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@DeepThought
Time, patience, experience, that is how you begin to discern the difference.
Time ... patience ... experience .... deeper and deeper experience of His guidance.
God is gentle and a gentleman. He is the Heavenly Father. TIME ... patience ... and repeated and successive experiences, and discernment grows.
And one other thing - FELLOWSHIP. What is the sense of the brothers and sisters you trust who love you. It should be respected. It should be prayed about. The fellowship of others in the Body of Christ need sometimes to be considered.
I have had my life practically saved from tragedy because I fellowshipped with the feeling of other Christians. I am serious.
"Brother, this is what I think I should do. What is your feeling about this, honestly?"
Some guidance comes vertically.
Some guidance comes horizontally in the Body of Christ in love - in fellowship.
Even to SEEK fellowship, God will honor often. Because you SOUGHT the sense of the Body, God will honor that and you gain clarity within.
@sonship saidThis experience will no doubt increase your sense of long term commitment to the Local church and help you overlook the doctrinal and leadership shortcomings.
I have had my life practically saved from tragedy because I fellowshipped with the feeling of other Christians. I am serious.
@deepthought saidScripture and experience, we are speaking of someone not just a 'feeling'.
I'm not seeing a contradiction. If the "Holy Spirit is indwelling" then communication with that entity [1] must involve religious ecstasy - otherwise how can you distinguish between that and talking to yourself.
[1] I was stuck for a personal pronoun there.
@deepthought saidApparently, it's magic. And because you apparently don't have the "indwelling Holy Spirit", you are apparently incapable of understanding that it's magic.
If the "Holy Spirit is indwelling" then communication with that entity [1] must involve religious ecstasy - otherwise how can you distinguish between that and talking to yourself.
[1] I was stuck for a personal pronoun there.
Reading the scriptures goes with having the opportunity to bring it to life This gift is given especially to youth or those early in their conversion. In which striking occurrences can happen where the teachings just read bring themselves to bear in real world examples prophetically and one would be able to relate a scripture verse or so.
@kellyjay saidAs others here endlessly point out, not all "Christians" follow Christ.
I agree; one was thanking God for who he was, and if I'm not mistaken he used the word "I" around five times as he was patting himself on the back and comparing himself to others. While the humble man knew he was a sinner before God and asked for his mercy and received it. If they were both Christian they would have both known they were both sinners in need of grace before this occurred.
They may say they do, but it is almost always an affectation.
This is why another parable about knowing others "by their fruits".
@suzianne saidTrue, many can make the claim, but can they pass the test to see if they are in the faith.
As others here endlessly point out, not all "Christians" follow Christ.
They may say they do, but it is almost always an affectation.
This is why another parable about knowing others "by their fruits".
@divegeester saidKellyJay. I shall assume your thumb-down is an affirmation of my premise.
Does systematically ignoring people in this forum because they challenge your world view count as failing or passing this “test”?
@fmf saidRomans 7:18
Striving to be good versus belief in supernatural phenomena
Why is it that so many RHP Christians seem to talk about placing 'belief in supernatural phenomena' ahead of talking about 'walking the walk of life while striving to be good' at the very core of their Christian faith?
New King James Version
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
—-
Anything that is considered good in you is by the Holy Spirit. Jesus also said only God is good.
What would be your motive for helping an old lady cross the street or to feed the homeless? God looks at your heart not the action.
In the end most people don’t know this but God will judge you for thoughts. In the last year if your thoughts were made into a movie would you want others to see it?
@rbhill saidYou must come from a very sick and depraved society to think that anyone would have an evil or ulterior motive for helping an old lady across the street, or for helping the poor.
What would be your motive for helping an old lady cross the street or to feed the homeless? God looks at your heart not the action.
In the end most people don’t know this but God will judge you for thoughts. In the last year if your thoughts were made into a movie would you want others to see it?
@rajk999 saidWhen I was not saved and had no understand of what it means to be Born Again I would have helped the poor or an old person to earn my why to God. But now I now that Jesus paid it all and made a way for me but putting my faith in Him and what He did.
You must come from a very sick and depraved society to think that anyone would have an evil or ulterior motive for helping an old lady across the street, or for helping the poor.
@rbhill saidI don't believe in your God, but still help an old lady across the road for purely altruistic reasons.
When I was not saved and had no understand of what it means to be Born Again I would have helped the poor or an old person to earn my why to God. But now I now that Jesus paid it all and made a way for me but putting my faith in Him and what He did.
How do you account for that? - Obviously I am not trying to earn my way to a God I don't believe exists.