Blessings

[mightymen]

Blessings a free gift of God.

In the Old Testament blessings were promises that were yet fulfilled at the time given and had to be earned through keeping the law. With the exception prior to law that were given freely to all man kind as promises through faith in God yet not fulfilled until a later time. "Abraham had faith and it was counted to him as righteousness."

This is where I have a hard time understanding how preaches or anyone can claim that they can bless people or hand out blessings. I can be wrong after all I wrestle with the flesh all the time . The way I understand blessings.

Jesus is the atonement for sin for ALL MAN KIND. The price has been paid and available to ALL whom believe on Him. All/every single blessing has been supplied through the sacrifice of Jesus the CHRIST and we receive them as a free gift of God. In order to receive them we must believe Jesus is, who He said He was and accept the free gift of God. If ALL Blessings came through the sacrifice Jesus made, then there is no other blessing available. Old Testament Blessings were promises, today there is no promise, we are assured a better covenant where promises are not made and the blessing is freely given through Jesus the Christ.

Bible Gateway passage: 2 Corinthians 5 - Amplified Bible
21 He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness].

If you understand it differently then lets talk about it SOLELY based on what is written in the Bible Scriptures.

 

[Saintscruiser]

I personally use the terms to people, "Have a blessed day." OR "May God richly bless you for your kindness." Verbiage wise, I don't see a difference, however, the blessing we are talking about has a specific target at a specific time. The words still bless my heart because it plainly states that Almighty God has time for little ol' me, to bless me and keep me close. He cares for me, He loves me, and my picture is on His refrigerator!

 

[mightymen]

Blessings = gift from God.
Blessed = "supremely happy"- reversed or ironic sense of "cursed, damned".

Online Etymology Dictionary

Words can bless our hearts at least those words that come from God. For God is the only one who has the power to bless us.

"specific target at a specific time" That's exactly my point blessings written about in the Old Testament were for a specific target at a specific time before the death of the Christ. Now we are in the time period that followed the death of the Christ all the Blessings through out the ages are available to all man kind.

We've been blessed through the death of the Christ.
We've been made partaker in the Blessing of Christ.
All blessing that the Christ received are ours.

There are no blessing to be had outside of the Christ.

All blessings have been made available and given to man kind - the choice is ours to receive them or not. Its impossible to give what has already been given. So what is left then is the secular understanding of bless, blessing and blessed.

I look at it this way. If Jesus and I were walking down the street together, would He approve of me handing out blessing that He already supplied or even would He approve of me freely going around blessing people without being instructed to do so - History recorded what was and is the purpose of a blessing? I'll answer that "GIFT FROM GOD"

Scripture is clear we are not to be conformed to this world. - RIGHT!

Romans 2:2 And fashion not yourselves like unto this world, but be ye changed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what that good, and acceptable and perfect will of God is.

IMO: Is it the will of God that I tell someone to have a blessed day - well yeah if its meaning and purpose is to recognize and believe in Jesus.

IMO: Is it the will of God that I tell someone May God richly bless you for your kindness again - well yeah if its meaning and purpose is to recognize and believe in Jesus.

Question: "Why do we say, ‘God bless you,’ when someone sneezes?"

Answer: The saying God bless you in response to a sneeze is of ancient origin, and there are a variety of stories about where it first came from. The practice of saying, “God bless you,” when someone sneezes does not come from the Bible, nor is there any mention of the practice in the Bible. However, the saying God bless you was used both by Hebrews (Numbers 6:24) and the early Christians as a benediction. Why do we say, ʺGod bless you,ʺ when someone sneezes?

In the New Testament we can see how it was used and its purpose.
What is a benediction in the Bible?

 

[Saintscruiser]

I was always told that when you sneeze, you push out all air in your body. There was some superstitious take on it that before you can take your next breath, you have to be blessed or you might not continue to breathe. I do that to people that I don't even know! I do it out of habit. Did I get the gold star? Well did I...did I....did I...huh, huh, huh?

 

[mightymen]

Just read this. "There is a legend/tradition that Pope Gregory I commanded that, any time a sneeze was heard, the sneezer was to be blessed by saying, “God bless you,” (and making the sign of the cross over his mouth) as protection against the plague."
IMO: most likely the tradition is rooted in this and became a habit. Though saying God bless you is showing concern for another I might have to rethink it now.
Bible and all that stuff. Though if am not under the law am free to say God bless you -

 

[Saintscruiser]

Now in my daddy's family....don't know if it's a Jewish thing, which I think it is, when someone sneezes, whoever was talking turns around and says, "See, it's true!" Since I heard this from git go, I still do it this today. MM, what about your family?

 

[mightymen]

Can't say I remember very long time ago.

Many have the custom after sneezing to gently tug one's earlobe and recite the verse, "lee-shua-techa kiviti Adonai – I hope for your salvation, O G‑d."Why say "gezuntheit" after a sneeze?