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I am currently reading a book that my mom gave me called "Blessed Beyond Measure" by Gloria Copeland, wife of well known evangelist Kenneth Copeland.
She contends that because of God's great love and goodness, each person who is willing can receive salvation, healing, deliverance, peace, blessings, and every other good thing God has promised us in His Word. She states that understanding and believing the goodness of God is the very foundation of our faith.
Do you believe in the goodness of God?
Do you believe these things can become a reality in your life?
Do you believe that healing is for every person who has the faith to recieve it? Is it ever God's will that someone be sick?
Last edited by jeffncandace; 07-19-2007 at 01:11 PM..
Do you believe these things can become a reality in your life?
Do you believe that healing is for every person who has the faith to recieve it? Is it ever God's will that someone be sick?
Yes I believe in the goodness of Godl
Yes I believe these things can become a reality in anyone's life.
I believe spiritual healing is available for everyone.
No it is not God's will that anyone be sick, but because of the fallen world we live in this a part of life. And I do believe He gives us strength to face it.
This "health and wealth" theology makes me sick. I believe that it destroys peoples' faith by promising something that I don't believe exists. Jesus said that the poor would always be with us. Job was smitten with boils. Mankind has lived within the consequences of our fallen world for our entire history.
One of the main things that makes me so averse to this line of thinking is by looking at the life of Christ himself. I think most all Christians will agree that the nature of God is partially revealed in Christ. Did Jesus walk around healing everybody? He healed some, but not all. He sequestered himself from the crowds, too. His mission wasn't to heal the physically ill, but to heal the spiritually ill. Physical healings were a testament to his divine nature. Jesus suffered all of the temporal consequences of our fallen world in order that we might be saved.
The sickness, death, and sadness that surround us are the temporal consequences of our sin. These things visibly preach the Law to us; "the wages of sin is death". Hope comes from the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not from empty promises based on prooftexting scripture.
3) Sorta, yes. I think it is in general God's will to heal everyone who has faith. (When Jesus was on earth, He healed everyone that we have record of ever coming to Him for healing.) But I think there are times it may not be His will to heal and usually, God alone knows the reason. (Example, the apostle Paul's "thorn in the flesh.")
In the book of James, we are told to call for the elders and have them pray for us to be healed if we are sick. I believe we should always come to God and confidently ask for healing.
This "health and wealth" theology makes me sick. I believe that it destroys peoples' faith by promising something that I don't believe exists. Jesus said that the poor would always be with us. Job was smitten with boils. Mankind has lived within the consequences of our fallen world for our entire history.
One of the main things that makes me so averse to this line of thinking is by looking at the life of Christ himself. I think most all Christians will agree that the nature of God is partially revealed in Christ. Did Jesus walk around healing everybody? He healed some, but not all. He sequestered himself from the crowds, too. His mission wasn't to heal the physically ill, but to heal the spiritually ill. Physical healings were a testament to his divine nature. Jesus suffered all of the temporal consequences of our fallen world in order that we might be saved.
The sickness, death, and sadness that surround us are the temporal consequences of our sin. These things visibly preach the Law to us; "the wages of sin is death". Hope comes from the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not from empty promises based on prooftexting scripture.
First of all, I find your 1st sentence telling: "This "health and wealth" theology makes me sick." Hmmmm...the Bible speaks clearly about the power of the tongue.
So you believe that the sickness death and sadness that surround us are God's perfect will for our lives? Why then did Jesus bear our sicknesses and diseases on the Cross, if we are still destined to be sick?
Colossians 1:13 (AMP) says, "[The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,"
This says we are not subject to the temporal consequences of sin once we have accepted Christ!
3) Sorta, yes. I think it is in general God's will to heal everyone who has faith. (When Jesus was on earth, He healed everyone that we have record of ever coming to Him for healing.) But I think there are times it may not be His will to heal and usually, God alone knows the reason. (Example, the apostle Paul's "thorn in the flesh.")
In the book of James, we are told to call for the elders and have them pray for us to be healed if we are sick. I believe we should always come to God and confidently ask for healing.
Amen! I pretty much agree I think. I believe that Jesus has taken our diseases and sickness upon Himself and with few exceptions if we stand in faith believing for the manifestation of our healing that He will grant it. If He does not, then there is a factor not known to anyone but God at play and we have to trust that there was a reason for it.
Once I thought that all sickness came from the devil and demons, now, I'm pretty sure I was wrong.
Once I thought that God wanted everyone to be well and healthy, now, I'm pretty sure I was wrong.
Someone will have to find the story in scripture, but I base this revised belief on the actions and words of Christ Jesus.
Jesus was leaving a town and ran into a blind man, who He healed. After He healed the man, the disciples asked Him why the man was blind, was it because of his sins or the sins of his parents. Jesus said, "Neither, that he was blind so that God could get glory."
To me, that implies some people are sick and/or afflicted because God is God.
Thoughts? Scripture?
Let's make these arguments using the Word, otherwise, it's just speculation.
Colossians 1:13 (AMP) says, "[The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,"
This says we are not subject to the temporal consequences of sin once we have accepted Christ!
Wow, that's not what that says AT ALL!
That's like telling the ex-alcoholic with psorisis of the liver that his psorisis isn't a result of his drinking.
Wow. how do you get that from that?
That scripture is talking about being delivered from the eternal consequences of sin. Are you in Heaven now, Jeff?
<shakes head for 'Alpha's Most Amazing Moment of The Day>
Amen! I pretty much agree I think. I believe that Jesus has taken our diseases and sickness upon Himself and with few exceptions if we stand in faith believing for the manifestation of our healing that He will grant it. If He does not, then there is a factor not known to anyone but God at play and we have to trust that there was a reason for it.
so how do you account for the 'few exceptions'?
Crush someone and tell them they don't have enough faith???!!!
Once I thought that all sickness came from the devil and demons, now, I'm pretty sure I was wrong.
Once I thought that God wanted everyone to be well and healthy, now, I'm pretty sure I was wrong.
Someone will have to find the story in scripture, but I base this revised belief on the actions and words of Christ Jesus.
Jesus was leaving a town and ran into a blind man, who He healed. After He healed the man, the disciples asked Him why the man was blind, was it because of his sins or the sins of his parents. Jesus said, "Neither, that he was blind so that God could get glory."
To me, that implies some people are sick and/or afflicted because God is God.
Thoughts? Scripture?
Let's make these arguments using the Word, otherwise, it's just speculation.
Yes, I think this is one of those times when it is not God's will to heal...at least, immediately. I think there are many reasons why physical healing may not be manifested and it's often nothing to do with the person. Again, St. Paul's thorn. I certainly leave room for God's sovereignty in this equation. Is that what you're saying, Alpha. If so, no argument from me even though I come down pretty heavy on the side of healing.
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Yes, yes, and qualified yes...
I believe that Jesus has taken our diseases and sickness upon Himself and with few exceptions if we stand in faith believing for the manifestation of our healing that He will grant it. If He does not, then there is a factor not known to anyone but God at play and we have to trust that there was a reason for it.
