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Nope….you’re further away than before.

Ringman….You have no problem asking questions and demanding answers but why won’t you answer my question? Are you being intentionally dense?

Just answer my question without being defensive or rude…..

Following Jesus doesn’t lead to eternal life. There are many examples of people who follow Jesus, attempt to live the moral life that he lived, yet are not saved. It can be argued that the Pharisees did this as well as LDS and Watchtower Society. As Jesus told Nicodemus, one must be born again. One must also be baptized into the death of Christ.

Joel Osteen wrote the book Best Life Now. Colossal failure that has nothing to do with Christianity. When this question comes up I think of the underground church behind the iron curtain or in China. Persecuted, given poor jobs. Hand to mouth living. Many Christian’s lived in persecution throughout history. Not the best or necessarily fulfilling life.

As Christian’s we live in the hope of the resurrection. In that day life will be fulfilling and truly best. Now? It’s too easy to mix the idea of affluence and social stability with the idea.

Christianity is primarily based on knowledge. In Romans 10 14How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?c And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

The message has to be heard which requires knowledge. Later in Paul speaks a lot about the weaker brother. The weaker brother is the one who is ignorant of the faith, has know knowledge or immature knowledge of the word and instruction given. These people seem to remain superstitious and emotional.

Knowledge drives the life and walk. Lack of knowledge drives the walk down dead ends and wrong directions. When the early church was found to be in error in their living and walk it was always a lack of knowledge or ignoring of the knowledge that they had been given. It was always knowledge that they were given though the instruction and sometimes chastisement of the Apostles.

Many believe in Jesus but not as Messiah and Savior. To follow Jesus one must be regenerate.

Becoming and being. If one becomes a Christian one is a Christian. He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it. We look to Christ. The Author and Finisher of our faith. If one is baptized into the death of Christ and is given the gift of faith he has belief. He is a Christian. Questions of following can quickly become issues of tests and requirements.

If I'm not being "intentionally dense" then I'm too dense to understand your question.

What are you seeking to accomplish here? Are you attempting to prove that knowledge of scripture is necessary to be acting "in the Spirit?" Are you just promoting yourself as more attune to what "walking in the Spirit" means because of seemingly miraculous results or your greater knowledge of scripture. Pride comes before the fall.

Nobody said do what feels right. That could mean nearly anything to nearly anybody. I also hope you understand that a lot what "feels good" to an unsaved man, changes when he gets saved.

Then let me ask the question in a different way.

Is it the results you get that determines if you were walking in the Spirit, or is it your actions and motivations regardless of results that determine if you were walking in the Spirit?

I am as serious as a heart attack. The people I have personally met and lived around use 2 Corinthians 3:6. They see no problem committing adultery with someone else in the "church". Others cheat on their taxes. They exceed the speed limit. Are these examples I should follow?

That is a very clear and good question. I am convinced if one is walking in the Spirit of the Holy Spirit as Apostle John says, "If we walk in the Light as He is in the Light...." ones "actions and motivations" will be to please Jesus. I hope you can understand my next statement. If there is only one person saved it is me. I know my heart. Many people tell me, "So, you're the only Christian?" They didn't listen and are on the attack. Each of us needs to check our own lives.

I am as serious as a heart attack. The people I have personally met and lived around use 2 Corinthians 3:6. They see no problem committing adultery with someone else in the "church". Others cheat on their taxes. They exceed the speed limit. Are these examples I should follow?

Following Jesus doesn't lead to eternal life

I think it is so much more important for we as preachers to teach people how to hear from God for themselves,…

I totally agree. I would only add that it's so important to check "OUR OWN" lives and do our best to only offer encouragement to anyone we think is truthfully seeking, no matter how wrong they get it. Everybody is at different places in their walk with God. Something you may become convicted over may go unnoticed by someone else. God may have them under conviction about something he considers more important to them at this time.

I think it is so much more important for we as preachers to teach people how to hear from God for themselves, rather than telling them what God said.

Again, physical/world issues, not spiritual.

Kent

I will have to respectfully disagree with that last statement. If someone doesn't know what God said, and believe it, then they will "hear" things they think are from God that aren't. Without the written word as a check or baseline, “feelings” can masquerade as the Holy Spirit. If what you think or feel is the Holy Spirit conflicts with scripture, then it isn’t the Holy Spirit speaking to you. I think it’s sort of like the Constitution: if a law conflicts with the Constitution, then it’s not a law that should be allowed to stand. If you substitute the words "in addition to" in place of "rather" in your statement, I would be more inclined to agree with you.

A lot of problems in churches and in society in general could be solved if feelings were replaced with facts.

Then let me ask the question in a different way.

Is it the results you get that determines if you were walking in the Spirit, or is it your actions and motivations regardless of results that determine if you were walking in the Spirit?

I will have to respectfully disagree with that last statement. If someone doesn't know what God said, and believe it, then they will "hear" things they think are from God that aren't. Without the written word as a check or baseline, “feelings” can masquerade as the Holy Spirit. If what you think or feel is the Holy Spirit conflicts with scripture, then it isn’t the Holy Spirit speaking to you. I think it’s sort of like the Constitution: if a law conflicts with the Constitution, then it’s not a law that should be allowed to stand. If you substitute the words "in addition to" in place of "rather" in your statement, I would be more inclined to agree with you.

A lot of problems in churches and in society in general could be solved if feelings were replaced with facts.

Let me then add that a good part of teaching anyone to hear from God would also include reading scripture. I thought that would be a given. I'm not talking about going and sitting a cave and trying to hear from God.

You cannot however place an unhealthy emphasis on scripture, as in an attitude of, "I have to learn scripture to know what God wants me to do." If you take that approach, you will always be living your life based on what God told someone else. You will end up like the Pharisees, who placed the written word of their time, "the law" above the man for whom the law was intended to help.

I mean honestly, if you see someone in need that you could truly help, without being an un dew burden to yourself, do you need to know the scripture concerning that to act? Don't you know in your heart what to do? isn't this the end goal?

Hebrews 8:10-11
New International Version
10 This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel
after that time, declares the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds
and write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
11 No longer will they teach their neighbor,
or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.