Small bunch of questions about the Bible and disability...

[ulrichburke]

Dear Everyone.

OK. I've been to lots of churches. I've heard the Message many times that God loves everyone and gave his Son to prove it - BUT - the Bible says God doesn't go so much for disabled people, in fact he doesn't want them anywhere near him and I can prove that - I'm just wondering if anyone can help me understand WHY!


I'm disabled. All through my life I've been told God doesn't want disabled people in His church - it says that in Leviticus, how if you're disabled you're not allowed in His Church or to approach Him in any way. I've been told I am Nephilim, a product of one of God's SonS (note the plural - Genesis says God has more than one son, think it's Genesis 6.) and a human woman. So I'm not created in God's image - which is perfect and as I'm disabled I'm not! In Leviticus there's a whole long bit about how nobody with any imperfections may enter God's church or approach Him. And in the whole Bible disability's a taboo subject - you get Jesus curing SICK people but disability isn't necessarily a sickness. I've got Cerebral Palsy amongst others and that's not a disease, nobody can catch it from me (though I've had others tell me otherwise!)

In the Bible disability is viewed as a disease (The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible: 1962; Encyclopaedia Judaica: 1972). The most common diseases mentioned in the Bible are blindness, deafness, dumbness, leprosy, and paralysis. Visual impairment is the most common form of physical disability in antiquity. Aside from people like Isaac (Gen. 27:1), Jacob (Gen. 48:10), Eli (1 Sam 3:2 and 4:15), and Ahijah the Shilomite (1Kings 14:4), whose eyesight failed in old age, natural causes of disability are not mentioned in the Bible. Disability is attributed to God. The general view of the Old Testament writers is that God brings disability as punishment for transgressions for sin or as an expression of God's wrath for people's disobedience. It is seen as a curse and as a result of unbelief and ignorance (Jewish Encyclopaedia, 1920; The Talmud of Jerusalem, 1956; and Encyclopaedia Judaica, 1972).


The Bible portrays disability as a curse and as a result of disobedience, unbelief, and ignorance. In Leviticus 26:14-16, as one of the punishments for Israel's disobedience is expressed in the following way: "I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and drain away your life." Samson also sinned against the Lord through his eyes; as it is written: "I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife" (Judges 14:2). He was therefore punished through his eyes: "Then the Philistines seized him, gorged out his eyes" (Judges 16:21). Prov. 30:17 warns that the eyes, which are disrespectful to parents, will be plucked out by birds of prey.


The blindness of the wicked men of Sodom (Wisdom 2:21) and of Elymas, the magician who obstructed the work of Paul in Cyprus (Acts 13:4-12), are specifically attributed to divine punishment. The ancient nations regarded visual impairment as the lowest degradation that could be inflicted upon humans and, by extension, to a nation. The Deuteronomist suggests that visual impairment is a curse for disobeying the commandment of God. Israel was threatened for breaking the covenant.


The Lord will inflict you with madness, blindness and confusion of the mind. At midday, you will grope about like a blind man in the dark. You will be unsuccessful in everything that you do, day after day you will be oppressed and robbed, with no one to rescue you (Deut. 28:28-29).

Further examples that portray disability as a curse can be found in Zephaniah 1:17 and Zechariah 11:17. In Zephaniah, God promises to bring distress on the people because they have sinned against Him: "They will walk like blind men." God strikes his servant's assailants with blinding flashes (Gen. 19:11; 2 Kings 6:18-20 Acts 13:10-12) or with permanent blindness (Zech. 12:4; Ps 69:23) in order to protect his servants (see also Psalms 6:7 and 69:3).

When Jesus healed the physically impaired man who lay by the pool of Bethesda, He said to him: "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse will happen to you" (Jn. 5:14). This clearly indicates that Jesus thought there was a connection between the man's disability and some sin. In the portico lay a multitude of PWD and this comment applied to them as well (Jn. 5:3).

Is there any way I may approach God despite my disabilities?

Also, I know the message we're given is Jesus loves us - but then why does he chuck the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse at us (Revelations)? And why are we taught the Devil rules in a flaming Hell somewhere below the earth when he doesn't? The Bible says Azrael fell to Earth and rules here. Which means Earth Itself is Hell. Jesus is the path FROM Hell - Earth - to Heaven. BUT - only for those created in His Father's Likeness.

Which once more comes back to me being disabled. I'm not in God's Likeness because of that, so I've no right to expect a chance to be pardoned or go to Heaven, my disabilities automatically preclude me (Leviticus).

So what's the point of me being here at all?

Yours sadly

Chris.

 

[Dino246]

Hi Chris, and welcome to CC...
First, you are made in the image of God, period. God says so in Genesis 1:26.

Second, Leviticus is not about "the Church"; it's about ancient Israel. Don't confuse the two. There's a whole lot more about understanding which parts of the Bible are directly relevant to you, but I won't address that here.

Third, your relationship with God is not dependent on your physical abilities.

