Originally posted by Pastor Larry:.....
As I say, it is interesting how few people on your side are willing to deal with Scripture. Everyone keeps referencing their experience, as if experience trumps truth and theology. That is a bad road to go down.
...........In addition, the (supposed to be) short posts are not able to fully express these ideas. But I would question your belief in sufficiency on the basis of what you have argued. Where in Scripture is a person with mental/spiritual problems told to address them with mind altering substances?? They were available back then. So why doesn't Scripture tell us to use them?? Why does Scripture tell us to "bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ"? Why does Scripture tell us to be transformed by the renewing of our mind rather than be transformed by the ingesting of mind altering substances? What reason do you think Scripture describes things in this way?
..........[/QB]
I do not see it as an unwillingness to address or be ruled by Scripture. Please understand that for anyone, most certainly me, to speak in any way of my personal experience in this matter is very hard. To say anything leaves one open to the presupposition that one is not trusting Scripture and has deep-rooted sin. How different than if I had a broken leg. Yet I do not see it as in opposition to Scripture. I will say that there is no short proof-text I can quote.
But you several times have given your experiences, too, implying that if I were as disciplined Scripturally as you that I would not have needed medicine.
You stated to hrhema that you were not the one to state that idea. I disagree.
I think that your comments have implied that many like me who had a real problem leaped to the first "doctor" who would drug them out of dealing with life. It works that way more rarely than you seem to suppose. One of my problems, frankly, was menopause, which is now more under control. Medicine helped me "renew my mind" and "bring every thought captive". I have increased respect for the intricacies of the body and the difficulties of diagnosis. And moment by moment, I still live as a child of God, with Him working in me. I am not immune from normal depression, etc., nor do I try to escape it with a pill.
Here is a link I hope works.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/8t2/8t2028.html
As this article points out, depression, etc. is far beyond what many people normally think it is.
And in the Bible, there are numerous examples of really depressed people that God deals with directly and in a healing way. Note Job, who despairs of life. And his three comforters who tell him to straighten up his thoughts are corrected by God. Elijah was ministered to directly by angels.
You tend to doubt my belief in the sufficiency of Scripture. I guess I do have problems with the John MacArthur definition of it you present.
Yes, Scripture is sufficient, but it does not tell you to avoid medicine when you need it.
And it is not a textbook of detailed blueprints for every action in life. If I were a medical student, I would not rely on the sufficiency of Scripture to learn how to take out an appendix or what an appendix is. Scripture is sufficient in salvation and in its overarching principles of life. Everything it says is true but it does not speak exhaustively in every particular. If something you do violates a Scriptural principle, you do wrong.
You have said several times that mind-altering drugs were available then. Medicine certainly was not available then like it is now. The drug I took for a while was invented less than 10 years ago.
Dear hrhema, please do not continue to suffer like that. Please go to the doctor. Get some medicine!!
Karen