During worship services a list of the sick in the congregation was announced, and a Deacon was asked to lead a prayer on their behalf. He prayed, "Heavenly Father thank you for allowing us to come together and worship you this day. We have brethren among us who are sick at this time. It is our hope that you understand that we love them and pray that you will restore them to their previous health, and that they may be returned to us in order to continue your work in this area. We do not ask this in a selfish manner, but out of love for them, you, and the task of spreading your word. Father please hear our pleas, and if it is your will, allow them to be so. In the name of your Son Jesus Christ we ask these things. Amen." Now we just asked God to heal our ill brethren. Do we not teach that this is not possible? How can we ask the Father to heal our sick members, and then teach the world that the Spirit cannot do so? I'm in a spiritual dilemma on this matter. Confussed Christian UncleJerry.

I am not aware that people teach that God cannot heal as the answer to prayer. People who claim to heal as a miracle are mistaken: a miracle is a supernatural sign to identify the presence or agency of God. They tried to throw Jesus off a cliff for claiming that there were NOT MANY miracles under the Law. He performed miracles out of compassion but primarily to PROVE His full Deity because "only God can heal" or raise the dead or forgive sins.

The Apostles had their ministry MARKED by tongues but only to the four major groups of humanity. However, when we ask God for something we shouldn't pray unless we believe that He will answer the prayer if He wills. However, it is God's will that violating the physical laws will get you hurt and He is not going to divert a hurricane: you need to get out of the way.

There is only ONE God. In the Old Testament the Lord is identified in a hyphenated form. Zecharia identified the BRANCH as Jesus or Joshua or Jehovah- Saves.

God is IMAGED much like the human made in HIS images. God is Thought, Word and Breath. There are no historical Trinitarians who thought of God being separated into three Beings.

Jesus says that the FATHER was with Him and the Spirit had been with the Apostles and would be IN them to the extent that they believed the Words of God in Christ. Of the "another" or fuller Comforter Jesus said I will come to you. John tells us in the epistles that the one COMFORTER or INTERCESSOR is Jesus Christ. When the SPIRIT LORD appeared to Paul He said "I am Jesus of Nazareth."

Miracle healers claim THE HOLY SPIRIT as their CONNECTION to heaven. However, the Holy Spirit has a NAME: it is Jesus of Nazareth. To pray to or ask in the name of the Spirit "person" is to worship a polytheistic god. They do this to convince YOU that they have power. If it works they can take credit, if not they can just whine "it is just God's will."

In the Great Commission:

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Matt 28:18

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Mt.28:19

On the day of Pentecost Peter understood that Father, Son and Spirit are not NAMES but offices.

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:38

Everything was done in the name of Jesus in the Bible and in church history before TRIUNE BAPTISM was begun. Logically if you believe that authority is DISTRIBUTED you must baptize people THREE TIMES.

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Col.3:17

I am not sure that there is a FORMULA for ending or terminating a prayer. Rather, in the name means by the authority of Jesus Christ in Whom dwells full deity.

Ken: Hello. Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. I am new here and not sure if it is for members of the Church or the public at large. I have these responses (always in the deepest love) 1) "I am not aware that people teach that God cannot "HEAL" as the answer to prayer." Then are you saying that when we pray that God "DOES" heal physcially ill members of the Church? If so how? If God causes physical changes to be made that "CURE" our brethren, is that not a miricle? 2) It appears that you do not believe in the Trinity. (Not condemning, just asking/not an issue) Could you go into more detail on this belief? I'll conclude this post by saying we probably will not agree in several areas. But Ken, that's O.K. The biggest problem facing the Christian world today is that when intelligent, well studied folks read the same book and see it from a different prespective, hate, and division occur. I doubt there are any two Christians in the entire world who agree totally on every scripture written in the Bible. I look forward to yours and other's ideas. In Him. Jerry

I don't know of any passage where it tells us to pray to the Holy Spirit. But there are many that tell us to pray to God. James.5:13-15. Clearly address the topic here. We are told vs.14 to call for the elders of the church and they are to pray and anoint the sick with oil in the name of the Lord. Vs.15 Tells us that the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. I don't believe that individuals have the power to heal. But Christians, especially the elders who pray in faith can help the sick receive the blessing of healing from the Lord.

