God isn't fooled-- even by "Christians" (Gomorrah, Sodom, testimony)
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Hi everyone.
As I have mentioned elsewhere, God's word is not the Bible. God's word is His very Voice speaking to our hearts. People are converted when God speaks to their hearts, not when man talks. Man cannot save another man. Man is saved when God speaks to his heart.
When we hear Him speaking to us (including when reading the scriptures), then we are confident that we are walking with Him as we should. The scripture is only a testimony of what others have experienced of God; but they are not our own experiences, because God is alive, and cannot be known by reading a book. He must be known personally. Paul's writings and experiences are his, not ours. He can only testify of his own experience.
Quoting scripture does not mean that we know Him personally, just as if we quote Einstein's writings on relativity, does it mean that we knew Einstein; and neither does it mean that we understand physics!
The same is true for names.
Do you think that just because someone talks about Jesus, that he is a Christian?? If I quote Marx, does that make me a communist? Does that mean that I know Marx personally?
There are many today who are preaching "the name of Jesus," but inward are ravening wolves, ready for war. Common sense will show us this. This is called "being able to discern spirits," and it is very important that we learn to do so.
In fact, some "unbelievers" are better discerners than many "believers!"
Just because someone says they are a Christian, does NOT mean that they are.
God doesn't look at the names you use and quote, but whether your heart is right with Him or not. Not all Jews are Jews, and not all Christians are Christians.
May we be wise to discern, and to be alert always. Many come in "His name," but do not bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, which are love, peace, patience, kindness, joy, faith, gentleness, etc.
Those who bring forth such good fruits are "Christians," no matter what "names" they use or quote.
Hi everyone.
As I have mentioned elsewhere, God's word is not the Bible.
You really lost me at the first sentence. While I would partially agree with the rest of your post as thought provoking,yet,,by claiming the Word of God we have in scriptures is NOT His Word is well, blasphemous. The scriptures have been quoted REPEATEDLY by everyone INCLUDING Jesus Christ our beloved King and Savior.
So, I would argue that although we seek His Voice, in the heart, IF the heart is right with Him,,then the scriptures should also confirm what the voice is telling us.
If not, then all sorts of creeping things come into play. After all, the heart of man is wicked. So if you are just listening to your heart, and it isn't right with the Father,,,then without confirmation through the Word,,the devil can have his way with you and all sorts of doctrines become reality in the minds of men. Don't we have enough of this already???
Jesus went through this in the wilderness with the devil. He went through this with the Pharisees. His heart was right with the Father, and the scriptures confirmed and testified of this.
You really lost me at the first sentence. While I would partially agree with the rest of your post as thought provoking,yet,,by claiming the Word of God we have in scriptures is NOT His Word is well, blasphemous. The scriptures have been quoted REPEATEDLY by everyone INCLUDING Jesus Christ our beloved King and Savior.
So, I would argue that although we seek His Voice, in the heart, IF the heart is right with Him,,then the scriptures should also confirm what the voice is telling us.
If not, then all sorts of creeping things come into play. After all, the heart of man is wicked. So if you are just listening to your heart, and it isn't right with the Father,,,then without confirmation through the Word,,the devil can have his way with you and all sorts of doctrines become reality in the minds of men. Don't we have enough of this already???
Jesus went through this in the wilderness with the devil. He went through this with the Pharisees. His heart was right with the Father, and the scriptures confirmed and testified of this.
Hi HotinAZ,
we do indeed have a lot of different doctrines floating around already, and this is precisely because people take the Bible as the word, and interpret it in various ways.
Don't you think that if God speaks to your heart, the same message will be spoken in the heart of someone else? There is where you will have confirmation. Unity of the Spirit is possible, if we believe. But many don't believe, and so God's Voice is not heard.
The scriptures are the testimony of what others heard; but just reading it doesn't do anything for a person. The actual words coming from God Himself is what converts the person, not simply because it was written thousands of years ago.
There is the Voice, and there is the writing of the Voice. We need to hear the first one, because it "energizes" us and lifts our souls in joy and comfort. The second one is what people think is sufficient, and leads us only into more confusion. Imo, of course...
Hi everyone.
As I have mentioned elsewhere, God's word is not the Bible. God's word is His very Voice speaking to our hearts. People are converted when God speaks to their hearts, not when man talks. Man cannot save another man. Man is saved when God speaks to his heart.
When we hear Him speaking to us (including when reading the scriptures), then we are confident that we are walking with Him as we should. The scripture is only a testimony of what others have experienced of God; but they are not our own experiences, because God is alive, and cannot be known by reading a book. He must be known personally. Paul's writings and experiences are his, not ours. He can only testify of his own experience.
Quoting scripture does not mean that we know Him personally, just as if we quote Einstein's writings on relativity, does it mean that we knew Einstein; and neither does it mean that we understand physics!
The same is true for names.
Do you think that just because someone talks about Jesus, that he is a Christian?? If I quote Marx, does that make me a communist? Does that mean that I know Marx personally?
