Charismatic Bible Studies - 2 Peter 1:1-4, Part 2

[Hidden In Him]

Escaping Eternal Corruption, By Attaining Unto Glory And Virtue, Part 2



As mentioned in Part 1, the Vestal Virgins were the epitome of virtue amongst the Greeks and Romans. Their purity and chastity was of such importance to the State that they could be buried alive if they were to forsake their vows, which they were called to maintain until the age of 30. But amongst Christians, Christ Jesus walked in a virtue even the Vestals could not touch, for He was the only begotten Son of God, and clothed in heavenly glory and virtue from God the Father on High.

Unfortunately, Gnostic heretics were now infiltrating the churches and instead painting Him to be a perverse sinner who practiced witchcraft and performed sexual rites in private. Peter, therefore, made a crucial point in the opening verses of this letter: The Christ one recognized is the Christ he would emulate, so he now laid stress upon the importance of recognizing Jesus for who He truly was, the Messiah of the Jews, and clothed in the Divine power and glory, who promising eternal life to all who believed in Him and (like Him) departed from the lusts of this world.

1 Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those having obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you in the recognition of God and Christ our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the recognition of Him having called us unto His own glory and virtue, 4 through which He has given unto us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:1-4)

The disciples witnessed firsthand the moral virtue Christ Jesus walked in. In one place He taught not to even look upon another man's wife to lust after her or you were committing adultery with her in your heart already, and if He had not lived this His disciples would have rejected Him as a hypocrite. He also went so far as to teach that if your eye caused you to sin through lust to pluck your eye out, for it would be better to enter Heaven with one eye than with both to go to Hell for falling into sexual immorality. The closest he ever got to a woman appears to be when Mary poured out an alabaster box of expensive ointment upon Him six days before the crucifixion, which He allowed because it was preparing His body for burial, and He promised that she would be remembered in eternity for it. (John 12:1-7, Mark 14:3-9)

The Gnostics, however, turned Christ's holiness on its head, and depicted Mary as instead "anointing" Him for a sexual ritual the two performed later in private. This was a demonic interpretation, of course, and typical for how the Gnostics perverted the truth.

Spikenard, the ruinously expensive perfume that she used to Christ-en Jesus, was used extensively in the sacred marriages and other sexual rites of other Oriental systems... In the traditional form of sacred marriage, the hieros gamos, the priestess/ queen/ goddess also anoints the priest/ king/ god on the genitals as a preparation for ritual horasis (i.e. whole body orgasm). Behind the male disciples' concern for the wasted money and the plight of the poor, was there another reason for their distaste at this ritual? Clearly the anointing of Jesus' feet - the singling out of the sacrificial king - took place in front of them, but the climax of the ceremony might have been a matter for closed doors (and a great deal of muttered conjecture). (Lynn Picknett, The Secret History Of Lucifer, P.75-76).

This is not a new "Jesus" but an old one presented during New Testament times, as it was the type of "Jesus" the Gnostics were teaching. And they were following in "his" footsteps, by entering congregations and seeking to lure Christian wives away from their husbands and into adultery. It's what Peter was referring to when he said, "These are spots and blemishes, reveling in their own deceits while feasting together among you, 14 having eyes full of an adulteress and incessant sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained upon sexual covetousness." (2 Peter 2:13-14). But it was little more than a wicked myth given to them by demons, for Peter himself witnessed Christ's glory and virtue firsthand. The true Jesus was the glorious Son of God, whom Peter himself saw transfigured on the mountain and "shining like the sun":

16 For we did not follow cunningly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. (2 Peter 1:16-18)

The apostle John also saw the glory of the Lord when he was receiving the Book of Revelation, and said much the same thing:

12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw... One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. (Revelation 1:12-16)

This then, is the One the apostle Peter was urging his readers to emulate, and as he also stated, they would not be alone in attempting to. God's Divine power was now being granted to them so they would be empowered to do so.


Walking In the Spirit

The apostle Paul also taught that we were to "put on Christ," and in so doing were being changed “from glory to glory,” telling the Corinthians in one place that, "Beholding the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, we are all with unveiled face being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:18). But how did this transformation take place in real terms? By engaging in the Spirit-filled life, or in other words, increasingly living a life where their actions and words were Spirit-led and Spirit-breathed.

Operating In The Gifts comes immediately to mind. The supernatural gifts are clearly not our own but Christ operating in and through us. They are poured out upon us as the Spirit wills, and given to manifest the glory of Christ within us.

