Russell,
Thank you for continuing to post, thank you for continuing to seek truth. Ask, seek, knock.
I hope you don't mind me responding to your post both to myself and Mishel.
It is okay that you feel deceived. It is true that your guru is an educated man, and perhaps even an authority between men. But he is not The authority. The questions of your soul's searching, he will not be able to answer. The words of men can only act as a guide and cannot walk your faith for you. So it is again that I make my appeal to the scriptures, to the Bible. The true authority found in those 66 books. I can quote scripture to you all we want, but at the end of the day it is up to you to decide whether it is your faith. You do not need to go to me, or any other man to find God. Don't look inside yourself (we know what the heart of man is), just look to the Bible. I hope you will agree that it is exciting!
I also hope that you have not been left feeling like we (especially me) are preaching at you. Because these really are only our opinions and witnesses to the things that have changed the corruption in our hearts. We once were lost, we have now been found. I find it interesting that you said, "It is as if for the most part nobody really engages the confusion a Christian faces." You're completely right. The reason for this is because Christians are forgetting what they believe. Christians are looking to Christians instead of to Christ, so they forget that someone had to die for them.
I appreciate that you asked the question. "But Is it of God?" This is a question we must always ask. I have seen miracles that many people would never believe, which is fine. However, as soon as miracles are considered "unusual" we have a problem, this comes from disbelief. Miracles are common for God, he does them all the time, so why should they surprise us? I believe that when someone seeks the miracle instead of God, if the miracle happens, then it is not of God, but is something terrible. Trust and follow God first and then let the miracles happen when He wants them to.
I would be hesitant to accept a title from God that comes anywhere but the Bible. I do not know what "SFRIGIZO" is, but please be careful. Is it not enough that we have been called "God's children?" Do you really need another name (from a different source)? Is there any better name we could have? We are certainly not His brothers, but I will gladly be considered his child.
When you said, "My hope is that other believers will take the matter more seriously than I did." Let that be a warning to all of us. Christian or non-Christian alike.
Now concerning the response you directed at me...
"There is is one Christ the only begotten of God, and He has cleansed me from all sin by the washing of regeneration and renewal." Christ does have the power to clean us from our sins, but let us never forget what has washed us clean. Regeneration and renewal are a part of it, but it is only through His shed blood. He died. God died for each of us because of what we've done to Him. Thankfully my sins were not enough to keep Him dead.
I am glad you made the connection between Jesus and Elijah ascending to heaven. It seems similar, but there is a significant difference between the two of them. First, Jesus descended from heaven to get to earth, so his authority comes from Heaven. Elijah went to heaven, but was not from heaven. He was a man like you and me. The difference between Jesus and Elijah also, is that Jesus died before He ascended to heaven. Lastly, the final difference is that Elijah ascended to heaven through the body of a man (in an angelic chariot, not his own strength). Christ ascended to heaven through a resurrected body (his strength that overcomes death). A body that actually felt and defeated the flames of hell itself. Many people will admit that Christ died, but they will ignore that He was forsaken and rejected by the Father for us. The abandonment He felt in His soul was a far greater pain than his physical crucifixion. Can you imagine having the Father turn His back on you? I know I would rather die. Christ could have called angels to save him, but He didn't...He knew what had to be done (His defeating hell).
"Flesh and blood will not inherit the kingdom of God. Will they be transformed? Perhaps you can tell me because I'm not sure. But remember with God all things are possible." Flesh and blood will not enter heaven, they are of this world and will die with it. In my own belief (based on what I read in the Bible), they will not be transformed. That is why it is important that we don't join our souls to anything in the flesh of this world. It is true that with God all things are possible, but that is coming from a human perspective that can't comprehend God. For God to give us eternal life with Him based on our flesh would break His Law and contradict his nature. He wouldn't do that, He is the Law.
When you say, "The flesh is often spoken of as depraved in the context of the Law. The FLESH as opposed to the Spirit the Way of Christ." You are right on about the flesh, but we cannot forget that our flesh has corrupted our spirit, thus the need for Christ. The spirit is not the way of Christ, Christ is the Way the cleanses spirits.
I want to take a look at your final statement:
"The gospel IS THE POWER unto salvation to everyone who believes.... For in it the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD REVEALED... I,m sure you can see that I know the Good News. This living truth set me free."
That has truth in it, but I hope you will let me add a few more thoughts.
The gospel has power in it, but the Good News is the message of someone who died. The Good News consists of the greatest failure of humanity. The murder of the only Deity. We killed God and He let us. He faced hell just so we wouldn't have to. Our decisions put Him there. The Good News is that He won.
When we miss out the part that Jesus died it means we think that we don't have to. If we miss out the part about his resurrection it means that we don't realize we've been made clean and that we owe Him everything we can give (our lives). We need to apologize to what we did to Jesus.
I do not believe you are free. If you were you wouldn't ask me to help cast a demon out of you. It is not by my name that spirits submit. Christ alone my friend. The Christ who died because we hold onto these spirits. Christ defeated them. Would you let go of them in His name?
Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Let us never forget that that path is marked with blood. First His, next ours. We live and die for Him, He did the same for us.
I'm sorry if my leper comment came off distastefully. I only meant that this world is a colony of lepers who need to be made clean. I am thankful Christ has given my soul a good scrub. When I die (for Him), it's work will be complete.
Nathan
PS, I apologize for such a long response. Maybe we can move a discussion into the forum if you want to continue. I feel I've said all I want to say. Take it or leave it.