Do clinically psychotic people find their way to salvation?

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Permalink Reply by Ron Payne on September 29, 2009 at 10:44pm

Hi GinnyBear,

I have worked in institutions and been touched with love, by many of the inmates who have come to know Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

I miss those days..... Whenever I think back, I cannot help but recall the prayer of a young man, perhaps in his middle twenties. Despite his mental in-capacity he prayed for his girlfriend. I cannot remember the exact words, but I do remember wishing: "If only I could pray like that for my wife".

There were a number of mentally incapacitated Christians as permanent residents. The love that we received from these people was profound. I am not exaggerating. I believe it is because they do not have the hang-up that we have. They have total freedom to come up to you, hug you and tell you that they love you. They will even come back for a second hug to tell you that the Lord also loves you. FREEDOM.......! Exactly like a child.

When it comes to this form of love, I believe that we are the one's who are mentally incapacitated.

"And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein." Mathew 10:13-15.

The Lord Bless you GinnyBear - Ron

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Permalink Reply by Ginnybee on September 30, 2009 at 6:31pm

Thank you, Ron. Are you referring to those with disabilities resembling mental retardation? I can see how they would have no problem entering into salvation. What I was wondering is if clinically insane people can understand and receive the blessing of salvation through Christ, for instance, people who seem disconnected from reality, like in a state of psychosis, where they hear voices and imagine their selves in strange, abstract situations--people who seem to have a total disconnect from reality as we know it. Can these people become saved?

Thanks, ahead ;)

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Permalink Reply by Gayla on September 30, 2009 at 7:39pm

Hi Ginny.... Here is a post that I read the other day, thought you might want to take a look at it:

http://frangipane.org/cgi-bin/gx.cgi/AppLogic+FTContentServer?pagen... Silent Harvest

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Permalink Reply by ScribeD on October 2, 2009 at 9:27pm

GinnyBear, I believe the short answer is yes. But I would like to offer some experiences and qualifiers.

I have had experience with people who have various forms of psychosis. One of whom is a family member, another is a dear friend. I have known others who did overcome their psychoses by learning to follow Jesus. In my experience, Tom is quite right that some form of psychosis results from trauma, particularly trauma as a child. Two of the worst forms are Post Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSDs) and Reactive Attachment Disorders (RADs).

Most people know something about PTSD which can cause a person to have "insane" reactions to ordinary stimuli that would not even disturb other people, or to have a sense of total fearlessness toward things that would scare the life out of a sane person. Few people know about the condition of attachment disorders that affect young children by making them unable to make friends or cope with life as adults. This is very common among kids who were fostered, abused or abandoned by parents in the early half of childhood.

In response to your question: God's commands, God's promises and God's spirit will absolutely heal a person of these conditions. We all have a need for healing of the soul and these are no different than the person who has an abundance of pride or narcissism - God will heal the person who desires it enough to submit to God's divine healing plan.

The process is not complicated, but it does require a little discipline and a willingness to take God at his word and act by faith on his commands and promises. That statement usually offends people who struggle with these things, but I can tell you that it is true and God will bring you through. Some things take time and some can be miraculously fast. Every person is different, but the process is remarkably similar for all of us.

The foundation of the healing process is exactly what Jesus taught in the beginning, as he called his disciples:
1. Turn to God (sincerely humbly seek The Lord), not on our terms, but on his terms as the Bible leads us. This requires that you let go of your own control and stop obsessing over your hurt, your pride, your rights, etc.
2. Believe (trust and depend) his Goodnews (his Gospel) for you, and receive his favor - for the Kingdom of God is at hand (near to you). You have to be willing to learn a God-dependant life that receives the favor of God, instead of fighting to prove your goodness.
3. Begin to follow Jesus. Keep following Jesus.
4. Actively LISTEN to the word of God. Submit to it, be a willing recipient that does what he commands. Build your life on it - each step along the way - do the what Jesus teaches.
5. Be cleansed of evil. This requires that you actually want to change and that you are willing to make active steps to change. You must be willing to receive truth and actively cast out falsehood (the devil is the father of lies). You must begin to confess what Jesus says, and thereby give no place to the devil.
6. Cross over from fear to a living faith. Actively determine to stop living in the world of fear. This means that when you are tempted by circumstances and your inner fear-triggers, you must make the decision not to act out of fear. You choose, despite your natural inclination to reactiveness, to act out of faith in God. You do the opposite of what your fear-triggers demand of you. You do what God's word says. You trust in him and you act on that trust - you do what you know Jesus would do. You live the way the Apostles would live.
7. You continue to live out what Jesus taught from this point forward... you keep on doing what got you to this stage: seeking God, trusting that he has goodnews and you have received his favor, keep following Jesus, keep actively listening and doing his word, be cleansed of wickedness and take on the mind of Christ, take active steps to overcome fear with faith in God and keep growing through this process.

This takes time, it takes prayer and it takes practice. The person has to be patient with theirself and they have to actively keep seeking God in faith and trust in his favor. It can suddenly change some things in a person, and some things can take a lifetime. I know one person who is nearly 70 and has been actively working to overcome paranoia and obsessive-compulsion for 30 years. But, he is overcoming and is living a victorious life. He is still working at it and he has a great walk with the Lord and is a blessing to others because he keeps growing in his walk.

The main thing I would say is, that while some psychotic states and traumas can be overcome quickly and miraculously, it should not be the goal. The goal is a healed mind and a healed life - a God-filled and Christ-empowered life. That is a process, just like any other person, of becoming a disciple of Christ. When we learn to pursue a life of discipleship, it is amazing how quickly God can heal a person after they determine to act on the word of God.

One of the problems we have in the modern western Church world, is that we tend to think of "saved" vs "lost" as a step across a single line. (Sort of like picking sides for a grade school soccer game). That is NOT how Jesus taught discipleship. You will never see him give an altar call and then tell people "pray this prayer and your in the club". What you see Jesus doing is teaching a walk. The healing power of God comes as we pursue life in Christ on a journey. It is a process of learning to live in God's power, rather than our own.

Yes, I have seen psychotic people healed. It takes love. Love from God and love through people. But, it does work, it does happen. People do overcome and live victorious lives. I know several who have.

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Permalink Reply by Amanda on April 11, 2014 at 8:24pm

They don't find their own way to salvation. No one does.

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Permalink Reply by ScribeD on April 18, 2014 at 2:38pm

True. We have to be "found" by Jesus. He finds us, even though it may seem like we find Him. Because we're the ones who are lost...

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Permalink Reply by CHRISTINE on April 22, 2014 at 3:10pm

not only they, but who is there that God cannot rescue, Im sure tis poss for all to come.

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Permalink Reply by Seek on June 19, 2014 at 6:13am

Don't know if Ginny is still here, but with Chip's post, this came up on my radar and I found it an interesting question.  I'll point you to Matthew 4:24:

And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

Jesus healed those which were lunatick, so He can heal those with a distorted mental status.  And going with what I just said elsewhere, we never know what's in one's true heart.  They may be lunatick and on the outside cannot understand or comprehend the Gospel message as another would, but inside their heart can still be right with Jesus because they've taken in the message somewhere inwardly that we cannot see but God can.

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Permalink Reply by 2968mctuuxavp on June 28, 2014 at 9:28am

While true we should neve tell people there loved ones are in heaven if there life did not display it. We don't know and while its comforting to believe there in heaven we speak truth in love. Saying we do not know condition of there heart but hope to see them again is better.

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