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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Is being "slain in the spirit" biblical? | Bible general Archive 1 | Makarios | 5104 | ||
Is the practice of being 'slain in the spirit' a biblical practice? No, I really don't think it is. In fact, not only is the term not in the Bible, the experience is not in the Bible either. There are many examples in Scripture of human beings falling to their knees as they witness the incredible glory of God. This is what happened to the apostle John (Rev. 1). But the idea of being touched by a human being who is "anointed" by the Spirit and then being knocked cold is not a biblical phenomena.How are we to explain these experiences? It may be a psychological or emotional phenomena. Someone may so strongly expect to be knocked cold by the Spirit thought to be present in the anointed preacher that when the preacher touches him or her, down he or she goes. Sociologists have noted that this type of experience is actually common to many religions. There's also the possibility that the powers of darkness may be involved in this experience (2 Thess. 2:9). Many who believe in being 'slain in the spirit' like to cite certain passages such as Genesis 15:12-21, Numbers 24:4, 1 Samuel 19:20, and Matthew 17:6. But in every case they are reading their own meaning into the text instead of drawing the meaning out of the text. These passages in context offer no support for the idea of being 'slain in the spirit'. | ||||||
2 | Is being "slain in the spirit" biblical? | Bible general Archive 1 | Searcher56 | 5110 | ||
One of the most common manifestations is that of being 'slain in the Spirit', when a person loses all motor control over their body and falls to the floor or ground. Advocates of the practice make a claim that there is Scriptural warrant for this sign. But does this claim hold up? Let's look at the Bible references thatare used to support the practice. - The reference in Chronicles (2 Chronicles 5:14) is about when the Ark was brought to the completed Temple. During the service, right before Solomon spoke, "the Lord's house was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud". - The first Matthew reference (Matthew 17:6) is to the Transfiguration, where God showed the three key disciples what the significance of the Law and the Prophets were: that Jesus was greater, as the living fulfillment of them. It was a direct and unique encounter with the divine Presence, enough to make anyone quiver. - The second Matthew reference (Matthew 28:4) is about the guards at Jesus' tomb, literally paralyzed by fear when the angel appeared, sitting on the rolled-away stone. - The John reference (John 18:6) is to the action of the Roman soldiers when they reached Jesus to arrest Him. When they heard him identify himself, they retreated from him and fell to the ground. In this case, in answering that he's the one they seek to arrest, Jesus uses a term that people in the Middle East, Gentile and Jew alike, could have recognized as the name of the Jewish God, "I Am". Given why they went to arrest him, that would've taken me aback for a moment had I heard it. - The Acts reference (Ac 9:4-8) is to Paul's Damascus Road experience, where Saul was blinded (v.8) by light from heaven (v.3) and fell to the ground, probably from the shock of what had happened to him. His fellow travelers heard the voice, but saw nothing except Saul's reactions and blindness. Paul recounts this experience before the Jews in Jerusalem, in Acts 22, and again before Agrippa in Acts 26. The Revelations reference (Rv 1:17) was of John, the writer of the Revelation, speaking of the vision which gave him the messages to the churches in Asia Minor. This vision was one of seeing the glorified Christ in His full heavenly setting. It is said in the Old Testament that the sight of God is too much for humans to take. John, at least in this vision, got to see the most see-able part of divinity, that of Jesus, but in its heavenly setting, even that much was too much, and John fell at His feet "like a dead man". Then, Christ laid his hand on him, to calm his fears. (Also, read Dan. 10:5ff) In only one of these cases was there anyone falling down because of things that happened during a worship service or a church gathering, and that was at the original Temple in Jerusalem, when God moved into it for a home and thus started a new phase in the divine covenant with the Jewish nation. This was an unparalleled act that made for effective power over an entire society, unbeliever as well as believer. In none of these cases did it happen because anyone laid hands on or said prayers over anyone. In Revelation, Christ gives John a hand of comfort after John falls down. Similarly, Jesus gives that same assuring hand to the disciples after the Transfiguration. Robert Longman Jr |
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3 | Is being "slain in the spirit" biblical? | Bible general Archive 1 | Makarios | 5122 | ||
Steve, in each case that you cited above, it was God that was acting through His Presence and not an act of man (where someone who has 'anointing' lays their hands upon you and you are knocked cold). I agree with you and EdB that God can do whatever He wants, but I feel that calling this "temporary paralyzation" by God being 'slain in the spirit' is a bad way to describe such an experience. It should be more like "overcome by the Presence of God" or something like that. In any case, I feel that it must be God who governs and administers such a Presence or power over people instead of man. I realize that God could 'work through' man if He so desires, but there must be an undeniable Presence of God there that affects the entire congregation as a whole instead of a singled out person. I also believe that there is a difference between being 'slain in the spirit' and being 'pierced to the heart' (Acts 2:37). | ||||||
4 | Is being "slain in the spirit" biblical? | Bible general Archive 1 | Searcher56 | 5247 | ||
I do not think being "slain in the spirit" is biblical. Were Daniel, John and maybe even Saul (Paul) slain? There were others like Moses, Joshua and Isaiah who experienced God, yet did not fall to the ground as a dead man, which apply to Daniel and John only. These two got up when the Lord touched them. | ||||||