Use holy water with caution

It is quite encouraging to realise that some members of the Christian community are increasing their hunger and thirst for truth, righteousness and reality. They have tasted the goodness of God, the freedom that the knowledge of truth brings and the peace and power of righteousness; they can no longer be satisfied with the counterfeit and the unreal.
Consequently, they pose hard questions, thoroughly search the scriptures and examine every prophecy to ascertain the truthfulness of every spiritual activity done and every spiritual means employed. The objective of this testing is not to find fault with any Christian leader who is not walking righteously or to worship the one who is doing things right. The main function of discernment is to determine the good and follow it, and to determine the evil and discard of it.
But the questioning and testing of every spirit may not be taken lightly by anointed men and women of God who view it as doubt, unbelief and an insult to their faith and calling. They warn believers not to touch the anointed of God and not to do them any harm.
While it is true that believers must not insult the anointed ones of God but must leave God to discipline His servants, it is also clear in the opening scripture above that believers reserve the right to test every spirit and to judge every prophecy so that they may not be deceived. 
The Apostle John who wrote this scripture actually gave it as a commandment to be observed by believers in general and not by the Church leadership in particular. The truth is that both church leaders and followers must regard themselves as progressive students of truth. And since truth has got many dimensions we must always remain open to other viewpoints and to necessary discernment.
Of late, the question being raised is whether the use of holy water is scriptural or not. By the way holy water refers to ordinary water that has been prayed for or water drawn from water sources in the holy land of Israel. This holy water is sprinkled upon believers for them to receive healing or anointing through it or it is given as a prescription to the sick. So the question is: Is it an ordinance, a dogma or a doctrinal teaching or belief recorded in the Scripture for everyone to follow? No it is not. So is it just one of the many once-off faith aids used by prophets and the apostles to boost the faith of the sick and of those seeking anointing? It could be, though it has no precedent in scripture.
Once-off faith aids used by Jesus Christ include his spit (Mark 8:23) and mud in the opening of blind eyes. Peter used his shadow to heal the sick that were laid along the streets he walked on.
The Apostle Paul used handkerchiefs and aprons. It is written in Acts 19:11-12, “And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: so that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons; and the diseases departed from them and the evil spirits went out of them.” The use of handkerchiefs, aprons, shadows, spit and mud is not recorded in the scripture as a laid down means of healing or anointing that every believer should follow.
But ordinances given to believers for healing the sick and transmission of anointing are laying on hands in prayer and anointing with oil and oil symbolises the power of the Holy Spirit. James wrote, “Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 514). This shows us that anointing the sick with oil in prayer is a practice we can follow as believers anytime and anywhere. In Mark 16 believers in Christ are commanded to lay hands on the sick for them to recover. This commandment should be practised as an integral part of the great commission.
Now the question still remains: Should holy water still be used if it has no precedent in the scriptures? Yes and No. Find out the reasons why it can still be used and why it should not be used as a fetish in the next article.

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