[Hadeka]

Hello fellow chosen! I'm new to the LBC forums, but I'm quite excited about becoming involved. I haven't been reborn in Christ for very long, and I was wondering if I could ask for some guidance from those more experienced at LBC.

Here is the problem: my good Christian friend, James Hubbard, was recently stricken with cancer. Its some rare kind of the disease thats really deadly (those secularist doctors call it "synovial sarcoma" I think). Anyway, he is on heavy chemo right now and will likely lose the use of his hand when the tumor is removed (its on his right wrist).

I know that God has smited James for his sins, especially because he is going to be a cripple. I know that, in the words of Pastor Ezekiel, God Hates Cripples, and he hates James. But I'm struggling because I can't make myself hate James too. We've been friends since high school and it was (ironically) James *himself* that lead me to Jesus. As far as I know, he has never mixed with liberals or muslims or homosexuals. He even joined the protests with me at our local Barnes & Noble about the latest hellspawned harry potter book -- good times! =)

I know I should shun him, but my conscience continues to blaspheme God's Word. James tells me that the Lord struck him with cancer as a "test to his faith", and I don't know how to respond. How do I tell my good (former) friend that he's wrong and that God gave him the cancer because of his sins?

I've prayed that God help me find the strength to do the right thing, for I am His. Should I just tell James that God hates him, or just never talk to him again?
Thanks in advance!

[SUV]

Originally Posted by Hadeka

I've prayed that God help me find the strength to do the right thing, for I am His. Should I just tell James that God hates him, or just never talk to him again?
Thanks in advance!

Write him a long letter about it - that way you can do both!

[SalvationSeeker]

Originally Posted by Hadeka

I know that God has smited James for his sins, especially because he is going to be a cripple. I know that, in the words of Pastor Ezekiel, God Hates Cripples, and he hates James. But I'm struggling because I can't make myself hate James too. We've been friends since high school and it was (ironically) James *himself* that lead me to Jesus. As far as I know, he has never mixed with liberals or muslims or homosexuals. He even joined the protests with me at our local Barnes & Noble about the latest hellspawned harry potter book -- good times! =)

Here's some good news, YOU don't have to hate James.
That's God's job.

What you should do is lead James to Salvation through any means possible, explain to him how it is he who got himself into this mess.
When he embraced a sinful lifestyle, God smote him.

Tell him how lucky he is that God didn't kill him outright!

I know I should shun him, but my conscience continues to blaspheme God's Word. James tells me that the Lord struck him with cancer as a "test to his faith", and I don't know how to respond. How do I tell my good (former) friend that he's wrong and that God gave him the cancer because of his sins?

You just tell him, see. You seem to know the words, just tell them to him.
Simple.

I've prayed that God help me find the strength to do the right thing, for I am His. Should I just tell James that God hates him, or just never talk to him again?
Thanks in advance!

Tell James that God hates him, BUT it doesn't have to be that way.
If James were to become Saved, God might love him.
GLORY!

[Talitha]

You know, Our Lord Jesus sometimes does stuff like this just to test our Faith.
As was stated in a previous Post, you don't have to hate your friend.
Just regard him with some good old fashioned Christian suspicion.

You never know when God might strike him down with a Bolt of Lightning and I'm sure you wouldn't want to be too close to him when that happens.

[Bobby-Joe]

I think you need to help your friend get back to Jesus. First thing is to stop with this chemotheropy nonsense and let the Lord's will be done here.

[OnYourKnees]

Originally Posted by Hadeka

James tells me that the Lord struck him with cancer as a "test to his faith", and I don't know how to respond. How do I tell my good (former) friend that he's wrong and that God gave him the cancer because of his sins?

Does your friend James believe that God is some sort of sick weirdo who tortures Saved people for kicks?!

God loves Saved people unconditionally, for just as long as the Saved people love and unquestioningly obey Him in all things!

He lets Saved people come service Him in Heaven for all eternity!

No, God doesn't torture Saved people! That's just silly!

God saves eternal torture (Hell, that is) for the unSaved sort. You know, Catholics, and Buddhists, and False Christians, and atheists, and Nuwaubians, and Jews, and Yoans, and Satanists, and Canadians, and Neo-Pagans, and Druids, and Wiccans, and Zoroastrianists, and Hare Krishnas, and Homersexurals, and people who wear clothes made of blended fabrics, and all those sorts of people. He hates them, and He tortures them for all eternity for not loving Him, and for not following every word in the correct version of His Holy Word, the KJV1611 Bible!

God only tortures someone He loves if there's a bet involved! (See the book of Job.) A test of faith, indeed!

Tell your self-absorbed friend to get over his delusions of grandeur -- he's no Job -- and recognize that he's been using that hand for sinful purposes. Probably involving touching things, or shaking them more than three times. As Jesus said, it is better to cast off a limb and enter Heaven missing a hand than to have a hand to burn in Hell!

Matthew 5:30

And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

[Pastor Ezekiel]

I'm wondering if James has taken out any insurance policies? If he has any hope of avoiding eternal hellfire right after Jesus rots his guts out with cancer, then tithing everything he owns and leaving Jesus (via Landover Baptist Church) a healthy insurance benefit might just do the trick. We can fly a planeload of jew lawyers out to have him sign all the papers on an hour's notice, if he's in the platinum Tither category. Otherwise, just use the Paypal button below.

Whatever Jimmy did to offend God, he doesn't want to die having robbed Him too. Have him take care of this quickly.

Mal 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.