It is being said, that some have or want your - "opinion". < Don't give them your opinion. If you do not know the truth, ask, or be quiet.

IN Christ - Christ IN - M M

I have been pushed many times to give "opinion" or "thoughts", when Scripture was sufficient.



In His Love,
Suzanne

Very true Suzanne !

People who want your opinion, usually have their "own" opinion waiting in the wings, ready to jump with their opinions.

If the Word of God says it - "That settles it" ! And "that" is not an opinion !

Love IN Christ - Christ IN - M M

I agree if the Bible says it, that settles it. But in my spiritual growth, especially in understanding the Bible....everyones interpretation is different. So most people that post are they not giving there opinion of what they believe the scriptures are saying?

I also agree. But, MM if that is truly what you believe, "If the Word of God says it, that settles it" then why did you write.....

THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD IS SECONDARY TO A MAN OF GOD.

Your two statements don't gel....which is it? What man says or what the Holy, Divine Word of God says?

Some are and some are just looking into the Word, looking in their search for truth. Some can say, this is what is see, and some can say this is what I have found. A discussion can come about by all of us looking and searching through the information within the Word of God.

But if someone makes a claim, and that claim is not backed up with scripture, it then is just their own private interpretation, thus their opinion only .

Many people are still searching out truth. Nothing wrong with that at all.

We are to study to show ourselves approved of God , rightly dividing the word of truth. The Word of God does not contradict itself. It flows in such a manner, that all scripture builds upon itslef.

There are hidden things within the Word of God, but God will show a way in which those things can be revealed, without any private interpretation.

Love IN Christ - Christ IN - M M

As I said before, the written word of God is secondary to the spoken word. The reason being, is because God wanted his Word spoken by men of God. The written Word is that which establishes the spoken Word. You can not have one without the other.

Too many people "think" that they can have one without the other. They think, that all you need is the written Word, and the Holy Spirit to reveal it to them. This is contrary to the truth. The Word of God does not tell us that the Holy Spirit will reveal the written Word. The truth is, is that God sends men of God to "declare" the written Word. The spoken word takes precedent over the written Word.

How many preachers do you think, have gone out into the world and declared this or that without backing it up with scripture ? The answer would be - "many" !

Most ,not all, for God will look at their hearts, and not for me to judge. But most will teach you doctorines of men. Basically, their opinions !

You can see this on TV on a daily basis . I sit in front of my TV to listen to them. Not to learn from them, but to discern their evil deeds. I see such a wide range of thoughts from many differnt preachers. The reason being, is that they are not all of "one" mind, with oneness of thought. They might agree on many different aspect of what they call truth, but even within their own agreements, they find small faults about what they even agree upon.

Truth is based upon rightly dividing. Not opinions ! Or what one "might" think the truth is.

God tells us specifically in John 4:24 , that we are to whorship him in Spirit and in truth. Some do worship God in Spirit, but not in truth. Their hearts are what God is looking at. That is why we are not to judge people's hearts. But we "can" judge what they say or type on this forum. Either it can be defended or it can not. This is why we need to stop arguing, and start discussing. We need to stop debating and start looking at what is written, without closing our eyes to what someone else is sayiing without checking it against the written Word of God.

There are many people here which bring interesting insight into the discussions. I for one will listen to them and recognize their comments. Especially when I believe that they can say it better than I could have.

This is not the only forum I type on. It has been the most active one recently. But the other forums are starting to pick up now, with some interesting discussions.

When a person explains something, without making it a proclamation, I might not enter into it for a couple of reasons. One , might be that the conversation is too far fetched. Or, I will just observe to see how they discuss the topic at hand.

As soon as someone makes a proclamation, I am very interested in this topic. That is because someone is declaring to know the truth. If this is the truth, then this person should be able to defend it without any trouble whatsoever. Yet, for the most part, this does not happen. It is just an inflated opinion, and self righteousness and pride become the motivators.

We all have a responsibility to believe the truth, and nothing but the truth. This is our own individual responsibility. God is judging your hearts.

God Bless - Love IN Christ - Christ IN - M M

I agree!

Bless you, not that you agreed, but that I am sending a blessing.