I don't know who you've been listening to, but stop! They aren't telling you God's truth. Physically (and even mentally) disabled people are not excluded from the family of God. Jesus died for you, just as much as He died for any able-bodied person. You aren't a reject or one of the nephilim.

Your relationship with God is based on only one thing: the finished work of Jesus Christ. It isn't dependent on your ability (or lack thereof); if it were dependent on our ability, none of us would be saved. Every single one of us was separated from God because of sin. Every one of us who is saved has put our faith in Jesus: His identity, birth, teaching, death, burial and resurrection.

Please don't walk away from God because of the untruths you've been told. God loves you enough that He sent His only Son for you. If you put your trust in Jesus, you are as much a member of God's family as any other Christian, able-bodied or not.

 

[DWR]

There are none that are perfect in this present body.
Simple truth is we all have some disability but it just is not visible to everyone.
The world is full of foolish even wicked people.
Next time someone tells you God does not want you near tell that person where they can stick their evil opinion.
If God can love me, and He does, He can and does love everyone, even you.
Hang in there brother, we will all be victorious in the end.

 

[bojack]

Dear Everyone.

OK. I've been to lots of churches. I've heard the Message many times that God loves everyone and gave his Son to prove it - BUT - the Bible says God doesn't go so much for disabled people, in fact he doesn't want them anywhere near him and I can prove that - I'm just wondering if anyone can help me understand WHY!


I'm disabled. All through my life I've been told God doesn't want disabled people in His church - it says that in Leviticus, how if you're disabled you're not allowed in His Church or to approach Him in any way. I've been told I am Nephilim, a product of one of God's SonS (note the plural - Genesis says God has more than one son, think it's Genesis 6.) and a human woman. So I'm not created in God's image - which is perfect and as I'm disabled I'm not! In Leviticus there's a whole long bit about how nobody with any imperfections may enter God's church or approach Him. And in the whole Bible disability's a taboo subject - you get Jesus curing SICK people but disability isn't necessarily a sickness. I've got Cerebral Palsy amongst others and that's not a disease, nobody can catch it from me (though I've had others tell me otherwise!)

In the Bible disability is viewed as a disease (The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible: 1962; Encyclopaedia Judaica: 1972). The most common diseases mentioned in the Bible are blindness, deafness, dumbness, leprosy, and paralysis. Visual impairment is the most common form of physical disability in antiquity. Aside from people like Isaac (Gen. 27:1), Jacob (Gen. 48:10), Eli (1 Sam 3:2 and 4:15), and Ahijah the Shilomite (1Kings 14:4), whose eyesight failed in old age, natural causes of disability are not mentioned in the Bible. Disability is attributed to God. The general view of the Old Testament writers is that God brings disability as punishment for transgressions for sin or as an expression of God's wrath for people's disobedience. It is seen as a curse and as a result of unbelief and ignorance (Jewish Encyclopaedia, 1920; The Talmud of Jerusalem, 1956; and Encyclopaedia Judaica, 1972).


The Bible portrays disability as a curse and as a result of disobedience, unbelief, and ignorance. In Leviticus 26:14-16, as one of the punishments for Israel's disobedience is expressed in the following way: "I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and drain away your life." Samson also sinned against the Lord through his eyes; as it is written: "I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife" (Judges 14:2). He was therefore punished through his eyes: "Then the Philistines seized him, gorged out his eyes" (Judges 16:21). Prov. 30:17 warns that the eyes, which are disrespectful to parents, will be plucked out by birds of prey.


The blindness of the wicked men of Sodom (Wisdom 2:21) and of Elymas, the magician who obstructed the work of Paul in Cyprus (Acts 13:4-12), are specifically attributed to divine punishment. The ancient nations regarded visual impairment as the lowest degradation that could be inflicted upon humans and, by extension, to a nation. The Deuteronomist suggests that visual impairment is a curse for disobeying the commandment of God. Israel was threatened for breaking the covenant.


The Lord will inflict you with madness, blindness and confusion of the mind. At midday, you will grope about like a blind man in the dark. You will be unsuccessful in everything that you do, day after day you will be oppressed and robbed, with no one to rescue you (Deut. 28:28-29).

Further examples that portray disability as a curse can be found in Zephaniah 1:17 and Zechariah 11:17. In Zephaniah, God promises to bring distress on the people because they have sinned against Him: "They will walk like blind men." God strikes his servant's assailants with blinding flashes (Gen. 19:11; 2 Kings 6:18-20 Acts 13:10-12) or with permanent blindness (Zech. 12:4; Ps 69:23) in order to protect his servants (see also Psalms 6:7 and 69:3).

When Jesus healed the physically impaired man who lay by the pool of Bethesda, He said to him: "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse will happen to you" (Jn. 5:14). This clearly indicates that Jesus thought there was a connection between the man's disability and some sin. In the portico lay a multitude of PWD and this comment applied to them as well (Jn. 5:3).

Is there any way I may approach God despite my disabilities?

