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Featured Did the blind man earn his sight ?

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by mandym, Aug 12, 2012.

  1. mandym

    mandym New Member

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    Did the blind man earn his sight or was it an act of grace?
     
  2. Skandelon

    Skandelon <b>Moderator</b>

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    Some here appear to think having faith is 'earning' something. As being discussed in the other thread, faith is not meritorious.

    "Faith in God’s promise obligates him to save the believer not because the quality of faith is meritorious, but because faith is the one human act which calls attention alone to God’s merit, honor and glory and his unswerving commitment to maintain that glory." - Piper
     
  3. MorseOp

    MorseOp New Member

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    He was granted sight as an act of grace on Jesus' part.
     
  4. mandym

    mandym New Member

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    Interesting. Was he required to have faith first?
     
  5. IANMO(IAMNTMYOWN)

    IANMO(IAMNTMYOWN) New Member

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    Jesus' own brethren rejected Him and the power of God that He possessed. He did no healing among them, because they had no faith that He could. When Christ performed miracles, it was so that the Father would be glorified, and that sinners would consequently be saved.The first step to salvation is belief/faith, followed by acceptance, and then repentence and atonement.

    “Faith isn't believing without proof – it's trusting without reservation.” William Sloane Coffin
     
  6. Skandelon

    Skandelon <b>Moderator</b>

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    "your faith has made you well" - Jesus

    Non-Calvinist interpretation = "your faith has made you well"
    Calvinist interpretation = "God chose to irresistibly make you well so that you would certainly have faith"
     
  7. convicted1

    convicted1 Guest

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    If the blind man earned his sight, it would no longer be grace, but works that cured him of his blindness. And yes, it took faith in Jesus for Jesus to heal his blinded eyes.
     
  8. Skandelon

    Skandelon <b>Moderator</b>

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    Right. Notice Jesus didn't say, "Your good deeds have made you well..." He said, "Your faith has made you well." Jesus understands the distinction in a good deed by which one attempts to earn his healing and faith in a God who graciously gives it to whosoever asks.

    ALSO, notice that Jesus didn't walk up to random sick people and heal them wether or not they asked for it (i.e. unconditional election). But instead he heard their cry and responded. "Humble yourself and you will be exalted."
     
  9. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    I don't know if Bartimaeus is the same blind man mentioned in John 9. The stories are different.

    Bart demonstrated his faith by simply asking Jesus for his sight. His request reflects his belief that Jesus had the power to give it to him.

    In John 9, Jesus unilaterally heals the blind man. He simply made a mud pie and put it on his eyes. The blind man did not ask for the healing. And Jesus told the onlookers that the man was blind for the very purpose that God's power might be displayed in him.

    In each case, both were objects of grace. And I believe God intended to heal both of them before he ever saw them.
     
  10. OldRegular

    OldRegular Well-Known Member

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    :thumbsup::thumbsup:
    :thumbsup::thumbsup:
     
  11. convicted1

    convicted1 Guest

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    :thumbsup::applause::thumbsup::applause:
     
  12. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    Its important to realize grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning.
     
  13. Iconoclast

    Iconoclast Well-Known Member
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    What we can notice is...you have an agenda. healing the blind man has nothing to do with unconditional election at all. it shows that you are uncomfortable with the teaching so you take passages that have nothing to do with it...thinking to be clever but showing this to be another sad attempt to resist the truth of God. No one earns a healing.
     
  14. Alive in Christ

    Alive in Christ New Member

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    Why of course not.

    He did no meritorius works. He did no works of any kind.

    He had faith, which is a non-work.
     
  15. percho

    percho Well-Known Member
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    Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

    And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.


    Did The blind man believing make him whole or did, his God through, his Son make him whole for the purpose of God?
     
  16. mandym

    mandym New Member

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    thy faith hath made thee whole.
     
  17. convicted1

    convicted1 Guest

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    Agreed. However, man left to himself doesn't realize there is God w/o Him first revealing Himself to that individual. God grants man the gift of faith, whereby he can believe.


    Mark 3

    1 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.

    2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.

    3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.

    4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.

    5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.



    I can not see here where this man went looking for Jesus to heal his withered hand. Sure, he was in the synagogue, but I can not find support that he went looking for Jesus. I think here is where Jesus was using this sick man to show the Jews that He was/is the God of the Sabbath. The same account is told in Matthew 12, and again, I can not find support this man went looking for Jesus. He was showing the Jews that by Him being Lord of the Sabbath, it is not against Jewish Law to heal on that day as well.
     
  18. percho

    percho Well-Known Member
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    That is what I said. Thy faith, a noun, a person, place or thing.

    NOUN: A noun is the name of a person, place, thing, or idea.
     
  19. Skandelon

    Skandelon <b>Moderator</b>

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    Yes..........
     
  20. psalms109:31

    psalms109:31 Active Member

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    Can we have faith a noun without action from us a verb believe or trust?

    Romans 4:
    Abraham Justified by Faith
    1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. 3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[Gen. 15:6; also in verse 22]

    4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.

    Psalm 73:28
    But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.
     
    #20 psalms109:31, Aug 14, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 14, 2012
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