Law VS Grace
Those of you who THINK you are saved by the law then you better be keeping ALL of it all of the time.
My Testimony
Danny Bunn preaches on a few things the Lord has done in his life since he became a Christian. 30 minutess doesn't give a person much time to share just a few of the things that the Lord has supernaturally done to prove himself strong on the behalf of those who are his.
Well, I am debating some people online so here is one of my more indepth replies. It is hard to believe the length that mankind will go to show that God doesn't care about your body or soul just your spirit. It helps them to justify junk they go through without making a commitment to the word of God, studying it, memorizing it so as to fight the fight of faith better, lay hold on God's promises and doing the spooky, seeing the word of God fulfilled in your life.
Full Salvation God
III John
Psa 103
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
On this one, I was at a pro life march and I was sharing the word with a Christian brother who DID NOT believe that Jesus cares about our bodes, so to speak. He was telling me that salvation is just for the spirit man, to make people new creatures in the life of God. I shared the three verses above with him and then I asked him did he believe that God forgives him of all his iniquites, sins and he said yes. I also asked him did he believe that heals ALL our diseases? He said, "No!" I asked him why, it is in the same verse. He didn't seem to care about context, he just knew that God did not want healing for everybody because he was taught that God doesn't want it. IT is because he was brain washed into believing that lie, that God does NOT care for everyone equally, to put it lightly.
Matt 8
14 And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.
15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.
16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:
17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
(COLOR AND BOLD EMPHASIS MINE.)
So based on these verses, did Jesus heal her spiritual disease, whatever that is, OR did he heal her physical sickness? AND if you gave the correct answer, you will see why she got up out of bed, she was physically healed of her sickness SO Isaiah was telling us that Jesus came to heal our physical bodies as well as raising our lifeless spirits from the dead and we NEEDED more than healing there, we needed resurrection life in our spirits, we were DEAD to God. Keep in mind Heb 13:8 which lets us know that Jesus Chirst is the same yesterday, today and forever. It also reminds me of Psa 103:3 above talking about Jehovah God healing all his people's diseases JUST as he forgives ALL their iniquites, that is the ones who come to him for salvation and healing.
Matt 9
19 He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.
20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.
21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.
22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.
27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.
Keep in mind that Jesus Christ healed everyone who came to him for healing. Since Jesus healed his boy, I would logically say that Jesus DID HELP him in his unbelief based on his words in v. 23. Then if you keep reading in this chapter you will see Jesus was explaining how to get the kind of faith that he was moving in and that is by prayer and fasting. AND i do not believe that many Christians want to take that route SO they take the next best thing for their flesh by just saying that God doesn't want everyone healed BUT he most certainly does, he died for the WORLD'S SINS.
NOW I want to take you through the book of Mark dealing with healing and then I will share the IMPORTANCE of faith in the word of God. We have settled for what Satan wants to give the world and that is sickness, disease and death instead of what God desires to give us and that is health, healing and life. They are opposites. God doesn't work with Satan BUT he can use Satan to get his job done at times, so to speak. The majority of verses in the bible show God wants healing and health for his people and Christians seek out verses like you did to try and justify God wanting sickness and the like at times by finding verses that talks about one of God's people sick in the word of God and hence, that shows God is behind sickness. IT doesn't work that way, I have been sick a few times, maybe five of six times in the last 30 years but I can only clearly remember 2 in my head at the time being. Anyway, I WILL NOT say that because I was sick a couple of times that all the sudden that sickness is of God and IT MOST DEFINITELY IS NOT.
Here is one study and I can share different studies I have done on healing. By the way, I was walking in all kinds of sicknesses and problems in my body before I started standing on the promises of God and I was going to the doctors a lot AND if they got what they wanted I would be going to them all my life by their own words. I KNOW if I died of cancer tomorrow I will NEVER BLAME GOD, because I KNOW IT IS NOT HIS WAY, it is Satan's way, to put it plainly.
Healing and Deliverance
Healing and deliverance glorifies God. Sickness and disease, pain and junk like that doesn't.
