mental illness and christianity

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megan_26

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So this is something I've been curious about for a long time. I never would have doubted that you can be a born again Christian and be mentally ill if someone hadn't told me otherwise. I know what I personally but, as a Christian with a mental illness, I'm interested in hearing what others have to say.
Do you believe that someone can be a born again Christian and yet still be mentally ill?

Edit: illnesses like, for example, depression or anxiety or schizophrenia, etc.
 
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rockytopva

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So this is something I've been curious about for a long time. I never would have doubted that you can be a born again Christian and be mentally ill if someone hadn't told me otherwise. I know what I personally but, as a Christian with a mental illness, I'm interested in hearing what others have to say.
Do you believe that someone can be a born again Christian and yet still be mentally ill?

The plan of salvation is very easy, even for the mentally challenged

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. - Romans 10

Very easy. If you cannot mentally grasp those simple little lines in my opinion you are not accountable for your deeds on earth.
 
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Dave-W

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. I never would have doubted that you can be a born again Christian and be mentally ill if someone hadn't told me otherwise.
They were all kinds of wrong. God wants ALL to hear the gospel and come to repentance and faith. All. That includes the mentally ill.
 
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Take Heart

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Yes. Jesus' sacrifice and blood is powerful enough to save you as a born again person despite any mental illness you may have. He loves and cares for you so much..you have not escaped His sight. You are not insignificant. He hasn't forgotten about you or brushed you to the side because of what you may think about mental illness in general. He calls the sick, the blind, the leper..even the ones with demons in them to come to Him. He can work in your life powerfully little by little, day by day and help you through any struggle you face.
 
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Aimz

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I think the confusion comes from a natural and incorrect presumption both in and out of the church. Our Spirit is renewed in the new creation but our body does not catch up until after death. This mortal body is corruptible and has to die but the Spirit being immortal lives on till we are united to our new bodies at resurrection.

I carry the crosses of autism, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, binge eating and starvation episodes, suicidal thoughts and self injurious behaviour. I know many suffer much worse especially with epilepsy, diabetes, and substance addiction. The Holy Spirit can help temper these down to help us overcome but we are still human still exposed to sin and misery and suffering.

Just because a person gives their life to Christ does not make them instantly perfect that is what the process of sanctification is for to live out in fear and trembling. Believers become perfect in holiness at death!

Suffering attacks from the evil one and his fallen angels is an opportunity to rely on God these trials sanctify us without suffering we do not grow persecution makes mature believers.


So this is something I've been curious about for a long time. I never would have doubted that you can be a born again Christian and be mentally ill if someone hadn't told me otherwise. I know what I personally but, as a Christian with a mental illness, I'm interested in hearing what others have to say.
Do you believe that someone can be a born again Christian and yet still be mentally ill?

Edit: illnesses like, for example, depression or anxiety or schizophrenia, etc.
 
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Neostarwcc

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I've been struggling with depression and my mental illness since I was a kid. Considering I am a born again Christian with a mental illness, yes I do believe Christians can have a mental illness and still be Christian.

Speaking for myself though, it does make being a Christian a lot harder. My mental illness causes me to think many evil things about God and it's a struggle getting through day to day living. It seems like an eternity to wait for a cure. But when God finally cures me when I die and go to heaven, it will probably seem like not a long wait at all. Weird how that works...
 
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So this is something I've been curious about for a long time. I never would have doubted that you can be a born again Christian and be mentally ill if someone hadn't told me otherwise. I know what I personally but, as a Christian with a mental illness, I'm interested in hearing what others have to say.
Do you believe that someone can be a born again Christian and yet still be mentally ill?

Edit: illnesses like, for example, depression or anxiety or schizophrenia, etc.

Yes.. A person can be suffering mental illnesses as still believe Jesus and trust in the atonement He secured for their eternal salvation...
 
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Neostarwcc

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I feel persecuted as a person with mental illness. But I also know without God things could be so much worse. And that the devil is alive and well. But greater is God.

Yes, we are definitely persecuted. It seems like the world thinks that were likely to snap at any moment. Which is half true. A little a year ago when I was in the middle of a psychotic episode so bad I had to be hospitalized, I hit my wife for reasons I cannot remember and our dog bit me really good defending her. I still have a scar from it and ever since then my wife and I cannot even high five without our dog getting nervous it shook him up really bad.

But, It's not like we're usually prone to violence when we're psychotic. It's just that half of the time we can't help it. I couldn't help hitting my wife she just upset me somehow (I believed she was the devil going to hell at the time so that probably didn't help).

I think I heard that we're more prone to become victims of a violent crime than to commit a violent crime ourselves. I believe that.
 
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Christie insb

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Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows (Isaiah 53 quoted from memory after 55 years). If God understands our pain so deeply I don't believe he would turn those of us wounded most deeply away. Mental illness is caused by changes in the brain. I would not look to someone like this for information on mental illness any more than I would stop taking my blood pressure medication because some "pastor" told me to. I used to think that if you were an alcoholic and you didn't quit drinking you wouldn't be saved, but God is greater than any of these rules we try to make.
 
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Clintpauljohnson

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I think I heard that we're more prone to become victims of a violent crime than to commit a violent crime ourselves. I believe that.

I know all about psychosis it can sure be a bummer sometimes. It is true that we are victims too. We are not always the aggressor.
 
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Dave-W

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Some groups have strange doctrines that claim that all mental instability is due to demonic possession, and that a true believer cannot be possessed.

The first one is just downright wrong. At times, demonic activity can make mental illness and instability, but IMO it is the minority of cases.

As to the second point, it is absolutely TRUE that a demon cannot possess (as in ownership) a true believer. But that does NOT mean that demons are unable to attach themselves to the body or mind of a believer. They can, and do so on a regular basis.
 
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Neostarwcc

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I know all about psychosis it can sure be a bummer sometimes. It is true that we are victims too. We are not always the aggressor.

Not always, no I agree.

Some groups have strange doctrines that claim that all mental instability is due to demonic possession, and that a true believer cannot be possessed.

The first one is just downright wrong. At times, demonic activity can make mental illness and instability, but IMO it is the minority of cases.

As to the second point, it is absolutely TRUE that a demon cannot possess (as in ownership) a true believer. But that does NOT mean that demons are unable to attach themselves to the body or mind of a believer. They can, and do so on a regular basis.

I've heard that before. That my mental illness is caused by demonic possession. I don't believe it though. I highly doubt that if I went through a series of exorcisms that I'd be cured. Only Jesus can cure me and he isn't going to cure me until I die.

I've also heard that a true Christian cannot be possessed. I don't believe that either because, I've seen Christians who are definitely possessed before. They shake violently and everything. So yeah, Christians can and do become possessed.
 
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Dave-W

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I've also heard that a true Christian cannot be possessed. I don't believe that either because, I've seen Christians who are definitely possessed before. They shake violently and everything. So yeah, Christians can and do become possessed.
"Possessed" is not the right word. It was an unfortunate word choice by the KJV translators. Possession indicates ownership.

Demons attach to the body and mind, but cannot attach to the Born Again spirit.
"Demonized" is a better translation and more accurately describes the Greek text.
 
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Neostarwcc

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"Possessed" is not the right word. It was an unfortunate word choice by the KJV translators. Possession indicates ownership.

Demons attach to the body and mind, but cannot attach to the Born Again spirit.
"Demonized" is a better translation and more accurately describes the Greek text.

So a born again Christian cannot become Demonized? Or just our spirits?
 
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Dave-W

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So a born again Christian cannot become Demonized? Or just our spirits?
Just our spirits. Our bodies and minds can definitely be demonized.
 
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