Reviving Biblical Christianity (The Way) Part 2

[bdavidc]

No, the apostles are confirmed by the Spirit that allows the saint to enter into the kingdom realm. The proof is in the pudding, as they say. I know the bible to be true because as I was reading it I was transported into Zion to walk in the light as He is in the light.

So I have faith, not just beliefs. My authority comes from heaven...but the word FULLY and completely backs up what I teach. Because I was taught directly by the Holy Spirit. That's something no one here will understand. And I don't expect them to understand. I don't care what people think. I care what God thinks.

Having said that, I rely on my bible more than anyone....because I know it's source and have been permitted to understand mysteries that few will know. Why me? I haven't a clue!!!!! But to deny my election to this would be like denying the friend I have in the Lord.

So excuse my words as I know I sound just like the arrogant ones here who have seen nothing and are dead.

Let the flesh rail against what I say. People need to fear God and learn humility...or they are lost.

Peace <><

This is exactly where your teaching has to be tested by Scripture. You say, “My authority comes from heaven,” that you were “taught directly by the Holy Spirit,” and that you have been permitted to understand mysteries that few others will know. But your personal experience is not the standard by which Christians determine truth. God’s Word is.

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God” (1 John 4:1).

Notice that Scripture does not say to accept someone’s teaching because he claims the Spirit taught him. It says to test it.

Paul goes even further:
“If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 14:37).

And the Bereans were called noble because they “searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11). They tested even Paul by Scripture.

So whether you believe you were transported into Zion, received something directly from the Holy Spirit, or were shown mysteries that few others understand does not settle anything. The question is whether what you teach can actually be demonstrated from the written Word in context.

You say the Word “FULLY and completely backs up” what you teach. Then prove the teaching from Scripture. Do not point to your experience as proof of your authority.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God... That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The Holy Spirit never needs a man’s private spiritual experience to establish what God has already spoken.

 

[bdavidc]

No one will pay attention to this. If the pretenders can't accuse then they will not engage any truth...they will just leave. So we know they are hearing truth because no one responds. Or else the crows come out to attack IF they think they can gather other crows for a feeding frenzy.

You can quote Isaac Penington all you want. If what he taught contradicts Scripture, and it does, then he was wrong, and repeating his words does not make this post right.

The Scriptures are the word of God, and they are the Christian’s rule. That is not some objection you can brush aside by appealing to an “inner light.” It is what God said:

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16–17).

That is how the man of God is furnished: through the God-breathed Scriptures. He is not left to follow his own spirit and call whatever he feels “the living Word.”

Jesus said:

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life” (John 5:39–40).

Jesus was rebuking men who possessed the Scriptures but refused to come to the One of whom the Scriptures testified. He was not telling anyone to put the Scriptures aside once they believed they had found Him. That passage gives you no permission to set down the written word and follow an inward made-up version instead.

That is exactly how men place their own wisdom over what God has already spoken.

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).

“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20).

That settles it. If what you call “Christ in you” does not agree with what God has written, it is not Christ speaking.

And silence does not prove that people heard truth from you. This battle against the authority of Scripture is old. Some of us already know where it leads when men elevate their own spirit above the word God has spoken.

 

[bdavidc]

I certanly will not bring Augustine in, the author of Calvinism.

John is using 'we' in the royal 'we' form, if you have heard of that. It has been famously used by the late queen and is a common literally practise..

John says IF we sin not when we sin. Agreed that there is a remedy for it so that we can be thoroughly cleansed again.

You are missing out verse such as:

1John 3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

This is the problem with those with your theology - cherry picking texts that suit your ideas.

Referring to John’s use of “we” as the “royal we” still does not fix the problem. John was not addressing himself as a king speaking ceremoniously about himself. John repeatedly says “we,” referring to himself and his fellow believers in Christ:

“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us” (1 John 1:3).

He continues:

“If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another” (1 John 1:7).

Are you seriously going to claim that “we” in verse 7 is also the royal we? John is clearly talking about believers walking in fellowship with God by walking in His light. He does not redefine what “we” means in verses 8–10 because those verses conflict with sinless perfection.

You changed John’s words. First John 2:1 does not say, “If we sin not when we sin.” It says:

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

John’s point is that Christians are not to sin. But “if any man sin” recognizes that sin is possible, and John directs the believer to our Advocate in Jesus Christ. That is not encouraging sin. It is the remedy God has provided when a believer sins.

