Why I am led to post

Share your personal journey of faith as a Christian. This is a place for SUPPORT and AGREEMENT only, not a place to tell someone their experience and feelings are wrong, or why we disagree with them. To engage in discussion with others who have a differing viewpoint, use the "Old Paths Reconsidered" Forum.
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agricola
Posts: 4779
Joined: Fri Oct 10, 2014 10:31 pm

Re: Why I am led to post

Post by agricola »

Oh dear!
Teresa, PLEASE reassure her that I meant my OWN post!

Her posts were fine, really! I just was curious about 'where' she was coming from, not wanting to start a discussion - and then when I noticed I seemed to be doing JUST THAT, I thought I should ask Moogy to make that decision!

I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT WANT to upset seekingthetruth!

Many people who post in New Paths DO want to continue their discussion with clarifications and answers to specific questions. That's all I was looking for, REALLY.
History is the fiction we invent to persuade ourselves that events are knowable and that life has order and direction. That's why events are always reinterpreted when values change. We need new versions of history to allow for our current prejudices.
seekingthetruth
Posts: 90
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2015 5:59 pm

Re: Why I am led to post

Post by seekingthetruth »

Another reason for my posts is because The Holy Spirit needs someone here to share boldly about Jesus and His doctrine. To share the many Scriptures taught by The Holy Spirit that a person who has or is seeking the truth will learn. Those that The Holy Spirit dwells in will no longer cherry pick certain Scriptures to believe and follow.

When Jesus' true doctrine is shared, many people will be offended. "And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me" (Luke 7:23). As I stated in the previous post, Jesus said those words because He knew many would be offended by His words. His doctrine is for those people who have open hearts.  
It does not mean people will not be offended when studying what Jesus requires of them, but they will be willing to look inward, and ask Him for help to make the necessary changes in their lives, even though it can be very painful. 

Jesus' true doctrine offends because He is the rock of offense just as Isaiah prophesied, "And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 
And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken" (Isaiah 8:14-15).  

Paul and Peter, via The Holy Spirit, also quoted what Isaiah the prophet had already prophesied. 

"Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed" (Romans 9:32-33). 

"But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness" (1 Corinthians 1:23).

"Unto to you therefore which believe, he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 
And a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed" (1 Peter 2:7-8). 

Since Jesus is the Word, (John 1:1, 14; 1 John 1:1; 5:7; Revelation 19:13) when He physically walked on His earth, He would quickly identify what was in each person's heart. He could see goodness, "Jesus saw Nathanel coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" (John 1:47) as well as the darkness in a person's heart and would let them know what He saw.  "I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you" (John 8:37). 

Jesus left us with His Word to continue to reveal what is in every heart. 

"For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). 

Because the Word of God is alive and not just ink printed on paper, each person will either reject His doctrine or receive it. God's Word will reveal what is in each person's heart. It will either bring hatred to the surface or it will cause a person to totally submit to Him.

I read a great quote years ago by Leonard Ravenhill that I still remember. "Sin will keep you from The Word or The Word will keep you from sin." 

I remember when The Holy Spirit began to teach me about His Doctrine, I was offended as well. Even when I was still a Campbellite, there were certain Scriptures that I read that made me uncomfortable. One topic I read about back then was about faith. I had no understanding of faith and how it worked, but since I kept hearing and reading about faith, I somehow knew it was important to have.

I also remember God was taking me through a major trial in my life testing my faith at the time.  Almost all of the other Campbellites knew what I was going through. One of the elders brought up the subject of faith to a group of us, and made a negative comment about some people not having faith. I assumed he was talking about me. I was so angry with him for saying that. But he was correct; I did not have any faith at all, but I already knew that. I just did not want to hear it from someone else.

Also, as I posted elsewhere, I was blessed with a spiritual mentor after I left the Campbellites.  When she first began to mentor me, she said something so offensive, I did not speak to her for about six months. But once The Holy Spirit confirmed to me that He sent her, I began to listen to her. 

But that did not stop her from saying offensive things to me.  But The Holy Spirit was slowly changing the way I received what He was guiding her to say to me. I knew that I needed to hear it, and that it would somehow change my life. The Holy Spirit used her to help me with the spiritual thirst that He had placed within me.

As written above, Jesus' doctrine will reveal what is truly in the heart of each person. When Jesus, "the rock of offence" was physically on His earth, His existence, His doctrine, and His miracles immediately upset all the evil groups (Scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, etc.) He already knew exactly who would reject Him and the reason for the rejection. 

Their hearts were so darkened that they could not receive The Light. "In him was life; and life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not" (John 1:4-5).
"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12). Additional Scriptures: Luke 1:79, 2:32; John 1:8; 3:19-21; 9:5, 12:35-36,46; Acts 26:18; Revelation 21:23, etc.

Those that had hatred in their hearts could not stand The Light and wanted to extinguish it, but those that have an open heart are drawn to the Light and will not be offended. As written above, Jesus said, "And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me" (Luke 7:23). 
"Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing shall offend them" (Psalm 119:165). 