Also, I know the message we're given is Jesus loves us - but then why does he chuck the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse at us (Revelations)? And why are we taught the Devil rules in a flaming Hell somewhere below the earth when he doesn't? The Bible says Azrael fell to Earth and rules here. Which means Earth Itself is Hell. Jesus is the path FROM Hell - Earth - to Heaven. BUT - only for those created in His Father's Likeness.

Which once more comes back to me being disabled. I'm not in God's Likeness because of that, so I've no right to expect a chance to be pardoned or go to Heaven, my disabilities automatically preclude me (Leviticus).

So what's the point of me being here at all?

Yours sadly

Chris.

What would you do if you had it all ? This life is temporary not the next one ..

 

[Subhumanoidal]

Satan rules hell? Whoever taught you that must be getting their theology from old cartoons.
I've never heard that taught, but i have known some who wrongly believed that because they didn't read the bible.

This distinguishing between disability and other illnesses is also entirely new to me. As is the majority of what you've stated in your post. Most people that connect sickness and sin are charismatic and WoF teachers. Not exactly what I'd consider sound theological bases.

It seems you've reversed the orientation. It reminds me of a situation I once saw. In the movid Wall-E it shows a future society that becomes more and more lazy. As a result people became heavier and more out of shape till everyone rode around on little carts, because they couldn't walk.
Then I saw a woman criticize the movie for labeling overweight people as lazy. She reversed the message. And it seems you've done the same.

 

[JeremiahsCup]

Yes, disability is a bad thing, it is definitely not a good thing. A lot of the modern world plays by sweet sounding lies so while the world will mollycoddle you into accepting being disabled so that you do not overcome it, but rather so that you stay in the trap of the lie, this is not the will of God. The will of God is for you to be whole and to be well. Some disabilities are brought on by one's own sins, some disabilities are inflicted by others, and some are disabled from the womb by the Devil.

The reason why God forbids the disabled from approaching the temple or serving as priests is because God is a pure being, purity and impurity cannot coexist. This however does not mean that you cannot approach Lord Jesus. Many people whom approached Lord Jesus were healed of their disabilities. Lord Jesus being perfect will drive away imperfection from those seek him.

Don't fall for the trap of accepting your disability, or even worse, empowering it. Nor lose hope and cleave to the lie that you are forsaken. The key is to overcome, and you can indeed overcome a disability and many other things, but only by approaching Jesus can we overcome the evil of the world with the truth of God.

 

[Magenta]

The Levitical priesthood to whom much of the book is addressed—priests
performing animal sacrifice to the God of Israel—no longer exists.

The verses you concern yourself with are addressed to the temple priests.

Then there is Leviticus 19:18: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

 

[breno785au]

Acts 8:26-38
The eunuch receives Christ! Eunuchs culturally back then were the most downcast, despised people. You couldn't get any lower in the eyes of man. Yet! Philip was led to him by God for salvation!
It's difficult for us to fully grasp the significance of this in our day, but it truly was an astounding thing.
God even loves the eunuchs!

 

[p_rehbein]

From the Author's Profile Page:

Spiritual Status: unsure

When saved: I'd love to be a Christian but I don't think God would let me that's why I'm here.

This "unsure" is what you must deal with.........and I'm hoping you came here to do that.

FIRST PROBLEM (IMO): You are focusing on yourself and not God. What took place in the 1st Covenant has nothing to do with the Church today......so, do not turn to it for answers regarding your salvation.

SECOND: Seek God first..............get on your knees, or lay flat, or just sit down with bowed head, and pray to Christ to come into your life as Lord and Savior..........BELIEVE in HIM, and He will come to you.........

John 3:16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

1 Timothy, Chapter 2:

4) Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
5) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
6) Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

If you can believe these, you can be saved.............BUT, if you can not FIRST BELIEVE, well, you will most probably remain "unsure." I hope and pray you FIRST BELIEVE.

 

[bojack]

Acts 8:26-38
The eunuch receives Christ! Eunuchs culturally back then were the most downcast, despised people. You couldn't get any lower in the eyes of man. Yet! Philip was led to him by God for salvation!
It's difficult for us to fully grasp the significance of this in our day, but it truly was an astounding thing.
God even loves the eunuchs!

3 Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.
4 For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;
5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.

 

[bojack]

Dear Everyone.

OK. I've been to lots of churches. I've heard the Message many times that God loves everyone and gave his Son to prove it - BUT - the Bible says God doesn't go so much for disabled people, in fact he doesn't want them anywhere near him and I can prove that - I'm just wondering if anyone can help me understand WHY!


I'm disabled. All through my life I've been told God doesn't want disabled people in His church - it says that in Leviticus, how if you're disabled you're not allowed in His Church or to approach Him in any way. I've been told I am Nephilim, a product of one of God's SonS (note the plural - Genesis says God has more than one son, think it's Genesis 6.) and a human woman. So I'm not created in God's image - which is perfect and as I'm disabled I'm not! In Leviticus there's a whole long bit about how nobody with any imperfections may enter God's church or approach Him. And in the whole Bible disability's a taboo subject - you get Jesus curing SICK people but disability isn't necessarily a sickness. I've got Cerebral Palsy amongst others and that's not a disease, nobody can catch it from me (though I've had others tell me otherwise!)