Love IN Christ - M M

(quote, Mysteryman)
As soon as someone makes a proclamation, I am very interested in this topic. That is because someone is declaring to know the truth. If this is the truth, then this person should be able to defend it without any trouble whatsoever. Yet, for the most part, this does not happen. It is just an inflated opinion, and self righteousness and pride become the motivators.


Mysteryman :


Everyone is at a different level of study.

Each person is dispensed as the Holy Ghost leads, the Christian in our study.

A babe cannot eat meat, until they are no longer babes.




1 Corinthians 3:2-3,
Paul writes, "I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not ready
for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For
since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not
worldly?"





When I say, " I am interested in a topic " . . . I am performing what the New Testament told me
to do.


S
T
U
D
Y



2 Timothy 2:15

King James Bible
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.



And if they shall not find it . . . read below the excerpt that calls black black and white white.
No gray areas !

Amos 8:12

King James Bible
And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.





http://www.christian-forum.net/index.php?s...c=21020&hl=
Sign Up For The Plasma, Receive The Milk Teachings To Advance To Meat !, Parallel between plasma/milk/whey . . .


excerpt
http://www.skepticfiles.org/ignor/isue04k.htm

MILK AND MEAT IN 1 CORINTHIANS

. The Bible says more about milk and meat. In 1 Corinthians 3:2-3,
Paul writes, "I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not ready
for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For
since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not
worldly?"
. A meaty sermon, accordingly to the notion first outlined here,
might very likely accent differences between Christians. According to
this notion, Christians who eat solid food are those who are zealous
for doctrinal distinctiveness and wary of cooperating with other kinds
of Christians. According to the Bible, though, these Christians are
fooling themselves. They aren't ready for solid food; they need milk.
. The Greek word translated as jealousy in verse three points to a
partisan zeal at the expense of the larger Christian fellowship. This
kind of zeal is not a mark of Christian maturity, but of spiritual
childishness. We should all try to become sensitive to doctrinal
purity and to doctrinal error, but we must work our doctrinal
sensitivity into a full-grown, healthy Christian personality.
Otherwise we will wind up fighting with each other, suspecting each
other of evil purposes, and finding it hard even to talk to one
another.
. Try to remember 1 Corinthians 3 as you work out problems in your
spiritual growth and relationships with other Christians that are
different from you.

Written by: James l. Vanderlaan

Computers for Christ - Chicago

Let me see if I can clarify something here.

God sends Paul unto the Church - Correct ?

This is God sending a man of God - Correct ?

Then "why" do people keep saying "as the Holy Spirit leads us" ?

Yes, there are babes who drink the milk of the Word. But does the Holy Spirit feed them without a man of God ? No !

That is why there are apostles , prophets, teachers, evangilists, and Pastors. Babes need pastoring.

That is why God send Pastors .

Once you have grown to the meat of the Word, which means spiritual enlightenment of the truth. Does this mean that the Holy Spirit did this without a man of God ? Again, no ! The man of God "and" the Holy Spirit work as - "One". That is why there are "teachers", to help babes achieve leaving the milk and growing into the meat of the Word.

Now, if one claims, that they are eating the strong meat of the Word, then they are no longer one who "needs" a pastor, evangilist , prophet, apostle or teacher, because , they are one of the forementioned . "Only" those "called" of God eat the strong meat of the Word. They "only" need that the Holy Spirit be upon them. Or else they can not speak "for" God in any capacity.

There are many statements that have gone out into the world, that are false claims. So many people think, that because they have a pastor, that this man is "of God". Not true ! And you would be gullable to think this . We are told, that there are false teachers etc,etc.

Apostles and Prophets are the two most important. Teachers, and evangilists, and pastors, are "subject" unto them. You realize this by reading first and second Timothy. They all are helpers of you joy. Not your boss, but helpers.

But we "must" come to the realization that the "building" is built upon Apostles and Prophets, and Jesus Christ being the chief corner stone.

If we do not "recognize" this, we then fall away from the truth. The comforter is Christ in you. And I would encourage everyone to look at my thread called "The comforter". The "comforter" will confirm in you as to whom is a true man of God, because of what the comforter reminds you of. If a man of God is not reminding you of the very same things, then the comforter will show you that this so called man of God, is not of God. It take "two" to confirm. God confirmed the words and thoughts of Jesus Christ with Peter. Who do you say that I am. Peter's reply - "thou are the Son of the living God'. Jesus said, flesh and bone has not revealed this unto , but my Father in heaven. Jesus Christ told them who he was, and Christ's Father in heaven confirmed it unto Peter. Just Jesus Christ's words are not good enough ! His Father in heaven must confirm them. But remember, Peter is not just a Christian. He is an "Apostle" of Jesus Christ.

