Well, let's see if what I offer holds up to history and scripture shall we?
Vic,
The Christ and His apostles offered us words to follow. Are we TO follow them or simply 'pick and choose' the ones that SUIT US?
Free,
The ONLY pleasures that are offered BY GOD are those that are RIGHTEOUS. I propose that little is even understood of 'righteous pleasure' for the SIMPLE FACT that MOST professing 'Christians' have been LED astray from the TRUTH. We were warned that there would come a time that we would not only 'go astray' in what we have been commanded, but would TAKE PLEASURE in the 'UNRIGHTEOUSNESS OF OTHERS'. I propose that this is EXACTLY what has taken place in our present 'time'.
A-Christian, Fran, Crusader, HOW DARE YOU each for such statements as, "WE CREATED THE WORD". What kind of 'self righteous', 'self saturated' egotism is this? Come on folks. IS THE BIBLE GOD'S WORD or NOT? That would be like ME 'bragging' about some 'money I give a stranger'. WHOSE money was it to BEGIN with? i can't believe the REST of these people would just SIT there and LET you make such 'self centered statements'. Shame on you.
There is not a SINGLE person on the planet that can gain ONE grain OF 'TRUE' understanding from The Word WITHOUT the guidance of the Holy Spirit. And if there has BEEN a 'perversion' of it's contents, the CC has certainly been a 'part of it'. I have read statements from Bishops and other clergy that state that the Bible isn't even REAL. That it is NOTHING other than a group of fanciful tales. And these being some of the leaders of you people. So, no wonder you FEEL about the Bible as you Do.
Have ANY of YOU READ The Word? I ask this then: Have you NOT read WHAT I HAVE OFFERED HERE in this thread? Have you NOT read that you CANNOT serve TWO masters? Have you NOT READ that one MUST separate themselves from this world in order to follow Christ? Have you NOT READ that we are NOT to make 'graven images'? Have you NOT READ the words of Paul who insist that we have FEW 'true' leaders in Christ and that HE IS ONE and that WE are to FOLLO his EXAMPLE? And has the WORLD so blinded you folks that you DON'T understand these words?
Look guys, I have offered NOTHING that is NOT stated or indicated BY THE WORD. It's ONE THING for you to tell me that 'you don't care' what the Bible says that you are going to live your lives the WAY in which you see fit. But to DENY The Word and it's implications makes it near IMPOSSIBLE to even KNOW Christ, much less FOLLOW HIM.
Have ANY of you EVER been to a concert? Do EACH of you realize that EVERYTHING that we DO 'has a religious connotation? There is NOTHING that we do, NOT ONE SECOND of OUR LIVES that has NO BEARING on God or our souls. NOTHING is 'unseen' by God. EVERYTHING that we do IS to be judged according to God's UNDERSTANDING. He has attempted over and over to reveal this 'understanding' to US. Only to be ignored over and over again.
The Spirit IS there for any and ALL who choose to ACCEPT it. And there are OTHER spirits that will mimic The Spirit for those UNWILLING to accept the wholesome words that we have been offered through Christ and His apostles. But I can assure you, PROMISE YOU, that there IS NO UNDERSTANDING for those that are NOT WILLING to HEED what The Spirit offers. It will NOT continue to minister to those that are REBELIOUS against it's teachings.
EVERY person on this planet serves ONE master or the OTHER. EVERY PERSON. Regardless of what they 'profess' or even UNDERSTAND, every person serves one master or the other. Do you REALIZE this? There is NO GREY MATTER. It's EITHER ONE or the OTHER. And HOW you LIVE your lives is a PURE indication of WHICH you serve. If you are PART of this world in sharing IT'S pleasures and decadence, then you have ALREADY shown WHO it is that you follow.
Christ WARNED us. He gave us THE example. So too did the apostles. Live in a cave? Vic, the Bible says that it's better to CUT YOUR HANDS off than let them STEAL. It's better to gouge one's OWN EYES OUT than allow them to LUST. Do you honestly BELIEVE that these are JUST WORDS?
