I have a question for my Christian brother's, and sister's?

Question

My wife recently went to our relatively new pastor some counceling because she was afraid that if she unloaded anymore on her friends it would border on abuse. The pastor told her that ALL her problems stem from unresolved sin im her life. What he did not hear her say was that all of our financial issues stem from the brain tumor I was BORN with. So, getting to the question....WAS I BORN INTO ALL OF THIS MISERY BECAUSE OF UNRESOLVED SIN IN MY LIFE? I KNOW GOD IS LOVE, I HAVE EXPERIENCED HIS LOVE, AND MERCY, SOOOOO.....WHY DOES THIS PASTOR WANT TO MAKE GOD OUT TO BE A BULLY?

Answer 1

The pastor is acting like the Pharisees of Jesus's time, who believed sickness, injuries, and so on were a result of sin, either that person's or their parents. Jesus rejected that view. Your pastor should as well. If he keeps on saying that, I suggest finding a new church.

Answer 2

Your pastor obviously doesn't know the first thing about counseling. He gave the answer he did because that's the only answer he knew how to give. Both you and your wife should see a real, certified counselor to talk about your problems before they become a wedge in your marriage. (And yes, there are low-cost or free counselors available.)

As to your other question, you say you were born with the tumor. Therefore, it could not have been the result of "unresolved sin", because you hadn't committed any at the time you were born. Unless you believe your god was punishing you in advance, but that makes no sense morally, logically or theologically.

If you feel that you need a religion to get by in life, then I would suggest at least finding a different church. Your current pastor is clearly incompetent.

Answer 3

I have several things to say. First of all, I think John 9 might be applicable here. It's not so much that all of your family's problems stem from YOUR unresolved sin. It's that life isn't easy because of sin. When men fell in the Garden of Eden, sin entered the world. And with that sin entered sickness, death, despair, and sorrow. Until the second coming, everyone--Christian and nonChristian alike--will be coping and trying to survive in a sin-filled world. You can't escape the fact that sin is in the world. So as long as you're walking in his will, don't listen to people who say that all of your problems are spiritual. And especially don't listen if they say that all of your problems could be solved if you just had more faith. Never let anyone equate problems with sin and doubt. Keep in mind Romans 8, particularly Romans 8:18-39. Grasp onto the eternal truths of scripture and you should be able to discern good advice from bad. Second, God did not promise a happy problem-free life for the Christian. It just isn't there. God didn't promise prosperity. He didn't promise long life. He didn't promise that you would have all your desires, wants, and wishes granted. Read John 14 and John 16...particularly John 16:33. What God did promise was a spiritual peace that only he can give. A comfort, a love, an indwelling. He is there with you as you go through these hardships. You're not alone. Third, God can sometimes use hardship and suffering to draw us closer to him. And sometimes he uses it to prepare our hearts to help other people. To make us stronger. To make us better. To make us more compassionate. We may not understand it now as we're going through it. But there will come a day when we'll begin to understand or grasp the bigger picture.

Answer 4

I would ask the Pastor for a more specific definition of this "Unresolved SIN."

Most people cannot tell you what their sin is anyway. Most people cannot tell you what the "Will of God the Father in heaven is."

Most people will tell you of their sins but not the sin.

Let me get you thinking with a few questions ... if you do not mind.

What is Lucifer's SIN? And it is not Pride! That is a result of the SIN.

What is Adam and Eve's SIN? And it is not the eating of the Apple.

Now, for the final question ... What is mine and your SIN? Not sins and not Pride.

Jesus on the other hand was the opposite of SIN ... "What was it?"

Now the answer for questions 1 through 3.

Answer: Disobedience

Now for the answer that Jesus was opposite of ...

Answer: Obedience

This is why a voice from heaven said:

"This is my son (Jesus), in Him I am well pleased."

The will of the Father in heaven is Obedience. Jesus paid for yours, mine, and everybody's ONE SIN of disobedience once and literally for all.

Now you will here the argument that he paid for our sins.

The best way I know to re-butt that is like this ...

If my SIN is DISOBEDIENCE and my schoolmate SIN is DISOBEDIENCE and my neighbor SIN is DISOBEDIENCE and our SIN counts against each individual, but is cumulative as a group, then sins come into to play even though my SIN is DISOBEDIENCE and so forth for my schoolmate and my neighbor.

Therefore, Jesus did die for our "SIN(s)."

So my question to you would be ...

Is there any disobedient area in your life that may need to be confessed?

Remember, the most prominent weapon we have as a society of the kingdom of GOD is ... PRAYER! This is our most effective weapon. We have been told the way we should pray. We also have been told why, that when we pray, we often times pray for the wrong (thing) reason. Usually to better ourselves, not our neighbor. Sometimes, like Job, it was the test of his "faith."

This maybe where you are right now! Then again it may be an area of your life that you need to confess some form of disobedience.

I do not know. I cannot see into your mind, heart or life style, nor do I personally know you.

Happy pondering on this answer.

Answer 5

You must read this page very carefully because there is some excellent advice here. The only advice I can add to the above is that you go out and get yourself the book "The atonement child" by Francine Rivers. It's not your situation but the message of it is one that I think you really need to hear and understand. God doesn't punish people, He's too merciful for that! You are very much loved, dwell on that instead of the unwise words of one person who is very likey mislead or mistaken... God bless you and be with you. My prayers are with you!!

Answer 6

Your pastor is wrong for telling you that!!! You don't embark into problems because of built-up sin! Problems and strains were promised to you as soon as you were born into this world sweety! Remember that the lord said you will have trials and tribulations. Now as for you having a tumor that had probably happened to you for a specific reason! God works through people in different ways! That has probably been your calling. He may have wanted you to go through some strains in order to help someone else when they go through their problems!

The best advice that I could give to you is to pray and meditate on your prayer! And once you're done, have faith that he will answer!!!!!!!!! GOD IS TRUTH. SEEK HIM FOR YOURSELF!!!

Answer 7

Because he does not know better. He thought that was the easies answer he could come up with. The way I see it is we all go threw something in life and we have to deal with it one way or other. Things happen for a reason and that reason is for us to become more stronger not only on our believes but also with our self steam. There for he does not no more then you do already sometimes you have to find the answers to your question yourself. For example: Take your bible and ask a question and them open the bible with out looking for an specific page and read that page that it opens to and you might find the answer there, in many times that is what works for me the best.

Answer 8

It is false to say that suffering in a Christian's life is necessarily due to some unfaithfulness.


Jesus requires that we take up our cross and follow Him.

As He suffered His Passion and Resurrection, we also, as followers of Him, have to do the same thing in our own lives in our own way.

But if we are true followers of Him, He always gives strength and grace proportioned to the trial.

In union with Him, it is not a frustrating suffering (the way unbelievers suffer), but He gives us His peace in what we suffer and an inner spiritual joy (joy and pain are not contraries as pleasure and pain are).


Look at the book of Job as an example of a righteous man that God allowed to suffer to bring something much better into his life in the end.

All of Job's friends accused him of doing something wrong to merit what he was going through, but God set them right in the end.




---

Answer 9

Sin comes from personal experiences with knowing what is right and choosing to do that is wrong. There is no way God could be God if he held us to others sins. Weather it be our biological parents or Adam and the original sin. Christ atoned for all sin and that leaves us to be accountable for only our sins.

Answer 10

I'm sorry that you received such misleading counsel. Unfortunately, pastors are people too and subject to make mistakes. We will pray for his enlightenment toward the truth about why problems exist in this world and pray for you, your wife and family for healing, renewal and total restoration.