In the Bible disability is viewed as a disease (The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible: 1962; Encyclopaedia Judaica: 1972). The most common diseases mentioned in the Bible are blindness, deafness, dumbness, leprosy, and paralysis. Visual impairment is the most common form of physical disability in antiquity. Aside from people like Isaac (Gen. 27:1), Jacob (Gen. 48:10), Eli (1 Sam 3:2 and 4:15), and Ahijah the Shilomite (1Kings 14:4), whose eyesight failed in old age, natural causes of disability are not mentioned in the Bible. Disability is attributed to God. The general view of the Old Testament writers is that God brings disability as punishment for transgressions for sin or as an expression of God's wrath for people's disobedience. It is seen as a curse and as a result of unbelief and ignorance (Jewish Encyclopaedia, 1920; The Talmud of Jerusalem, 1956; and Encyclopaedia Judaica, 1972).


The Bible portrays disability as a curse and as a result of disobedience, unbelief, and ignorance. In Leviticus 26:14-16, as one of the punishments for Israel's disobedience is expressed in the following way: "I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and drain away your life." Samson also sinned against the Lord through his eyes; as it is written: "I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife" (Judges 14:2). He was therefore punished through his eyes: "Then the Philistines seized him, gorged out his eyes" (Judges 16:21). Prov. 30:17 warns that the eyes, which are disrespectful to parents, will be plucked out by birds of prey.


The blindness of the wicked men of Sodom (Wisdom 2:21) and of Elymas, the magician who obstructed the work of Paul in Cyprus (Acts 13:4-12), are specifically attributed to divine punishment. The ancient nations regarded visual impairment as the lowest degradation that could be inflicted upon humans and, by extension, to a nation. The Deuteronomist suggests that visual impairment is a curse for disobeying the commandment of God. Israel was threatened for breaking the covenant.


The Lord will inflict you with madness, blindness and confusion of the mind. At midday, you will grope about like a blind man in the dark. You will be unsuccessful in everything that you do, day after day you will be oppressed and robbed, with no one to rescue you (Deut. 28:28-29).

Further examples that portray disability as a curse can be found in Zephaniah 1:17 and Zechariah 11:17. In Zephaniah, God promises to bring distress on the people because they have sinned against Him: "They will walk like blind men." God strikes his servant's assailants with blinding flashes (Gen. 19:11; 2 Kings 6:18-20 Acts 13:10-12) or with permanent blindness (Zech. 12:4; Ps 69:23) in order to protect his servants (see also Psalms 6:7 and 69:3).

When Jesus healed the physically impaired man who lay by the pool of Bethesda, He said to him: "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse will happen to you" (Jn. 5:14). This clearly indicates that Jesus thought there was a connection between the man's disability and some sin. In the portico lay a multitude of PWD and this comment applied to them as well (Jn. 5:3).

Is there any way I may approach God despite my disabilities?

Also, I know the message we're given is Jesus loves us - but then why does he chuck the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse at us (Revelations)? And why are we taught the Devil rules in a flaming Hell somewhere below the earth when he doesn't? The Bible says Azrael fell to Earth and rules here. Which means Earth Itself is Hell. Jesus is the path FROM Hell - Earth - to Heaven. BUT - only for those created in His Father's Likeness.

Which once more comes back to me being disabled. I'm not in God's Likeness because of that, so I've no right to expect a chance to be pardoned or go to Heaven, my disabilities automatically preclude me (Leviticus).

So what's the point of me being here at all?

Yours sadly

Chris.

I fasted and prayed for a week for Jesus to grow a newborn baby a hand and a foot and to make him normal .. I was determined like Jacob to not quit praying/fasting until God answered my prayer .. on the 6th day the Holy Spirit said ''what you call normal and what I call normal are two different things, that this child would bring more glory like he was created than what I called normal .. That this child would have it rough at times but he would love and be taken care of by the Lord his whole life , that he would be full of the Holy Spirit and inspiration to all born again Christians who knew him .. I got a vision of a young man hobbling up the street but doing just fine and the neighbors were always glad to see him and speak with him .. Now if Jesus had made him normal to my standards he may have grown up to be a drug dealer or used his good looks and talent to spend on his lusts and lost headed for eternal hell .. It was an eye opening revelation .. But above all the answer give me satisfaction on the matter that I was even a touch envious of the walk the child would have with Jesus ..

 

[biker]

Dear Everyone.

OK. I've been to lots of churches. I've heard the Message many times that God loves everyone and gave his Son to prove it - BUT - the Bible says God doesn't go so much for disabled people, in fact he doesn't want them anywhere near him and I can prove that - I'm just wondering if anyone can help me understand WHY!


