How do you know...

One must study & 'know' what is in the scriptures, cover-to-cover. And while reading & studying, asked for illumination of the scriptures by the Holy Spirit. And when you have a 'good handle' on what is in the scriptures, the 'harmony' of them will become evident as you use 'the whole context' of scripture to reach understanding. Just as I'm not a total literalist, many OT stories I see as spiritual metaphors written under the inspiration of God but still by mortal men with limited understanding.

I see the 'red thread' (as in His shed blood) of Jesus the Christ, a savior needed, per scripture, "the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world', to redeem fallen mankind, as God knew man would fall and made provision for his restoration.

And for those who read the Bible as a collection of 'dead letters,' will get nothing but deadness out of it--no life to them. But to them who read it with sincerity looking for revelation of the will & plan of God' will under the illumination of the Holy Spirit (who is called 'our teacher' who will lead us into all righteousness) get 'life' out of it.

I know of no short cuts or way to 'cheat the system," as salvation of the soul (mind, will, & emotions of a man) is a lifelong process of washing & reprogramming by the word of God, and a continuation of the initial salvation of the spirit of man.

But it's worth while journey to travel (putting in the effort), with many rewards...all depends on 'how hungry you are for God?!"

 

Through the use of spiritual tests. I have attempted to introduce that subject several times now and no-one seems to be willing to discuss it. I cannot expect anyone who is a non-theist to participate in a meaningful discussion on that subject, because of the alleged fact that they don't believe in the existence of spirits or God or gods. The theists don't seem to want to be in discussion because it might interfere with or step on their particular church doctrine.

The scripture is absolutely jammed and packed with information on that subject. It is almost as if the theists are thinking that the days of spirituality and spiritualism passed away when Jesus died on the cross. Well, whether or not they think such a thing, the day of Pentecost opened the doorway to a whole new understanding of this world and the realm of spirit and of the world to come.

As for how do you explain: First use discernment of spirits to enable you to comprehend what spirit you are dealing with, then you will know that more often than not, the questions that are posed to Theists are not questions that are seriously seeking information (they already know the information), but instead are questions designed to arouse the emotions of the Theists, subsequently causing that theist to fall into the trap of emotionalism which leads to emotional responses. It is all about harassment.

 

It's not special to remember something, DBM aka FDS, it's a faculty of the human mind. By the way, I didn't read your conversation, someone posted it in response to your creationist apologetics in one of your I-don't-understand-evolution threads.

 

Tell that to your wife/girlfriend and or your children when you forget to do something for them or when you forget their birthdays. LOL. Then you will KNOW that remembering something is very special.

 

And I know Freeware has forgetten more important things directly related to his/her life, but here I am... an internet ghost... and Freeware remembers!!

I have set my stamp within Freewares BRAIN FOREVER!!!

 

Like your mother's birthday, family, wife, daughter, doctor appointments... Scheduled days off work...

Whatever... You love me Freeware!!!



Internet friend kiss!! Mhuuuwaaa!!!

 

Try me...

and you said "spirits" as in plural like there is more than one... As I said - I have had friends who were punk rockers before and saw demons and then became Pastors in months...

Explain...

 

"Try" you in what manner?

Yes! I did use the plural form. How about that. Did you even read the scripture that I posted? It also uses the plural form. So where is the problem with me using the plural form when we are having a discussion about 'religion' and the Bible, etc.?

In naming (categorically) some of the spirits, at what level of the hierarchy would you want to start?

Your comment "Explain" is very similar to your opening remark "Try me". You quoted my entire previous comment; did not emphasize and particular part of that prior comment; did not make specific reference to any particular part of my prior comment: and then you throw in open-ended comments such as "Try me" and "Explain". "Explain" what?

 

You are correct and I apologize.

How about this - go through what you do when you question these "spirits" if you don't mind. Could you also explain how in scripture it cooperates with this.

When you say "spirits" regardless of if it's in scripture or not, can you please take the time to explain it, because I thought there was only one spirit, the Holy One, that mattered...

 

All this talk of conversing with spirits does not seem in keeping with what the early Christians believed in.

The first mention of the trinity is from Tertullian in the late 2cnd/early 3rd century. He got his ideas from a Christian sect called "Montanists"

The movement called for a reliance on the spontaneity of the Holy Spirit similar to modern day movements such as Pentecostalism, the charismatic movement, and the New Apostolic Reformation.

The Montanists beliefs were considered heresy by the Church at large.

As described by Eusebius of Caesarea, these folks departed from Church tradition

It is interesting to note that Tertullians trinity was also rejected as heresy by the Church at large but then accepted as Church orthadoxy over 100 years later.

The reason it trinity was included as orthadoxy was because Constantine, a pagan Emperor who wanted to have a unified religion under his control, wanted it so.

The "trinity" was not Church orthadoxy until 300 years after Christ.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montanist

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tertullian

This idea of "speaking in tongues"/speaking for God that the Montanists practiced was never accepted by the early Church and would have gotten one burned at the stake by Church leaders back in the day.

Montanism, the inventors of the trinity, were finally erradicated by Christians around 550 AD

 

The spirit or voice that is speaking to you will be nudging or encouraging you to take a particular course of action: That course of action is so unlike any that you would normally perform in any given day and any given circumstance, that you become concerned as to whether or not this spirit is a spirit of God representing the interests of God; At that point, when the concerned feeling is present; challenge the spirit with the same or similar words as are outlined in 1 John 4: 1 - 3 or using greater force, challenge that spirit with the exact words used in 1 Corinthians 12: 3. The spirit that is being challenged will be forced to reply with one of three answers... Yes, No, or a note of uncertainty (stammering, fidgety response)

The explanation is self explanatory and is directly from scripture, Therefore, it is unnecessary for me to offer any further explanation. If you are sincere in your request for information, then contact me via pm and I will discuss it with you further. That offer is per scripture also.... "don't cast your pearls before the swine to be trampled under.."

Millions, perhaps billions of spirits are around us each day and act in manners that influence us toward a given activity. That is supported in the 1 John 4 passage that I gave to you. It is further supported in scripture when Jesus approached the man who lived in the rocky hillside... the man identified himself by saying to Jesus "we are legion, for we are many".

The "one Spirit" referenced in 1 Corinthians 12 and 13 is the Holy Spirit and is the one Spirit that is able to distribute the gifts of God to man. The Holy Spirit is the only spirit that can cause you or anyone else to make a confession of faith by admitting that Jesus is Lord, that Jesus is come in the flesh, that Jesus is the Son of God, that Jesus was raised from the grave on the third day and is sitting at the right hand of God. The Holy Spirit cannot curse God, nor condemn Jesus the Christ.

 

You seem to have a lot of 'zeal," but did you see my final sentence and if so, what is your response?? OD