8 To one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 Yet one and the same Spirit manifests all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. For even as the body is one but has many members... so also is Christ (1 Corinthians 12:8-12).

Praise And Worship is another. The word very clearly states that God inhabits the praises of His people, and that the His presence descends upon congregations when they engage in it. Psalm 23 states, "For You are Holy, Oh You who inhabit the praises of Israel." Anyone who has been caught up in Spirit-filled praise and worship knows this to be true.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Praying In The Spirit is yet another. This might be seen as simply another one of the gifts, but it falls more under the category of prayer in my opinion, yet it is not us praying but the Holy Spirit praying and giving thanks through us unto God, for as the scriptures teach:

26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And He who searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27)

15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray in the Spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also. I will sing in the Spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. 16 Otherwise, if you bless in the Spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? (1 Corinthians 14:15-16)

It should also be noted here that Jude was writing about the exact same issue Peter was in our letter, and his primary remedy against the temptations the Gnostics were presenting was to continue building themselves up in the faith by praying in the Spirit, which facilitated all the other gifts in operation as well.

20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up upon your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. (Jude 1:19-21)

Receiving Revelation was another. It is the Holy Spirit who knows all truth and reveals all mysteries. He is the One who opens our minds to receive revelation regarding prophecies, visions, dreams, tongues & interpretation, and the written word of God, both Old and New Testament.

Whenever you may come together, each has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification... And let the prophets speak, two or three, and let the others discern. But if anything should be revealed to another sitting by, let the first be silent. (1 Corinthians 14:26-30)

The following passage speaks specifically of operating in supernatural gifts again, but the reception of revelation can and does also happen during personal study. It is when the Holy Spirit reveals to us the true meaning of scripture that we understand it accurately.

Spirit-Breathed Ministry is yet another. Ministry and witness is never supposed to be us operating in the flesh. It is supposed to be us seeking the Holy Spirit for what to say and when and how to say it. This principle is summed up in what Christ told the disciples regarding standing before interrogators. The Spirit Himself would teach them in that hour what they were to say when they underwent questioning.

11 "Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. 12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." (Luke 12:11-12)

Having the glory of Christ manifest through us enables us to more easily walk in our Lord's virtue as well, for they are Spirit-filled activities which grant us a new way of living. As the scriptures teach, "In Him we live and move and have our being," and this empowers us to depart from the old life of pursuing the things of the flesh to walk in the Spirit instead.


Escaping Eternal Corruption

But what happens to those who do not turn to Christ? Or like the Gnostics, they name the name of "Christ" yet continue to practice gross sins and evils as if the true Lord Jesus Christ has no problem with it? Peter was clear. Through His Divine power we were to escape the corruption that was in the world through lust. But what kind of corruption? If he was comparing this to partaking of the Divine nature, the obvious conclusion is he was making reference to eternal corruption in Hell as the alternative. Everyone dies, even the saints, so no one escapes death by coming to Christ. But "those who sow to the flesh will of the flesh reap corruption," meaning that eternal corruption awaits those who do not chose eternal Life. The word states over and over again that their worm will not die, and they will exist forever in a state of eternal corruption in Hell. This was the teaching of the early church and continued to be until roughly a hundred and fifty years ago, when the enemy began to attack it full force in an effort to erode the fear of God, and what happens to those who sell themselves to the Devil instead.

To those who have done well, everlasting enjoyment shall be given; while to the lovers of evil shall be given eternal punishment. The unquenchable and unending fire awaits these latter, and a certain fiery worm which does not die and which does not waste the body but continually bursts forth from the body with unceasing pain. No sleep will give them rest; no night will soothe them; no death will deliver them from punishment; no appeal of interceding friends will profit them (Hippolytus of Rome “Against the Greeks” 3)

An ever-burning Gehenna and the punishment of being devoured by living flames will consume the condemned; nor will there be any way in which the tormented can ever have respite or be at an end. Souls along with their bodies will be preserved for suffering in unlimited agonies… The grief at punishment will then be without the fruit of repentance; weeping will be useless, and prayer ineffectual. Too late will they believe in eternal punishment who would not believe in eternal life (Cyprian of Carthage, “To Demetrian” 24)

This continues to be the witness of Christ, and what the Spirit is saying to the churches. The number of accounts of those who have personally witnessed (and in some instances experienced) the torments of Hell are too numerous to provide here, but I will simply cite a passage from one of the stronger visions given to the modern church. It again repeats the same things Christ taught, and the prophets before him during Old Testament times; that Hell is an awful place filled with burning flames, worms which never die, awful smells, and perpetual bodily decay and suffering.

