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Re: emotions Posted by CFry - November 21, 2000 at 3:00:29pm 1024x768x16 - Mozilla/4.76 [en] (Win95; U) In Reply to: emotions Posted by alena - November 17, 2000 at 3:15:33pm:
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The Bible doesn't seem to have any word equivalent to what we mean by the word "emotions." I'm not sure that love (Greek agape in the New Testament) in the Biblical sense is adequately described as an emotion, because this kind of love is a rational choice, not a subjective state, and something that is commanded and learned, not simply felt or experienced. We are to choose to love God and our neighbors and our enemies, even when we are out of sorts or they (neighbors and enemies) are not very attractive or lovable. I think positive emotions, feelings of warmth and happiness and tenderness, tend to be produced by this kind of love, rather than saying that agape love is an emotion per se. Choosing spiritual thinking, right thinking in other words, and acting upon those thoughts, tends to produce good feelings, positive emotions, and leave less room for negative ones (anger, jealousy, and so forth). Are these feelings that come from thinking and doing the right thing spiritual, such as the feeling that can arise when saints join together in singing a moving and inspirational song? The answer must be yes, but with some additional explanation. In Numbers 5:14, 30 the NIV refers to a man having "feelings of jealousy." The old KJV described in that same passage a "spirit of jealousy," and in fact the Hebrew word is the same as that which is used to refer to the spirit of man, or the Spirit of God, or the "spirit of wisdom" (Deut. 34:9) that filled Joshua. In some sense then one can say that jealousy is spiritual -- though it is also categorized as an obvious work of the flesh in Galatians 5:20. Things that spring up within us may be spiritual without necessarily being of God, because we are by nature ourselves spiritual as well as physical beings. (Researchers into the physiology of the brain are not able to really sort out cause and effect relationships between chemical compounds and human feelings -- changing the chemical balance affects the feelings, and changing the feelings affects the chemical balance -- the spiritual/physical nature of mankind defies definitive analysis.) As Alena implied, subjective feelings are not a sufficient gauge for determining spiritual value. Using the word spiritual in the sense of approaching God (in submission or worship), two different people may experience similar emotional responses to the same thing, but not really be having the same spiritual experience. An unbeliever may hear or share in the same music as the Christian, and experience a rush because of the sound and atmosphere, and enjoy good feelings very similar to those experienced by the believer in the same setting, but without truly approaching God in worship at all. Because feelings are subjective and experiential, they don't make good guides for determining truth or righteousness, but they are still a legitimate part of Christian experience in worship and service to God. God wants our whole heart, our will, intellect, and emotions, to be presented before him and trained to seek his will. When Jesus walked and talked with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, after his resurrection, they did not recognize him or understand the events they'd heard about. Nevertheless, afterward they said, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" (Luke 24:32 NIV). They felt something powerful as they walked and talked with Jesus, even though at the time they did not recognize him. However, their feelings have to be weighed against what Jesus said at that time. He desribed them saying, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!" (Luke 24:25 NIV) They felt something, had a powerful emotional response, but they weren't in tune with what God had said until later. It's also true that spiritual worship can take place when we are experiencing emotions that might be considered negative, such as sadness, grief, or regret. Worship can't always be connected to good feelings and happy experiences, but again, feelings, e
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