Love IN Christ - M M

Romans 10:14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" 16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?" 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.


In His Love,
Suzanne

Beautiful Suzanne, just beautiful !

Love IN Christ - M M

Thanks Mysteryman,


I find it so interesting how the Holy Spirit will automatically bring to mind a particular verse or verses in the WORD with regard to a particular issue. That is why we MUST remain in God's Word every day, so that the Holy Spirit CAN bring It to mind. The Word HAS TO BE the FOUNDATION of who we are as Christians.

In His Love,
Suzanne

Greetings,

You stated, "As I said before, the written word of God is secondary to the spoken word. The reason being, is because God wanted his Word spoken by men of God. The written Word is that which establishes the spoken Word. You can not have one without the other."

Firstly, the written word is simply the spoken word, they go hand in hand, one is not necessarily OVER the other.

The Bible states,

"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the WORD of God." Romans 10:17. It does not say, "faith comes by hearing the word of MAN. It is by hearing the WORD of God that we have any faith at all. Everytime I "read" the word of God, I'm HEARING the WORD. No man can give faith to another. Jesus is the WORD, we listen to HIS VOICE! Even when a preacher is speaking the word, it's God's word, not mans. It's God's voice speaking, not mans. Since when can MAN give anyone faith by speaking.

The written word was spoken BY man. Man is simply the instrument by which God uses. Without the "written word" how could you know what to speak? Anyone who speaks certainly should sound the written word. The cart before the horse? Absolutely not.

"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." Hearing God's word is actually "listening." If man delivers it to thee, then so be it, but if he delivers anything outside of His word, then hearing is in vain. It must be God's word that is spoken. .... On the other hand, I can read the word of God and be hearing His voice, it's what we call "listening." I do not actually have to HEAR a MAN speak, I can hear God's word by reading His word. Thus, hearing and listening are one and the same. When we read His word, may we be hearing His voice.

So faith in the living word of God brings Christ into the heart. He is the life of the word.

blessings in Christ,
Jake

Dear Jake,

I don't think you'll find much argument from me. Again, the verse I posted above, clarifies it sufficiently.




In His Love,
Suzanne

Hi Jake

No, you do not "hear" the Word when you read it. You might think you do, but you don't. The spoken Word came always first, then it was written. Which shows it signifigance. Even when Jesus read from the scrolls, and then closed the book, he said, thus is this prophecy fulfilled in your ears. He read, but because he "spoke" -- "thus is this prophecy fulfilled in your ears" is what makes it valid.

Love IN Christ - M M

"As I said before, the written word of God is secondary to the spoken word.

That just means instead of reading the word for ourself and asking for guidance from the spirit,,,,we got to wait until some sinful fleah man speaks it becasue a man that sins and is a filthy rag is over Our God and the written word.....

What makes this even worse is that God is the word,,,,,so actually MM is saying the spoken word is above God...

Luke 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

You should really watch what you say MM,,,gonna get yourself in trouble with the Father,,,im sure He would be glad to show you who/what comes first......

Look up the word "spoken"

Read Matthew 1:22 & 23

Read
Psalms 33:9 - "For he spake , and it was done ; he commanded, and it stood fast"
Psalms 105:31
Jeremiah 38:20 - "But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee , the voice of the Lord, which I speak unto thee : so it shall be well unto thee, and they soul shall live"

It was not written, it was spoken first.

Genesis chapter one - God called -- God said --

IN Christ - M M

First, let me get it out of my system before I explode! YOU ARE SO WRONG!!!!

Let me clarify since that was a question of where Paul was sent.

Paul was a willing witness to the stoning of whom?

And whom did he persecute?

So, Paul could have nothing to do with the church of God proper.

So, any convert into the Kingdom who even witnesses the breaking of God's Kingdom laws is the least in the Kingdom; do you remember that in any of your homework?

Well, it does say if you are already a member and you teach something that is wrong you become the least. Or is that not what you read?

Hmmm.

By the way, read Galations.

