Been real busy to blog. Hopefully I can get into the hang of it again
This is a study of a sermon that I attended. So far, in this entry I’ve only managed to cover the initial part. Not sure if I have the time to cover the rest
Let me state my current stand. Who knows, it might even change after my study of what the pastor said. But I doubt it. Anyway…
I believe in cessation of certain gifts. (namely, tongues, gifts and healing). This doesn’t mean the cessation of miracles happening though. We’ll explore further as we go on.
On hindsight, I realised I shouldn’t be blogging in parts, because the full picture is not presented. But going all at one go would be too much, and would take too long
At one point, the pastor decided to warn against an EVIL doctrine.
Evil doctrine?
He said that the day before, he had gone to a varsity to talk to a christian group, and one of the staff had mentioned that a student had left the group because the pastor of that church has taught the cessation of healing and miracles.
cessation of healing and miracles -> An evil doctrine? I suspect he was misquoting, and that the stand of the student is similar to mine. Am I believing in an evil doctrine. Yeah.. he used the words evil doctrine.
And on the weight of scriptures, healings and miracles are going to increase
Hmm….. anyway. let’s move on
He started off with an introduction of the Gospel Message and Man’s rebellion. Resulting in the problem of Spiritual Death and Physical Death. The solution of Spiritual Death is pretty obvious. Rom 10:9-10 John 1:12
So knowing the the dire consequences of sin, the pastor says we should thus go out ,
share the gospel to the masses, lay hands and heal the sick.
Uh. Right.
Jesus died for the healing of our bodies. And he then list a series of verses that indicate that Jesus died for both our spiritual salvation and healing of our earthly bodies
Psalms 103:3 This verse is pretty straight forward. I think obviously both would have to go hand in hand. Salvation is not a 50% thing. And in a way, the guilt of sin is taken away, and so is the power and consequence of sin. But when this healing of diseases will occur is unknown. My understanding is that it’ll take place in sanctification; when sin is mortified, the disease is healed.
Jeremiah 17:14 Uh. I read that Jeemiah was talking about spiritual healing. And also about healing from sin. I guess you can argue either ways. However, again, the passage doesn’t say anything about when the healing takes place. Same greek word healing as used in psalms
Luke 5:24 Hmm. I don’t see how this verse relates to what’s being preached. I thought this was about how forgiveness of Sin is more important. er. but without a deeper study inthis passage, I can’t say more.
Isaiah 53:4-5 While the it’s the same root word for healing as used in earlier verse, I don’t see how you can draw the conclusion that it’s physical healing. The hebrew word has the meaning of to mend, to repair, to make whole.
Matthew 8:16-17 Jesus healed the physically sick. Straightforward. But how does it apply to the point the preacher is trying to make
1 Peter 2:24 No indication that the verse is refering to physical ailments.
Oh yeah, later on in the sermon, the pastor mentioned that healing is for now on earth, because well, you won’t need healing in heaven with your new body. I disagreed with this point. Because… well.. the new body is the act of healing!
Anyway, I don’t know if I have time to cover the rest of the sermon. I’ll try though.
Popularity: 47% [?]
I believe in cessation of certain gifts. (namely, tongues, gifts and healing). This doesn’t mean the cessation of miracles happening though. We’ll explore further as we go on.
You may well address this later, so I should be patient, but I’m wondering what would be the justification for believing some gifts have ceased while others continue? And biblically speaking what is the reason to believe that any gifts have ceased? For myself I believe that the gifts mentioned in the New Testament are still around and experienced by different people, though not nearly as many people as claim them. Quite a bit of “hokey” stuff takes place in a lot of churches, and I think that’s what tends to put a bad taste in people’s mouths. But Satan working to make Christians look foolish doesn’t mean everything should be thrown out. That which God has given is good, but even good things can be distorted to look bad.
I believe that the gifts of the Spirit are still very much needed in the world today and we the Body of Christ can exercise them lovingly, humbly and in Christ’s name.
Jesus nor God in the bible forget to explain - ‘who was first; dinosurs or adam-eve’, I am sorry but logic is even an animal instinct.
“I believe in cessation of certain gifts. (namely, tongues, gifts and healing). This doesn’t mean the cessation of miracles happening though. We’ll explore further as we go on.”
do you mean you dun believe in the laying of hands for healing or healing itself?
Matt 9:29 “And He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith, let it be to you”
Before the blind men could see, Jesus asked them if they believed He is able to do that for them. They replied Yes. So believing comes before receiving.
Coincidentally, today, i rec’d an email - “Is faith required for Healing?”
Larry Ollison replied to the author of the question:
Dear Friend,
First of all, concerning the question, “Is faith required for healing?” The best answer I can give is out of the Word of God.
In the book of Acts chapter 15, it talks about a man who was listening to Paul teach. Verse 9 says, “This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, ‘Stand up straight on your feet!’ And he leaped and walked.”
In Mark chapter 5, when the woman touched the hem of Jesus’ robe, Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your affliction.” Then in James 5:15 the Bible talks about praying for a person who is sick and it says, “The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.”
All I can say is that to me it seems like faith plays an important part in healing, and if I was sick I would want all the faith I could get. Romans 10:17 says, “So then, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”
We must also remember this. In John 3:17 the Bible tells us that Jesus did not come into this world to condemn it but to save it. As Christians we must be like Jesus. If someone has prayed for healing and it looks like they are not healed, the last thing we should do is make them feel guilty or inadequate.
When little could be done by Jesus in Nazareth, the Bible says that He continued to teach. He didn’t condemn the people. He taught them.
As for Raj, check out http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/qa.asp
the father can forgive everyone sins.he look so great with all the power invested upon him. just a question. who will forgive his sins…
Praise the Lord! I’ve always wondered if there are any Malays out there in this world who are Christians. And indeed all praises and glory to Lord Jesus Christ! ** dancing **
Dear Saints, hope this Gospel Letter will bless you all, do be encourage.
We are reaching out to Christians, we send out every mouth on web site http://www.evangelistbillybolitho.blogspot.com our latest Gospel Letters which the Lord has given us we offer them to you —–
GOSPEL LETTER
Faith in God is believing that God is and is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Faith in God boils down to just one thing, will you trust Him in life’s greatest trials? Paul the Apostle was a prisoner on a ship, when a great storm arose. The ship was in great danger of sinking, but God spoke to Paul by an angel who told him that if they all stayed in the ship it would not sink, and they would all be saved.
What trust this took, how many of us would have tried some other way, maybe by swimming, or clinging to some piece of old wood. Paul’s words of faith and trust in God brought them all to safety, but the ship was lost. Dear Saints, when the wind blows and the storms of life crashes against you, hold on tight to God’s promises and rest in His peace, for He said, “ I am mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea”, {Psalm 93 v 4}. Jesus was in a boat in lake Galilee when a great storm arose, yes He was fast asleep, but His disciples were in great panic and distress.
How could Jesus sleep through such a storm? Because He totally trusted His Heavenly Father. In great panic His disciples shook Him and woke Him up, and said “don’t you care if we perish? ”Jesus replied,” “Where is your faith?” And He gave a command for the storm to cease. And if you put your total unwavering trust in Him, He will command that storm in your life to cease. So, trust your heavenly Father as Jesus did, and be at peace in the storms of life, for it is written, “ Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is staid on thee, trust ye in the Lord forever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength”, {Isaiah 26 v 3& 4}.
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EVANGELIST BILLY BOLITHO