Post by PopeADope on May 1, 2016 5:28:30 GMT
Unconventual and unprecedented does not mean unchristian. Pagans like to use candles and burn incense, but does that make candles and incense pagan? Of course not. That is what Ancient Israel did. Now, the ancient Israelites sacrificed animals to their God. Was that a Pagan practice because Pagans participate in animal sacrifice? Of course it wasn't. It is important that we understand the attitude of Pagans and their refusal to acknowledge the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as the creator of Heaven and earth. That doesn't mean that if a Christian is externally doing what appears pagan, that it is Pagan.
One instance is the claim that Christmas is a pagan Holiday. That isn't even close to being true. The feast of Sol Invictus (open unconquered Sun) on December 25th was celebrated by Pagans, which is true. However, Christmas isn't the celebration of any Solar Sun Diety but rather the true God who made the sun and all heaven and earth. If you look at a nativity set, it is simply artwork to raise the mind and heart to the humble birth of Christ in a stable at Bethlehem. There is no "sun God" only the "Son of God".
What about a Christmas tree? Isn't that Pagan? Well, it can be. Is it Pagan to have many plants in your house? It depends on if you are commiting Idolatry with them. There were Pagans who used to bring trees into their house and worship them. Yup! That is a big No! NO!
But God loves nature. He used a Raven to bring Elijah food , prophecied through the mouth of a donkey, and worked miracles through water, fire, oil, ashes, and Jesus even used mud and spittle to heal the blind man. John 9:1-7. It wasn't the mud and spittle that healed the man but Jesus must have thought using mud and spittle was important at this time or he simply would not have used it.
We must never think we have the mind of God figured out. He is very fond of material things so much so that He has required people to turn to them for survival as we see of the bronze serpent in Numbers 21. If people decided they didn't need to turn to some carved serpent for healing, they would have died.
God was also so fond of certain items that if you touched them unworthily you would die immediately.
God made matter and God loves matter.
The clothing of Jesus could heal (Woman cured of a hemorrhage by touching the hem of Christ’s cloak (Matt. 9:20-22) and the sick who were healed when Peter’s shadow passed over them (God wanted Peter's Shadow to heal people? intriguing!) (Acts 5:14-16). "And God did extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them" (Acts 19:11-12).
.... (the cloak, the shadow, handkerchiefs and aprons) were used to effect cures.
God used the staff of Moses quite often including turning it into a snake. He wished to put His commandments into Rock and for water to come forth from a Rock.
(Worked miracles through Elijahs mantle)
2 kings 2
3 Elisha then picked up Elijah’s mantle that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.[/font][/b]
15 The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.
Later in that chapter :
the water is bad and the land is unproductive.”
20 “Bring me a new bowl,” he said, “and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.
21 Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.’” 22 And the water has remained pure to this day,"
So, you might be thinking, "why focus on this? Isn't having a relationship with Jesus most important"? YES, absolutely! But part of relationship is understanding God. I don't know about you, but I want to better understand the God I love so I can better understand what it is I love about Him and love what He loves. God loves to use matter. He did make human's out of clay and then he became that material himself.
The reason this is important also is because God not only at times used inanimate objects to save lives but He required and made people depend on them (meaning, without those items, they would have died or not received the grace God had in store.)
If a person were to take an item and use it as a lucky charm and believe the item provided something that is independant of God's grace, then that would be superstitious and wrong. However, God clearly doesn't want us to throw the baby out with the bathwater. That much is obvious. Meaning, if you meet a Christian who believes they have an item that is blessed by God to heal or protect them from Evil Spirits, they might be right about that.
It is 100% Biblically sound. If someone believes that they can bless water and that water can benefit them and their house, they just might be right. Jesus had people wash in water for healing. That is how Naman was healed of His leprosy. Not only did He have to dip in the water, he had to do it seven times. ( Meaning, water at a repetive ritual with a set number was also needed. ) He actually was angry about it and didn't want to do it. He was hoping there was another way He could be healed. There wasn't.
Once again, if something resembles superstition, you have to know the disposition or the attitude of the person practicing such things. Is the person seeking grace from the true God of Israel, or are they in denial that the grace comes from him at all.
Also, do not go against your conscience or your understanding of Scripture. That is not the intention of this. Rather, just don't be so quick to tell a fellow Christian they are superstitious for believing they are receiving grace through oil, water, or blessed items because that is repeatedly how God has chosen to work in Scripture.
It is undeniable and unquestionable that God is fond of working miracles through matter.