NO thanks,,,,,,YOu seem to understand the word is perfect,,,but the things that come out the mouths of men is not.....

Does this mean, that you are not going to post here at this forum again ??

IC - CI - MM

You are so very wrong. No man on the face of this earth....none, comes before the written Word of God.

Mark 13:5 And Jesus answering them began to say, "TAKE HEED LEST ANY MAN DECEIVE YOU:

13:23 BUT TAKE YE HEED: BEHOLD, I HAVE FORETOLD YOU ALL THINGS.

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
Jesus is the truth.
Another word for truth is reality! Jesus is our reality.
As we begin to start to do the Word; we are lining ourselves up with it and we are becoming the Word! Christ in us the Hope of Glory.

In Jesus's own good timing,

whoever is making known truth that Jesus wants made known

will be CONFIRMED by Jesus, Whether it is you, me or Joe Blow
__________________________________________________________________----

[whoever is distributing falsehood - false "opinion," whether you, me or Suzy Q

will "see the light, repent, call on Jesus" OR have a long, long time to regret it]

Yes precisely.
This shows why it is essential that we consult the church for the authorised interpretation of the scriptures.
The day that Luther and the reformers departed from the church and implemented their own interpretations of scripture was the day that the church descended into chaos to the extent that today instead of having one church we now have a thousand different churches.
And what do they all have in common? They all believe in the Scriptures. They all believe that they have the truth. The situation is so bad today that many Christians (so-called) do not even go to church. They have their own personal church "The church of Joe Citizen". They write on the forums pontificating what the "Truth of the Scriptures" are. Everybody else with a differing belief is a ravening wolf. They fellowship with those who have a similar belief to them, and then they find a point of disagreement and so they split in schism. Suddenly their former friend becomes a ravening wolf who has departed from the truth, rejected scripture, deceived by false spirits. Whereas they themselves are taught directly by the Holy Spirit and given special revelation.

An example on this forum is the clown on the other thread who reckons that the trees mentioned in the creation story were actually people. He believes this with utter assurance and confidence. He believes that the Holy Spirit revealed it to him and that if everyone just prayed to the spirit and asked for enlightenment and revelation that they will be able to see the truth of the scriptures as he does.
You would not believe it but people follow madmen and clowns and start up churches following them

One example of a church started by a crazed madman and lunatic is the Protestant church started by Martin Luther. Luther was clearly deranged, as mad as a meat axe. And yet half the world followed him off into another religion. They were even prepared to spurn the Books of James and Hebrews at the same time as they lauded scripture as the only rule of faith and truth. Not that they all followed Luther. Most of them broke off from him as well after about 5 minutes with their own version of scripture interpretation.

For those of you that don't believe that Martin Luther was as mad as a meat axe, here are some of the things he believed: Here are some quotes.
Sin cannot tear you away from him [Christ], even though you commit adultery a hundred times a day and commit as many murders.

A large number of deaf, crippled and blind people are afflicted solely through the malice of the demon.

As for the demented, I hold it certain that all beings deprived of reason are thus afflicted only by the Devil.

As to the common people, ... one has to be hard with them and see that they do their work and that under the threat of the sword and the law they comply with the observance of piety, just as you chain up wild beasts.

At Poltersberg, there is a cursed lake. If you throw a stone into it, a dreadful storm immediately arises, and the whole neighboring district quakes to its centre. 'Tis the devils kept prisoner there.

At Sussen, the Devil carried off, last Good Friday, three grooms who had devoted themselves to him.

Demons live in many lands, but particularly in Prussia.

I feel much freer now that I am certain the pope is the Antichrist.

I maintain that some Jew wrote it [the Book of James] who probably heard about Christian people but never encountered any.

I myself saw and touched at Dessay, a child of this sort, which had no human parents, but had proceeded from the Devil. He was twelve years old, and, in outward form, exactly resembled ordinary children.

I should have no compassion on these witches; I should burn them all.

Idiots, the lame, the blind, the dumb, are men in whom the devils have established themselves: and all the physicians who heal these infirmities, as though they proceeded from natural causes, are ignorant blockheads....

In many countries there are particular places to which devils more especially resort. In Prussia there is an infinite number of evil spirits.

Many demons are in woods, in waters, in wildernesses, and in dark poolly places ready to hurt...people.