I'm disabled. All through my life I've been told God doesn't want disabled people in His church - it says that in Leviticus, how if you're disabled you're not allowed in His Church or to approach Him in any way. I've been told I am Nephilim, a product of one of God's SonS (note the plural - Genesis says God has more than one son, think it's Genesis 6.) and a human woman. So I'm not created in God's image - which is perfect and as I'm disabled I'm not! In Leviticus there's a whole long bit about how nobody with any imperfections may enter God's church or approach Him. And in the whole Bible disability's a taboo subject - you get Jesus curing SICK people but disability isn't necessarily a sickness. I've got Cerebral Palsy amongst others and that's not a disease, nobody can catch it from me (though I've had others tell me otherwise!)

In the Bible disability is viewed as a disease (The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible: 1962; Encyclopaedia Judaica: 1972). The most common diseases mentioned in the Bible are blindness, deafness, dumbness, leprosy, and paralysis. Visual impairment is the most common form of physical disability in antiquity. Aside from people like Isaac (Gen. 27:1), Jacob (Gen. 48:10), Eli (1 Sam 3:2 and 4:15), and Ahijah the Shilomite (1Kings 14:4), whose eyesight failed in old age, natural causes of disability are not mentioned in the Bible. Disability is attributed to God. The general view of the Old Testament writers is that God brings disability as punishment for transgressions for sin or as an expression of God's wrath for people's disobedience. It is seen as a curse and as a result of unbelief and ignorance (Jewish Encyclopaedia, 1920; The Talmud of Jerusalem, 1956; and Encyclopaedia Judaica, 1972).


The Bible portrays disability as a curse and as a result of disobedience, unbelief, and ignorance. In Leviticus 26:14-16, as one of the punishments for Israel's disobedience is expressed in the following way: "I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and drain away your life." Samson also sinned against the Lord through his eyes; as it is written: "I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife" (Judges 14:2). He was therefore punished through his eyes: "Then the Philistines seized him, gorged out his eyes" (Judges 16:21). Prov. 30:17 warns that the eyes, which are disrespectful to parents, will be plucked out by birds of prey.


The blindness of the wicked men of Sodom (Wisdom 2:21) and of Elymas, the magician who obstructed the work of Paul in Cyprus (Acts 13:4-12), are specifically attributed to divine punishment. The ancient nations regarded visual impairment as the lowest degradation that could be inflicted upon humans and, by extension, to a nation. The Deuteronomist suggests that visual impairment is a curse for disobeying the commandment of God. Israel was threatened for breaking the covenant.


The Lord will inflict you with madness, blindness and confusion of the mind. At midday, you will grope about like a blind man in the dark. You will be unsuccessful in everything that you do, day after day you will be oppressed and robbed, with no one to rescue you (Deut. 28:28-29).

Further examples that portray disability as a curse can be found in Zephaniah 1:17 and Zechariah 11:17. In Zephaniah, God promises to bring distress on the people because they have sinned against Him: "They will walk like blind men." God strikes his servant's assailants with blinding flashes (Gen. 19:11; 2 Kings 6:18-20 Acts 13:10-12) or with permanent blindness (Zech. 12:4; Ps 69:23) in order to protect his servants (see also Psalms 6:7 and 69:3).

When Jesus healed the physically impaired man who lay by the pool of Bethesda, He said to him: "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse will happen to you" (Jn. 5:14). This clearly indicates that Jesus thought there was a connection between the man's disability and some sin. In the portico lay a multitude of PWD and this comment applied to them as well (Jn. 5:3).

Is there any way I may approach God despite my disabilities?

Also, I know the message we're given is Jesus loves us - but then why does he chuck the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse at us (Revelations)? And why are we taught the Devil rules in a flaming Hell somewhere below the earth when he doesn't? The Bible says Azrael fell to Earth and rules here. Which means Earth Itself is Hell. Jesus is the path FROM Hell - Earth - to Heaven. BUT - only for those created in His Father's Likeness.

Which once more comes back to me being disabled. I'm not in God's Likeness because of that, so I've no right to expect a chance to be pardoned or go to Heaven, my disabilities automatically preclude me (Leviticus).

So what's the point of me being here at all?

Yours sadly

Chris.

My BROTHER in Christ Eshu (Yeshua),

Read these scriptures I have found. They do not condemn but give glorious perspective towards those who suffer. And remember my Brother, the Reward you seek today, will be greater than mine in Heaven. For God has allowed this temporary situation, we call life, to be unjust in many ways so we will depend upon Him. And "GREAT" is the Reward to those who Trust in Him for everything!

You are in my prayers!


1. John 9:2-4 Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.

2. Exodus 4:10-12 But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.” Then the Lord asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.”

3. Deuteronomy 27:18 Cursed is anyone who leads a blind person astray on the road.’ And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.‘

4. Leviticus 19:14 “‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the LORD.

5. Romans 5:3-5 And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

6. Mark 8:23-25 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then, spitting on the man’s eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?” The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.” Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly.

7. Matthew 15:30-31 A vast crowd brought to him people who were lame, blind, crippled, those who couldn’t speak, and many others. They laid them before Jesus, and he healed them all. The crowd was amazed! Those who hadn’t been able to speak were talking, the crippled were made well, the lame were walking, and the blind could see again! And they praised the God of Israel.

