Questions & Answers
The following is a series of responses by Norman Grubb to a letter he received from someone writing to him for clarity. It first appeared in the Nov/Dec, 1988 issue of The Intercessor.
Q: Every now and then someone will mention inner healing and the process of memories or lies or experiences, somehow delving into that to get an inner healing. It seems as if our message is more than that — that there is no self to be healed. Comment a little on what you see inner healing to be compared to our message.
A: The best I can say is that the Bible says God was in perfect operation. Paul said, But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mothers womb, and called me by his grace (Gal. 1:15). So God was in Pauls birth as much as in his conversion. Therefore, whatever my memories, I say God meant them. God meant me to go through tough times. I may now see how God taught me through those tough times, but why have I got to say theyre bad memories? Hasnt God molded us that He may use our personhood for an expression of Himself in an infinite variety of forms?
Q: So what youre saying about Paul is that when he looked back on his life, be was really thankful for the whole? I dont mean that he would want to kill Stephen again, but he saw it all swallowed up in Gods purpose and plan?
A: Yes. The intensity of his self-for-self life gave him a final understanding of the depths of Satan in us, to be replaced by Christ.
Q: How do you understand the verse where Paul calls himself chief of sinners? Why does he use the present tense (1 Tim. 1:15)?
A: Because the past is still there. Its under the blood, but it was his factual past. He used it to show the trophies of grace and to show that his passion for a self-for-self life gave the basis for his being transferred to a passion for a Christ-life. Thank God he was a passionate man — passionate for the self-for-self life and then passionate for Gods life.