I never skipped over 1 John 3:6–9. Those verses teach that a true Christian is incapable of living a life of continual, unrepentant sin. They do not teach that a Christian is incapable of committing an individual act of sin. If they did, John would contradict what he already wrote in 1 John 1:8–10 and 2:1. He would also contradict himself later:

“If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life” (1 John 5:16).

Notice that John still calls him his “brother” while acknowledging that he may sin.

First John 3 is talking about the consistent practice and character of a believer’s life. A person born of God will not continue in an unrepentant practice of sin as though sin were compatible with being born of God. His seed remains in that believer, so sin will not have dominion over his life.

John is contrasting walking in righteousness with walking in sin. He is not claiming that believers have attained personal sinlessness. That is why he can use both “that ye sin not” and “if any man sin” in the same paragraph without contradicting himself.

I am not cherry-picking verses to suit my argument. I am reading 1 John 3 in light of 1 John 1, 1 John 2, and 1 John 5. Your interpretation has John contradicting himself and then dismisses his repeated use of “we” as a literary device without proof.

There is a difference between refusing to live in sin and claiming that you have no sin. John commands the first and bluntly warns us against the latter.

 

[Episkopos]

Still sinners in need for Christ.

I liked your post anyway.

We all need Christ. It's just that His mercy extends beyond those who give Him lip-service. He is merciful. And if He wasn't none of us would survive. Best to let God be merciful and not decide for ourselves who gets to go to hell...

 

[Episkopos]

I am seeing some double talk here.
God cares about what we believe.
So are you saying you believe in free-will?

Of course. We have free will. Only a wiley ole Calvinist believes that we don't have free agency? Are you a Calvinist at heart?

And that God does not predestine people to go to Heaven or Hell?

Of course not. The predestination is only for those who would be perfected in Christ as it says in the bible....to be conformed to the image of His Son...nothing about salvation. Otherwise we reap as we sow.

And what about babies that die, do you believe they go to Heaven?

There is no heaven like you think...I think you are following the paganized version of Christianity as they teach in them bible schools. Valhalla is from Norse mythology. Heaven is only for right now....it's called the kingdom of Heaven...or Zion. We go there NOW through the gate which is Christ...to walk where He is. In the Father's house there are many abiding places RIGHT NOW. If you don't get there now DON'T claim to be His. Abide in Him and be translated into the kingdom realm in heavenly places in Christ. Didn't they teach you that in your Heaven 101 class?

So you do not believe in OSAS?

Yes and no. All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. But many who are saved will be cast into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Or do you think the fear of the Lord is only for scaredy cats???

 

[bdavidc]

I don't deny that there are 5 point Calvinists in the world. There are extremes of all sorts.

I believe in God's salvation for all who do His will whatever the religious belief is. God doesn't care what our beliefs are. Only a carnal and rebellious decoy church teaches that we will be judged based on the accuracy of our beliefs.

So I don't believe in total depravity. Some people are naturally righteous and pure hearted...as Jesus states.

Unconditional election? Well, God elects whom He wills but that person can still end up in outer darkness. So there is ONLY a conditional salvation.

Limited atonement? Jesus died for the sins of the whole world...buying His creation back with His death on the cross. It is finished.


Irresistible grace? Well, sort of. But sin takes us away from wherever God takes us. We have free agency at all times.

Perseverance of the saints? That's looking at it backward...the saint is only such if he perseveres till the end.

Because I'm not a Calvinist does that mean that I must be a JW then...I mean to make your presence here count? Is the world only divided into the camps that you specialize in?

This has nothing to do with whether you are a Calvinist or a Jehovah’s Witness. The issue is what you just said:

“God doesn’t care what our beliefs are.”

That is directly contrary to Scripture.

Jesus said:

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already” (John 3:18).

He also said:

“If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24).

According to Jesus, what a person believes about Him is a matter of life and death. You cannot say God does not care what we believe when Christ says unbelief leaves a person condemned and dying in his sins.

Nor does Scripture teach salvation for people of every religion simply because they do what they consider right. Jesus did not say that every sincere religious path leads to God. He said:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

Peter said of Jesus:

“Neither is there salvation in any other” (Acts 4:12).

Paul did not treat the content of the gospel as something unimportant. He warned:

“If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:9).

If beliefs do not matter, then Christ’s warnings about unbelief, Peter’s declaration that salvation is found in no other, and Paul’s condemnation of another gospel make no sense.