There are many today who are preaching "the name of Jesus," but inward are ravening wolves, ready for war. Common sense will show us this. This is called "being able to discern spirits," and it is very important that we learn to do so.
In fact, some "unbelievers" are better discerners than many "believers!"
Just because someone says they are a Christian, does NOT mean that they are.
God doesn't look at the names you use and quote, but whether your heart is right with Him or not. Not all Jews are Jews, and not all Christians are Christians.
May we be wise to discern, and to be alert always. Many come in "His name," but do not bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, which are love, peace, patience, kindness, joy, faith, gentleness, etc.
Those who bring forth such good fruits are "Christians," no matter what "names" they use or quote.
Blessings to all,
brian
Is this yet another thread trying to minimize the scriptures usefulness towards salvation?
I understand what you are saying Brian but cant really agree 100%. The Bible is Gods experiences thru man not mens expeiences, they are God breathed, and Holy Spirit filled. These men submited completely to God so much so as to reveal their own short comings. They humbled themselves just as Jesus did. Remeber Jesus was a man and He was God as well, if Jesus had sinned just once He would not have been God.
I ask this alot, read the red lettered portions of the Bible, no context or content and see the charater of Christ it will blow your mind and destroy many manmade doctrines.
Yep, the OP is so right, God speaks ONLY to the heart and not through His word......
A true testimony and a good example in how God speaks directly to the heart......
Not long ago a young mother with her young children with her was driving along on a busy road approaching a stop light, in her direction in traveling the light was red for her to stop, yet she continued to drive right through it causing an awful collision with many involved, killing one, hurting many !
Latter as they investigated and found that her car was in perfect running condition, brakes and so forth were working properly..... asked her why she ran the red light, her response was, "God told her to do it"..... hmmmm, yes interesting just listen to that voice in your heart because it's God guiding you.....
And another good example of God speaking directly to the heart are those in whom strap bombs on them selves or load their vehicles up with bombs and walk or drive into a heavy populated areas and let the bombs go off.... hurting and killing many because God has told them to be a human sacrifices for Him......
I am sorry but this OP is so far from being God sent just like those situations above were !!
The message is very dangerous one. Especially when an individual continues to tell people that the word of God is not true..... and to listen to God speak to you heart only and that He will not use His word to speak to you but speaks directly to the heart and to listen to that voice instead.....!!
Yep, the OP is right not everyone in whom claims to be a Christian is a Christian..... or speaks for God.... the concept that is written in the OP proves that !!! And one doesn't have to be a rocket scientist to discern that..... !!!
You really lost me at the first sentence. While I would partially agree with the rest of your post as thought provoking,yet,,by claiming the Word of God we have in scriptures is NOT His Word is well, blasphemous. The scriptures have been quoted REPEATEDLY by everyone INCLUDING Jesus Christ our beloved King and Savior.
The Bible has been under attack for some time now at this forum.
Yep, the OP is so right, God speaks ONLY to the heart and not through His word......
A true testimony and a good example in how God speaks directly to the heart......
Not long ago a young mother with her young children with her was driving along on a busy road approaching a stop light, in her direction in traveling the light was red for her to stop, yet she continued to drive right through it causing an awful collision with many involved, killing one, hurting many !
Latter as they investigated and found that her car was in perfect running condition, brakes and so forth were working properly..... asked her why she ran the red light, her response was, "God told her to do it"..... hmmmm, yes interesting just listen to that voice in your heart because it's God guiding you.....
And another good example of God speaking directly to the heart are those in whom strap bombs on them selves or load their vehicles up with bombs and walk or drive into a heavy populated areas and let the bombs go off.... hurting and killing many because God has told them to be a human sacrifices for Him......
I am sorry but this OP is so far from being God sent just like those situations above were !!
The message is very dangerous one. Especially when an individual continues to tell people that the word of God is not true..... and to listen to God speak to you heart only and that He will not use His word to speak to you but speaks directly to the heart and to listen to that voice instead.....!!
Yep, the OP is right not everyone in whom claims to be a Christian is a Christian..... or speaks for God.... the concept that is written in the OP proves that !!! And one doesn't have to be a rocket scientist to discern that..... !!!
The Bible has been under attack for some time now at this forum.
I disagree. What is under attack is man's pre-conceived ideas of it.
While it is viewed as a history book of another, it will never be anything but that. When you see yourself all through its pages, it is doing what it sent out for.It is not a book of belief's either,that we can prove each other who is right or wrong.
All the characters in it are us,all the good,bad and ugly is us(including Sodom and Gomorrah and the lake of fire),there is nothing in it that is not us. The history we are reading in it is the history of our salvation.We do not avoid any of it.
I disagree. What is under attack is man's pre-conceived ideas of it.
It is under attack. When people downplay the Bible by calling is "just a book", and "not the word of God" and "full of contradictions and inaccuracies" etc, they are attacking it, and these attacks have been going on here for some time now.
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