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Demon possession

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Allan

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OldRegular said:
Allan

You obviously do not understand what occurred in God's purpose in the Salvation of His elect and the Incarnation. You may learn something by carefully studying the following:

The Baptist Confession of Faith of 1677[Lumpkin Baptist Cobnfessions, page 259], which was not signed until 1689 and is sometimes referred to by that date, defines the Covenant of Grace as follows:

“The distance between God and the creature is so great that, although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto Him as their Creator, yet they could never have attained the reward of life but by some voluntary condescension on God’s part [Luke 17:7-10; Job 35:7,8] which He hath been pleased to express, by way of Covenant.

Moreover man, having brought himself under the curse of the law by his fall [Genesis 2:17; Galatians 3:10; Romans 3:20, 21], it pleased the Lord to make a Covenant of Grace wherein He freely offereth unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ, requiring of them faith in Him, that they may be saved [Romans 8:3; Mark 16:15, 16; John 3:16]; and promising to give unto all those that they ordained unto eternal life, His Holy Spirit to make them willing and able to believe [Ezekiel 36:26, 27; John 6:44, 45; Psalm 110:3].

This Covenant is revealed in the Gospel; first of all to Adam in the promise of salvation by the seed of woman [Genesis 3:15], and afterwards by further steps until the full discovery thereof was completed in the New Testament [Hebrews 1:1]; and it is founded in that eternal Covenant transaction [2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 1:2] that was between the Father and the Son about the redemption of the elect; and it is alone by the grace of this Covenant that all of the posterity of fallen Adam that ever were saved [Hebrews 11:6, 13; Romans 4:1, 2; Acts 4:12; John 8: 56] did obtain life and a blessed immortality; man being utterly uncapable of acceptance with God upon those terms on which Adam stood in his state of innocency.”


Following is an excerpt from J. L. Dagg [a prominent Southern Baptist of the 19th century] in his Manual of Theology [pages 253-257] as he expands on the above Confession of Faith, as follows:

"According to the covenant arrangement, the Son appeared in human nature, in the form of a, servant; and, after obeying unto death, was exalted by the Father to supreme dominion. The Holy Spirit also is revealed as acting in a subordinate office, being sent by the Father and by the Son. The Father alone is not presented as acting in a subordinate office; but appears as sustaining the full authority of the Godhead, sending the Son, giving him a people to be redeemed, prescribing the terms, accepting the service, rewarding and glorifying the Son, and sending the Holy Spirit. In all this the Father appears as the representative of the Godhead, in its authority and majesty. The Son also sustains a representative character. The promise of eternal life was made, before the world began, to the people of God, in him as their representative. The reconciliation between God and men is provided for by the covenant engagement between the Father and the Son; the Father acting as the representative of the Godhead, and the Son as the representative and surety of his people. The Holy Spirit concurs in this arrangement, and takes his part in the work, in harmony with the other persons of the Godhead. His peculiar office is necessary to complete the plan, and to reward the obedience of the Son by the salvation of his redeemed people. The promises of the Father to the Son include the gift of the Holy Spirit; and, therefore, the sending of the Spirit is attributed to the Son; [John 16:7] and sometimes to the Father at the petition of the Son.[John 14:16]

In this order of operation, inferiority of nature is not implied, in the subordination of office to which the Son and the Spirit voluntarily consent. The fulness of the Godhead dwells in each of the divine persons, and renders the fulfillment of the covenant infallibly sure, in all its stipulations. The Holy Spirit, in the execution of his office, dwells in believers; but he brings with him the fulness of the Godhead, so that God is in them, and they are the temple of God, and filled with the fulness of God. The Son or Word, in the execution of his office, becomes the man Jesus Christ; but the fulness of the Godhead dwells in him; so that, in his deepest humiliation he is God manifest in the flesh, God over all, blessed for ever. "
Nothing in this disagrees with what I said. I never stated that His nature became inferior but have always stated His nature is divine.

But you still have not answer my point that Jesus was 'given' all authority in Heaven and Earth. How can He be 'given' this authority if He never reliquished or at least suppressed it (depending on ones view)?
 
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Hanz

New Member
Demon possession is a very real thing. We see several examples of it in the gospels. However, I have noticed that it is very rarely spoken of or acknowledged in most Baptist circles. Can anyone tell me why this is? Should we not acknowledge it so that we will know how to deal with it if ever face to face with one who is possessed? Also, I have observed patients with schizophrenia and psychosis firsthand, and have noticed some things, such as assumption of different personaliies, in which even the voice of the person changed, a belief that the patient possessed divine powers to save and to heal, etc., that made me think that what we dismiss as mere psychological disorders(psychosis, schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder, etc.) could possibly be cases of demon possession. What do you think? I would love to hear the thoughts of other Christians.
Check out my website and let me know what you all think- www.israellights.com
 

Hanz

New Member
RE:Demon Possesion

I have believed in demon possesion for a while, but not like that which is portrayed in "The Exorist" movie. I am a believer that alcoholism, homosexuality, drug abuse, etc are "types" of demon possesion. I work at a hospital which has a floor that deals strictly with people who are troubled mentally, but having not known them before they came there, I don't know who, or what, triggered their change in their mentality. But, this is just one man's opinion.

Willis
Check out ny website and let me know what you all think-- www.israellights.com
 
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