Mental vs. spiritual?
How can it be discerned if a problem is mental or spiritual? Many people are diagnosed with mental problems, when some of it could in fact be a spiritual problem. Some people are rebuked from being unspiritual when in fact they have genuine mental problems. How can we tell the difference?
Comment by Chris
First, it is pure ignorance to say that mental disorders do not exist and are actually just mistaken spiritual problems or demon possession. Many people do, so I applaud God Questions’ position.
I believe mental disorders should be traced back to sin resulting from the fall because they are physical fleshly issues like any other health problem: the result of sin in the world. By this description, however, the root cause of mental disorders is spiritual problems.
In studying Jesus’ ministry and all the healing that takes place, the question does come up a lot as to what exactly was wrong with each “demon possessed” person he encountered.
Surely demon possession could have manifested itself in the form of a mental disorder. I believe Jesus can cure a mental disorder the same as casting out demons, but this does not make them the same.
A person with mental problems can have a personal relationship with the Lord, but a Christian cannot be demon possessed.
God created each of us uniquely and with a purpose. I have Bipolar Disorder and because of my affliction I have come to a strong and passionate relationship with the Lord. In addition, God has shown me (and continues to show) His purposes for my life and afflictions: I have been blessed with opportunities to bring others with the same condition to saving faith in Christ and to strengthen others who already know Him. Therefore I am thankful and, as Paul says, I rejoice in my sufferings. God’s purposes are supreme.
Comment by Hank
Spiritual problems or disorders require the use of scripture and God to find the answer to them and a trained Christian Psychologist amd Theologian would be of much help in the analysis of the problem and finding of the answer as is outlined in the Word of God. Example of
this is Dr. James Dobson or another like him.
There can be mental disorders or psychological disorders and fears that are not necessarily spiritual in nature. These are usually
based on misinformation or values we learned as a child. Some times
they come from one of our relatives or friends who is trying to get us to be afraid of something. A lot of fears and anxieties are learned and not real. These can be overcome by facing up to the reality of what they are and realizing they are not based on truth.
Here again a trained psychologist or theologian can be of help.
The hard part is getting down to the real disorder and what they
are afraid of or they are confused about. These disorders can seem
very real and hard for the mind to tell the difference.
Hank
Comment by Anonymous
I think a lot of mental/emotional problems have a spiritual dimension as well. Consider homosexuality, most experts agree that the problem offen starts when the child doesn’t identify with the same sex parent causing the child to be prone to same sex attraction in order to fill the void in his/her life due to failure to accept/identify with his/her own gender. Possibly Satan and/or the “sin” living in us takes advantage of this weakness. Since we have “sin” living in us as Romans 7 teaches us, it will manifest itself in all kinds of different outward sinful behaviors and lusts of the flesh. And so this emotional/mental problem also becomes a spiritual problem when the emotional/mental problem unites with the sin of lust living in us, and predisposes a person to be tempted to sin in this way, and then to actually commit the sin. And according to Romans 7 & 11, we are all bound to sin:
“For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.”
Romans 11:32
For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.
Comment by ceseeley
Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
2Cr 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
There seems to be a giant correlation between a sound mind and being a Saved Child of God!
Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
2Cr 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called [us] with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
Comment by windyblue
People do have mental problems, and they are real. It is something wrong in there brain. And other things, they get this from war, there parents, and other ways. I got mine from my parents. Who had mental problems and never got any help for it. And I realized years, and years later where I got it from and what it was. Spiritual well yes people can have that. But God will let you know.
Mental and spiritual are two totally different problems all together.
They are by NO means the same in any way.
Comment by catherine
I do not believe….in mental problems. I do believe in knowing Satan. He is at the root of all of out aliments…One of the first things God layed out for me when I got saved is that no one is 100% in the mind. Those people that feels that they are okay well, you are not….I do not care how many professionals yells at me on this subject, either. How would they know, anyways? Probably most have never been bothered by the devil as some of us.
Comment by Matt
I always start off presuming that it’s a physiological condition rather than demon possession until shown otherwise. But, if someone successfully predicts the future, guesses the lotto numbers, or has that kind of knowledge that they shouldn’t know (e.g. half of the possessed people who identified Jesus as the Son of God), then that would get me a tad suspicious. Also, I think that if someone because of their “wild” actions causes an intense amount of fear in people far beyond that which you would expect to be of an insane person, then they may be possessed (the man with the legion of demons, for example). People whose behaviour is little above that of animals would be one point of suspicion for me personally.
Comment by Child of the King
Not every person is “Demon Possessed” most who do not know jesus and do sinful things are being led around by The Devil because of Spiritual Ignorance.
Satan has Spiritual Control of Planet Earth due to The downfall in Eden. We see how Satan has The power when we see The temptations Jesus Endured (Luke 4 v 1-13) Satan told Jesus That he (Satan) would show him all the kingdoms of the World in a moment of time. Then carefully read what Satan told Jesus (The Creator) “And The Devil said unto him ALL THIS POWER will I give thee, and the glory of them; for that is delivered into me; and to whomsoever I will give it”
WOW! Imagine Satan was telling His Creator he would give him Power and glory of The World.
Satan thought he was talking to “Junior” when in fact he was talking to The Only Lord God who created him!
II Corinthians 4 V 4 Also tells us what the God of this world (Satan) does to most people who never develop a loving relationship with Jesus our only Savior.
Yes some are Demon Possessed like “Legion” the man who lived in the caves who Jesus came across and cast out not one but a Legion of Devils in him.
Homosexuality is another “Unclean Spirit” that gets inside some people. They are led to believe they were born that way or That’s just the way it is just accept it etc
Nothing could be further from the truth. There is no such thing as a “Christian” Homosexual. Either you are a child of God or a child of The Devil.
I know personally 10 Former Gay and Lesbians who are now converted from that un-Godly lifestle and true Christians today. They have to have a desire to change through Christian Counselling and Bible Study. If they don’t want to have a Blood Transfusion from Jesus Christ then they’ll continue to live a Rebrobate lifestyle simply put.
The Media and Hollywood would have us believe that Sin is really O.K. Which is A doctrine of our adversary of the Devil. This thinking and other Sinful beleifs is why Our World is on it’s final throes. God hates Sin, False Doctrines, All liars and the other perverts and ilk that rule this world.
The Good news for every Christian is Just stay away from all the pollution that will Spiritually seperate us from God and when The Last Trumpet sounds You’ll be outta here! Let The ilk and Reprobates have it all. Just concentrate on The Lord and when he takes us out of here you’ll never have to hear or see or know about the others again PRAISE THE LORD!
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