Does this article propagate idolatry?

[ALAYMAN]

I'm curious...... When you study the Scriptures, how do you find the "place" where God wants you to serve? Do you flip open the book  to a random page and hope you finger lands right where God wants you to be? If you measure everything against God's infallible Word, then how do you measure such things?

What is more important, where you serve or how you serve? What if you're sowing your seed in the wrong field and on stoney ground?

I am all for knowing and reverencing the Scriptures but many people take things to "another level". Your prayers for guidance are just that. You are looking for direct and divine guidance from God that can not be found from reading the Scriptures. Its is both. You live your life by both. You can't live it any other way.

The nature of your question is how the will of God is discerned.  For matters where God has given decretive commands ("thou shall" or "thou shall not") then it is plain what we should do.  In matters where God has not been explicit then we can use general principles to govern our choices.  Seeking "guidance from God" via prayers is good, insofar as it is demonstrating a reliance by faith on the superintendence of God.  But even such a notion implies you are praying in faith, which is to be informed by the revelatory and ulluminating power of the Scriptures.  And of course anytime such prayers are in direct opposition to the revealed decretive will of God then such prayers are askew (ie, people can ask "amiss").

The Scriptures doesn't jump right off the page and answer your prayer. Your faith in the Scriptures produces in YOU the desire and means to pray to God. It is God, Himself, Divinely and personally.... who answers your prayers. Scripture may give some form of "discernment".... Yet, it doesn't personally say "this is the right place for right now". It is my experience and my belief,  that most fundamentalists are so hung up on waiting....... to find something in the Scriptures to direct them...... that they are missing finding direction from God. Its only a prayer away. Such things are tangible in the life of those in Christ. Tangible. Real. Lasting. Moving. Settling. Maturing. They are what motivates, drives, confirms, and sustains our life in Christ. This is called "experience".

Its one thing to read it

Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Its is another to live it.

I'm not sure how you've read what I've written to mean anything in opposition to what you just wrote.  I don't believe (as a "fundamentalist") that a person is to be "hung up on waiting".  I never even introduced the concept of prayer into this discussion, you did.  The Christian life is to be one lived by faith, and that faith is in the objective Person of Christ as He has revealed Himself to us.  How has He revealed Himself to us?  In the Scriptures, which pertain to all of life and godliness, and settle all matters of faith and practice for the Christian, which is what I've argued from the beginning.

 

[rsc2a]

[quote author=ALAYMAN]I'm not sure how you've read what I've written to mean anything in opposition to what you just wrote.  I don't believe (as a "fundamentalist") that a person is to be "hung up on waiting".  I never even introduced the concept of prayer into this discussion, you did.  The Christian life is to be one lived by faith, and that faith is in the objective Person of Christ as He has revealed Himself to us.  How has He revealed Himself to us?  In the Scriptures, which pertain to all of life and godliness, and settle all matters of faith and practice for the Christian, which is what I've argued from the beginning.[/quote]

- And in the community of faith. 1 Cor 12:27
- And creation. Col 2:17
- And spiritual gifts. 1 Cor 14:22
- And sacraments. 1 Cor 11:27
- And....

 

[PappaBear]

Funny.  Is that scripture references I see you using as a foundation for each of those further revelations?

Do you miss the irony in doing that?

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

[quote author=ALAYMAN]I'm not sure how you've read what I've written to mean anything in opposition to what you just wrote.  I don't believe (as a "fundamentalist") that a person is to be "hung up on waiting".  I never even introduced the concept of prayer into this discussion, you did.  The Christian life is to be one lived by faith, and that faith is in the objective Person of Christ as He has revealed Himself to us.  How has He revealed Himself to us?  In the Scriptures, which pertain to all of life and godliness, and settle all matters of faith and practice for the Christian, which is what I've argued from the beginning.

- And in the community of faith. 1 Cor 12:27
- And creation. Col 2:17
- And spiritual gifts. 1 Cor 14:22
- And sacraments. 1 Cor 11:27
- And....
[/quote]


The question I ask is how does God instruct us in our faith and practice?
Does He write instruction using the stars as a connect the dots message?
Does he give someone a word of faith message to supersede His written Word?
If you drink enough sacramental wine, does He appear to you in a vision? 

