@fmf saidThe best he can claim is that Jesus can make suicide obsolete,....in 10 percent of cases and that the other 90 percent are 'shortsighted' rather than mentally or terminally ill.
Nine out of ten suicides are linked to mental illness, whether it be diagnosed or undiagnosed. Do you konw that? Ninety percent. What bearing does that fact have on you posting all this stuff?
@divegeester saidOoooh! I like that!
Vanity and bitterness ooze from you like sap from a cut tree.
Can I use it?
At one point we can hardly believe that Paul said he and his co-workers despaired of life. That means the spiritual life (not to mention their natural life) seemed to offer no hope.
This is hard to image that this would be in the New Testament, an apostle despairing of the divine life in him from God.
But they don't seem to stay there too long. Christ comes through.
"Therefore we do not lose heart.; but though our outer man is decaying, yet out inner man is being renewed day by day." (2 Cor. 4:16)
I like that in this same book Paul says the momentary affliction they endure is no comparison to the [b]"eternal weight of glory"{/b] God prepares for them in their endurance.
"For our momentary lightness of affliction works out for us, more and more surpassingly, an eternal weight of glory." (vs.17)
"For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."
The believer can benefit from dying with Christ in a very real sense. Paul says "You DIED"
Of course he begins the passage by saying they are now RAISED together with Christ.
"If therefore you were raised together with Christ, seek the things which are above, where Christ is , sitting at the right hand of God.
St your mind on the things which are above, not on the things which are on the earth .
For YOU DIED, .... and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ our life is manifested, then you also will be manifested with Him in glory." (Col. 1:1-4)
Praise God. Walking in the Holy Spirit we can experience our co-death and co-rising with Him for newness of life, with Christ.
@sonship saidNine out of ten suicides are linked to mental illness, whether it be diagnosed or undiagnosed.
At one point we can hardly believe that Paul said he and his co-workers despaired of life.
Did you know that?
Ninety percent.
What bearing does that fact have on you posting all this stuff?
In the same section as quoted above, Paul recommends that the Christian utilize the fact of our co-death with Christ.
In essence its influence, by faith, is caused to spread to more and more immoral parts of our living.
"Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth, fornication, uncleaness, passion, evil desire, and greediness, which is idolatry.; ..." (v.5)
He is saying, item by item, allow the Spirit to take more and more ground terminating the sinful behaviors.
Because we have died with Christ - put to death by faith each problem. What a useful death of Christ there is to the one putting faith in His work.
@sonship saidDoes the actual human reality of suicide have any bearing on you and what you say?
In the same section as quoted above, Paul recommends that the Christian utilize the fact of our co-death with Christ.
In essence its influence, by faith, is caused to spread to more and more immoral parts of our living.
[quote] [b]"Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth, fornication, uncleaness, passion, evil desire, and greediness, which is idolatr ...[text shortened]... by faith each problem. What a useful death of Christ there is to the one putting faith in His work.
"Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth, fornication, uncleaness, passion, evil desire, and greediness, which is idolatry.; ..." (v.5)
This representative list of bad behaviors should not be taken for granted. Some are apathetic as if no consequences await the man or woman enslaved to these sins.
However in the next sentence Paul says that these very things are the cause of the inevitable just wrath of God to come upon the world.
Look at the two sentences now together and learn.
PUT TO DEATH therefore your members which are on the earth, fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and greediness, which is idolatry,
Because of which things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience." (vs. 5,6)
Do you want to be found as one of the "sons of disobedience" ? I certainly do not. So I thank God that in the Holy Spirit there is the terminating power to put to death these things with patience and practice.
@fmf said
Does the actual human reality of suicide have any bearing on you and what you say?
When we take in the section together in Colossians chapter 3 we can see that two things are going on simultaneously.
1.) The putting to death of the old man.
2.) The putting ON of the new man.
This is transformation in preparation for the next age to come.
"But now, you also, put away all these things: wrath, anger, malice, blasphemy, foul abusive language out of your mouth.
Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his practices
And have put on the new man, which is being renewed unto full knowledge according to the image of Him who created him." (vs.8-10)
The old man is the fallen Adamic man.
The new man is the man transformed into the image of Christ who indwells the believer.
What a salvation. There's more in this chapter coming. Good news.
@sonship saidHow does mental health factor into you saying all this stuff to somebody at risk of committing suicide?
The old man is the fallen Adamic man.
The new man is the man transformed into the image of Christ who indwells the believer.
What a salvation. There's more in this chapter coming. Good news.