and mentally downplay or even relegate the supernatural aspects of the Christian faith. At times we can merge stoic philosophy with Biblical truth, but doing so leaves out the necessary element of Christ. Paul did say he had learned the secret of contentment, which sounds stoic in nature (Philippians 4:11-12). But that secret rests in supernatural strength in Christ (Philippians 4:13). Emotional control does no more to produce faith than emotional excess. Stoicism cannot suppress or supplant the supernatural.

Supernatural Versus Intellectualism

Salvation, grace, and faith are not abstract, philosophical concepts to which we need to intellectually assent. Theology, doctrine, and orthodoxy are prized possessions; however, God is not a cosmic comptroller whose main aim is to ensure compliance. His revelation of Himself isn’t some kind of divine tax code for which we can all “achieve” conformity if we know enough. No, God is an eternal, Triune being whose steadfast love was poured out through the veins of the Son and then three days later His resurrection secured our own. Like Abraham and Sarah taking things into their own hands in disbelief, we suppose that we can do a better job of managing Christianity rationally. Isaac is a testimony of God’s power, but Ishmael reminds us of the cost when we try to accomplish God’s promises by our own reason. Intellectualism cannot explain away the supernatural or think of a better way than God’s.

Supernatural Versus Mystical

The supernatural nature of our faith does not rest in rituals or artifacts, but in the promises of God. It isn’t our carefully curated words that activate the grace. It is the very words of God that carry with them the weight of glory and deliver what they proclaim. It’s true that we don’t need a mediator to stand between us and God because Christ fulfilled that, but it’s also true that we don’t individually summon grace by our personal practices. Like the prophets of Baal, all our efforts to conjure up the miraculous are just idle idolatry. The one true God has spoken to us in His Son (Hebrews 1:1-2). Mysticism cannot manipulate the supernatural.

Supernatural Versus Pragmatic

The truth of God cannot be reduced to a slogan or byline; however, it might sell some t-shirts. T-shirt sales might be enough to increase the missions budget. But that might dip into the podcast line item. The biting sarcasm should be an indictment on all our proclivities to reach for what works versus what is promised. The seeker sensitive, marketing wing of evangelicalism doesn’t have a corner on this market.

We need look no further than our own desire to get things done in our own strength but still in the name of God to see our own emphasis on pragmatism. We reason that if we campaign hard enough, platform enough culture disrupting influencers, and get the right people in the right positions, that we can usher into the kingdom of God on Earth. What we forget is that the right person is already in the right position; God is on His throne. What should send chills down our spine is that with sheer reason, strategy, and human grit we can actually move the ball forward in the name of God, just not in His power. Pragmatism can deliver metrics but cannot replace supernatural fruitfulness.

Supernatural Through Means

God spoke and creation came into existence. In fact, we see in John 1:1-14, Colossians 1:15-20, and Hebrews 1:1-4 and 8-12 that it is Christ who spoke these words of creation. He spoke and the winds and waves obeyed. He has spoken to us definitively through His word and tangibly in Jesus Christ. Irenaeus recognized this in the second century when he pointed to the power of the incarnation in Against Heresies (IV.6.6): “through the Word Himself who had been made visible and palpable, was the Father shown forth.”

He who walked on the water and turned water into wine has said that all who are thirsty should come to Him and drink. He who fed the five thousand with bread has given us His body and blood under bread and wine for the forgiveness of sins in the words of institution. He who was baptized by John the Baptist has commanded us to go to all nations and Baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus used the ordinary without hesitation. His promises that connect His grace to what is poured over us, consumed by us, or proclaimed to us should be trusted as the means through which He accomplishes His ends.

The promises of God will always be fulfilled, and His word abides forever. When God said that Baptism forgives sins (Acts 2:38), that the Supper is for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:28), and that preaching is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:15-17), you can rest assured that God is at work through the water, bread, wine, or sermons. God is supernaturally working through means.

At times we try to upstage, outmaneuver or outsmart God. Usually, it’s below the surface and we ironically think we’re fulfilling His plan. What He asks from us is faith that not only trusts Him for justification, but also trusts His ways are best to accomplish His plans. Dolly Parton once quipped, “it costs a lot to look this cheap.” We as individuals and the church collective would be wise to consider the true cost of cheap substitutes for the supernatural.

As another musician, Rich Mullins, observed in one of his lesser known songs (Holy Pretenders), “We’re just holy pretenders trying to fill God’s shoes, but we haven’t got the right size feet.” God works through His word. He forgives sins through Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Belief comes through hearing the good news of the gospel proclaimed. We can try to perform, suppress, rationalize, manipulate or engineer God’s work, but our hubris blinds us from seeing His sole sufficiency and our own inadequacy to accomplish His will our way. He is Lord over our beliefs, practices, world, and reality. We often say that He works in mysterious ways, but often that means He works His way, supernaturally.