I'm writing this in regards to a conversation I had with a friend a while ago. Due to the constraints of time our conversation was never finished, so I said that I would post it:)
I know that many of you who may read this post have already done your own research into the subject and would encourage you to add further clarification to what I may get wrong or miss. To those of you who have not looked into the matter please do. Not that you would, but just in case, don't just take my word for it. Rather, through the study of the living word of God, with full confidence in His ability to communicate what is true through His word, search for yourself the answer to this subject that some call heresy. May we as the body of Christ be as the Bereans in Acts 17:11 "Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was True." This is going to contain a lot of scripture but bare with me and hopefully it will all make sense in the end, if I don't butcher it:)
Is the Lord Jesus Christ enough?
Has God, through His Word, The Holy Spirit and the fellowship of the saints "given us all that we need to live the christian life?
HIS WORD
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
Romans 15:4-6
For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:19-21
So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
THE HOLY SPIRIT
1 Thessalonians 1:5
...for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction...
ROMANS 8:8-17
You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Acts 15:12
All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.
There are many more verses that talk about God working through us these were just a few. Note that even Jesus Christ who was God as man gave up is right as God and allowed the Holy Spirt to work through Him.
Philippians 2:5-7
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men....
Acts 2:22
"Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know--
It is not by our own power that we live the christian life but rather it is Christ through us.
Colossians 1:27
to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
FELLOWSHIP OF THE SAINTS
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Hebrews 3:13
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.
Hebrews 10:25
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
WHO DO WE TURN TO?
When their are troubles in our life, whatever they may be, who do we turn to?
Galatians 1:6-10
I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
Is Christian Psychology (so called) God's design, or is it a different gospel which is really not another but rather a wolf in sheep's clothing that distorts the Gospel of Christ?
Col. 2:8
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ
1 Tim. 6:20,21.
O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith.
1 Corinthians 3:11
For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Colossians 2:6-10
Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority...
Matthew 7:15-19
Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. "You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? "So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire
Ephesians 4:18
So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, (AP)that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind,being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;
1 Corinthians 1:26-31
Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
This is far from a complete thought... So sorry... It's 4am and I'm about to fall over:) I really wanted to get this up before Monday. This week is going to be really busy but I'll try to finish the thought as soon as I can. Please add your thoughts and comments if you get through it all. I guess if you are reading this part you got though it:)
Thanks and Goodnight:)