You also said that some people are “naturally righteous.” Scripture says the opposite:

“There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10).

“There is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Romans 3:12).

Jesus’ blessing upon the pure in heart does not say that certain people are naturally pure apart from God. Scripture says God must purify the heart by faith:

“Purifying their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:9).

Doing God’s will does matter, but sinful men are not saved because their natural goodness earns God’s approval. Salvation is by grace through faith, and the good works follow as God’s workmanship:

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works” (Ephesians 2:8–9).

You keep trying to make this about Calvinism, but Calvinism is not the question. The question is whether a person must believe the truth about Jesus Christ and His gospel.

Scripture says he must.

God absolutely cares whether we believe His Son or reject Him, whether we receive the true gospel or another gospel, and whether we worship the true God or an idol created by another religion. Saying otherwise does not rise above denominational arguments. It contradicts the plain words of Christ and His apostles.

 

[Grailhunter]

Of course. We have free will. Only a wiley ole Calvinist believes that we don't have free agency? Are you a Calvinist at heart?

Definitely not a Calvinest.

There is no heaven like you think...I think you are following the paganized version of Christianity as they teach in them bible schools. Valhalla is from Norse mythology. Heaven is only for right now....it's called the kingdom of Heaven...or Zion. We go there NOW through the gate which is Christ...to walk where He is. In the Father's house there are many abiding places RIGHT NOW. If you don't get there now DON'T claim to be His. Abide in Him and be translated into the kingdom realm in heavenly places in Christ. Didn't they teach you that in your Heaven 101 class?

I am not sure how many ways that is messed up? Heaven exists right now, but our destination is not determined until after Judgment Day.

Yes and no. All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. But many who are saved will be cast into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Or do you think the fear of the Lord is only for scaredy cats???

Yes you can sin your way out of salvation.

 

[Episkopos]

I am not sure how many ways that is messed up? Heaven exists right now, but our destination is not determined until after Judgment Day.

There is NO eternal destiny called heaven. Read the bible for yourself. The next age is on a new earth...not heaven. Heaven is ONLY for now.

 

[Lizbeth]

You can quote Isaac Penington all you want. If what he taught contradicts Scripture, and it does, then he was wrong, and repeating his words does not make this post right.

The Scriptures are the word of God, and they are the Christian’s rule. That is not some objection you can brush aside by appealing to an “inner light.” It is what God said:

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16–17).

That is how the man of God is furnished: through the God-breathed Scriptures. He is not left to follow his own spirit and call whatever he feels “the living Word.”

Jesus said:

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life” (John 5:39–40).

Jesus was rebuking men who possessed the Scriptures but refused to come to the One of whom the Scriptures testified. He was not telling anyone to put the Scriptures aside once they believed they had found Him. That passage gives you no permission to set down the written word and follow an inward made-up version instead.

That is exactly how men place their own wisdom over what God has already spoken.

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).

“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20).

That settles it. If what you call “Christ in you” does not agree with what God has written, it is not Christ speaking.

And silence does not prove that people heard truth from you. This battle against the authority of Scripture is old. Some of us already know where it leads when men elevate their own spirit above the word God has spoken.

I agree mainly with what you are saying, it's just that I also agree and sometimes observe that there are many who do not approach the scriptures via the Holy Spirit, only with their carnal mind (enmity with God). We are to serve in the new way of the Spirit, as I believe you would agree, and He gives us the understanding of them.

 

[marks]

Ephesians 2:4-9 KJV
4) But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5) Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7) That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Colossians 3:1-5 KJV
1) If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2) Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3) For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4) When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
5) Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Much love!!

 

[Lizbeth]

What I teach is that God has mercy on people for their own works of righteousness...He imputes their righteousness to themselves.

Haven't been able to keep up very well recently, but want to express this. Imputed righteousness is because the Lord is not imputing/counting their sins against the person....which makes them righteous in His eyes. No sin = righteous. And the reason He is forgiving/not counting their sins is because of their faith in Him....before they have any works....Abraham as our example. Romans says no one living is justified by works of the Law......but the just shall live by faith.

Non-believers who have some righteous works also have sins. Unless they have faith in God/Christ their sins are still being imputed/counted to them....they are not forgiven. That means they are still IN their sins and still under condemnation. Not my wish, just a fact.

