Wow. Someone up at the same time I am
Brother. Just as mortal fathers want the best for their children, God wants the best for His. Please read those versus i added. There are many more. If you believe it is heresy then you are listening to a denominational preacher for way too long.
Please Believe the words of the Bible over the words at the pulpit. What you have been taught is the traditions of man.
I've been a Pentecostal for over 50 years, but I soon learned that many of the leaders and theologians lack something, forcing me to face life independent of the Pentecostal "baggage." Gradually, I've seen Pentecostal Theology self-correct to some degree, just I've had to.
For example, much of the fanaticism and occultism that was mixed in with early Pentecostal phenomena has gradually been cleaned out. And many of the scandals have forced us to take a 2nd look at our presuppositions. The Holy Spirit starts with us as individuals and with new movements without a whole lot of discretion, because those who are open to the moving of God are often immature, flawed and "simple," and "vulnerable" to suggestion. But we are also open to God.
But over time, God cleanses us from a lot of wrong views and wrong attitudes, just as He wants us to grow up in holiness. What I won't do is just carry the party line, preferring to follow the Spirit for myself, according to my own conscience, the best that I can. But I also remain in submission to others, to the degree they are in submission to Christ.
Faith Doctrine is a fraud. Faith Teaching, if it is balanced, is good. But Faith Doctrine tries to predict what God will do in each situation. We just need the right "pin number," or the correct "code," in order to get our miracles. It might be "removing all doubt," or it might be "planting seeds of offerings." But there really is no way to make God do a miracle on our behalf unless we 1st appeal to God for His will.
Some will say that it's always God's will to do good, though we get to define what "good" is. This won't work. Miracles happen, but God conducts the symphony. We just plan the tune that God gives us, and obey as the song continues.
But that's just Faith Doctrine. In the matter of theology I have concerns about those who wrongly describe our new nature in Christ. Flesh and Spirit are not "mixed" in our new nature, as one cult describes it, to create a weird hybrid animal. We live in the flesh, and Christ has come to rule in our lives as Lord in our hearts. We overcome the flesh by regularly preferring the ways of the Spirit, as Christ within us prefers.
We do not become "part God," able to do anything Christ did, who was God, since we are not God. Christ had a unique identity as God we will never have. And that means we, as sinners, will be able to do some of the things he did, but not all.
We can live new lives, but we cannot be perfect. He resisted sins outside of his body. We resist sins within our body. He chooses what we should do. We obey him.
But we cannot decide things, spiritually, apart from Christ. And that is the main thing. Christ relied on his Father. But we can't rely on the Father directly, but only through Christ. That way, we show that we do not have the full rights of Deity to determine our own course. We must always seek God's will.
Man was created to be subservient to God. Christ had the full rights of a Divine Son. We do not have the same rights, but must defer to Christ as representative of God's authority over us.
I've read every Scripture you could ever throw at me. If you wish to make a point about any particular Scripture, feel free. I'm interested.
