Got your ears on?

  • Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.

    You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Windmillcharge

Well-Known Member
Dec 21, 2017
2,934
1,824
113
68
London
Faith
Christian
Country
United Kingdom
Nonetheless, if His words are spirit (as He said), then it is not the words that take precedence, but the spirit of God. This was at the heart of everything Jesus taught.

Matthew 23:19
"Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?"

Yes I'm sure Russell would have agreed with you as would joseph smith amd mary baker eddy.
How do you know that the 'message' you have is from God?
Because your heart is strangly warmed, as the mormons say, because it agrees with your reasoning, or with your feelings?

As proverbs
3:5-6 (NIV)
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
says not use your intellect, submit to Gods teaching. Where do you find that? In tradition, or in scripture.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nancy

stunnedbygrace

Well-Known Member
Aug 18, 2018
12,397
12,048
113
USA
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Nonetheless, if His words are spirit (as He said), then it is not the words that take precedence, but the spirit of God. This was at the heart of everything Jesus taught.

Matthew 23:19
"Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?"

I agree. Men have taken His words and begun wars over them. They were not going by the spirit of the words when they did this or they would not have done this. It is the spirit that avails a man, the letter does not.
 

stunnedbygrace

Well-Known Member
Aug 18, 2018
12,397
12,048
113
USA
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
I agree. Men have taken His words and begun wars over them. They were not going by the spirit of the words when they did this or they would not have done this. It is the spirit that avails a man, the letter does not.

Also, I think Jesus addressed this. I think He Himself placed Himself above the letter of the word when He said, you search the scriptures because you think you will find eternal life in them but you refuse to come to ME, of whom those scriptures speak!
 

ScottA

Well-Known Member
Feb 24, 2011
11,747
5,599
113
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Yes I'm sure Russell would have agreed with you as would joseph smith amd mary baker eddy.
How do you know that the 'message' you have is from God?
Because your heart is strangly warmed, as the mormons say, because it agrees with your reasoning, or with your feelings?

As proverbs
3:5-6 (NIV)
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
says not use your intellect, submit to Gods teaching. Where do you find that? In tradition, or in scripture.
You don't know me, and you are assuming my testimony is like that of others. But I am assuming nothing.

I did not grow up under any religious tutelage, but in the life that God designed for me, I cried out to Him and He answered. I was immediately caught up above the earth in the presence of God where He revealed what I now share, which I do confidently after many years of reading His word.

Stop making assumptions.
 

Windmillcharge

Well-Known Member
Dec 21, 2017
2,934
1,824
113
68
London
Faith
Christian
Country
United Kingdom
You don't know me, and you are assuming my testimony is like that of others. But I am assuming nothing.

I did not grow up under any religious tutelage, but in the life that God designed for me, I cried out to Him and He answered. I was immediately caught up above the earth in the presence of God where He revealed what I now share, which I do confidently after many years of reading His word.

Stop making assumptions.

I repeat how do you know that the 'message' or the experience you had was from God?

As you say you did not grow up in church attendance, so what did you use to validate your experience?

I gave examples of people who in the past had experiences and who today have religous experiences but they are not from God.
 

stunnedbygrace

Well-Known Member
Aug 18, 2018
12,397
12,048
113
USA
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
I repeat how do you know that the 'message' or the experience you had was from God?

As you say you did not grow up in church attendance, so what did you use to validate your experience?

I gave examples of people who in the past had experiences and who today have religous experiences but they are not from God.

Are you saying no one meets God except in a church...?
 

ScottA

Well-Known Member
Feb 24, 2011
11,747
5,599
113
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
I repeat how do you know that the 'message' or the experience you had was from God?

As you say you did not grow up in church attendance, so what did you use to validate your experience?

I gave examples of people who in the past had experiences and who today have religous experiences but they are not from God.
God validated Himself by His presence and by His word. I know His voice.

