Sometimes i wonder if you read posts..
You have a way of replying by adding in things that are not said in the post.
I didnt say if tgey are not doing that they are doing nothing. I said so many talk piles of theology but dont do anything.
Yes, and I was challenging your perception of "doing nothing."
A person may do some, or all, of the things that I listed but never "perform" a miracle - that is not doing nothing.
It is not mixed with faith.there is no out working of thier theories.
A person can say words like " oh i believe in Jesus ...
But they continue to behave in a manner that says otherwise.
That may be true.
But you seem to be taking the words "do as Jesus did" to mean that we should all be doing signs and wonders and raising the dead.
I am saying that if a Christian does NOT do those things, it doesn't mean they are not living a Christ like life. "Let your light so shine before men so they may see your good deeds", Matthew 5:16, does not necessarily mean "go and do lots of miraculous signs so that people may be wowd by your faith and gifts".
They say oh i believe in healing but they do not go out to heal.
Some may not have been given the gift of healing nor called to that ministry. I don't know about anyone else, but I am not going to go onto the streets and try to heal without a direct calling, anointing and gifting from God; to do so in my own strength would be folly and operating from assumption. It was this same assumption that caused me, for years, to say, "we have just prayed for my healing; God must heal, and in the way that I want him to, because we have prayed". That sounds like faith - it's assumption disguised as faith. Who are we to tell God what to do and when? It's interesting that when I was healed from M.E, it wasn't at a healing service with people preaching and exercising faith. God healed in his way at his time - yet in such a way that no one could say that it was their faith, prayer or preaching that had made the difference. Some people on these forums told me that I would never be healed because I didn't have faith. Obviously I did, (just not faith in their doctrine), but God didn't require my faith to be able to heal me.
They say oh i believe we are to preach the Good news of Jesus but they are infact ashamed and afraid and do not speak about Jesus or the gospel of repentance baptism and the holy spirit to anyone...
Again, that MAY be true.
But just because someone doesn't try to shoehorn the Gospel into every conversation does not mean they are not proclaiming the Good News.
Maybe some people have the gift of going up to strangers and saying "where are you going today? That's nice - where are you going for eternity?" Great if that's their gift and calling. But if someone can't do that, it doesn't mean they don't believe in the Great Commission.
This means thier manner of faith is no more then empty theory
No, it just means they are not doing things in the way that you believe they should do things.
Someone who went into a hospital ward, preached the Gospel, said "you are all healed in the name of Jesus" and got everyone out of bed/wheelchairs, off their drips and so on would no doubt be hailed as an amazing person with strong faith.
Someone who faithfully visits, prays for and with people, listens to their concerns and encourages them in, or brings them to, faith is doing God's work just as much as the person with the dramatic gifts.
The truth is ..faith , is the action we take when we Really DO believe who Jesus is and what he has said...
I do.
But I'm still not going onto the streets to heal without a clear calling and anointing from God. Gifts of miracles and healing are listed in 1 Corinthians 12:28. I do not have those.
The truth is ..faith , is the action we take when we Really DO believe who Jesus is and what he has said...
If we do not take obedient action then it remains that we do not abide in Christ but we still abide in unbelief.
Really?
Are you REALLY saying that if a Christian is not healing and raising the dead on a regular basis, they are not abiding in Christ? I don't agree.
And the lord is waiting for us to forsake our unbelief and step out and Do as he says.
The Lord wants people who will faithfully use the gifts he has given them in whatever way they can; not assume they have a gift that they don't, or compare themselves with people who have such gifts and try to operate outside of their calling. I think it safe to say that the Lord does NOT want any of his children to be made to feel worthless, or inadequate, because they are not doing something that someone else thinks they should. That would be like an eye being jealous/feeling useless because it was not a hand, or a muscle feeling useless because it was the leg that got to do the exciting stuff and got all the praise.
(He never told us to meet once a week sing songs feel fuzzy go home and do nothing)
No, but who says people are doing that anyway?
Who says that the Christian who, apparently, "does nothing" - yet in fact prays faithfully, supports missions, befriends their lonely neighbours - is any less worthy than those who actively get involved and do "big" things for God?
He commanded us to Go out
Heal the sick
Preach (proclaim speak announce) the good news of JESUS
To drive out devils ,raise the dead, cleanse the leper (iv never yet met a leper)
He commanded the disciples to go out and do that.
If he wants the rest of us to do it, he gives us the gifts through his Holy Spirit.
But the point of the thread is that theological theory is pointless without it being put into the action of faith .
For without faith
It is impossible to please God....
And MY point is that if someone is not doing big, dramatic things, it doesn't mean they have no faith and are not serving God.
You are quick to judge the non healers as "not operating in faith" or "not abiding in Christ" - I don't believe that is the case. There are many who are great preachers, teachers, encouragers, servers, givers etc. All these are gifts of the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:28, just as much as healing.