Joe: I am confused as to why you would mention praying to the Holy Spirit. Has that subject been brought up anywhere in this thread? O.K. Here's my point: (1) Jehovah (The Father: In heaven sitting on the throne directing the universe. Rev 4:2-11 (2) Jesus: Has gone to prepare a place for us to be with him, and sits at the right hand of Jehovah. Mark 16:19, Acts 33, Heb 8.1, Col 3:1, Acts 7: 55-56 (3) Holy Spirit: On earth and equal with Jesus and Jehovah: 1 Cor3:16, 1 Cor2:11, Rom 15:30, John 1:12-13, et al. Holy Spirit Primary Role: Bears witness, teacher, helper, guide, lives in Christians, Empowers Duties for growth, Convicts non-Christians.
Now the Father nor Jesus will never sit foot on earth again in body or spirit. Jesus will return in the clouds. That leaves God the Holy Spirit to do the leg work for the trinity on the physical earth. If as you say the elder's anoint with oil and pray, and the Christian is healed, then who did the healing? Not the Father, he's on the throne. Not Jesus, he's building heaven. That leaves the Holy Spirit who is here on earth. If the Christian had cancer and the prayers are answered and the cancer disappears is that not healing? If cancer cell are made to disappear is that a miricle? The laws of physics have been broken by the Holy Spirit. Why do we pray and expect the Holy spirit to answer our prayers, and then deny that he cannot answer them? Again, a confussed Christian brother. Jerry

There is only ONE GOD who manifests Himself as Father, Son and Spirit. The Trinitarians NEVER fell for the Boles, Lucado, Shelly theme that God was a FAMILY of three "persons" some being more equal than others.

Jesus Christ abandoned HIS throne of majesty and glory (don't look for a CHAIR) and came into "A BODY PREPARED FOR ME." While there are voices heard from heaven meaning "up there" these were always to prove His Deity: the Holy Spirit is assuredly not shaped like a Dove. Jesus made it clear that it WAS FOR YOUR BENEFIT and was not to make an IDOL of the invisible God.

While on Earth Jesus always recognized Himself as Father (thought), Son (word) and Spirit (breath). Most Trinitarians us this model. The CHRIST OF GOD as the Wisdom and Righteousness and Spirit of God dwelled FULLY in a physical body: to deny that is the meaning of Antichrist:

Zechariah prophesied that the BRANCH as Jehovah- Saves as the Son of the Father Who is called Jehovah- Righted would sit on ONE THRONE as both prince or King and Priest and there would be harmony between them BOTH. You will notice that Stephen called upon God and called Him LORD JESUS.

And they stoned Stephen,
calling upon God, and
saying, Lord Jesus,
receive my spirit. Act 7:59

And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. Act 7:60

You will remember that because of the resurrection Thomas confessed: MY LORD AND MY GOD. We will never know anything about God except through His creation or when He sends HIMSELF in a visible and audible form to communicate to a very limited number of people.

Full Deity is GOD who is the invisible Deity which no man can hear and LORD which is the invisible Deity making Himself known as Water, Rock, Manna, Pillar, Spirit, Word, Door, Lamb etc.

If you will look at the letters to the churches in Revelation you will find that they begin with some description of Jesus Christ and end with "the Spirit saith." You need to think--as the Bible making plain--that the ONE DEITY was imaged or made visible through THE CHRIST OF GOD which is His Wisdom and Righteousness enfleshed. But, the FATHER and SON and SPIRIT were never separated. My though is the father, my word is the son and my breath propels the word out and gives it power. However, I am not triplets.

Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 1 Pe 1:11

And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Rev 19:10

If you look at the Throne there is just ONE being: as prophesied by Isaiah and explained by Paul if you look to the RIGHT OF THE MAJESTY you will find the RIGHT ARM of God: that is God's CHRIST or His POWER POINT to work with mankind but God's Arm, Spirit, Word or Wisdom are never DETACHED. If my Mind and Spirit are disconnected I would be schizophrenic.

Ken: Without further reply, your post is pretty much exactly what a Jehovah's Witness Elder told me in my home not long ago. Are you a member of the church of Christ. Not being a wise guy, but truly curious. Jerry

UncleJerry: Ken: Without further reply, your post is pretty much exactly what a Jehovah's Witness Elder told me in my home not long ago. Are you a member of the church of Christ. Not being a wise guy, but truly curious. Jerry

No, Unk, hate to tell you but the brain is tricky: it never hears the whole story nor sees the whole picture. We see a few curved outlines of our wife's face and our brain just FILLS IN THE BLANKS. Now, that works most of the time but when learning new truth you need A holy spirit. The preacher, Walter Scott, said that the Holy Spirit "is either God who IS wholly Spirit" or "A man's spirit MADE HOLY by God." That happens at baptism and without that God's word will not STICK in the brain making discipleship possible. Here is is what the elder REALLY told you:

Jehovah Witness: Christ is Lord and Savior, but not God (Jehovah) incarnate, not a God-man but inferior to God, not part of a Godhead. He was a created spirit being, God's only begotten son, sent to Earth as a perfect human. His sacrifice became the "ransom" price to redeem mankind from sin and death. God created all in heaven and on Earth through Christ, the "master worker," God's servant. After Christ's resurrection by God, he was "exalted" to a level higher than angel.