But this is not about what I know...now you have made it about what you do not believe.
 

farouk

Well-Known Member
Jan 21, 2009
30,790
19,232
113
North America
The title 'God your ears on?' is an interesting way to phrase things; it almost sounds as if someone is asking: 'God your ears pierced?'
 

farouk

Well-Known Member
Jan 21, 2009
30,790
19,232
113
North America
A Biblical way of expressing the title's sentiment would maybe be in reference to a verse such as: 'Hear ye the word of the LORD'.
 

Windmillcharge

Well-Known Member
Dec 21, 2017
2,934
1,824
113
68
London
Faith
Christian
Country
United Kingdom
God validated Himself by His presence and by His word. I know His voice.

But this is not about what I know...now you have made it about what you do not believe.

It has nothing to do with what I do or do not believe.
I simple want to know how you knew that your experience was from God.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Carl

ScottA

Well-Known Member
Feb 24, 2011
11,747
5,599
113
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Well, I still think we need to go by the Scriptures.
The scriptures are great, but during these times of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit foretold by Joel the prophet and confirmed by Jesus and Peter...we should be asking - no, more than asking - we should be expecting more in accordance with the question that Jesus asked:

Matthew 23:17
"Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?"

The topic of this thread is just that, that the Spirit which inspired the scriptures is greater, and now if we have the Spirit we should not be falling back on the scriptures...but pressing on to the perfection of all truth which was the promise of Christ for our time.

The real question we should be asking, is: Do we want what Jesus promised, or not?

Who among us then will say, Yes, and then go back to bashing the gifts of the Spirit among their brethren with the club of scripture, instead of embracing the Spirit?
 
Last edited:

stunnedbygrace

Well-Known Member
Aug 18, 2018
12,397
12,048
113
USA
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
No I am simple asking how does one confirm that an experience, dream, word of knowledge, supernatural message, etc etc is actually from God.

I don't know. When I met God, I just knew it was Him. I saw things in scripture later that confirmed it and that explained my experience, but I didn't wonder if it was Him I had met, I just knew...
 

farouk

Well-Known Member
Jan 21, 2009
30,790
19,232
113
North America
The scriptures are great, but during these times of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit foretold by Joel the prophet and confirmed by Jesus and Peter...we should be asking - no, more than asking - we should be expecting more in accordance with the question that Jesus asked:

Matthew 23:17
"Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?"

The topic of this thread is just that, that the Spirit which inspired the scriptures is greater, and now if we have the Spirit we should not be falling back on the scriptures...but pressing on to the perfection of all truth which was the promise of Christ for our time.

The real question we should be asking, is: Do we want what Jesus promised, or not?

Who among us then will say, Yes, and then go back to bashing the gifts of the Spirit among their brethren with the club of scripture, instead of embracing the Spirit?
The Scriptures are so rich; and the final authority of believers with whom I would identify.
 

ScottA

Well-Known Member
Feb 24, 2011
11,747
5,599
113
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
The Scriptures are so rich; and the final authority of believers with whom I would identify.
I think it was Burger King that had a commercial offering a choice of Hamburger A which was hot, juicy, and delicious, or Hamburger B which was cold, plain, and tasteless...and then they showed a strange fell who very animatedly shouted, "I'll take Hamburger B!"

Given the choice of which is greater, the Spirit which inspired the scriptures, or the scriptures themselves...you choose the "Scriptures" and give them a capital S. That's amazing...and sad!
 
  • Like
Reactions: amadeus

farouk

Well-Known Member
Jan 21, 2009
30,790
19,232
113
North America
I think it was Burger King that had a commercial offering a choice of Hamburger A which was hot, juicy, and delicious, or Hamburger B which was cold, plain, and tasteless...and then they showed a strange fell who very animatedly shouted, "I'll take Hamburger B!"

Given the choice of which is greater, the Spirit which inspired the scriptures, or the scriptures themselves...you choose the "Scriptures" and give them a capital S. That's amazing...and sad!
False analogy.

The all sufficiency of the Scriptures was proven centuries before 'the unacceptable face of capitalism' started to offer doubtful comparisons.