The skeleton form of a woman with a dirty-grey mist inside was talking to Jesus. In shock, I listened to her. Decayed flesh hung by shreds from her bones, and, as it burned, it fell off into the bottom of the pit. Where her eyes had once been were now only empty sockets. She had no hair. The fire started at her feet in small flames and grew as it climbed up and over her body. The woman seemed to be constantly burning, even when the flames were only embers. From deep down inside her came cries and groans of despair, "Lord, Lord, I want out of here!" She kept reaching out to Jesus. I looked at Jesus, and there was great sorrow on His face. Jesus said to me, "My child, you are here with Me to let the world know that sin results in death, and that Hell is real." I looked at the woman again, and worms were crawling out of the bones of her skeleton. They were not harmed by the fire. Jesus said, "She knows and feels those worms inside." "God, have mercy!" I cried as the fire reached its peak and the horrible burning started all over again. Great cries and deep sobs shook the form of this woman. She was lost. There was no way out. "Jesus, why is she here?" I said in a small voice, for I was very scared. Jesus said, "Come." The path we were on was a circuitous one, twisting in and out between these pits of fire as far as I could see. The cries of the living dead, mixed with moans and hideous screams, came to my ears from all directions. There were no quiet times in Hell. The smell of dead and decaying flesh hung thickly in the air. (Baxter, A Divine Revelation Of Hell, P.24-25)


Questions & Applications

1. What came to mind as you were reading this study. Any thoughts?

2. Have you ever heard preaching on how we are being transformed from glory to glory, and what are your thoughts on the things mentioned in the study? Do you believe this can relate to Christ manifesting Himself through you in spiritual gifts?

3. What manifestations of the Spirit have helped you the most with sanctification; i.e. Spirit-led prayer, Worship, Divine revelation/ Study of the Word, Spirit-filled ministry, etc.?

4. What would you say to those who have not walked in any gifts yet, but believe in the Lord Jesus Christ?

5. How important do you believe the teaching on Hell is where sanctification is concerned?

 

[RandyK]

1. What came to mind as you were reading this study. Any thoughts?

I do think it's critical to be able to hear what Jesus is saying, and I don't know how this is possible in a satisfactory way without experiencing the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Not only do we need to be "like Jesus" regeneratively, but we also need to have anointed eyes and ears, as well as be enabled to do good works in his name and by his power.

2. Have you ever heard preaching on how we are being transformed from glory to glory, and what are your thoughts on the things mentioned in the study? Do you believe this can relate to Christ manifesting Himself through you in spiritual gifts?

Unless we see Christ expressed in us through the Spirit and through his gifts, how can we receive from him and produce anything by him?

3. What gifts do you feel you have walked in before, and would help you most in leading a virtuous life?

Not just regeneration but speaking truth by the revelation of God is essential in witnessing to what God is working in us and to communicating this to others.

4. What would you say to those who have not walked in any gifts yet, but believe in the Lord Jesus Christ?

I would encourage them, 1st, to yield themselves fully to God's word in our mind and heart, so that we begin to respond to the revelation of Christ continually in our lives. I would encourage them to expect a spiritual manifestation in any number of ways that present Jesus in us to the world.

5. How important do you believe the teaching on Hell is where sanctification is concerned?

Unless Christ is manifest in our life by accepting him as the Way, Truth, and Life we will not obtain eternal fellowship with him. Some may indeed find a path in because of their ignorance, not expresslly rejecting him. But to obtain the full reward of Salvation, we should show our choice for him by repenting of our own ways and showing others that we are truly following and obeying him.

 

[Angelina]

1. What came to mind as you were reading this study. Any thoughts?

I was thinking about speaking to others about Jesus. It was not an easy thing to do, especially to strangers. I remember a time as a new believer, the Holy Spirit wanted me to give a stranger a word. I cannot even remember what that word was, but what I do remember was my wrestling with the Holy Spirit because it was too difficult for me to do, especially since I didn't know the person, and telling them something that the Lord told me to tell them was beyond my ability at the time. However, the Lord spoke to me and told me that I may be the only person they may meet and that their life may be required of them this very night. I could imagine the burden of that responsibility if I had said no or ignored the prompting. I also got a vision of the fires of hell where that person may be ending up if his days were ending that night, so I went up to this stranger and delivered that message God wanted me to tell him, and he just stood, looking at me shocked. I left it there and was happy that I managed to do it. It's much easier for me now. I have no problems with delivering a word from the Lord for others

2. Have you ever heard preaching on how we are being transformed from glory to glory, and what are your thoughts on the things mentioned in the study? Do you believe this can relate to Christ manifesting Himself through you in spiritual gifts?

