Jesus or Mere Theism?
Very often people will ask this question:
Do you suggest that Paul didn't believe in the right way - because his prayer was not answered?
We are not aware of a prayer that Paul prayed that was answered with a no. If they are referring to the "thorn in the flesh" this is a simple matter of reading. "My grace is sufficient for you" is not a "no".
Others might add:
Do we know what is best for us or does the Lord know?
The scripture does not say "ask what is the best for you and you will receive whatever you say". It says ask and believe and you will receive. How can you believe for anything if you do not consider everything (that is good) to be good for you? You cannot believe that you received anything unless you believe you receive everything. That is simply logic. As with the "thorn in the flesh" issue, what was "best for Paul":
2 Corinthians 12
8 For this thing I besought the Lord three times, that it might depart from me. And He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may overshadow me.
I have read this scripture a thousand times... likely many times more. I have read it in multiple translations with various interpretations, and even in foreign languages. I have yet to see the word "no".
Some say that Faith-orientied theology puts too much pressure on people. They suggest that people will think their belief is not strong enough if they don't get what they pray for.
But this is what debaters call a "straw man". If you would read what faith people say and not what their critics say, then you would see that faith does not pressure anyone. As a minister, we are like doctors diagnosising a condition and prescribing the cure.
The diagnosis is "absense of belief" prescription is "revelation knowledge".
Should you feel condemned or pressured when a doctor says you need more protien in your diet or vitamins? The pressure you are feeling is due to a missdefinition of the word belief. Nobody is saying you are doing anything wrong. A fact is being stated.
If faith is present, then you receive.
If (for whatever reason) faith is not present, then you do not receive.
I have found that some people who use this argument have had the devil whisper a lie into their ears. He suggests to them that it is being implied that they are somehow inferior. He attempts to appeal to the pride of life that is present in us all. He distracts us into becoming defensive and even tricks us into defending doubt and unbelief. He even decieves us into denying the word of God and the gospel.
Others insert the soverienty issue into the discussion:
We are certainly not the ones who are in a position to tell God what to do - rather we should thankfully accept whatever he gives us.
Trouble is, this is exactly contray to what Jesus says. Who are we going to believe? Are we going to go the route of mere theism and worship and unknown God? Or are we going to take the words of Jesus and run with them? The implication of the statement "take whatever He gives us" is that everything we get comes from Him. This is classical "mere theism" that honors the God of "general attributes" rather than the God revealed to us by Jesus. Do what did Jesus say? He said to follow Him and keep He words. Let's look at His words instead of the words of cold hard theology:
John 15:7
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Mat 21:22
22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Joh 15:16
16 ... that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Joh 16:23-24
23... Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give [it] you.
24 ...ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
1Jo 3:22
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, ...
1Jo 5:15
15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
Mat 18:19
19 ... That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
Mar 11:22-24
22 And answering, Jesus said to them, Have faith of God.
23 For truly I say to you, Whoever says to this mountain, Be taken up and be thrown into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be to him, whatever he says.
24 Therefore I say to you, All things, whatever you ask, praying, believe that you will receive, and it will be to you
That does not sound like a "take whatever comes as being from God and be thankful" does it?
What about this one?
Joh 14:13
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
The "take whatever comes" theory would seem to fly in the face of this. And what about what James said:
James 1:16-17 KJV
16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
If you are experiencing imperfect gifts that are not good.... then I would question where they were coming from. He does not have any evil gifts or imperfect gifts.
We just need to get hold of he Jesus image of God and forsake this mere theism.
Write: BereanOnline
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