Misunderstanding

I have an issue I'd like some help with. A young friend of mine is going through some serious trauma. His 2-month old baby boy Samuel is having violent siezures that, as yet, the doctors have not identified. Needless to say he and his wife are terrified. They are not saved but we've been working on that. He isn't working and, I hate to say, isn't trying as hard as he should to find work. Now his father-in-law who is a church-goer and claims to be saved has told him the baby's siezures are God's punishment for him not working. I'm searching the scriptures for some texts to refute that. I have found a few (the entire book of Job...) but I would like some help putting together an argument for my young friend. He's already resistant to the gospel and "organized religion" and I'm afraid something as heinous as this notion will only serve to push him farther away.
grace and peace
Joey
 
Just tell him that his father-in-law is a bigoted fool who is using this to justify and seemingly back up his own personal hatred over people who are unemployed, or that he sees your friend as not a good enough person for his daughter and has failed as a husband . I have encounter a few people like this, it seems to some being unemployed is worse than being a paedophile and murdering rapist, thats before you throw in the evil inlaws part, and I know that first hand.

Quoting bible verses to a non-believer who is resistant will not be of much use to be honest, even between beleivers and theologians you just end up with mud slinging and firing off verses to support and counter.

Instead just continue to show him love, tell him who is praying for this and that you will continue to do so.
 
Not sure I agree about the scripture though I do appreciate your response. I think the point of the scripture would be to show him that his father-in-law (who is supposedly coming at him from a CHRISTIAN perspective) is desperately wrong and the bible texts will ILLUSTRATE that he is wrong. We're constantly up against this when we try to testify to people and they want to show us how bad we are then blame it on Christianity as if our faith leads us to do these terrible and stupid things. "More people killed in the name of God..." and "What about the crusades..." and all that kind of junk. In point of fact God lets us be jerks. He doesn't cause us to be jerks. This kid is smart and I want to strip him of some of his "intellectual" defenses against God.
 
Just tell him that his father-in-law is a bigoted fool who is using this to justify and seemingly back up his own personal hatred over people who are unemployed, or that he sees your friend as not a good enough person for his daughter and has failed as a husband . I have encounter a few people like this, it seems to some being unemployed is worse than being a paedophile and murdering rapist, thats before you throw in the evil inlaws part, and I know that first hand.

Quoting bible verses to a non-believer who is resistant will not be of much use to be honest, even between beleivers and theologians you just end up with mud slinging and firing off verses to support and counter.

Instead just continue to show him love, tell him who is praying for this and that you will continue to do so.
I really don't think insulting will solve the issue, but add more fuel to the fire. While approaching these kind of things, you need to speak with grace and of truth. You can deliver the same message without any insults or degrading comments. Truth and grace. So deliver the truth (backing it up with scriptures), and talk with grace (just as God has shown you grace, also show grace to this person).
 
Thank you Ma'am, I agree. What I was hoping for was some specific scriptures from those more experienced students than myself. Also keep them in prayers for salvation and for Samuel's health.
grace and peace
Joey
 
Thank you Ma'am, I agree. What I was hoping for was some specific scriptures from those more experienced students than myself. Also keep them in prayers for salvation and for Samuel's health.
grace and peace
Joey
Yeah, I didn't have time to do a search :/
 
Seems to me that the burden of proof lies with the father in law. On what scriptural basis does he conclude that his grandson's siezures are a result of his son in law's being unemployed? If his FIL has no scriptural basis to his argument, then he is merely expressing an unfounded opinion. If he does use scriptures, they can be examined for context and applicability, and in most cases it should be easy to see that they are misapplied. It doesn't make much sense to me from any logical or scriptural viewpoint that God would specifically select unemployment as a sin to be punished by causing a child to suffer, particularly when the supposed "sinner" isn't even a Christian in the first place. If sin is involved in the child's siezures, it is the ultimate result of Adam's sin, not your friend's sin. The logical consequence to unemployment, if somehow the unemployed one can be held responsible, would be going hungry. This is both logical and scriptural ( 2 Thess. 3:10 ). One scripture that comes to mind is John 9:1-3. Another that may apply is Luke 13:1-5. I'm sure there's more, this is just what I got off the top of my head.
 
Seems to me that the burden of proof lies with the father in law. On what scriptural basis does he conclude that his grandson's siezures are a result of his son in law's being unemployed? If his FIL has no scriptural basis to his argument, then he is merely expressing an unfounded opinion. If he does use scriptures, they can be examined for context and applicability, and in most cases it should be easy to see that they are misapplied. It doesn't make much sense to me from any logical or scriptural viewpoint that God would specifically select unemployment as a sin to be punished by causing a child to suffer, particularly when the supposed "sinner" isn't even a Christian in the first place. If sin is involved in the child's siezures, it is the ultimate result of Adam's sin, not your friend's sin. The logical consequence to unemployment, if somehow the unemployed one can be held responsible, would be going hungry. This is both logical and scriptural ( 2 Thess. 3:10 ). One scripture that comes to mind is John 9:1-3. Another that may apply is Luke 13:1-5. I'm sure there's more, this is just what I got off the top of my head.
Thank you sir the reference
helps.
 
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