 

[Lizbeth]

Ephesians 2:4-9 KJV
4) But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5) Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7) That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Colossians 3:1-5 KJV
1) If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2) Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3) For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4) When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
5) Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Much love!!

Amen....this is why our "angels" (spirit man) do always behold the face of God!

 

[Dan Clarkston]

God doesn't care what our beliefs are.

Really? God accepts all those that reject believing what God teaches in His Word eh?
Dude you need to clean this up because statements like this are absolutely un-biblical

Only a carnal and rebellious decoy church teaches that we will be judged based on the accuracy of our beliefs.

Uh huh, tells us again how God doesn't care what we believe

2 Thessalonians 2:10
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

James 1:22
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

John 8:31-32
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed; And ye shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free.

Jesus said God's Word IS Truth (John 17:17)

John 17:17
Sanctify them through Thy Truth: Thy word is Truth.

Some people are naturally righteous and pure hearted...as Jesus states.

No, Jesus said thru Paul that all have sinned and fallen short which happened after we were born

Jesus never said some are "naturally righteous and pure hearted" and some are not.

Well, God elects whom He wills

He elected all that he foreknew and He knows the end from the beginning so He had advanced knowledge of each and every person that would be born, and so He provided salvation for every person ever born.

Now, whether people repent of their sins coming to Him for salvation is a whole different discussion.

Best to let God be merciful and not decide for ourselves who gets to go to hell...

So we should ignore what God's Word teaches concerning this?

There are passages that say those who do these things shall not inherit His Kingdom among other similar warnings.

You not saying we should be cherry pickers are ya?

There is NO eternal destiny called heaven

Shows how much you know... where ever the Lord is, that's where Heaven is.

Right now it's located to the sides of the north, and later the Lord will move Heaven to the earth

Amen....this is why our "angels" (spirit man) do always behold the face of God!

Angels are not our spirit man

God is a Spirit and He created man in His Own image so we so are a spirit... that possess a soul, that lives in a body

We are one being in 3 parts just like God is.

 

[MostlyConfused]

Just say what you believe is correct and move on already.

Move on from his own thread? That’s silly. He doesn’t follow people around and harass them. THEY follow HIM around.

 

[Dan Clarkston]

Move on from his own thread? That’s silly. He doesn’t follow people around and harass them. THEY follow HIM around.

No, move on from arguing with people trying to convince them to believe whatever it is he's sayin.

Jesus spoke Truth and then did not proceed to try and talk everyone in to believing what He said.

Jesus let people turn away if they wanted to.

 

[bdavidc]

I agree mainly with what you are saying, it's just that I also agree and sometimes observe that there are many who do not approach the scriptures via the Holy Spirit, only with their carnal mind (enmity with God). We are to serve in the new way of the Spirit, as I believe you would agree, and He gives us the understanding of them.

I agree with that. Someone can read Scripture using nothing more than plain old common sense and still completely miss what God is revealing.

“The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him” (1 Corinthians 2:14).

Jesus had to open the disciples’ understanding so “that they might understand the scriptures” (Luke 24:45). We absolutely need the Spirit to open the Word, convict us by it, and lead us into all truth.

The line that I am drawing here is that the Spirit does not lead us away from Scripture, nor will He ever tell you something that goes against what He inspired to be written.

The Spirit does not oppose the written word. The same Spirit that convicts and teaches the believer is the Spirit that inspired the writing:

“Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:21).

Therefore yes, we should approach Scripture prayerfully and rely on the Spirit to give us understanding. However what someone believes the Spirit has revealed to him still needs to be tested by Scripture. Otherwise, anyone can attach the Holy Spirit’s name to his own thoughts and place them beyond correction.

To serve “in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter” (Romans 7:6) does not mean Scripture vs. Spirit. Paul was referring to our deliverance from the law’s condemnation so that we can serve in the new life given by the Spirit. The Spirit that provides that new freedom is the same Spirit that inspired Paul’s letter explaining it.

The Spirit opens up Scripture. He doesn’t nullify it.

THAT is the line all born-again believers will hold.

 

[Dan Clarkston]

To serve “in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter” (Romans 7:6) does not mean Scripture vs. Spirit. Paul was referring to our deliverance from the law’s condemnation so that we can serve in the new life given by the Spirit. The Spirit that provides that new freedom is the same Spirit that inspired Paul’s letter explaining it.