 

[Blain]

Who on earth taught you this way of thinking? Whoever they are they are lucky I am not there so I can really let hthem have it I mean this is infuriating it is complete and absolute garbage and how dare they try to tell you this load of cow dung I have experienced God's love first hand so much so my body was unable to handle it, it was only a drop a tiny drop and my body was unable to contain it yet it was the most wonderful most beautiful thing I have ever experienced and ever will again, I have been wrapped in his arms feeling him sooth my soul and even physically wipe away my tears and guess what I am disabled so much so I am unable to live in this world on my own, I have brain damage in the same twice I am unable to do much on my own I can never hope to drive or live a life like everyone else because my mind just doesn't comprehend things like everyone else does my immune system is weaker than most because of the cancer I had my eyes are sown shut almost by 60% because they got infected and my immune system could not heal them like it should I am legally blind

So trust me when I say he does indeed want us near him in fact people who are disabled and seen and treated as less than others have a very special place in his heart so please believe me you have no idea how much he loves and wants you and for every way you were made weak in this world he will make you strong in his

 

[ulrichburke]

I was always taught that if you didn't follow God's word, you'd be cast down into the pits of Hell where you'd burn forever in Satan's fiery pits. So I looked into that in the Bible and discovered Revelations actually says Jesus has the keys to Heaven and Hell, and the only 'fiery pit' is a part of Heaven that happened to be volcanic, which happened to be the area Azrael came from. So the preachers I'd listened to had that wrong.

As far as 'God's only begotten son' bit goes, you've got Genesis 6, 2 to think about - just looked it up, couldn't remember which verse it was - "


1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

You'll notice the word 'sons' of God is plural. So God had MORE than one son, the Bible says so. And the Bible puts illness and disability in the same bracket many times. Natural causes of disability are not mentioned in the Bible. Disability is attributed to God. The general view of the Old Testament writers is that God brings disability as punishment for transgressions for sin or as an expression of God's wrath for people's disobedience. It is seen as a curse and as a result of unbelief and ignorance. If we don't follow our Father's Word, we are punished by being made disabled. Which doesn't seem fair on those of us BORN with disabilities - what transgressions did we cause from the womb?

In my original post I've put examples of other biblical quotes about God and disability but everyone seemed to ignore them which is fascinating. People seem to want to hold onto the 'Jesus loves everyone who loves Him' thing despite all the Bible says to the contrary.

Now I've looked up WoF - which I'd never heard of before - and it just seems to be a twist on this 'The Universe Will Manifest if you Ask It' thing that's been doing the rounds for ages and nope, I don't believe that. Do I believe in God's Word? For sure I do - but as the BIBLE says it, not as preachers twist it. Do I believe we're here to look after other life on the planet? I feed seagulls on bacon every day (or salami if the bacon runs out!) I leave bags of bread open that mice may feed (3 mice can reduce a sliced loaf to a bag of crumbs in 2 days!!) I have spiders' eggs on my wall and I watch their children hatch and go out into the world on parachutes of silk. And there's a screech-owl across the road who's furious with me because I keep rescuing his supper! (4 times thus far.)

I believe when Jesus says 'All are equal in God's sight' he means all creatures created by God who are therefore, in some way, in God's image. Us disableds, as the Bible tells us, have had our disabilities visited on us BY God. I try to make up for my pre-birth transgressions, whatever they were, by showing kindness to all God's creatures.

It's just I can't get past all the parts of the Bible that tell us God visited disability on us as punishment. I was born with mine. I've been beaten up no end - literally - by able-bodied people, robbed and very much hated on, and I don't really know what I've done to deserve all of it.

But all I say about the Bible is FROM the Bible and I can always show chapter and verse, like in the original post, where it says it. I'm not REVERSING any message, I'm going strictly by what the Bible says. Leviticus IS the main book where God shows his hatred of disability, though. And as the Bible is God's Word, you can't just dismiss Leviticus as being 'about Jews'. Jesus was King of the Jews. The Bible says so.

Yours respectfully

Chris.

 

[Magenta]

I was always taught that if you didn't follow God's word, you'd be cast down into the pits of Hell where you'd burn forever in Satan's fiery pits. So I looked into that in the Bible and discovered Revelations actually says Jesus has the keys to Heaven and Hell, and the only 'fiery pit' is a part of Heaven that happened to be volcanic, which happened to be the area Azrael came from. So the preachers I'd listened to had that wrong.

Rev 1:18

 

[Guojing]

Dear Everyone.

When Jesus healed the physically impaired man who lay by the pool of Bethesda, He said to him: "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse will happen to you" (Jn. 5:14). This clearly indicates that Jesus thought there was a connection between the man's disability and some sin. In the portico lay a multitude of PWD and this comment applied to them as well (Jn. 5:3).

Chris.

I personally don't think you can necessary conclude that. The context is found in vs 10

10 and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.” The Jewish leaders told him that he is committing a sin by carrying the mat.

