"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;" Eph 4:14
Religious Facade Christianity
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"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;" Eph 4:14
I am an old Pentecostal holy roller myself. I have loved to run the aisles and dance in the Spirit of the Lord like David danced. Now my flesh hinders me severely as my lungs won't furnish the necessary oxygen for long. I yield to the Spirit still in that respect, but my body is wearing out. God will still elevate me when I drop to the lowest room, but He knows as I know that that is more often for the younger folks now. Of course some people are offended by the running and the dancing, but me, I simply give God the glory dancing even those few steps In His Name.
But there are things new to you and new to me!
Nancy
Well-Known Member
Amen. And he said that he would be more vile!
Yes indeed by their fruits shall you know them but only by the Holy Spirit may we even always understand what we are seeing. When people quench the Holy Spirit in themselves... and they do, unless they have already completely overcome the world as Jesus did... then with the Spirit quenched they are blind indeed unable to distinguish between good and evil. More eye salve is needed.
I understand the fear, but this is still a fear of man rather than a fear of God. Is God not able to care for His own if they are His own?
"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Matt 10:28
Not me
Well-Known Member
So true it is first we pursue the “Kingdom of God and His righteousness”
And how are we to do that but by listening to the Spirit that He has caused to dwell in us?
May each day we become a little more obedient to Christ this Christ in us. Blessings.
Scripture says, Paul says; that he has not “arrived”. So there will always be a deeper death we can die, a little more self to deny, a little more Christ to put on in this or that area. But we are on our courses that He has laid out for us.
So in Him is our confidence, that He will fulfill His promises in each and every one of us.
Blessings,
Much love in Christ, Not me
It is important to gather together "In His Name" and when I can find a scheduled meeting where that actually happens even once in while it is a blessing.
So true it is first we pursue the “Kingdom of God and His righteousness”
And how are we to do that but by listening to the Spirit that He has caused to dwell in us?
May each day we become a little more obedient to Christ this Christ in us. Blessings.
Scripture says, Paul says; that he has not “arrived”. So there will always be a deeper death we can die, a little more self to deny, a little more Christ to put on in this or that area. But we are on our courses that He has laid out for us.
So in Him is our confidence, that He will fulfill His promises in each and every one of us.
Blessings,
Much love in Christ, Not me
"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." I Cor 13:12
Not me
Well-Known Member
The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
His delight is in the fear of the Lord,
and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes,
nor decide by the hearing of His ears;
but with righteousness He shall judge the poor,
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,
and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins,
and faithfulness the belt of His waist” (Isaiah 11:1-5).
Philip James
Well-Known Member
The walk with God is about relationship.
And there are two kinds of ships in that relationship.
One is by sail and the other by engine power. On a sailboat a person learns how to trim the sails to catch the wind and how to move forward even when the winds are contrary. That is based on good seamanship and MATURITY.
Then there is the motor ship whereby the ship is moved by an unseen power. This is akin to being moved by a supernatural power whereby one is taken places without any skill needed at all. This is on the level of holiness...by a gift of purity. It is the Spirit steering the course and empowering the ship.
When these are confused a person will sit back in their sailboat...without any understanding of sailing...thinking that there is a motor in the boat and that God is controlling the winds and currents....and just go along with the current and winds....thinking they are moving by the Spirit to advancement...whereas they are just going nowhere led by the prevalent winds of doctrine.
Where the renewing of the mind comes in is when a sailor goes aboard a motor ship to realize his skills are not required there. He has to let go and let God.
But when not aboard the motor ship and returned to the sailboat...those skills are required once again.
True discipleship prepares the would be sailor for both of these types of ships. The two together add up to relationship with God. So we are either being obedient to set our course towards Him ourselves by righteousness...or we allow God to take over our lives to walk by grace which is in HIS holiness.
And there are two kinds of ships in that relationship.
One is by sail and the other by engine power. On a sailboat a person learns how to trim the sails to catch the wind and how to move forward even when the winds are contrary. That is based on good seamanship and MATURITY.
Then there is the motor ship whereby the ship is moved by an unseen power. This is akin to being moved by a supernatural power whereby one is taken places without any skill needed at all. This is on the level of holiness...by a gift of purity. It is the Spirit steering the course and empowering the ship.
When these are confused a person will sit back in their sailboat...without any understanding of sailing...thinking that there is a motor in the boat and that God is controlling the winds and currents....and just go along with the current and winds....thinking they are moving by the Spirit to advancement...whereas they are just going nowhere led by the prevalent winds of doctrine.
Where the renewing of the mind comes in is when a sailor goes aboard a motor ship to realize his skills are not required there. He has to let go and let God.
But when not aboard the motor ship and returned to the sailboat...those skills are required once again.
True discipleship prepares the would be sailor for both of these types of ships. The two together add up to relationship with God. So we are either being obedient to set our course towards Him ourselves by righteousness...or we allow God to take over our lives to walk by grace which is in HIS holiness.
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Soverign Grace
Well-Known Member
1 Peter 4:17
“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?”
I think that people make a religion out of Christianity because they think that believing in Jesus...or His works...gives them salvation. They don't see that obedience to the gospel is what saves them. They think just accepting Jesus and taking His sacrifice unto themselves makes them saved. But Jesus is NOT our Lamb to sacrifice to God. He is the Lamb of God. God decides who will be saved...not us...even with all our beliefs about this.