Many sweat to reconcile St Paul and St James, but in vain. 'Faith justifies' and 'faith does not justify' contradict each other flatly. If any one can harmonize them I will give him my doctor's hood and let him call me a fool.

Our bodies are always exposed to Satan. The maladies I suffer are not natural, but Devil's spells.

Reason is the greatest enemy that faith has: it never comes to the aid of spritual things, but--more frequently than not --struggles against the Divine Word....

Reason must be deluded, blinded, and destroyed. Faith must trample underfoot all reason, sense, and understanding, and whatever it sees must be put out of sight and ... know nothing but the word of God.

Snakes and monkeys are subjected to the demon more than other animals. Satan lives in them and possesses them. He uses them to deceive men and to injure them.

Some [demons] are also in the thick black clouds, which cause hail, lightning and thunder, and poison the air, the pastures and grounds.

The best way to get rid of the Devil, if you cannot kill it with the words of Holy Scripture, is to rail at and mock him. Music, too, is very good; music is hateful to him, and drives him far away.

The damned whore Reason....

The Devil can so completely assume the human form, when he wants to deceive us, that we may well lie with what seems to be a woman, of real flesh and blood, and yet all the while 'tis only the Devil in the shape of a woman. 'Tis the same with women, who may think that a man is in bed with them, yet 'tis only the Devil; and...the result of this connection is oftentimes an imp of darkness, half mortal, half devil....

The Devil, too, sometimes steals human children; it is not infrequent for him to carry away infants within the first six weeks after birth, and to substitute in their place imps....

The fact that [the biblical book] Hebrews is not an epistle of St Paul, or of any other apostle, is proved by what it says in chapter two....

The winds are nothing else but good or bad spirits. Hark! how the Devil is puffing and blowing....

There is no rustic so rude but that, if he dreams or fancies anything, it must be the whisper of the Holy Ghost, and he himself a prophet.

This fool [Copernicus] wishes to reverse the entire science of astronomy; but sacred scripture tells us that Joshua commanded the sun to stand still, and not the earth.

To be a Christian, you must pluck out the eye of reason.

We are at fault for not slaying them [the Jews].

We need not invite the Devil to our table; he is too ready to come without being asked. The air all about us is filled with demons....

We should throw the Epistle of James out of this school [the University of Wittenberg]....

What shall we do with...the Jews?...I advise that all their prayer books and Talmudic writings...are to be taken from them.

What shall we do with...the Jews?...I advise that safe-conduct on the highways be abolished completely for the Jews.

What shall we do with...the Jews? I advise that their rabbis be forbidden to teach on pain of loss of life and limb.

What shall we do with...the Jews?...set fire to their synagogues or schools and bury and cover with dirt whatever will not burn, so that no man will ever again see a stone or cinder of them.

What shall we do with...the Jews?...their homes also should be razed and destroyed.

There is one quote of Luthers which I do agree with though.
There is no rustic so rude but that, if he dreams or fancies anything, it must be the whisper of the Holy Ghost, and he himself a prophet
himself included I would say

I'll add to the thought of.....The Written Word is Secondary to a Man of God. ~ MM.



John 14:26 But the Comforter, Which is the Holy Ghost, Whom the Father will send in My name, He shall TEACH YOU ALL THINGS, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Your a surface reader. Go read my thread on the Comforter. Or maybe I should post it here. I'll think about it, since it has now come up

IC - CI - M M

Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Apparently he believes he is the Holy Spirit.

The Word of God does not contradict itself !

If the Word is telling us, that we need no man to teach us, and the the comforter will teach us, thus we don't need a man of God to teach us.

Then "why" in Ephesians, does Jesus Christ send "teachers" unto the church ?

All you need people is just a little itty bitty amount of logic to figure this one out !

Private interpretation will get you every time !!

Love IN Christ - Christ IN - M M

Mar 13:32

Why can't anyone know the day or the hour?

The Word is usually received when one "hears" It by the preaching of one who is sent. (See above) Then if one receives the implanted Word, he is urged by the Holy Spirit, to seek more. Then if one partakes of the Word continually it is brought to mind by the Holy Spirit in circumstances, to guide us and teach us, such as mentioned before. (see below)







emphasis mine in researcher's quote below...it just reinforces what was said above.











I agree MM, and thus emphasize again the verses from Romans 10 above! These should answer the question.


