Posted By admin on May 15, 2009

Ancient Roman Iron

Bones of St. Paul the Apostle found - so I have a question on this ........?

Please view that link below.

My question is this - and it is a question for today as well as even in ancient times - To what benefit does it bring to touch the remains or tomb of an apostle?

Does the apostle not do the work and deeds that were done THROUGH the Holy Spirit and not of himself? And isn't this very Holy Spirit the same Holy Spirit dwelling within those saved and born again today as well as the past?

From the article:
The decision to unearth it was made after pilgrims who came to Rome during the Roman Catholic Church's 2000 Jubilee year expressed disappointment at finding that the saint's tomb — buried under layers of plaster and further hidden by an iron grate — could not be visited or touched.

The top of the coffin has small openings — subsequently covered with mortar — because in ancient times Christians would insert offerings or try to touch the remains.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090628/ap_on_re/eu_vatican_pope

I think Hebrews 11:1 & 6 says it all: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for He that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." If we had to have these relics of the past to prove what we believe, then where does faith come in? It's not the things that have once touched prophets that bring healing...it's the faith of the believer and God's grace that brings healing. The woman that was healed by touching Jesus' hem was made whole by her faith (Matthew 9:20-22). In all other instances of healing throughout the Bible, it was faith in the God of all healing that brought the healing. God did not mean for us to have faith in objects. The objects that were used were to point us towards God, Who is the Author of all healing. When we fix our faith on objects, we diminish the power of God to be the final source of healing. While we use medicines to do their work, it's God Who is the final healer. Deuteronomy 32:30 says, "See now that I, even I, AM He, and there is no god with Me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of My hand." Psalms 103:2-3 says, "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities; Who heals all your diseases." Psalms 107:20 says, "He sent His word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions." Exodus 15:26 says, "And said (God speaking), If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and will do that which is right in His sight, and will hear His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon you, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I AM the LORD that heals you." Hosea 6:1 says, "Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for He has torn, and He will heal us; He has smitten, and He will bind us up." Matthew 10:1 says, "And when He (Jesus) had called unto Him His twelve disciples, He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease." Acts 14:8-10 says, "And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from birth, who never had walked: He heard Paul speak: who steadfastly watching him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, Stand upright on your feet. And he leaped and walked." And James 14-16 says, "Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."

The bottom line here is that God is our final healer. He uses prayer, medicine, and sometimes other things in the healing process, but He alone extends His grace as He sees fit. It's only through faith that healing is carried out, whether it's the faith of the one who's sick, or of the one who's praying (even from a distance). God showed many ways of His healing throughout Scripture, but it all was meant to focus our faith on Him, and draw us into a closer relationship with Him. Everything we need was given to us by God. We don't need a prophets bones to heal us, nor any other icon. Healing comes by faith, and that faith comes from God. We are to always seek the ways of God for every situation of our lives. Isaiah 55:8-9 says, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." When we seek His Word, we seek His thoughts & plans for our lives. That's where our faith belongs. Peace be unto your household. <*)))><

Category: Antiques
Tags: ancient, celts, darkages, history, romans