No, but I understand the principle here as I have transitioned many times. I can remember struggling as a new believer, and I imagined that getting to a place with God where I felt like I got past that hard part of struggling with sin and failing was similar to crossing the Jordan. Once I got to the other side, things didn't become easier. I was just facing issues relating to a child of God who was more mature and I had left behind the elementary things as written in Heb 6:1 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God

3. What gifts do you feel you have walked in before, and would help you most in leading a virtuous life?

I have walked in most of the gifts, but the one I feel that would and does help me to lead a godly, virtuous life would be my personal relationship with him. Keeping short accounts, disciplining myself, and the most powerful gift, which is actually a fruit, "self-control."

4. What would you say to those who have not walked in any gifts yet, but believe in the Lord Jesus Christ?

Keep pressing into God and don't give up. Imagine being in a car. You have spent most of your life driving it, now you have to let the Lord drive, and you get in the passenger seat and don't worry about the gas or any mechanical failures. The Holy Spirit is your gas, and the Lord is not only the best mechanic, he can and will upgrade your car.

5. How important do you believe the teaching on Hell is where sanctification is concerned?

It's on the same level; however, it's not about hell to me. It's about getting your life right with God now because you don't know where you will end up, and you can't fix it later...

 

[hawkman]

Spirit-Breathed Ministry is yet another. Ministry and witness is never supposed to be us operating in the flesh. It is supposed to be us seeking the Holy Spirit for what to say and when and how to say it. This principle is summed up in what Christ told the disciples regarding standing before interrogators. The Spirit Himself would teach them in that hour what they were to say when they underwent questioning.

I was totally blank on what I should say but the Holy Spirit was ready as I found out.

A few years back I was a patient on a limited access floor of a hospital, I was in for observation, how I came to be in the hospital is an epic story. Once a day we would have a session with a leader asking a question and we would take turns giving our thoughts. The leader asked the question and I was not first in line to answer and as I was sitting there trying to form an answer in my head it was NOT happening no matter how I tried ! I knew that something needed to be said but I could not even get two words together in my mind.

When it came for my turn to speak much to my shock my mouth opened and out came the most eloquent words and the words came out with force and precision but they were NOT my words it was the Holy Spirit giving the message in English. I am by no stretch of the imagination a good speaker , so my face had to be one of utter disbelief as the words came out of my mouth. The words that came out of my mouth were completely without my thick southern accent. So I came to understand what is meant by these verses, Matthew Chapter 10

19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

John Gill's Exposition of the Bible Luke 12:12https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Luke-12-12/

For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say. For the Holy Ghost shall teach you,.... Shall give both words and matter: in the same hour; instantly, immediately: what ye ought to say; what will be proper to be said, for the honor of Christ, the defence of the Gospel, and the confusion of enemies;

 

[Hidden In Him]

I do think it's critical to be able to hear what Jesus is saying, and I don't know how this is possible in a satisfactory way without experiencing the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Not only do we need to be "like Jesus" regeneratively, but we also need to have anointed eyes and ears, as well as be enabled to do good works in his name and by his power

I don't see it either. It's supposed to be "Let him who has ears to hear, hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches." It was the Spirit speaking during the days of the New Testament church, as where Paul said in one place, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils." (1 Timothy 4:1). What was that, but the Spirit of God speaking through the gifts to the church prophetically on what was coming. If we now longer operate in the gifts, we can no longer hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

 

[JLB]

1. What came to mind as you were reading this study. Any thoughts?

I was thinking how vastly different the churches of today in America are from first century church and the teachings that were presented in that day.