God bless you. You have been an encouragement.


In His Love,
Suzanne

Hear, hear.
It is the height of arrogance to think we can just figure it out on our own.
Imagine if we gave a medical text book to a group of men from all walks of life and said. Just read this and you will be able to figure out how to practice medicine? It would be chaos.
So what is more important? Our bodies or our eternal souls.
Christianity like any discipline has a text book, the Bible, it has teachers and doctors. It has a hierarchy just like a hospital does. All of these things are for our healing and care of our eternal souls.
Jesus came to heal the sick and the blind and to bring sinners to righteousness.

Those who do not realise that they are spiritually sick and spiritually blind and think that they are already righteous do not bother to go to church, they think they can heal themselves with their own home remedies. A true Christian understands that he can't do it himself he humbles himself and goes and submits himself to the church, the body of Christ and to her universal teachings.

Like the men in Acts who were pricked in their hearts and said "Men and brethren, What shall we do?"
And what was the answer? Go and read you Bibles? No the answer was Repent and be baptised. And what is baptism? It is the mother church giving birth to a new child of God. In travail the new child is brought forth and is fed by the mother the milk of the world. The mother then nurtures the new born Christian and weans him onto the meat of the word, bringing him into the full maturity of the Word of God so that he may then teach others.

But the reprobate say. "I have no need of a mother. I need no baptism. I need no church. I need no teaching. I will feed myself. I will take the food I want from strange mothers. A little morsel here and a little munch there. I will gorge upon what I want to gorge upon and I will spew out what I want to spew out."

Is it any wonder Jesus said to receive the Kingdom of God as a little child instead of as a rebellious teenager. Let us not be wise in our own eyes but rather let us be baptised into the one body of the one church and receive the teaching of the gospel of peace as little children.

Guess no one knows.

I have followed man's teaching and believed it for so long, I have been decieved my man's doctrine...two years ago after reading, praying for the Holy Spirit to be my teacher...well, He has not failed me. I sometimes fall back on what I was taught and since my prayer, the Holy Spirit is still there showing my error.

I trust the Holy Spirit as my teacher! The Spirit and the Word agree! He will reveal the truth to you. He speaks to our hearts and confirms what the written word says. Sometimes he will reveal something to me, a spoken word (not audioble) but in my heart. Then He always brings me to the word to confirm it. I am learning to trust the Holy Spirit....He will also bring teachers into my life that expound deep things. We have to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit speaking to us!

cuz the boss said so

AAAAAAAmen! That's the way it is!

If that's the answer I am fully prepared to accept it. lol.

I suppose if it is the answer then, God may do things for no specific reason other than He said so.

Jesus has and will annoint/ordain and send human teachers.

[My guess is they are vastly outnumbered by teachers working for the oppositon]

These ordained BY JESUS and annointed BY JESUS will be despised by false teachers.

[tell me again which branch of organized religion is the "true" branch]

Teachers sent by Jesus will teach truth.

But unless the Holy Spirit cause/enable [teach one] one to recieve/accept,

one will not be able to recieve/believe what Jesus's human teacher teaches.

The Holy Spirit must teach one to believe/accept what a Holy Spirit led human teacher teaches.
The Holy Spirit must teach one to believe/accept what the written word teaches/"really means."

Without the Holy Spirit, truth goes in one ear and out the other.
Or just makes the natural minded angry, frustrated.

Paradox: A Jesus sent teacher will not demand to be known as a "teacher."

"But none of you should be called a teacher.
You have only one teacher, and all of you are like brothers and sisters." Matt 23:8 CEV

Perfect.

They are outnumbered. Or are they?

2 Kings 6
16 So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."
17 And Elisha prayed, and said, "Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.


Deuteronomy 32
28 "For they are a nation void of counsel, Nor is there any understanding in them.
29 Oh, that they were wise, that they understood this, That they would consider their latter end!
30 How could one chase a thousand, And two put ten thousand to running away, Unless their Rock had sold them, And the Lord had surrendered them?









.

What a den of thieves we have here.
Here is how it works.
1. Church teaches and Christian believes the doctrines of God.
2. Church teaches and Christian disagrees
3. Christian gets the hump and leaves church rejecting the doctrines of Man.
4. Christian reads the Bible and whatever he thinks as a result is the doctrine of God.