Jesus is not telling us to form a doctrine out of what he said in vs 14. It was a tongue in cheek remark trying to expose the hypocrisy of those Jewish leaders.

So when Jesus said v14, I believe he was trying to make a sarcastic remark to them, that the man's physical impairement will return and even be worse "because of him carrying his mat."

 

[MattforJesus]

Jesus came to heal the disabled, and said about the blind man that nobody sinned that caused him to be blind, but it was for the glory of God when Jesus healed him.

Jesus healed the lame, and crippled.

There is no difference between the Jew and the Gentile.

God said what makes you to differ from another.

Peter said that God is no respecter of persons, and anybody that works righteousness is accepted with Him.

Paul was given a thorn in the flesh to buffet him from a messenger of Satan so he would not get exalted in pride for the abundance of revelations God showed him, so Paul said he will glory in his infirmities, for when he is weak then he is strong.

Paul was not afflicted because he was disobedient but because God did not want him to get exalted above measure because God was working in his life mightily, because God resists the proud but gives grace unto the humble.

So actually you being disabled should give you the power of Christ upon you in your infirmity.

Also it is spiritual in the New Testament, and the Old Testament was a physical covenant.

Lev 21:16 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 21:17 Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.
Lev 21:18 For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous,
Lev 21:19 Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded,
Lev 21:20 Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken;
Lev 21:21 No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.
Lev 21:22 He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy.
Lev 21:23 Only he shall not go in unto the vail, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I the LORD do sanctify them.
Lev 21:24 And Moses told it unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel.

Nobody could go in behind the veil except the high priest and of the tribe of Levi. and not only could they not have a blemish but they also had to have all their sins covered before they could go in to the 3rd area, and the high priest could not go in to the holy of holies with a blemish, and this had to do with more than being disabled, for they could not even have a blemish in the eye.

Not even the tribe of Judah could go in to the holy of holies, for none of the other tribes could go in there, not even the tribe of Levi if they were not the high priest.

Also when Jesus died on the cross the veil to the holy of holies was torn in half meaning all people that are saved have access to the mercy seat in heaven for it is spiritual now.

Since it is spiritual and access to the holy of holies, the mercy seat in heaven, it has nothing to do with the physical body, and the soul when saved is never disabled, and we will put off the flesh and have a glorified body.

If you are saved your disability means nothing.

Also when the Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God would come He said it comes without observation, for they will not say here it is, or there it is, for behold the kingdom of God is within you.

So when you are saved and receive the Spirit the kingdom of God is within you, and you belong to that kingdom.

Jesus came to heal the disabled, but if they are not healed that means nothing concerning being saved and being with God.

Even in the Old Testament being disabled meant nothing and they could be saved, and could enter the outer court of the tabernacle.

It was only the third area that the high priest could enter, and if disabled could not enter, for nobody was to go in to the 3rd area of the tabernacle unless they were the high priest including Samson who was healthy and strong when the Spirit of the LORD came upon him.

And the Church is not the Old Testament tabernacle which is physical, and the Church is spiritual.

Also you are not a Nephilim, and if people want to call them that in Genesis 6 they were wiped out in the flood, and only Noah and his wife, and his 3 sons and their wives were saved, so you have to be from them.

And they were considered righteous so you would be from that line of relatives, not the Nephilim.

Lev 26:14 But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments;
Lev 26:15 And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant:
Lev 26:16 I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
Lev 26:17 And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.

This is a curse if Israel disobeyed the truth for a certain amount of time then God would punish them, and allow their enemies to overcome them.

But God said that any time the Jews cry out to God He will hear them and restore them, even in the latter times like now.

And God is going to restore the kingdom to the Jews in the future after they have borne their shame for rejecting Jesus, and Jesus said that the Jews will not see Him again until they say blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord.

For Israel is blinded in part until salvation is no longer available to the Gentiles, and so all Israel shall be saved, for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, and God always restores Israel.

God would judge on earth in the Old Testament concerning Israel's sins if the nation strayed from the truth for a certain amount of years having prophets warning them to turn from their wrongful ways.

But we are under grace so God does not judge like that now.

But God said He always has Jews that abide in the truth when the nation was disobeying and that usually because of a king that was not obeying God in the truth.

Adam was the only man created by God from the dust of the earth, and not another.

And some think that Cain was from Satan and Eve but that is not true, for the Bible says Adam knew his wife which means they had sex, and Cain was born, and Eve said she had gotten a man from the Lord.

And some think the mark on Cain was black skin but it is not true, and after the flood is when the nations were divided and came about.

And there is people that are rich not caring for the poor and needy, doing great sins, involved in the inner circle of the occult, new age movement that shall deceive the world and cause the antichrist to come about, and they are not disabled.

And God is going to cause you to be disabled for it makes no sense.

God had to protect Israel and keep her in the truth for Jesus was coming from the nation of Israel, so if they were disobedient He had to correct them.

Jonathan was a cripple who was Saul's son, and David treated him like a brother and cherished him, and blessed him.