And let's recognize that the Holy Spirit will in fact lead us to obey God's moral law

 

[bdavidc]

There is NO eternal destiny called heaven. Read the bible for yourself. The next age is on a new earth...not heaven. Heaven is ONLY for now.

Once again you make an absolute statement and then tell everyone else to “read the Bible.”

You said: “There is NO eternal destiny called heaven…. Heaven is ONLY for now.”

Again, part of what you say is true. The Christian’s ultimate hope is not spending eternity as disembodied spirits floating around somewhere in heaven. Scripture does teach the resurrection of the body along with a new creation where God comes down to dwell with His people.

But when you say “heaven is ONLY for now,” you go beyond what Scripture teaches.

“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth”

Not just a new earth, but “a new heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1).

John goes on to say: “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven” (Revelation 21:2).

John describes the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven, where God dwells with His people:

“Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them” (Revelation 21:3).

Yes, there is a resurrected life for God’s people in the new creation. That is the Christian’s final state. But Scripture is also clear that believers who die go consciously to be with Christ while awaiting the resurrection.

Paul said that he wanted to “depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better” (Philippians 1:23).

He even said that to be “absent from the body” is to be “present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8).

Jesus told the repentant thief, “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

Believers go immediately to be with Christ after death, followed by the resurrection and the final state of the eternal new creation. We do not have to deny either.

Jesus also said: “In my Father’s house are many mansions…. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself” (John 14:2–3).

Paul said: “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).

Peter described our inheritance as something that is “reserved in heaven for you”:

“Incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:4).

Not only is our inheritance presently reserved in heaven until Christ returns from heaven, our Saviour comes down from heaven.

When He returns, the dead are raised and the saints enter the final state God has prepared.

That is the biblical hope. It is not your private doctrine about somehow being “translated” into Zion now through some spiritual gate. The biblical hope is Christ’s return, the resurrection, the new heaven and new earth, the New Jerusalem, and God dwelling with His people forever.

But you take biblical words like “heaven,” “Zion,” “kingdom,” and “abide” and force them to refer only to some private spiritual system that Scripture never teaches.

Furthermore, telling people, “If you don’t get there now DON’T claim to be His,” is all the more serious because you have made your own mystical spiritual experience a test of whether someone belongs to Christ.

But Scripture gives us a much different test: “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:12).

Not “he that enters your kingdom realm.”

Not “he that gets translated into Zion.”

Not “he that has your spiritual experience.”

“He that hath the Son.”

Stop placing your private mystical spiritual experience on top of the word of God. Revelation describes our eternal hope clearly enough for anyone who wants to know.

Christ reigns, His servants will serve Him, and: “They shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 22:5).

Your mystical spiritual reconstruction of Scripture is not deep truth. It is adding to what is written.

 

[Dan Clarkston]

But when you say “heaven is ONLY for now,” you go beyond what Scripture teaches.

He's probably trying to get more clicks on his social media accounts so he has to be outlandish to make money by monetizing

 

[Lizbeth]

I agree with that. Someone can read Scripture using nothing more than plain old common sense and still completely miss what God is revealing.

“The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him” (1 Corinthians 2:14).

Jesus had to open the disciples’ understanding so “that they might understand the scriptures” (Luke 24:45). We absolutely need the Spirit to open the Word, convict us by it, and lead us into all truth.

The line that I am drawing here is that the Spirit does not lead us away from Scripture, nor will He ever tell you something that goes against what He inspired to be written.

The Spirit does not oppose the written word. The same Spirit that convicts and teaches the believer is the Spirit that inspired the writing:

“Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:21).

Therefore yes, we should approach Scripture prayerfully and rely on the Spirit to give us understanding. However what someone believes the Spirit has revealed to him still needs to be tested by Scripture. Otherwise, anyone can attach the Holy Spirit’s name to his own thoughts and place them beyond correction.

To serve “in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter” (Romans 7:6) does not mean Scripture vs. Spirit. Paul was referring to our deliverance from the law’s condemnation so that we can serve in the new life given by the Spirit. The Spirit that provides that new freedom is the same Spirit that inspired Paul’s letter explaining it.

The Spirit opens up Scripture. He doesn’t nullify it.

THAT is the line all born-again believers will hold.

Totally agree, there is no competition between the two.

But in trying to help someone who is not approaching scripture in the way of the Spirit it will sometimes seem to them as though you are pitting spirit against the written word though. Even though you're not.