Bible Studies/Why People fall?

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Expert: - 10/18/2010


Question
Why some worshipers fall backwards when Pastors lay hands on
them to Bless? This act repeats on some without a
result/Healing.
The Bible does not support this fall either.

Answer
Dear Nihal,

It is generally a learned behavior, often it is a pretense, and only rarely is is a result of being overcome by an unusual presence of the Lord.  Many of those who do this have a genuine desire to experience the power of God, and hope that this reaction will help facilitate it.  The "Placebo Effect" may be at work, too.  I have seen some astounding effects from the Spirit of God at work to transform a human's life, even, on rare occasions, a genuine being "slain in the Spirit."  So, the action is not always fraudulent.  However, I have seem immeasurably more instances of it being altogether the work of men attempting to demonstrate spirituality than of the working of God's Spirit.

The biblical justification for such behavior is found in Revelation 1:7:
Revelation 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

However, the context of the verse is vital to understanding, and it bears no resemblance to what goes on in those churches where this is routinely done.  One way of validating the genuineness of the experience is to examine the lifestyle of the people who practice it.  When  God's power works in a human being's life in such a way, they will be changed, and their Christianity will be vitalized into a daily demonstrations of the character of Christ.

I caution you against being overly judgmental.  Some people can be forgiven because they really do not know what they are doing.

Yours for Truth,

CR

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Clifford H. Readout, Jr.

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Expertise: Preferred subject areas: Biblical doctrine, problem texts, and application of Bible teachings in daily life. Willing to consider questions concerning other aspects of Christianity, as well. Experience and qualifications: Converted to Christianity in 1970 while a student at Indiana University; active in Christian ministry since 1971; President, 1971 - 1973, then Chaplain, 1973 - 1975 of a campus ministry at Indiana University; Director of Campus Ministry for North Central Region of the U.S.A. and Canada, 1975 - 1976; director, dean, and teacher for a Bible College in Kaiserslautern, Germany, 1977; Pastor of the same church since 1978; founder and director of The Foundations Forum (Christian think tank), 1991 to present; District Foreign Missionary Director, 1981-2000; District Superintendent, 2000-2009; Founding Coordinator of Friendship International, a ministry to college and university students around the world, 1997 - 2001; Special Advisor to Friendship International, 2001 to present; Secretary and member of the Board of Trustees for a Graduate School of Theology, 1999 to present; Chairman of the Board of Directors and faculty member at the Apostolic Leadership Institute, 2000 to present; internationally known and requested Bible teacher, ministering by missionary and other official invitations in more than forty nations, and at least thirty-three of the United States; and other minor functions. Husband to the same wonderful lady since 1970, father of three college graduates, and one delightful Down Syndrome son born in 1994.

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