Now, an UNholy spirit turns the same trick on our minds when we are reading the Bible to "get some scripchur for proof texts 'cause I gotta teach Bible class in an hour." I have had requests just about like that. Therefore, one would have to wonder why the Gospel Advocate Wing had to wait until the year 1942 for H. Leo Boles to publish the BRAND NEW notion that God was THREE PEOPLE like a "family of gods" or a "committee of three equal members of the same family made of the same God STUFF." That spread through their Sunday School literature and I confronted it when I attended a Sunday school class not ten years ago.

However, you will find none of that in the Restoration leaders. John Calvin had used the word "person" when the early scholars had used the word PERSONAE which did not make the "gods" people like us but bigger. Calvin agreed with critics that the word should be ASPECTS of God. Nevertheless, A. Campbell repudiated Calvin for ever USING the word "person." However, T. Campbell rejected the word "person" but couldn't think of a better term to define the "personification" of God's Thought, Breath and Word. I might have A mean spirit but "he" is not another person inside of me.

Now, no one doubts that the trinity was the philosophy of the Greeks, Babylonians and many pagan religions before it became embedded in a Catholic creed. However, there is not one shred of evidence written by those who even invented the word "trias" about THREE PERSONS. In fact, they considered the idea grotesque. The creed was to affirm that Jesus was the Christ of God or Full Deity made known to us and only incidentially added by request "and we believe in the Holy Spirit." Arius, like the JW taught that Jesus the Christ was a CREATURE but the "trinity" was to confess that Jesus the Christ of God was GOD IN THE FLESH.

Now, Unk, if you claim that only the WORD of God was incarnated then you deny that Christ CAME FULLY IN THE FLESH. That is the meaning of ANTICHRIST. You cannot have the FATHER sitting on a chair and the SPIRIT some oblong blur without DENYING that Jesus the human was indwelled by FULL DEITY.

Your attitude should be the kind that was shown us by Jesus Christ, Ph 2:5LIV
who, though he was God, did not demand and cling to his rights as God, Ph 2:6
but laid aside his mighty power and glory, taking the disguise of a slave and becoming like men. Ph 2:7
And he humbled himself even further, going so far as actually to die a criminal's death on a cross. Ph 2:8
Yet it was because of this that God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name which is above every other name, Ph 2:9

That name is Jesus or Joshua which means Jehovah- Saves. If you say that only ONE THIRD OF DEITY dwelled in Jesus of Nazareth then you are converted to philosophy and vain deceit INVENTED or at least first published in the history of the world among Christians when I was twelve years old.

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Col 2:8
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Col 2:9
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: Col 2:10

So MY view is that of the BIBLE and not a misunderstood and misinformed view of the TRINITY. My view is that of the Restoration Movement leaders and my view says that ALL THAT GOD IS which is comprehensible to human thought DWELLED FULLY in Jesus Christ.

The Jehovah Witness view is that NONE of God dwelled in the Man Jesus Christ.

I suspect that your view is that ONE THIRD OF GOD dwelled in the Man Jesus Christ.

If you deny that ALL DEITY dwelled in Jesus then John defines that as ANTI-Christ.

Outside of one WING of the Restoration Movement you will find no history which does not teach what I have just said. The Bible shows God as FATHER, SON AND SPIRIT. And not GOD, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Paul made it perfectly clear in 1 Cor 2 that the HOLY SPIRIT is the MIND OF CHRIST. In the so-called "baptismal formula" Father, Son and Spirit have a SINGULAR Name. That is why Peter baptized in the NAME of Jesus Christ and so does the rest of the Bible and early church history. Those who saw the FORMULA at least were consistent and baptized THREE TIMES.

Ken,
It's been a while, but it's always interesting to hear another point of view. I understood you to say that Christ is the Spirit, but I didn't really understand your explanation on how "Christ" (H. S.) descended on Christ Mat. & Luke 3. Why did Jesus say "in the name of...F, S, and H. S." Mat. 28. I appreciate your point on the "magic formula" idea you mentioned, but I don't know why Jesus says Son and then Spirit if in fact He is one in the same. Or who is the "another" Comforter in John 14:16? I'm also having a hard time understanding why Paul would mention "one Spirit" Eph. 4 and then say "one Lord" (repeating himself?)if he is laying the basic foundations of Christianity? Let me hear from ya. shawn