We have BECOME the 'spoiled children' that we were WARNED that we WOULD BECOME. Men dressing like women, women dressing like men. Homsexuality waxing STRONG and Women USURPING the authority of MEN. That IS Godlessness. That is NOT 'following the example'. NOT teaching our children to honor God and live for Christ. Allowing them to 'come up' with little or NO understanding of the truth. How many generations do you BELIEVE it took for us to practically COMPLETELY loose sight of the 'prize'? For WHO 'needs' the 'prize' when they have ALL that the WORLD has to offer RIGHT NOW?
Once we were committed to physical sacrifice. We HAD to offer meat and animal sacrifice in order to 'cover our sins'. Christ CAME as the ONCE AND FOR ALL sacrifice. But in order to ACCEPT and benefit FROM this sacrifice, we MUST 'pick up' His cross and LIVE by His example. Otherwise, the sacrifice was NOT for 'our' benefit.
Now, HOW do we accomplish this? SACRIFICE my friends. The 'method' has changed but the PRINCIPLE is THE SAME. We are to 'sacrifice our lives' as we LIVE THEM. We are to 'give up' those 'things' of this world that would bring us to a LOVE of this world. We are to LOVE God and each other MORE than we LOVE this world. And the ONLY way that this is even possible is to SERARATE ourselves FROM this world. Otherwise the temptation is MORE than we can bear. Live in a cave? Perhaps that IS the answer. For to live IN this world is to LOOSE the ABILITY to understand what it was/is that God chose to reveal through His Son.
Which among us does NOT envy that which others have and we don't? Honestly? Which of us is NOT striving to have MORE AND MORE instead of simply sharing what we DO HAVE. Which among us is CONTENT with what they have and willing to OPENLY share it with 'strangers'?
Vic, I AM pointing a finger. Not only at others but at myself as well. REALIZING that we MUST do MORE than simply 'talk about Christ'. We MUST live FOR Christ. What's stopping us? Fear. And where there is FEAR there is NO LOVE. We FEAR being 'different' than EVERYBODY else. We FEAR the 'sacrifice' that we have been told to commit to. We fear that there is SO MUCH we can 'miss out on' in this life. And what we FEAR MOST is DEATH. Fear it so much that we CANNOT take the Bible seriously for to do so would be to TURN OUR LIVES OVER to God. That's just TOO much for us to handle. We have become SO spoiled by the trappings of this world that few, IF ANY, are willing to part with even the MOST BASIC of it's trappings.
Who among you would be willing to leave their TV off for a week? How about a month? Realizing how EVIL it is, how about the REST OF YOUR LIFE. What if The Spirit led you to the understanding that YOU MUST GET RID OF YOUR TV AND NEVER WATCH ONE AGAIN in order to recieve salvation? Which among us would 'give it up'? How about 'electricity'? What IF The Spririt revealed that we MUST cease the use of electricity in order to receive the gift that has been offered? Or Vic, what IF The Holy Spirit REVEALED to you that you ARE to 'live in a cave' to receive Salvation? Would you HEED The Spirit's CALL?
So, you guys continue to 'act' like I'm wrong. Pretend that you NEVER HEARD these words. Just consider me to BE 'just another Bible thumping looney' that has NO understanding and is simply a 'extreemist NUTCASE'. But the TRUTH is that I'm offering you understanding MORE valuable than Gold, more precious than silver, and MUCH MUCH deeper than ANY church would even DARE speak of in this day and age.
I leave you with THESE words, my friends, NOT mine own but those of the Savior that you profess:
Luke.14
[1] And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him.
[2] And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.
[3] And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?
[4] And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;
[5] And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?
[6] And they could not answer him again to these things.
[7] And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,
[8] When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;
[9] And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.
[10] But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.
[11] For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
[12] Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.
[13] But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
[14] And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
[15] And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.
[16] Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
[17] And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
[18] And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
[19] And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.
[20] And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
[21] So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.
[22] And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.
[23] And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
[24] For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
[25]
MECAnd there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
[26] If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
[27] And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
[28] For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
[29] Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
[30] Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
[31] Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
[32] Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
[33] So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
[34] Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
[35] It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
MEC
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