Developmental delay & disability concerns
Q: I have a question. I am developmental delayed because of disabilities. I have epilesy ive had more concussions than i can count, adhd, and my therapist thinks im on the autism spectrum… so a lot of the things & metaphors in the Bible confuse me. I don’t understand WHY many of the sins are sins. Some of them like thou shall not murder make perfect sense but some like not allowed to have same sex marriage make no sense to me if we’re supposed to love our neighbor.
Also why do we not follow Old Testament laws? And does God have mercy on someone with developmental delays??? I am like- petrified of going to hell!!!
A: ● God knows you and your delays and level of understanding. He knows what you are capable of understanding. He also knows how weak we are. He will not condemn you if you are in Christ, and he will guide you and correct you when you do wrong, and you can ask genuine forgiveness for it by prayer. Sin blocks prayer fellowship, so thats why. It is not salvation related but relational related.
He does want us to understand what we can, which grows/progresses our faith-walk over time, to help us become more like Christ as we pursue holy living (conquering sin in our lives). These are things you can work towards accomplishing. ✨️✅️
■ On Sin, as simply as I can put it....
*Sin is the opposite of perfection. It is a marring of God's character and nature.
*Sin is crimes committed against God.
*God created us in His image, with the communicable attributes of God, which Adam and Eve had and lived out rightly, until they sinned by disobedience [not trusting God].
If we are saved,...
2,000 yrs ago Jesus paid for all our sins. That means it was taken care of long ago, but applied when we obeyed the Gospel [repented and trusted in Jesus]. All our Past, present and future sins have been dealt with. We trust God has forgiven us because God promised they would be, in & because of Christ, when we got saved. When we got saved the debt was paid in full [applied to our "court case" so to speak], so we bypass Judgment Day and go to the Rewards seat (on that last Day). When we die we go straight to Heaven to be with Jesus. (* we go to that good day of accounting and blessing when the time arrives).
Yes, here, we are still in this sin stained body, and at war with sin (sins that we have yet to conquer), but we can have victory because of Christ's; we have spiritual life now, a new nature that loves righteousness and hates sin. We wont be free from it till we leave it behind at death when Jesus calls us Home. Until then we pursue becoming more like Christ.
*Note Adam's sin that lead to seperation with God was him "not trusting God", but the believers "trust in Christ", makes us right with God. [*and yes it was that way for all those in the old testament times who placed their trust in the Messiah who was to come; the new testament reveals that].
■ We dont follow the OT Laws, because Christ fulfilled them. Also they were for Israel; they had 613 laws, beyond the 9 moral ones in the 10C. But they turned it itlnto like 40k laws (legslism). The Jews were doing these things "outwardly", because they were spiritually dead "inwardly".
The Law reflects God's holy perfection. It reflects the character Adam had before the Fall; since he was made in God's image. Since sin entered, none are perfect and all "sin"; since we came from Adam. The Law acted as a mirror to sinful man's heart, and only condemned. "The wages of sin is death" as Romans tells us. We are also told, "The Law was a schoolmaster to lead us to Christ." It showed us our need for forgiveness and to be made right with God; which can only happen through the way He made: Jesus.
Fallen Humans have "the Law written in their heart once Christian conscience accuses", it can only point out sin and condemn. But for those born again by God, they have spiritual life (like Adam had) so through Christ by the new nature, we have a "inner man" who is new; new heart, new spirit, new desires- right ones. Thus we naturally by nature live by the spirit of the Law, because God is in us now, and has transformed us. God's love flows out of us. Thus we live out the Law of Christ or heart of the 10C: Love God and others.
■ As to sexual Q. God created us to be man and wife only, united together for life. It is a picture of the Gospel, and points to Christband His Bride the Church. It is also the design whereby the gift of sex produces a fruit blessing; children.
So anything outside that, is sin. Because it is outside God' design and plan for mankind.
When we think of love, we must think of it from God's character, not man's distorted broken sinful way of thinking. It also has to be in connection with his other attributes, not seperate from it (which the progressives & pagans do).
This book can be a good help on that. There is a audio version at Amazon and free at Spotify if you have a paid plan there.
The God Who Loves
https://www.amazon.com/God-Who-Loves-Whatever-Takes/dp/1400277949
https://open.spotify.com/show/70FN9lW6SoGXdlfvLhsLmq?si=WRWmMssLTu6NVGLihfN9uA
● Btw, ADHD can be overcome, and Autism has some challenges. Epilepsy is simply a "thorn in the flesh" that you have to walk with, just as we all have varied physical and health struggles. So I wouldn't call you disabled, for that 😊, as some might categorize you, but I do see how adding in concussion issues can contribute to the unique complexities you are dealing with; (I'm not dismissing it as a disability, as it likely is 🫂) but...it doesnt define you 🙂; who you are in Christ.
■ And of course! God has mercy on those with disabilities and struggles like you face.
Even those with retardation can be saved. Remember He calls us "even like children" to himself; to believe in Him & trust Him. If you obey the Gospel, you are saved, and the proof will be your transformed life and progression to be confirmed to be more like Christ. This short video can clarify the Gospel, if you want to make sure.
God bless
Related Resources
* These can be a big help for you as you learn more and mature in the Faith. Take your time. You can bookmark the resource link and set a alarm on your phone to spend an 15 min - hour a day going through the material here. Bit by bit, step by step, it will help you understand a lot of things. Don't stress about it. Take your time. If you focus on something you like to do, time will fly 🙂.
God be with you! 🙏✨️✝️
