Jesus. Savior from sins, or magic wand?

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1

1still_waters

Guest
#1
#1
Is Jesus a magic wand, or is he a savior from sins?
How do you view him?

I see so many treating him like a magic wand.

They see a reality they don't like.
They want escape from the reality.

So they grab a few Bible verses, quote them, then state the name of Jesus over said situation.

Once the process is done, the reality is supposed to just go away, and all is supposed to change into sunshine and rainbows.

Yup, one sweep of the wand...and....ta da! All is supposed to change, just like that!

Just........like.....that.....


Hmmmmm.......


Just like that?

Is Jesus just your escape mechanism so you don't have to go through the reality you're in?
Is the Bible just a book that contains a few phrases you can quote over things you don't like so they'll go away?

The Bible says...

John 16: 33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
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Romans 8
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18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that[h] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
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Does this mean we shouldn't pray?
Of course not.

But let's get some perspective here folks.
In this life we will have trouble.
Even those of us who are Christians groan in pain.
We live in this fallen world.

Jesus isn't a magic wand that will be your escape hatch from reality and into a perfect reality filled with sunshine, rainbows and lollipops. At least not on this side of eternity.
 
S

Sirk

Guest
#2
#2
People forget about the law of reaping and sowing. When you bring your (whatever) to the cross it takes care of the punishment, but the temporal consequences remain. So many people go from crisis to crisis because they do not tend to the garden of their heart and daily practice putting on the mind of Christ.
 
1

1still_waters

Guest
#3
#3
Sirk said:
People forget about the law of reaping and sowing. When you bring your (whatever) to the cross it takes care of the punishment, but the temporal consequences remain. So many people go from crisis to crisis because they do not tend to the garden of their heart and daily practice putting on the mind of Christ.
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Even that could be used to make Jesus a magic wand.
Oh if I just reap and sow, and think the thoughts of Christ, then no crisis or pain this side of eternity. Yup all sunshine and rainbows this side of eternity if I just reap and sow and think the right thoughts.
 
1

1still_waters

Guest
#4
#4
[video=youtube;V2sKH8yjVsM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2sKH8yjVsM[/video]

..........................
 
S

Sirk

Guest
#5
#5
1still_waters said:
Even that could be used to make Jesus a magic wand.
Oh if I just reap and sow, and think the thoughts of Christ, then no crisis or pain this side of eternity. Yup all sunshine and rainbows this side of eternity if I just reap and sow and think the right thoughts.
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You are quite the assumer. This doesn't change the fact that people you love are going to die, disapoint you and life will be hard. People will quarrel with you, hate you etc etc etc....but the victory is in the cross and knowing and doing and going where Jesus leads you.
 
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S

Sirk

Guest
#6
#6
The mind of Christ:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
 
R

Rachel20

Senior Member
#7
May 7, 2013
1,639
106
63
#7
I don't think life is all sunshine and rainbows. There has to be a storm before those good things happen in nature :).

However Jesus is my Saviour for everything. The first signs of trouble and I am going to take shelter in Him. I do look to my Heavenly Father for all good things and blessings.
Other than God, who else can love us that much? :)

Psalm 18:2

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.


But of course He is the Father, not an object or a means. He is sovereign over all and to be feared and reverenced. People can try making God to be that way, but He is not subject to man's petty opinions.
 
RickyZ

RickyZ

Senior Member
#8
Sep 20, 2012
9,635
787
113
#8
We will indeed have trouble, and no Jesus is not a magic wand against that. Anyone who truly believes that is wrong. But the person who believes that Jesus never, ever does anything 'magical' is just as wrong. The trick is in finding the point of equilibrium and staying away from the extremes.
 
O

OwenHeidenreich

Guest
#9
#9
Trust. Believe.
 
breno785au

breno785au

Senior Member
#10
Jul 23, 2013
6,002
767
113
40
Australia
#10
Bushfires reak havoc seamingly but they burn away the chaff and open up pods that deposit seeds for new life that wouldn't have otherwise.
 
RickyZ

RickyZ

Senior Member
#11
Sep 20, 2012
9,635
787
113
#11
1still_waters said:
Is Jesus a magic wand, or is he a savior from sins?
How do you view him?

I see so many treating him like a magic wand.

They see a reality they don't like.
They want escape from the reality.

So they grab a few Bible verses, quote them, then state the name of Jesus over said situation.

Once the process is done, the reality is supposed to just go away, and all is supposed to change into sunshine and rainbows.

Yup, one sweep of the wand...and....ta da! All is supposed to change, just like that!

Just........like.....that.....


Hmmmmm.......


