you both seem to be saying the same thing. the faith healers say similar things. if your prayer isn't answered, it's because "you don't have faith, you have sin in your life, you aren't asking in His name." do you believe in faith healing? Are you ever sick? do you have any chronic physical or emotional conditions? if you do, why?
so what about paul? Did God refuse to respond with a "yes" to Pauls prayer because paul had sin in his life? did he ask in the wrong name? did he have enough faith? or did God have a greater purpose like with the blind man in John? Christ healed the blind man. But Christ clearly said that the blind man was not blind because of sin. But paul wasn't delivered from his affliction. God had a greater purpose to let paul continue in his infirmity. the death rate i still one per person. those who believe in Faith healing even get sick and die, no matter how much they belittle other christians for their supposed lack of faith.
I think of many people who suffer daily. They suffer emotionally and physically every day of their lives. In john, the disciples automatically assumed the man who was blind was being punished. Christ told them, this man has not sinned nor his parents. It was an occasion for the works of God to be made manifest in the blind man.
I have a relative who is going through a rough spot. She is convinced God isn't hearing her prayers because she isn't getting the results she wants. I remembered the passage in 2 corinthians 12. Paul had an ongoing difficulty. Over the course of three different times, he prayed that God would deliver him. But God didn't give paul what he prayed for. He gave paul something better. God said, my grace is sufficient for you. He essentially told Paul, when you are in weakness and trials, I can reveal myself. When things go the way we want, we have that sinful tendency to rely on ourselves. Paul realized that and said, I will boast in my afflictions and distressed. No matter how hard our outward circumstances are, God will give us the inward spiritual power and grace to go through those things. He doesn't say he will take those difficult things away. He will give us the grace to live lives that please Him in the midst of hardship.
Do not be carried away by various strange teachings; for it is good that the heart be made steadfast and sure by grace. Not with foods which those who are occupied in have received no benefit.
We possess an altar, from which those who serve in the tabernacle have no right to eat. (Hebrews 13:9-10)
When we remember that the priests ate from the sacrifices offered on the altar, we can better understand what the contrast is. Our hearts are established by the grace in the sacrifice of Christ. We have a spiritual temple and altar, not made with hands(hebrews 9:11, 24).
After the blood of the sin offering was poured out on the altar, the body of the animal was taken and burned outside the camp(leviticus 4:16-21, hebrews 13:11).
Because of which, also Jesus suffered outside the gate that he sanctify the people with his own blood. So then, let us go to him outside the camp, suffering the same taunts and reproaches that he did(heb. 12:12-13).
For here we have no present city, but we seek the one to come.
Unlike the city of Jerusalem and the temple, we have no earthly city or temple. Our citizenship is in heaven(philippians 3:20.) We have no physical building, no physical temple. Just as the Hebrew believers were called to go outside the camp and leave the temple behind and go to Christ, we too should leave behind the shadows and go to Christ who is outside earthly, physical religion.
yes Quiznos. If paul and peter and the others had gone to the local roman officials and said, we would like government permission to establish a corporation church and have you grant us tax exempt status, would that have stopped them from persecuting christians?
it was only later under the state sponsored church by constantine that churches were granted exemptions. and that has been the RUIN of christianity. the catholics, luther and calvin supported the idea that the state had divine authority to punish disobedient and erring people. that would be anyone who disagreed with them. that is why anabaptists were drowned by many of the lutheran/reformed communities.
Colossians 2:16 Let no one therefore judge you in food, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days, 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body/substance/reality is of Christ.
Hebrews 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
We should do the opposite of those that Paul describes in Colossians 2:19 as not holding firmly to the Head. We should be holding tightly to Christ who is the Head. We can't hold onto the shadow and the reality at the same time. That means we would be holding onto the animal sacrifices in addition to the once for all sacrifice of Christ(Hebrews 10:1).
The shadow includes more than the sacrifices.
Heb 9:9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience 10 Which stood only in foods and drinks, and various water ceremonies/baptisms, and ordinances pertaining to the flesh, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