But the gospel ...for believers...is about glory and not just salvation. Jesus died for "the sins of the whole world"...not just for the church. He is "the saviour of ALL men especially them that believe." I think the truth of this is not understood among they who are looking to be "saved." And the churches don't teach these things correctly because it is NOT in their best interest (for membership and finances) to do so.
So then the trickle down effect of these half-truths is a wrong perception of the gospel. And a religious appreciation of something that is out of reach for the carnal man's understanding.
The true gospel is about the true light from heaven, come into this world to save mankind. This light gives light to everyone.
John 1:9
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
How so? We, as disciples, are to be the light in the world for others to see. We are here to preserve the world...to limit it's evils...to show the way. To live sacrificially as Jesus did. To love and to suffer as Jesus did. To share His burden...to be hated by the world for the sake of the truth. In order that some will turn from their ways to be saved. They will stop their evil and turn to doing good. All this by the good example of the saints.
For us, it is not the gospel of salvation but of glory...the glory of the ministry of Christ. To suffer that others might benefit. To be the light for ALL men. We are to be conduits of God's love into the world....not it's destination. We are to make disciples...not get people "saved." Salvation is based on doing what is right and the fear of the Lord. It is based on obedience and trust in God. We are to allow the wicked to see and experience the light from God...to help them repent by showing these an example of love...an example of the true nature and will of God. Of course not many will be able to, or want to BE those examples. But all can benefit from they who have surrendered their lives to God in Christ. The nations are to walk in the light provided by the saints of God. That is the function of saints.
So the church is usually on the wrong mission....which is according to a subverted religious agenda from men. Making people claim to be saved by their beliefs about salvation. Foolishness.
Disciples of Christ are to save others...not themselves. We are to love as Jesus loved...and be the light in the world. To pick up the cross of Christ and walk in His life. And so to be made worthy to enter into the glory of the Lord.
But the gospel ...for believers...is about glory and not just salvation. Jesus died for "the sins of the whole world"...not just for the church. He is "the saviour of ALL men especially them that believe." I think the truth of this is not understood among they who are looking to be "saved." And the churches don't teach these things correctly because it is NOT in their best interest (for membership and finances) to do so.
So then the trickle down effect of these half-truths is a wrong perception of the gospel. And a religious appreciation of something that is out of reach for the carnal man's understanding.
The true gospel is about the true light from heaven, come into this world to save mankind. This light gives light to everyone.
John 1:9
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
How so? We, as disciples, are to be the light in the world for others to see. We are here to preserve the world...to limit it's evils...to show the way. To live sacrificially as Jesus did. To love and to suffer as Jesus did. To share His burden...to be hated by the world for the sake of the truth. In order that some will turn from their ways to be saved. They will stop their evil and turn to doing good. All this by the good example of the saints.
For us, it is not the gospel of salvation but of glory...the glory of the ministry of Christ. To suffer that others might benefit. To be the light for ALL men. We are to be conduits of God's love into the world....not it's destination. We are to make disciples...not get people "saved." Salvation is based on doing what is right and the fear of the Lord. It is based on obedience and trust in God. We are to allow the wicked to see and experience the light from God...to help them repent by showing these an example of love...an example of the true nature and will of God. Of course not many will be able to, or want to BE those examples. But all can benefit from they who have surrendered their lives to God in Christ. The nations are to walk in the light provided by the saints of God. That is the function of saints.
So the church is usually on the wrong mission....which is according to a subverted religious agenda from men. Making people claim to be saved by their beliefs about salvation. Foolishness.
Disciples of Christ are to save others...not themselves. We are to love as Jesus loved...and be the light in the world. To pick up the cross of Christ and walk in His life. And so to be made worthy to enter into the glory of the Lord.
I don't think you understand those verses and how they relate to us today.
These were sinful people who thought they had an in with God and so no evil would befall them. Even in their disobedience, they thought they were special and that no evil would befall them. They were under the delusion that God was pleased with them and would protect them. God said, what, are you more important to me than the Ethiopians and the Syrians? They thought they had some special status and that God was a respecter of persons (irrespective of their behavior/disobedience). And that is what we hear today too. We hear: it doesn't matter if a man does what is right, if he doesn't believe thus and thus, he's going to hell, the evil will overtake him. I, on the other hand, no matter if I DONT do what is right, but since I do believe thus and thus, will be going to heaven, the evil will not overtake me.
They did not HAVE a refuge in God that they claimed they had. no matter how many times they claimed it. It didn't matter that they said they were the seed of Abraham, or that they had the word from God and believed It but didn't do It. It didn't matter if they claimed or believed that verse in the psalms was about them. They could have claimed that verse in the psalms was about them and the verse in Amos was about others till they were blue in the face from repeating it, but it wouldn't have made it so.
As with everything, we are directly repeating the mistake of Israel and claiming we aren't.
A song you might like Amadeus: I will be more vile, said David to Michal
I will be more vile on the 'morrow
Hold your peace all ye that despise the anointing
I will be more vile!
And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house. Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself! And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD. And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour. Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death. 2Sam6:22
Its sheer insanity to take the Precious Blood shed for us and use it as a magic talisman, thinking that it was shed so that we can claim it gives us special status above others. It is to trample the Blood underfoot as a common thing and insolently and without fear dare to approach God and inquire of Him.
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