Does God use any of the afore-mentioned methods to instruct us AND if He used such methods to contradict a Biblical principle would that be credible?

 

[rsc2a]

Funny.  Is that scripture references I see you using as a foundation for each of those further revelations?

Do you miss the irony in doing that?

It would only be ironic if I denied that Scripture is also itself a revelation. In fact it would be similar to claiming that Scripture is the final and sole authority yet accepting a canon that said Scripture doesn't itself define.

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

Funny.  Is that scripture references I see you using as a foundation for each of those further revelations?

Do you miss the irony in doing that?

Irony, thy name is rsc2a....

 

[rsc2a]

[quote author=Tarheel Baptist]Does God use any of the afore-mentioned methods to instruct us...[/quote]

Absolutely.

[quote author=Tarheel Baptist]...AND if He used such methods to contradict a Biblical principle would that be credible?[/quote]

And, of course not. One revelation from God cannot contradict a second revelation from God. Of course, there is always the possibility that we, in our fallible state, didn't understand one (or both) of the revelations and got it (them) wrong.

 

[Castor Muscular]

The question I ask is how does God instruct us in our faith and practice?
Does He write instruction using the stars as a connect the dots message?
Does he give someone a word of faith message to supersede His written Word?
If you drink enough sacramental wine, does He appear to you in a vision? 

Does God use any of the afore-mentioned methods to instruct us AND if He used such methods to contradict a Biblical principle would that be credible?

Scripture is part of it.  The indwelling Holy Spirit is a more important part, because without it, you can't even begin to understand Scripture, or even know what God's commands really are, let alone obey God's commands. 

 

[Castor Muscular]

Does God use any of the afore-mentioned methods to instruct us AND if He used such methods to contradict a Biblical principle would that be credible?

It could be credible.  Again, I point out the "eye for an eye" and "turn the other cheek".  On the face, it seems contradictory.  If you're of a mind to dismiss everything that seems contradictory, you're likely to throw out the latter before you understand it. 

 

[PappaBear]

Matt 22:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

 

[rsc2a]

Funny.  Is that scripture references I see you using as a foundation for each of those further revelations?

Do you miss the irony in doing that?

Irony, thy name is rsc2a....

i·ro·ny
1 [ahy-ruh-nee, ahy-er-]
noun, plural i·ro·nies.
1. the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning

See also: It would only be ironic if I denied that Scripture is also itself a revelation. In fact it would be similar to claiming that Scripture is the final and sole authority yet accepting a canon that said Scripture doesn't itself define.



What actually is ironic about your statement, "Irony, thy name is rsc2a...", is that my name is Ronnie.

 

[Castor Muscular]

Matt 22:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

Popeye: "I yam what I yam and dat's all what I yam."

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

The question I ask is how does God instruct us in our faith and practice?
Does He write instruction using the stars as a connect the dots message?
Does he give someone a word of faith message to supersede His written Word?
If you drink enough sacramental wine, does He appear to you in a vision? 

Does God use any of the afore-mentioned methods to instruct us AND if He used such methods to contradict a Biblical principle would that be credible?

Scripture is part of it.  The indwelling Holy Spirit is a more important part, because without it, you can't even begin to understand Scripture, or even know what God's commands really are, let alone obey God's commands.

The Holy Spirit is a 'given'....but your statement is in the extreme, IMO.
The Spirit's indwelling came at Pentecost....there was Scripture long before that.
Not that the spirit didn't play a part in the lives of OT believers, but the indwelling was yet to come....but Scripture came first and will remain throughout eternity.

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

Funny.  Is that scripture references I see you using as a foundation for each of those further revelations?

Do you miss the irony in doing that?

Irony, thy name is rsc2a....

i·ro·ny
1 [ahy-ruh-nee, ahy-er-]
noun, plural i·ro·nies.
1. the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning

See also: It would only be ironic if I denied that Scripture is also itself a revelation. In fact it would be similar to claiming that Scripture is the final and sole authority yet accepting a canon that said Scripture doesn't itself define.



