Quote:
Originally Posted by OBW
Those with other gifts are not suddenly given carte blanche to go beyond their gifts...
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All of us, arguably, are gifted. God is a businessman, in one sense. Jesus repeatedly touched this in the parables. God dispenses, and expects return. But there are limits on gifts. Nobody has the universal, all-inclusive gift which all must imitate, unless they are named Jesus Christ the Nazarene. The rest are redeemed and regenerated sinners, attempting to re-create the journey home to the Father.
And we need the gifts, all of them. But if any name other than Jesus becomes interposed as a mediator of the flock, whether Darby, Luther, Calvin, or Nee, I argue that it unnaturally suppresses the function of the rest. And I say this specifically in relation to crafting a theology of the trinity. There has been much discussion of this subject since the last apostle put down his quill, or stopped speaking to his attendant scribe. But I don't see any one speaker or author or thinker having the definitive word in this matter. God has gifts to men, but there are limits to those gifts. God gives the Spirit without measure, but each vessel is limited. Along with the gift is a requirement not to go beyond the measure. Even some of the angels violated this code, according to Jude verse 6.
Now back to my previous post, about unanimity co-existing within multiplicity: if Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem for the coming of the Holy Spirit, then why, ten days later, did tongues of flame sit on
each one? Why did singularity get manifested as plurality? Was God divided in that upper room? Obviously not.
I have probably written far too much already here, and so will attempt to exit the field... probably ungraciously, sorry to say. But I will exit.