 

[Hidden In Him]

I was thinking about speaking to others about Jesus. It was not an easy thing to do, especially to strangers. I remember a time as a new believer, the Holy Spirit wanted me to give a stranger a word. I cannot even remember what that word was, but what I do remember was my wrestling with the Holy Spirit because it was too difficult for me to do, especially since I didn't know the person, and telling them something that the Lord told me to tell them was beyond my ability at the time. However, the Lord spoke to me and told me that I may be the only person they may meet and that their life may be required of them this very night. I could imagine the burden of that responsibility if I had said no or ignored the prompting. I also got a vision of the fires of hell where that person may be ending up if his days were ending that night, so I went up to this stranger and delivered that message God wanted me to tell him, and he just stood, looking at me shocked. I left it there and was happy that I managed to do it. It's much easier for me now. I have no problems with delivering a word from the Lord for others

I recall testimony now... I think it was from Angels On Assignment, where a man and woman went for counseling to a pastor because they were having severe problems. One was acting like things were just fine and they would be able to work things out and didn't need counseling any more (I think the wife was the one saying this, and the husband was deeply distraught), but the pastor received a word of knowledge that she was planning on killing him after they left church and making it look like a suicide. So he spoke the word to them, and then told the husband to look in her purse, and she had a loaded gun in it.

I cannot imagine speaking things like that would be too easy either, but as you say, the more we get used to the Spirit leading us, the more we trust His voice.

Keep pressing into God and don't give up. Imagine being in a car. You have spent most of your life driving it, now you have to let the Lord drive, and you get in the passenger seat and don't worry about the gas or any mechanical failures. The Holy Spirit is your gas, and the Lord is not only the best mechanic, he can and will upgrade your car.

Glory! LoL. This reminds me of dreams I've had where the Lord was driving and not me. I recall a military dream where we were in a Humvee, and I was in the passenger seat, and I was just going where He was taking us. He was the One taking me where we needed to go. Operating in the gifts is indeed like that I would say.

 

[JLB]

Have you ever heard preaching on how we are being transformed from glory to glory, and what are your thoughts on the things mentioned in the study? Do you believe this can relate to Christ manifesting Himself through you in spiritual gifts?

Yes. There are a few on you tube.

 

[Hidden In Him]

I was totally blank on what I should say but the Holy Spirit was ready as I found out.

A few years back I was a patient on a limited access floor of a hospital, I was in for observation, how I came to be in the hospital is an epic story. Once a day we would have a session with a leader asking a question and we would take turns giving our thoughts. The leader asked the question and I was not first in line to answer and as I was sitting there trying to form an answer in my head it was NOT happening no matter how I tried ! I knew that something needed to be said but I could not even get two words together in my mind.

When it came for my turn to speak much to my shock my mouth opened and out came the most eloquent words and the words came out with force and precision but they were NOT my words it was the Holy Spirit giving the message in English. I am by no stretch of the imagination a good speaker , so my face had to be one of utter disbelief as the words came out of my mouth. The words that came out of my mouth were completely without my thick southern accent. So I came to understand what is meant by these verses, Matthew Chapter 10

Glory!

I think the closest I have ever come to this is one day I remember praying in tongues, and suddenly the Holy Spirit opened up my understanding of what I was actually praying. Usually I have no clue. But it was all these things that had been on my mind that day but I had never thought to pray about, some of which was quite concerning to me, but I had still not developed the habit of going to God for everything, and praying about all my concerns instead of just trying to deal with them myself. I was amazed. It was like, "Wow... the Holy Spirit really knows how to pray. He's praying about things that were worrying me but that I would have never thought to take to God."

 

[JLB]

3. What gifts do you feel you have walked in before, and would help you most in leading a virtuous life?

The way I walk in a virtuous lifestyle is I have learned to cultivate “Spirit led habits”, which begins by disconnecting from the world, thus breaking agreement with the influence of the world in my ear gate and eye gate.

I had to learn to break old habits by taking on new Spirit led habits that lead to a Spirit led lifestyle (walk).

Prayer, fasting, private devotion and a heavy emphasis on praying in the Spirit, and mediating on the word. Reading the word, reaching out to the lost, feeding the hungry…


Basically “sowing to the Spirit”.


Once the believer understands it’s his or her responsibility to “cleanse themselves” and to add to the faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge… as well as to “by the Spirit put to death the deeds of the flesh” and “sow to the Spirit” it becomes clear that there is no time to waste on worldly things.

 

[JLB]

4. What would you say to those who have not walked in any gifts yet, but believe in the Lord Jesus Christ?

I would encourage them, 1st, to yield themselves fully to God's word in our mind and heart, so that we begin to respond to the revelation of Christ continually in our lives. I would encourage them to expect a spiritual manifestation in any number of ways that present Jesus in us to the world.

