tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984100774133300865.post6061268160830625232..comments2023-09-29T10:52:03.594-04:00Comments on grasshoppers dreaming: belief, disbelief and the power of godUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984100774133300865.post-17948310596736286472010-08-14T09:14:13.340-04:002010-08-14T09:14:13.340-04:00When we don't take the kingdom of God seriousl...When we don't take the kingdom of God seriously as Christians, that's what allows us to talk and treat one another in less than Godly ways. I see all the time and it disappoints me that when wrestling with issues within the Church there is such a dichotomy between what we say we believe and how we actually act and react. Just let someone refer to a kingdom principle and you can see people politely listening as if just enduring the person's attempt to connect Jesus' words with the issues we're dealing with.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984100774133300865.post-11558490143607458412010-08-14T07:46:18.335-04:002010-08-14T07:46:18.335-04:00You raise a good point. My comments (as is also t...You raise a good point. My comments (as is also the case with Mark 6) should not be taken out of the context of community.<br /><br />The statement made by Mark has to do with the people of God as a whole, and mine try to follow suit. We can see the distinction in the lack of power shown to the community even though some people are indeed healed as individuals. The Gospels can give us a more detailed picture of the relationship between faith and healing, but no single instance can be taken on its own. (Hence, this should not be seen as a definitive statement either way to individual faith and healing.)<br /><br />Here is a powerful statement of the "barometer" which we use to distinguish the power of God - what the gospels consider a failure of faith (only one or two healed), the modern church would see as a great display of faith.Michael Thompsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17535833766942754590noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984100774133300865.post-68122662030418213112010-08-14T01:18:39.326-04:002010-08-14T01:18:39.326-04:00Interesting.
Would it be fair to say that it is an...Interesting.<br />Would it be fair to say that it is an aggregate disbelief or a disbelief of the community as a whole rather than individual personal disbelief? <br />I say this for two reasons. First, from both Matthew and Mark, there seems to be only a general mentioning that Jesus couldn't perform miracles (though still some got healed as mentioned in Mark). No specific explanation of the faith/belief conditions of those who got healed and those who didn't. Thus a general disbelief could prevent miracles and healings that would have happened otherwise. Second, it's rather insensitive to "accuse" the desperately sick who are praying/hoping for healing but didn't get it that's it's because of their personal lacking in faith that has prevented the healing to take place.hollowmannoreply@blogger.com