All of those evil groups that tried to extinguish The Light paid a horrible price for their actions. They had no idea that God was going to back up everything Jesus said! Jesus pronounced those eight woes on the Scribes and the Pharisees in Matthew 23:1-38 to let them know their judgment for rejecting Him and His doctrine was coming.

They had been blinded by Satan. "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (2 Corinthians 4:4). Additional Scriptures: John 12:40, Romans 11:7; 2 Corinthians 3:14.

Then they were used by Satan and then deposited like trash. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). 

Every person is either walking towards or with Jesus or is being used by Satan.
seekingthetruth
Posts: 90
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2015 5:59 pm

Re: Why I am led to post

Post by seekingthetruth »

When a person has The Holy Spirit dwelling within, He is going to teach each person everything that is needed to know in order to not just survive here on earth, but to be victorious! It is what Jesus clearly stated is The Holy Spirit's main function. 

"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 to you" (John 14:26). 

Just as that Scripture was originally intended for His disciples back then, it is now for everyone who believes in Jesus.  Then those that truly believe in Him will receive The Holy Spirit. 

Then The Holy Spirit will continue to  teach every person "ALL things" that Jesus introduced "...of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:" (Acts 1:1-2).

The Holy Spirit then continues teaching in order to help each person to conform to Jesus' image. "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren" (Romans 8:29). 
 
The Holy Spirit will teach each person He dwells in about the spiritual roots of unseen things (how things work spiritually). He begins to teach about the spiritual roots of affliction, captivity, death, (spiritual and physical) demons, evil, fear, hell, judgment, Satan, sickness, sin, vengeance, wrath of God, etc. All of these subjects of darkness, and more not listed here, would be the reason why God sent Jesus to earth. 

He came to rescue mankind from all of these dark things, and to teach all those who truly believe in Him, and in His power the only way to overcome each and every one of them. How can Christians be, as Paul stated, "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors..." (Romans 8:37), if they have no idea what exactly they are fighting against. 

This is why Jesus coming to earth is such wonderful news. He does not want anyone to suffer with any of these things. Praise God! Jesus stated clearly why He was sent to earth.

"The Spirit of The Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord" (Luke 4:18-19).

He came to rescue everyone from sin, and from the horrible consequences of all of those sins.

Also, the words that Peter spoke with all those gathered at Cornelius' house waiting to hear Peter share the gospel, the good news about Jesus. "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him" (Acts 10:38). 

"...For this purpose was Jesus manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil" (1John 3:8). Additional Scriptures: Matthew 4:23-24; Mark 3:10-11; Luke 7:21-22; Hebrews 2:14-15; 1 Peter 5:8.

Once again, when Jesus was physically on His earth, He began to teach about all those things listed above and more, but He knew that in order for His disciples to truly understand it deeply, they needed to have The Holy Spirit dwelling within. 
This is why He said to His disciples, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come" (John 16:12-13). 

Notice that Jesus said The Holy Spirit will guide into "ALL truth." All truth is The Full Gospel! This is why every person needs The Holy Spirit dwelling within. Without The Holy Spirit dwelling within, a person cannot learn the truth because it has to be spiritually revealed.

"But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 

For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:10-14).

He does not want anyone He is dwelling within to be ignorant of how things work spiritually.
Paul also said that he did not want people to be ignorant of how things worked spiritually. (Romans 1:13; 1 Corinthians 10:1; 12:1, 1 Thessalonians 4:13). Peter also stated this in 2 Peter 3:8.  

Every Christian should know (as The Holy Spirit leads them) and understand all spiritual things.  
At this moment, do I know the full gospel? No. But He has laid the foundational truths within me. And He continues to build on those foundational truths daily. 

The amazing and exciting thing is that every person can learn some new spiritual truth every day from Him. When Peter preached his first sermon, he said to them whose hearts were pricked (Acts 2:37) that "they would receive the gift of The Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38). Amen! He is a wonderful gift!

To me, everyday I open The Word, it is as though I have unwrapped a spiritual present from The Lord. Some new spiritual truth that I had not even noticed before, but then The Holy Spirit opens my eyes so that I can understand something on a deeper level. I cannot praise Him enough for these daily presents. 

Only The Holy Spirit can "teach all things and guide into all truth." No human can ever teach like He does. 

The Holy Spirit will take Scriptures and break them down so that they are understandable to each person's finite mind, and then show how to apply them in everyday life. 
SolaDude
Posts: 2672
Joined: Tue Dec 05, 2017 11:10 pm

Re: Why I am led to post

Post by SolaDude »

seekingthetruth wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 7:19 pm The Holy Spirit will take Scriptures and break them down so that they are understandable to each person's finite mind, and then show how to apply them in everyday life. 
That was a very, very nice post, seeking, however, do you believe that reasonable Christians can have disagreements over scripture?
SolaDude
Posts: 2672
Joined: Tue Dec 05, 2017 11:10 pm

Re: Why I am led to post

Post by SolaDude »

Sorry, seeking, I just realized you're not wishing to discuss things here so please disregard my last post....
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