Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site reed.UUCP Path: utzoo!decvax!ittatc!dcdwest!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!hplabs!tektronix!reed!purtell From: purtell@reed.UUCP (Lady Godiva) Newsgroups: net.religion.christian Subject: Re: "spiritual gifts" (Taken from "Hearing God's Voice") Message-ID: <2799@reed.UUCP> Date: Sun, 16-Mar-86 00:37:15 EST Article-I.D.: reed.2799 Posted: Sun Mar 16 00:37:15 1986 Date-Received: Tue, 18-Mar-86 23:12:03 EST References: <2322@burdvax.UUCP> Reply-To: purtell@reed.UUCP (Lady Godiva) Distribution: na Organization: Reed College, Portland, Oregon Lines: 67 In article <2398@burdvax.UUCP> devonst@burdvax.UUCP (Tom Albrecht) writes: >In article homeier@aero.UUCP (Peter Homeier) writes: >> >>I was really interested when you mentioned empathy. This is a gift that the >>Lord has given me, beginning late last year. >An interesting observation. One question, though; where does God speak of >this so-called gift in the Bible? Is this a manifestation of the Spirit's >work in a way not discussed in Scripture? What kind of healing are you >talking about here? Is this physical healings like Jesus making the blind >see and the lame walk? I can't answer for Peter, but I can for myself. The healing can be physical or emotional, although it's more often the latter. (At least in my case.) I don't know offhand if there is a scripture that talks about empathy directly or indirectly, although I can't believe that Christ wasn't an empath. >>This gift, I am absolutely certain, comes from God the Holy Spirit. >How do you know that? Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. >If it's not based entirely on the Bible, how do you know it's from God? Why does everything have to be based entirely on the Bible? I don't mean that as an attack, but I have really never understood why some Christians reject anything that is not specifically mentioned in scripture. Why would Satan want people to be able to feel each others pain and to try to help one another? Christ said to love your neighbor. It is so much easier to love as well as to help if you know at least in part what a person is feeling. Where they're coming from. I can't tell you the number of times that my anger, pride, hate, envy, etc. has been lessened or disappeared entirely because I took the time (or God forced me) to feel what the other person was feeling. Being an empath helps the empath just as much as they will ever help anyone else. If you listen to it and use it it will bring you closer to other people and closer to God. The most intense experience I've ever had with empathy is feeling pain from a large number of people. I mean just suddenly feeling the pain and loneliness and helplessness of hundreds and thousands of people. It's happened to me three times. It's nothing that I can control. It lasts for a minute or two and then goes away. It's incredible. I'm convinced that it is God reminding me of how lucky I am, and how much pain there is out there that he wants to do something about, through me. It renews my love for people, and reminds me of how much he loves us. I cannot believe that it comes anywhere but from God. >The Bible does teach that we can judge a person by his works. Jesus said >that if a person truly loves Him that person will keep Christ's >commandments. Works, not supernatural manifestations, are the evidence of >salvation. John says that love of the brethren is evidence of love of >Christ. James says that love of widows and orphans is evidence of love of >Christ. Nowhere in Scripture does it say that healings or speaking in >tongues is evidence of love of Christ. Jesus didn't say to Peter, "Speak >in tongues." He said, "Feed my sheep." He said, "They will know you are >my disciples because you love one another." Nobody said that this had anything to do with salvation. I would never ever say that. But that doesn't mean that the supernatural is pure imagination, or that it is from Satan. I claim that it is something that is a natural part of people (not just empathy, but other supernatural abilities as well) and that it can be used for God. And love is the key. Empathy can help you to love. Share and enjoy - elizabeth g. purtell (Lady Godiva)