Personal Relationship with Jesus

Originally posted by GSWILL
That they may be perfected. That's what it says. As it is an ongoing process.
We Christians are in the process of BEING perfected into one as John 17 says.

[b] "I in them, and You in Me, that they may be perfected into one,..." (John 17:22a

The New Testament also says "... until we all arrive at the oneness of the faith ..." (Eph. ...[text shortened]... her is in the Son and the Son is in us. Yes it is happening under your nose.

- jaywill[/b]

And it's required to enter the Kingdom of Heaven:
Matthew 7:21-23
Not everyone who says to me,'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will tell me in that day,'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?' Then I will tell them,'I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.'

Who is GSWILL?

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
The point was that in the author's experience "... the Jesus people had a personal relationship was often more of a reflection of their own inner desires, their own personality, their religious preferences and what they had been taught about Jesus than anything else." In other words, each had his own "Jesus" made in his own image. This indicates that the ...[text shortened]... with your family members is something very different from what Jesus was describing.

Maybe they were on drugs. That would not be a personal relationship with Jesus. Would it? 😏

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne

I had started listening to the first which seemed to start from the beginning and couldn't see listening to it all to see if there are any nuggets. If you have some written excerpts that you think particularly well thought out and compelling, then by all means provide them. If you don't think it worth your time to do that, why should I think it's worth my time time to read the book?

You won't regret taking the time to listen, attentively, to all of the readings (for your sake).
-

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
You won't regret taking the time to listen, attentively, to all of the readings (for your sake).
-

Evidently you don't think it worth your time to provide written excerpts. I imagine if you had more confidence in the book, you would.

Originally posted by FMF
And yet not so long ago you were insisting that I could never have been a 'true Christian' because my relationship with him was not the same as yours.

Not long ago I said it was a relationship with Christ that matters, it will never
be exactly the same as mine! I've maintained that Jesus Christ is the Way, the
Truth, the Light and no one comes to God except through Him. You claimed
unless I misunderstood you, you had that, and left it for something, I suppose
you believe is better. Something better than the Son of God, not sure what that
could be, but you have it according to you, again if I understood your point. So
you either had a relationship with God through Jesus Christ or not, its your
story not mine...I'm not going to call you a liar, if God doesn't your good if He
does no matter how we end our discussion your lost.
Kelly

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
The point was that in the author's experience "... the Jesus people had a personal relationship was often more of a reflection of their own inner desires, their own personality, their religious preferences and what they had been taught about Jesus than anything else." In other words, each had his own "Jesus" made in his own image. This indicates that the ...[text shortened]... with your family members is something very different from what Jesus was describing.

So you say.
Kelly

Originally posted by KellyJay
Something better than the Son of God, not sure what that
could be, but you have it according to you, again if I understood your point.

Being honest with oneself about what one actually believes is better than pretending to believe something. I have something "better" now in this respect specifically.

Originally posted by KellyJay
Not long ago I said it was a relationship with Christ that matters, it will never
be exactly the same as mine!

And yet this not-being-the-same-as-you thing made you take it upon yourself to declare me never-a-Christian. Now you say that everyone has different relationships. I seem to have caught you kind of making it up as you go along. But don't worry, I've faced a fair bit of fumbling irritated denunciation from still-Christians on account of being an ex-one.

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne

Evidently you don't think it worth your time to provide written excerpts.

I imagine if you had more confidence in the book, you would.

Slaves for Rent: $0.00

Originally posted by FMF
Being honest with oneself about what one actually believes is better than pretending to believe something. I have something "better" now in this respect specifically.

So you were pretending before? What are you saying?
Kelly

Originally posted by FMF
And yet this not-being-the-same-as-you thing made you take it upon yourself to declare me never-a-Christian. Now you say that everyone has different relationships. I seem to have caught you kind of making it up as you go along. But don't worry, I've faced a fair bit of fumbling irritated denunciation from still-Christians on account of being an ex-one.

If you had a relationship with God through Jesus Christ there isn't anything
'better' than that how could there be?
Kelly

Originally posted by KellyJay
So you say.
Kelly

You should also consider these words of Jesus:
Matthew 7:21-23
Not everyone who says to me,'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will tell me in that day,'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?' Then I will tell them,'I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.'

From what I've seen, those claiming a 'personal relationship with Jesus' also claim that they continue to commit sin, i.e., work iniquity, because they believe it impossible not to. To them Jesus says, "I never knew you".

This helps explain why each has his own "Jesus" made in his own image. It's the only "relationship" available to those whom Jesus "never knew".

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
Slaves for Rent: $0.00

I guess I'll have to count 'Mere Christianity' as something you don't "place your confidence and trust".

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
You should also consider these words of Jesus:
Matthew 7:21-23
Not everyone who says to me,'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will tell me in that day,'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?' Then [b] age. It's the only "relationship" available to those whom Jesus "never knew".

[/b]I think you and I are in agreement on this verse, there are many people who
think because they do "religious works" or "spiritual works" that is their ticket
into heaven, because both groups are people who are relying on some work
they did.

Where we part is what Jesus is saying here...He knows His sheep and they
know him. They will be doing good works as a byproduct of knowing God
through Jesus Christ, but Jesus is our Savior not our efforts.
Kelly

Originally posted by KellyJay
If you had a relationship with God through Jesus Christ there isn't anything
'better' than that how could there be?

I stopped believing. Do you really not remember anything about our several conversations here?