Let's take a short trip through Mark before I talk about the importance and the necessity of faith.
ANYWAY HERE IS:
40 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.
42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.
43 And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away;
44 And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
45 But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.
The thing that sticks out here to me is when it said that Jesus had compassion. He was filled with compassion for the man and He healed him. Remember, he came to Jesus in faith.
Mark 5:21-43
21 And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.
22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,
23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?
31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.
33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?
36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.
37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.
39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.
41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.
42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.
43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.
(COLOR AND BOLD EMPHASIS MINE.)
Two people were healed here, the woman with the blood problem to whom Jesus said, "Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole;" Then the man with the daughter whom Jesus said to him, " Be not afraid, only believe." (Jesus wanted him to just keep believing).
COMMENTS: The man believed Jesus could or he never would've went to Jesus in the first place.
In v.36, Jesus ignored what the people said and told the man to just believe him. We need to do the same thing at times to see the glory of God. We KNOW the man did believe since he brought Jesus into his house.
God is trying to show the importance of faith and what it can do in your life.
To make it even clearer, Jesus shows what unbelief (basically the opposite of faith) can do.---Nothing!
Mark 6:1-6--
1 And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him.
2 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
4 But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
I DO NOT think I need to make a comment on the above scriptures. You COULD keep in mind that he COULD NOT do mighty works there. God acts and works BASED on OUR faith in him and his word.
(COLOR AND BOLD EMPHASIS MINE.)
Mark 8:22-26-
22 And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.
23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.
24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.
25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.
26 And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.
Didn't say that he had faith but we know that he did since he came to Jesus for healing. (And Jesus didn't even have a medical degree? and to top it off, He didn't have training for the ministry.)
QUESTION: Why wasn't he healed the first time?
COMMENTS: To help his faith along.
Cf. Mark 9:23,24
23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
To show us not to quit or give up.
Ck. Matt. 7:7,8
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Based on the two verse above, using the natural and supernatural,you don't alway get an answer the first time you ask for something, you don't always find what you are looking for in the first place you look, you don't always get the door opened on your first knock. SO KEEP ON KEEPING ON!
NOW!
Mark 8:38-- Jesus says,
"38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."
Using this as food for thought, let's tie this in with John 14:12 where Jesus says,
" 12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."
(I've heard people argue about this in terms of whether he was talking about greater in quality or quanity. It doesn't bother me either way because all the glory goes to him, he's the one doing it anyway.
Ck. the next two verses--13,14)
"13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
"14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it."
Check
Phil. 2:13
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Phil 4:13
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
John 15:7 and many, many more.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Now let's see this carried out in Acts 3:1-9
1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;
3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God:
IN Closing, the most importnat part of this teaching based on God's plan for mam.
Faith
Heb.11:1
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Romans 10:17
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Heb.11:6
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
So these three verses above tell us what faith is, how to get faith and you can't please God without faith.
Eph.2:8,9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
These verses tell us that we are saved through faith...
Col.2:6
6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
Tells us to walk in Christ as we received him...
Rom.1:17
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Says the just (righteous) shall live by faith...
II Cor. 5:21...which says,
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
II Cor. 4:13
13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
This verse let's us know if we believe (truly believe) we will be speaking it..
James 1:6-8
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
"...to ask in faith" then by the time you get to v.8 you know not to doubt, a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways and won't receive anything from the Lord...
Then jumping to ...
James 2
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
...shows us that faith without works is dead (stagnant, unproductive), it is not doing you or anybody else any good...
Rom. 14:23
23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
THINK about this verse, it tells us that whatsoever is not of faith is sin...ALL of us live by faith BUT NOT faith in God. God wants to make it so easy on us that a little child can't err in the way of salvation.
James 5:15,16
(COLOR AND BOLD EMPHASIS MINE.)
NONE of this would make sense to any large degree if healing WAS NOT in the atonement and I can give plenty of scriptures showing it is,
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Closing with praying in faith and also praying for one another that we may be healed...
II Cor. 5
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.