Just like that?

Is Jesus just your escape mechanism so you don't have to go through the reality you're in?
Is the Bible just a book that contains a few phrases you can quote over things you don't like so they'll go away?

The Bible says...






Does this mean we shouldn't pray?
Of course not.

But let's get some perspective here folks.
In this life we will have trouble.
Even those of us who are Christians groan in pain.
We live in this fallen world.

Jesus isn't a magic wand that will be your escape hatch from reality and into a perfect reality filled with sunshine, rainbows and lollipops. At least not on this side of eternity.
Click to expand...
You know, Mr waters has had me thinking the last few days. The way he interprets what I share makes me wonder if I'm sharing incorrectly. And in a way I have. Going back to the beach incident, (http://christianchat.com/blogs/rickyz/4349-beach-incident.html) for those who haven't heard it), yeah I made it look like I pestered God into doing something, waving the magic wand as I guess it's called. But that's what was in my mind's eye. First of all, I doubt I was the only one out there thinking geez Lord how 'bout it? The pestering probably wasn't just mine (And if there's anything Daniel taught us, it's that you can pester God into things). But more importantly, who knows what was in God's mind? Maybe he saw this kid on the beach who needed a demonstration of His power, and me bobbing in the water willing to take part in something, and put the two together. Maybe what I interpreted as 'wave the wand' was really the Holy Spirit saying, hey I need you to do something for me. Why me? Because as usual I was probably the only one there with the gravitas - I mean faith enough to actually face the waves and say so be it.

I sought the Lord.
I received a word to act.
In faith I faced the waves and in Jesus Name told them to arise.
The waves arose.
That the waves had arisen was verified by a total stranger.
The power and glory of God was spoken between the two of us.

???

I don't know, if you think that's wave-the-wand and pit-of-hell stuff I don't know how to rephrase it to make you understand. He's not an only on Sundays in Church kind of God. As you said He's much bigger than that. He's an every second of every day, even if that means at the beach kind of God. Did I misinterpret? Maybe, but I still got the message. I still participated. And a miracle occurred.

God walks with us every second of every day. God wants to interact with us every second of every day. God says we are to be ready for Him every second of every day. Everywhere I say the word I, He wants you to insert your name there. He's not this mystical ephemeral entity that you can only approach thru the curtain. The curtain was torn down years ago and now He lives with us and among us every second of every day. Act, and interact, with Him as if you really believed that was true. Because, shhh, don't tell anyone, but it is.

 
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phillip1980

Guest
#12
#12
RickyZ said:


You know, Mr waters has had me thinking the last few days. The way he interprets what I share makes me wonder if I'm sharing incorrectly. And in a way I have. Going back to the beach incident, (http://christianchat.com/blogs/rickyz/4349-beach-incident.html) for those who haven't heard it), yeah I made it look like I pestered God into doing something, waving the magic wand as I guess it's called. But that's what was in my mind's eye. First of all, I doubt I was the only one out there thinking geez Lord how 'bout it? The pestering probably wasn't just mine (And if there's anything Daniel taught us, it's that you can pester God into things). But more importantly, who knows what was in God's mind? Maybe he saw this kid on the beach who needed a demonstration of His power, and me bobbing in the water willing to take part in something, and put the two together. Maybe what I interpreted as 'wave the wand' was really the Holy Spirit saying, hey I need you to do something for me. Why me? Because as usual I was probably the only one there with the gravitas - I mean faith enough to actually face the waves and say so be it.

I sought the Lord.
I received a word to act.
In faith I faced the waves and in Jesus Name told them to arise.
The waves arose.
That the waves had arisen was verified by a total stranger.
The power and glory of God was spoken between the two of us.

???

I don't know, if you think that's wave-the-wand and pit-of-hell stuff I don't know how to rephrase it to make you understand. He's not an only on Sundays in Church kind of God. As you said He's much bigger than that. He's an every second of every day, even if that means at the beach kind of God. Did I misinterpret? Maybe, but I still got the message. I still participated. And a miracle occurred.

God walks with us every second of every day. God wants to interact with us every second of every day. God says we are to be ready for Him every second of every day. Everywhere I say the word I, He wants you to insert your name there. He's not this mystical ephemeral entity that you can only approach thru the curtain. The curtain was torn down years ago and now He lives with us and among us every second of every day. Act, and interact, with Him as if you really believed that was true. Because, shhh, don't tell anyone, but it is.
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RickyZ is telling the truth. God wants to be with us and is. Have faith in him if you want to see a miracles, pray for it, and keep praying. He will show you these things and He will use you if you. Let him.
 
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