Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

To: SoothingDave; redgolum; Cletus.D.Yokel
If God communicates His grace through healing oil or through the laying on of hands, a change is made to the person. He receives grace.

Fine. But there is no "Do this" type of command by which Christ instituted it for all times in the Church.

Yes, Jesus forgave the lame man his sins, but He also healed his infirmity.

Certainly healing/salvation are related concepts (sozo, soteria in the NT Greek). Christ is the Savior of both body and soul. And the Sacraments, Holy Baptism and Holy Communion, thus are applied to the body and benefit both body and soul. We call the Eucharist, for example, "the medicine of immortality." By conferring the forgiveness of sins, they therefore promise the redemption of the body, the resurrection of the flesh--the ultimate healing--at the Last Day. "For where there is the forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation" (Small Catechism).

92 posted on 05/01/2007 1:01:58 PM PDT by Charles Henrickson (Confessional Lutheran pastor, LCMS)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 81 | View Replies ]


To: Charles Henrickson
But there is no "Do this" type of command by which Christ instituted it for all times in the Church.

The Imitation of Christ is the goal, the ultimate command. Certainly the early Church did not hesitate to heal the sick.

Certainly healing/salvation are related concepts (sozo, soteria in the NT Greek). Christ is the Savior of both body and soul. And the Sacraments, Holy Baptism and Holy Communion, thus are applied to the body and benefit both body and soul.

Certainly. I understand your point of reference, it just seems limited to me.

When the graces of God are communicated to people through outward signs, that is a Sacrament. It is God, channeling through man and using common matter to effect change in the world. That's the Incarnation. That's Sacraments.

94 posted on 05/01/2007 1:13:45 PM PDT by SoothingDave (Eugene Gurkin was a janitor, cleaning toilets for The Man)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 92 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson