I'm confused.....after my last posting, many of the christians told me these verses can't be taken litterally.
Either these verses work or they don't....which is it?
Also, when you say these can't be taken litterally....what are you basing that claim on?
Please provide me the verses that give you permission to not take these litterally.
Matthew 17:20:
"For truly, I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you."
Mark 11:24:
"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."
James 5:15:
"And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well;"
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If you do take these verses litterally....then PLEASE....go back and answer my last posting here:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070111203303AAOCgT7&r=w
2007-01-11 16:00:47 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Bobby Jim: What context? Either these verses work...or they don't. Please tell me what scripture allows YOU to decide when you can take it litterally and to what context.
Please Bobby....this is nothing but a cop-out.
2007-01-11 16:17:37 · update #1
it's called cherry picking - they chose what they will or won't follow
2007-01-11 16:05:34 · answer #1 · answered by Dr. Brooke 6 · 5⤊ 2⤋
The mountain in Matthew 17:20 is a problem in your life that you face.
Mark 11:24, There is a condition, you have to ask God according to HIS will, not yours. Otherwise, every Christian who prayed to become a multi-millionaire overnight would be able to quit their job and live off of their 'gift from God.' But God doesn't operate that way. If He is going to do something, it is going to be what He wants to do.
There is a condition on James 5:15 also. The sick person would have to believe that they could be made well also. If there is any doubt, it will cancel out the faith.
2007-01-12 00:27:46 · answer #2 · answered by JESUS LIVES 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sure, I take these prayers seriously. God has allowed me to share in a healing ministry of miracles for years. I've found, now that I am disabled, the problem can be one of "grasp at any chance" which is hardly faith or of dictating what the answer shall be. When you are holding the hand of a cancer ridden child/friend/anyone, it is hard to pray for anything but what we want. We become the God in control.
You obviously expect a magic wand to wave over the sick. It doesn't work that way. Some of the prayers for those children are being answered through your donations just as they were before for polio, measles, and so forth.
We receive what we ask for - it is just we are often not of sufficient faith to recognize it. But yes, prayer is a "working" part of our relationship w/ God. And I've seen the healings.
2007-01-12 00:37:18 · answer #3 · answered by Joe Cool 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
this is not a good thing to do. it is like eating, well, a sandwich. would u eat the first slice of bread, then the jam, then the pb, then the other bread? no! u take them together. so it is with the bible. to understand the bible, you must take other verses into consideration. so one can say that the bible says that if you pray earnestly that you will get what u want, but it is also tru that if it is against god's will, it might not happen.
2007-01-12 01:11:11 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
well, it's a rather cruel concept actually. the implication is that if your most fervent prayers fail to move "God" to heal your beloved it's your fault, you didn't have enough faith. if you had TRULY believed that the lord would heal your dying baby you'd be holding your smiling baby right now instead of picking out a tiny coffin.
people get sick and people die and prayer as no affect no matter how tearfully sincere the prayers are uttered.
PS. my my! how defensive are these believers. methinks they doth protest too much. scary to consider that you might not have the power of a god on your side in a personal tragedy. huh?
2007-01-12 00:13:06 · answer #5 · answered by nebtet 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Take them literally, but take them in context.
The Bible is not a series of "one liners."
It interprets itself with corresponding verses.
2007-01-12 00:10:48 · answer #6 · answered by Bobby Jim 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
yes i believe for if one truly believes from the heart then all things are possible God looks at the heart you must have faith you must believe
2007-01-12 00:06:14 · answer #7 · answered by jk poet 4 · 1⤊ 3⤋
+2 me, -10 you. If you don't believe, then GO AWAY!
2007-01-12 00:07:19 · answer #8 · answered by Cloud 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