One Big Opt Out?

"1". If you need a rewording of the OP's first two paragraphs, I will do so. "2". We? Sure, as in the "flock", "sheep", "fold" and any other member of "the household of faith".

We have read it many times, Luke 8:52-56 ", , everyone was weeping and mourning for her. But Jesus said, “Stop weeping; she is not dead but asleep.” 53And they laughed at Him, knowing that she was dead. 54But Jesus took her by the hand and called out, “Child, get up!” 55Her spirit returned, and at once she got up. And He directed that she be given something to eat. 56Her parents were astounded, but Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened."

Aside from Jesus not expressing His compassion "upon all who were sick and oppressed of the Devil", in the close of Matt-13 due to their unbelief, that little footnote the Spirit made available is a telling feature of the type of faith He was referring to in the OP quote.

Ah, an important distinction to be made over that, as you later observe, No, not a test, but a sign or signification of authentic belief even though "quiet and peaceable" belief is seen to cohabitate.

"These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
-Mk 16:17,18

Yet the Apostles aged and saw bodily corruption after healing others. Was it a signifying too high? For He "resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Of course not, The Lord would not have opened the possibility up. But, I do like the way the Apostle brings us back down to earth, "be not highminded, but fear" So, the signs correctly "follow" (accompany) V17.

Should Mark 16:9-20 be in the Bible?

https://www.gotquestions.org/Mark-16-9-20.html

Nothing at all against the miraculous; only fake signs and wonders.

If you use a term, I presume you can define that term.

So please explain what you meant by "the Lord's invitation"?

Thanks
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Thank you, the term, ''invitation'' has to stand, for if not, we would have to disrespect it as though He spoke it in vain,

Continued Misunderstanding:

1.) I didn't ask if it "stands", I asked what it "means."
2.) I didn't ask about the singular word "invitation", I asked about the phrase "the Lord's invitation."
3.) Therefore, to reiterate: when YOU say, "the Lords's invitation", what exactly do YOU mean by that phrase?

Thanks.


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Continued...

I'm not trying to be unkind, I'm just trying to understand your opening post... because I still do not.

If we say things that are unclear to our listeners, it's a good exercise to practice rephrasing things, and clarifying things, so all can understand. In writing and public speaking, the practice of clarifying things is a good exercise, and it just makes us better writers and speakers.

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Interesting. To question my responsive answer - V-20, can only mean you question it's practical application for us today. If so, you'll notice at the OP opening comments, I didn't want to drown the thread. Cessationism interest is the last thing I was wanting to happen.

Only a simple definition is required - define the phrase "the Lord's invitation":

1.) In post #5 I asked you to explain your Opening Post.
2.) In post #6 you responded, and part of your response used the phrase, "the Lord's invitation."
3.) I asked you to please define that phrase, "the Lord's invitation", but you responded with no definition.
3.) I have now asked you THREE DIFFERENT TIMES, to define that phrase, "the Lord's invitation"... and you still have given no definition.
4.) I will ask you now for the 4th time, can you please define, just simply define, the phrase "the Lord's invitation."

Thank you.


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Continued...

This isn't complicated, and it isn't a big argument, I'm merely asking you to define a term, and you won't.

This should be a very simple, quick, easy thing.

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Hi PAC-fit, I am glad you are here on CC and as far so I know I generally agree with you. But I have a hard time figuring out what you are saying because your writing style is as if Yoda had a baby with Shakespear which was wet-nursed by Patrick Henry.

It's not "bad" or "wrong" per se, just takes multiple readings and even then I'm still not entirely sure what you are trying to convey. Do you have anyone who could proofread for you and give you some pointers? Or maybe work on starting your OP with a clear one-sentence "thesis" that sums up your main point before you start extrapolating? 🤔

Just thoughts! I appreciate your input on the forums and I don't want to misunderstand you 😎.

Of course, no problem, I have a long history of such response, but my columnist-wife has help salvage this english teacher's son non-academic past.

I do remain a bit mystified how this one has eluded the reader (your background becoming frt-and-center, so thank you so much.

Post defined: Has the Church (the Body of Christ) experienced a cooling off from the Lord's spoken anticipation OR expectation of the miraculous?

OK now we're getting somewhere! That's what I thought you meant but I wasnt sure. 😎

In my opinion the church in America is definitely experiencing that. Maybe because most of the high-profile "charismatic" "preachers" have run headlong after the prosperity gospel, which makes them appear more like shysters than shepherds (with good reason!). But that leaves the flock thinking that all manifestations of the Spirit today are fake.

My experiences with third-world believers are different though. They not only belive in the miraculous, they seem to expect it. Not all of them of course, but it's definitely more of a mindset for them.

I know Jesus said we shouldn't seek signs and wonders in order to believe, but they are still a part of kingdom living and its pretty cool when they happen.... even if it's something small, it's still part of our daily "faith bread".

Still, there is a fair amount of hissing from the non-Pentecostal affiliated out there, laymen or cleric. Too bad the one they consider to be the father of the prosperity message big call out to the others who indeed were abusing their flocks, ended up well under-reported.

Motives for Giving

You say you need a definition for what I thought was wrought in simplicity. Let's take another look at the OP, ,

''the Lord Jesus gave the flock a very strong invite to feast on faith:

“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’'

Now, you are right, this is not something difficult. Simple is as the Lord himself defined it. Otherwise, we commit the proverbial 'strain at a gnat, swallow a camel'. I am content, trust you are. Thank you.

Right. These two remain for the Church as God's will concerning how to handle miracles, signs and wonders, ,

The Seeker is Rejected. "A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” (Matthew 16:4)

The Doer is Accepted. "Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? (Galatians 3:5)

I wonder how many of us have asked ourselves, 'Why would the Father want to tack on to the believer such occurrences?' What possible point OR good is there if they ever were witnessed by the unbeliever, so much less by us, within the above Biblical standard?

IMHO, it's the last image given of His own being separated from the world's and principality's influence.

God the Father Brings Us Out.

“’Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.’” (Acts 13:41)

"Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility with God? Therefore whoever has chosen to be a friend of the world is appointed an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit that He has made to dwell in us yearns with envy”?" (James 4:4,5)

What envy? Really? Can you stop for a moment and contemplate just as they did with Jesus? "Then they scoffed, “He’s just the carpenter’s son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers—James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas." How much more in these last days knowing mankind is strapped with a spirit that lusts with "envy" saying; 'Who are you to do this, you are faulted just like the rest of us?' But James girded us up with that one too, ,

"Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months." (James 5:17)

Has envy crept in to serve as a stumblingblock to the scoffers who also call on His name?

Did you miss the part about the man dreaming about the situation? And why did Jesus not do many miracles in the town of Nazareth?

And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching. And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them. Mark 6: 4-13

You should understand that our entire life in Christ is supernatural. In the case of a lack of belief with regards to our current situation, we are the household of our brother Jesus. It seems many live at arms length and do not want to get to close to our brother, preferring instead dead works (what a person can do themself without faith) and self justification.