What actually is ironic about your statement, "Irony, thy name is rsc2a...", is that my name is Ronnie.

Irony obviously has an alias. 

 

[rsc2a]

[quote author=Tarheel Baptist]The Holy Spirit is a 'given'....but your statement is in the extreme, IMO.[/quote]

Without the empowerment of the Spirit, what does Scripture provide other than death?

[quote author=Tarheel Baptist]The Spirit's indwelling came at Pentecost....there was Scripture long before that.
Not that the spirit didn't play a part in the lives of OT believers, but the indwelling was yet to come....[/quote]

You also had dreams (a la Daniel), a priesthood (ie. a community of faith), still had nature, had the audible word of God at times, prophets....

[quote author=Tarheel Baptist]...but Scripture came first and will remain throughout eternity.[/quote]

Even allowing for a very early writing, God was speaking to folks long before Scripture.

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

[quote author=Tarheel Baptist]The Holy Spirit is a 'given'....but your statement is in the extreme, IMO.

Without the empowerment of the Spirit, what does Scripture provide other than death?

[quote author=Tarheel Baptist]The Spirit's indwelling came at Pentecost....there was Scripture long before that.
Not that the spirit didn't play a part in the lives of OT believers, but the indwelling was yet to come....[/quote]

You also had dreams (a la Daniel), a priesthood (ie. a community of faith), still had nature, had the audible word of God at times, prophets....

[quote author=Tarheel Baptist]...but Scripture came first and will remain throughout eternity.[/quote]

Even allowing for a very early writing, God was speaking to folks long before Scripture.
[/quote]


The letter of the law brings death.
The Gospel offers life, grace, peace, hope.....

The OT Saints didn't have the benefit of the in dwelling Spirit.

I don't think anyone here has argued that God didn't speak to men before Scripture...that's how we received Scripture.

Will you answer my questions asked in my previous post?

 

[christundivided]

Matt 22:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

Did you notice the distinction between "knowing the Scriptures" and "the power of God"?

You're really slow......

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

Does God use any of the afore-mentioned methods to instruct us AND if He used such methods to contradict a Biblical principle would that be credible?

It could be credible.  Again, I point out the "eye for an eye" and "turn the other cheek".  On the face, it seems contradictory.  If you're of a mind to dismiss everything that seems contradictory, you're likely to throw out the latter before you understand it.

Thanks for the honesty!
So, if God reveals Himself to you in a dream, vision or the clouds forming a message...and that message was in direct contradiction of Scripture....your message would trump Scripture!

Hence, YOU are your final authority....based on your dreams, visions and the environment!

 

[Castor Muscular]

Does God use any of the afore-mentioned methods to instruct us AND if He used such methods to contradict a Biblical principle would that be credible?

It could be credible.  Again, I point out the "eye for an eye" and "turn the other cheek".  On the face, it seems contradictory.  If you're of a mind to dismiss everything that seems contradictory, you're likely to throw out the latter before you understand it.

Thanks for the honesty!
So, if God reveals Himself to you in a dream, vision or the clouds forming a message...and that message was in direct contradiction of Scripture....your message would trump Scripture!

Hence, YOU are your final authority....based on your dreams, visions and the environment!

Honesty?  You know nothing of honesty, unless you simply have a really big reading comprehension problem. 

 

[christundivided]

Does God use any of the afore-mentioned methods to instruct us AND if He used such methods to contradict a Biblical principle would that be credible?

It could be credible.  Again, I point out the "eye for an eye" and "turn the other cheek".  On the face, it seems contradictory.  If you're of a mind to dismiss everything that seems contradictory, you're likely to throw out the latter before you understand it.

Thanks for the honesty!
So, if God reveals Himself to you in a dream, vision or the clouds forming a message...and that message was in direct contradiction of Scripture....your message would trump Scripture!

Hence, YOU are your final authority....based on your dreams, visions and the environment!

Why is it you people always want to think someone is having a "dream" or "vision"? You can't even explain the "peace of God" that's talked about .... In the Scriptures...... apart from appealing to personal revelation. Its impossible.