Seek for and ask the Father for the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

 

[Hidden In Him]

I was thinking how vastly different the churches of today in America are from first century church and the teachings that were presented in that day.

For me this is the main thing. Too many forms of Christianity in existence today that don't bear much in common with the real thing. And how is that something one can fill his life with? I was telling my wife this just this morning. One of the biggest reasons why I think we struggle as a church to depart from sin is because there was an entire New Testament lifestyle that was supposed to replace the old carnal one. But if the churches don't operate in all that, and together, we have what we have today; people wondering how on earth they can depart from worldly things when there's not much off a true church lifestyle to depart INTO. For the NT church, it was a daily and continual thing. They met from house to house, and fellowship in the Spirit was continual. Now, many mainline churches meet once a week, and the Spirit never speaks, and it's the last time they will see each other for another six days until they go through the religious motions and do it again.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Yes. There are a few on you tube.

JLB, if there was a way you could find some of them again, I truly wouldn't mind you posting them. You could do so in this thread, or better yet create a new one and provide links to it here. I LOVE receiving revelation from scripture, and when I receive it my mind starts wondering who else is teaching it out there. This may not be the biggest revelation on earth cuz it's actually sitting there staring us in the face everyday, but there's always so much talk about "pride" and "who do you think you are blah blah blah" instead of acknowledging what the word is actually teaching here. We are supposed to be in a place of becoming transformed from glory to glory into His image.

 

[RandyK]

For me this is the main thing. Too many forms of Christianity in existence today that don't bear much in common with the real thing. And how is that something one can fill his life with? I was telling my wife this just this morning. One of the biggest reasons why I think we struggle as a church to depart from sin is because there was an entire New Testament lifestyle that was supposed to replace the old carnal one. But if the churches don't operate in all that, and together, we have what we have today; people wondering how on earth they can depart from worldly things when there's not much off a true church lifestyle to depart INTO. For the NT church, it was a daily and continual thing. They met from house to house, and fellowship in the Spirit was continual. Now, many mainline churches meet once a week, and the Spirit never speaks, and it's the last time they will see each other for another six days until they go through the religious motions and do it again.

Yes, well we don't know how technology may be able to bring us back together again to seek the Lord on a daily basis? I do find my own church quite weak. My wife and I have tried to invite people in the church out at least once a month, to experience fellowship outside of the church and not just be drones listening to a sermon together! ;)

 

[Hidden In Him]

Yes, well we don't know how technology may be able to bring us back together again to seek the Lord on a daily basis?

You mean like on forums like this? That's sort of my hope and intention personally. But it has it's limitations. Or do you mean more like mass conference calling and things like that? I'm curious.

 

[RandyK]

You mean like on forums like this? That's sort of my hope and intention personally. But it has it's limitations. Or do you mean more like mass conference calling and things like that? I'm curious.

I anticipate greater development springing out of the technology we're already using. I started on forums back before the year 2000 on Usenet and have seen an incredible amount of development since then. The AI technology is incredible, and I think anything that makes communication easier will help us to expand and reach out to those less tech savvy, where it may be needed the most.

I do think many churches are failing under the weight of influence from the ungodly world around us. So there has to be a more regular communion among Christians outside of the formal church in order to have more of a daily fellowship. Yes, we are doing some of that. I just hope the tech increases involvement.

 

[Hidden In Him]

I do think many churches are failing under the weight of influence from the ungodly world around us. So there has to be a more regular communion among Christians outside of the formal church in order to have more of a daily fellowship. Yes, we are doing some of that. I just hope the tech increases involvement.

I agree with you. Many of the people I know are not really part of a formal church right now, including myself. That's not to say anything's wrong with those blessed enough to have a good church right now, just that the numbers seem to be dwindling, and the number of people on fire for God and yet unchurched seems to be growing.

So hopefully you are right. That's an interesting insight.

 

[RandyK]

I don't believe it's any accident that God has raised up ministries like this one. It certainly must fill a void of some kind.

 

[Hidden In Him]

I don't believe it's any accident that God has raised up ministries like this one. It certainly must fill a void of some kind.

I think so too. My prayer is for greater manifestations of the Spirit to all the more draw those who desire the gifts, and even the greater gifts. The trouble is you can't wait for someone else to come along and do so, so you realize that He's actually waiting on you to get more serious about, praying, fasting, and beseeching Him for the power to come down.

But I agree with you. I think there is great potential, it's just a matter of are we serious enough to see His glory made manifest.