So what is the difference between Christian at point 1. and Christian at point 4.?

Christian at 1. is a sweet trusting little babe.


Christian at 4. is a rebel justifying his seared conscience with bible readings


If you don't go back to church then you've gone back to Egypt.

A slight caveat must be applied to my previous post.
Some baby Christians by sad happenstance find themselves in cults and extremely liberal protestant churches. I do not consider these churches, certainly not in the proper sense of the word. When I say church I mean the one holy apostolic universal church which I wrote about in my first post in this thread. If you are not in the one holy apostolic universal church then it is quite likely that you are being taught a man-made doctrine to the extent in which it differs from the doctrines of the one holy apostolic universal church.
If you find yourself in a church of the questionable kind you need to get out.
But I am not advocating getting out of the church altogether. You must go immediately to another church. Nor am I advocating church hopping. I am urging Christians to go to church. Go to the most orthodox church that you can which is as close to the doctrines of the one holy apostolic church as possible. Hopefully by the time you get to my age you will have worked your way back into full communion with the one holy apostolic universal church.

The Catholic church just called. They need you back. Something about a lawsuit and child molesters or something.

Boy MysteryMan,

You've opened a whole can o worms now!

Even I could add to the current day church issue, but I don't think that's the conversation you intended.




In His Love,
Suzanne

As I read these replies, I see two things. The first thing I see, is private interpretation. The second thing I see, is someone giving of their own doctorine.

Some of you have come very close to the truth, and I mean very close. While others agree or disagree based upon something that they were told to believe.

Consistency throughout the Word of God is of the utmost importance when studying the Word of God. God is a God that changes not.

If he sent Prophets in the OT, guess what ? A God that changes not, sends Prophets in the NT. They "speak" for God.

The only difference is, is that the Prophets in the OT were sent unto Israel, and then also sent like unto Pharoah with a message from God that if you do not let my people go , etc, etc. The Prophets of the new covenant, is not setn unto the world , or unto Israel. They are sent unto the Church. Prophets still perform in the same way. It is that their message from God is unto the Church now, and not unto the world nor unto Israel. The Jews crucified the Prophet - Jesus Christ, because they would not "listen" to him.

Those that did, became followers, or disciples.

Some of these disciples, became prophets and apostles.

Some also became teachers and pastors, etc.

You will -- "always" -- need a teacher or preacher -- "always" !!

Then "after" you receive the engrafted Word of God, then your heart will receive a conformation that this is the truth. That "conformation" comes from the Holy Spirit, but is "not" the Holy Spirit. Comes from ! The comforter, is the "Christ IN You" ! It comes in Christ's name, which is - Christ ! < Simple !

Those who do not have Christ IN them will "not" receive conformation - plain and simple !

The rest "need" to follow by the example set forth by true Christians. By their word and deeds. When the Word says - "comfort" one another with these words. The "words" should be "comforting". They might not be what you wanted to hear, but none the less, the words are comforting , because of the comfort of the truth.

Some of you here are followers, and some of you here are literal Christians. While others are not of either one of the two folds. But tares they are.

No literal Christian should exhault him or herself above a follower. In all ways we are equal, from a spiritual point of view. We get resurrected at different times, but none the less, the rewards will follow the same judgment in balance.

Eternal life, is eternal life.

Eternal death , is eternal death.

Just read without any private interpretation II Timothy 3:16 & 17

Love IN Christ -- Christ IN -- M M

I guess no one knows.

Well said John!

Yes, I guess I did , didn't I ?

Of course there was a purpose for my madness. It brings out how people view what they claim they believe, and where they say they get their info from, source etc.

You might say, that is why I started this thread, was to seperate the sheep from the goats.

But not exactly !

It also shows the babes from the those who eat the meat of the Word. Or at least the babes who are starting to nibble on the meat of the Word. Just like a baby, it does not go from milk to meat immediately. It still is a gradual process.

Growth, is based upon knowledge and understanding (wisdom). If one does not start to nibble on the meat of the Word of God, then it shows that maybe it is not mature enough to handle it at this time.

But one still has to put a little piece of meat in front of the baby to see if the baby will take it , correct ?

I also believe that this thread, can be helpful us to see the devourer. Just look for the "strong" resistance !

Love IN Christ - M M