Mal 3:13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
Mal 3:14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?
Mal 3:15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

Mal 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
Mal 3:17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
Mal 3:18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

Mal 4:1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
Mal 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
Mal 4:3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.

Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

And you are worried about being disabled, and God does not accept you, for even the wicked who do not care about God get good things on earth, and are not disabled.

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, not God so loved the non disabled that He gave His only begotten Son.

The Bible says all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and if you offend in the least of the law you offend in all, so why is not everyone disabled.

 

[crossnote]

Last I read we are all disabled until our full dependence is upon Him...

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NASBS
[9] And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. [10] Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

 

[Mii]

Up front, it is not my intention to be rude here.

You were already told that the levitical law had to do with priests of the line of Aaron. I appreciate @MattforJesus for putting the relevant scripture up and @Magenta for saying that early on I think it may be valuable for you to look at Leviticus 21:22

22 He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy.

What does that look like to you? That he had no part nor portion? They still were allowed to eat what is holy...does that look like outright rejection? No one else in Israel was allowed that.

You can bring up generational curses if you like as a reason to believe you cannot be saved if you like, but my question then would be "is that an excuse?" Do you have any reason why you would give an excuse so as to make you excluded?

Again, not trying to be rude or self-righteous, this is for you to examine if you choose. To me that's a bit more productive when I am being accused and am feeling that I cannot be saved because of a twisting of scripture. Am I twisting it intentionally? Is there an additional element (the enemy)? If the latter cannot be ascertained with reasonable certainty...what do I have to gain by this twisting. Am I sure that it is an incorrect assumption? If everyone is telling me that I am misunderstanding the Lord via a misinterpretation of his word...is there anyone that agrees with me? Very few? No one? Then perhaps I am wrong.

I also continue to take it through other scriptures. You say that disability is a result of sin...I would agree. A fallen world. You say that disability is a generational curse...could be that those still have serious authority in a non-believers life...but then there are also situations where disability was NOT the result of that. So how can you be certain? You can't.

So, because you cannot, I perceive it to be wisdom to wonder if it is an excuse once again. I make many myself and MANY times, they hold very little living water (if any) when other scriptures are considered.

For instance:

John 9:1-3 "And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him."


Is blindness a disability? Is the bleeding that the woman suffered from in another account a disability? Did he say it was because of her sin?

Keep reading in John 9 and you will see later that the religious leaders essentially told the man he was "altogether born in sin" at the start of this passage you can see that Jesus was saying that this was not so...and yet a group that Jesus specifically called out MANY times said the opposite. His sin isn't mentioned once as far as I can tell by Jesus.

So that brings me to a prior self-assessment questionnaire that I do give myself at times (as I said)...if there is evidence of the opposite, how can I claim with 100% certainty that I am correct in a thought process that sort of sets itself up against the whole of the gospel? It is my hope that you take the time to engage what others have taken the time to say to you. Perhaps we can get a little more in depth if so.

Our minds can come up with some very "fallen" interpretations of scripture. It probably happens to everyone at one point or another reading the word...but fortunately, the interpretation doesn't start and end with us

 

[SoulWeaver]

I hope the OP is still reading this.
I was so upset at the theology you were told. Wow. That is all backwards. You are not only welcome, but a lot more than that.

Old Testament, if you are applying it without Jesus, you will run into problems and suffer (been there before). It's not because it's all kumbaya, you believe we are ignoring things, but I am telling you the truth, that the Old testament really and only comes together meaningfully through Jesus, because He fulfilled the law. All the things they had in the OT were foreshadowings or promises for something that was to come later with Jesus. Per example, the Promised Land represents the Kingdom of God which is invisible in Spirit ("doesn't come with observation"). Verses were brought up earlier how the priest (and also sacrificial animals if you pay attention) had to be "without blemish". This was to be fulfilled in Jesus, who was the only one without blemish (aka sinless). This doesn't mean that it is sin to have a physical blemish of any kind, to prove the point animals can't even sin they are not man, this law was simply upheld as a promise placeholder so the Word would stand true, until Jesus came to fulfill it. Now through Jesus who is The high priest and The sacrificial lamb and Without blemish, through Him our souls have also become without blemish...

Similarly, Jesus gets baptized "so all the law is fulfilled" - was God really in need of baptism? It was for a promise placeholder until His death (represented by submerging) and emerging in resurrection. So that's the kind of thing I am talking about, and it is like this for all the law. So all these physical manifestations, which did historically happen, but also heralded what was coming. Including healings, which still may happen to some today, but then they were declaration of fact that many spiritually blind will see the truth, that those incapable of walking upright will rise and walk with God and live an honorable life, or that those who are deaf to God's word will finally hear it. This doesn't mean that if a person is literally deaf that they don't hear God's word! They can hear everything alright in Spirit. It's all about that kingdom now, that comes without observation.

John 6:63
The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.

An able body will not help a person towards eternal life one inch. Our bodily and material situations are only temporary and have no bearing upon your eternal identity in Christ. It is the salvation of soul that is God's main concern, although He often looks at our other needs.