First off, I like what the word of faith teaches. It makes sense to me, in some ways. But the bible itself has some problem scriptures which seem to completely undermine that God is all loving or never brings evil upon us.
We've already addressed the book of Job.
We also have God himself telling us in Isaiah 45:7 that HE brings evil upon us.
God in Deuteronomy 32:39 tells us that he is the one who kills and makes alive. (Not the devil. "No other god beside me," he says.)
Exodus 4:11 tells us that God (not Satan) brings evil upon us, when he makes an individual mute, deaf or blind.
Some say, look to Jesus. But I am reminded of the story in both Matthew 15:21-28 and Mark 7:24-30, where Jesus insulted the canaanite woman and called her a "dog". That hardly seems loving and sounds, in fact, very mean and cruel, given her situation. Does Jesus also think I too am nothing but a "dog" because I am not a jew?
Jesus also makes a very disturbing remark at the end of one of his parables in Luke 19:27. He tells of a king, himself, who was rejected by his people. So when he comes back, at the end once his reign is established, he says, "Bring those who did not want me as their king and slay them before me!" That sounds very vengeful, especially in light of of him telling his disciples to "love your enemies" and "not to repay evil for evil". How do you reconcile these statements with the supposedly loving image of Jesus we see taught in most christian circles?
Lastly, this is more of an aside, but I'll ask anyway; but how do you deal with the anti-marriage, anti-family scriptures in the bible? The new testament says marriage is a lesser state than being single and both Paul and Jesus both recommend remaining unmarried for Christianity's sake. So my question is, why do Christians ignore this and get married anyway, especially when both Jesus in Matthew 19 and Paul in 1 Corinthians 7 advocate eternal celibacy over matrimony? Can someone properly explain these things to me?
I am very interested in word of faith doctrine, as I said already, but unless I get these issues resolved, I don't see how I could accept this doctrine when it contradicts so many scriptures. Help please! I'm not here with any agenda except to find out how to honestly deal with these bad scriptures in light of the idea that God is good, loving, kind, merciful and never kills or brings evil upon anyone.
Thanks,
simply christian.
We are under the new covenant, not the old , firstly if there had been no sin there would be no sickness or disease. God by nature is a healer and does not cause sickness.
No sin- no sickness
Exo_15:26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
Regarding verses like Exodus 4:11 God created us but the deaf are deaf , blind are blind not because God is bad but because of sin.
Diseases came on the Egyptians because of sin, but God's favour was with the Israelites because amongst them there was faith. And God declared that He was their healer.
I'll move on to the Canaanite woman- Jesus was not telling her he thought of her as a dog, no way can't you see that Jesus knew what was on her mind and how she would press through - so he quoted what was the general concensus of Jewish perception when it came to people of her race, after all od is the Father of all nations. He knew this lady would press through in faith.
Mat 15:25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
Mat 15:26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.
Mat 15:27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
Mat 15:28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
Look at the dialogue here the Lord Jesus wanted to see her press through in faith - and he healed her daughter.
1Co 7:8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
1Co 7:9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
Celibacy is not possible for all and there are instances where the enforced celibacy has caused problems when an office in a church commands it.
I am married, met my husband at Bible College 33 yrs ago, we would like to think that we compliment one another in our ministry. God bless you and I hope it helps you to understand more.
