The new teachings of Jesus

If it is the Word of God then it has a significance beyond anything else (see clarification at the end of this post). One doesn't "idolize" it per se (ie: bow down to the book every morning). But if an experience or an insight or a notion is not confirmed by the Word as being of God then which other court of appeal would you refer that experience/insight/notion to? Are we not told not to rely on own understanding? Does not satan masquerade as and angel of light? If we cannot confirm it in the Word then it can only be own understanding we are relying upon - or at least we cannot know it is anything but own understanding on which we are reliant - which leaves us in a vacuum. Are you saying everyone: Christian or no is given Gods spirit? When you are told "rely not on your own understanding" what do you take this to mean? This is an apparent chicken and egg situation. From whence does a person figure out that they are following God if it is not the Bible which tells them they are following God. Bible first - the rest follows it seems to me.Which interpretation of the Bible exists at Rose Creek? An interpretation of some sort I imagine. At least, if one finds one living according to the Bible then one has an interpretation of it against which to judge ones living (according to it).Its easy enough for a small group of people to find accord in the interpretation your village presumably holds. As in mainstream Christianity, many in your village won't be all that concerned with the interpretation - they have other things to be doing.But as soon as you engage with something outside your village you enter the exact same zone that the rest of us enter as soon as we step outside our own Christian villages (my own Christian village is smaller than yours and we don't get into argy bargy about intepretation either - even though we live in houses spread out amongst the community). You engage here with others who hold a different view to you. You are no different than mainstream Christianity whenever it is you log on here. As I do whenever I log on here. I mean no disrespect but I see only quagmire here. How does one decide which parts have been preserved if not through own understanding and interpretation? Something we are told not to do..If he created everything there is with his word and if his word became flesh in Christ then his word is hardly insignificant. Nothing about him is less than anything else. His word is as much him as is anything else. To place his word on high (by way of trusting, obeying it) is to place him on high. How do you go grading aspects of God into 1st, 2nd, 3rd classes? To not "idolise" his world is to not idolise him. He spoke it: what is there NOT to idolize about it?Edited by iano, : No reason given.

This is one of the very notions I was referring to. "The scriptures give". You derive the church as a court of appeal from scriptures.Now which church? You have made plain elsewhere that you have little time for much of the mainstream Christian church. Indeed it seems dissatisfaction with that was a motivation for the establishing of your village. Presumably you derive the model for the more correct church from scripture.In listening to what others in the church you are a part of say surely you measure what they say against scripture - for the church is not inerrant. Scripture is at the base of it all is it not?And if you are listening to God the only way to ensure you are hearing from the spirit of God and not some other spirit is to "test the spirits" that it conforms to what the Bible says. Where would one test them if not against scripture?Everything for you derives ultimately from scripture - when you distill it down. I'm not saying the Bible should be idolised - this is all about relationship with God. But without that standard (not guide) to measure all against, do you not float on a sea of potential error? How would you know you are not?Is that not the very same error that Christians who flock to hear Kenneth Copeland, Ken Hagin and Benny Hinn and watch TBN (senior members of the cult of "Word of Faith")? Failing to measure what these men say against scripture?Edited by iano, : No reason given.Edited by iano, : No reason given.

I've heard Benny Hinn say that the spirit told him that Fidel Castro would die in the 90's. I have also heard him say that God told him that the homosexual community in the US would be destroyed in the mid-90's - not later than 1995. Not just any old destruction but "by fire" (this was greeted with much applause). Neither of these events have happenedIf any Christian were to check with scripture they would find it details on how they can discern false prophets (ie: the prophesy doesn't come true)Sure they use scripture in their teaching. The best lies are the ones that stay closest to the truth. They also teach that Adam was God in the same way that Jesus is God. They teach that Adam could fly and that he flew into space. They teach that God lives on a planet like earth. They teach transubstantiation. They teach a whole lot of stuff that is not in scripture.But it gets away from the point. Your church is like any church. You rely on an intepretation of the Bible as base for everything else. Which is why your village is just one more of the 20,000 or so protestant denominations. Maybe nearer the truth maybe further away from the truth. But sailing in the same boat as us all. And in the measure one strays from scripture (as per Word of Faith) the more one is lost at sea for want of any moorings. There is no other mooring than scripture.Edited by iano, : No reason given.

There you go again: an interpretation of scripture is the cornerstone of your faith. No harm in that but it seems that in setting up an apart community which is in-focused you miss out on the scripture which encourages Christians to be salt and light to the world.No doubt you can interact with the surrounding community in some ways. But by cloistering yourselves you are, it seems to me, hiding your light somewhat under a bushel. Denominations that are more outwardly focused, whose individuals live in the community have an opportunity to do that which you cannot.I'm not writing you off but what you gain in one area you loose in another and writing off all the rest of Christianity (when your experience of all the rest of Christianity is so necessarily limited) strikes me as going a tad too far.There is the danger of people being so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good. A balance needs to be struck and avoiding a 'holy huddle' is not assisted (in my mind) by circling the wagons against the influences of the world.