Quote:
Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!
And to me, much of the system of Christianity tends to practice the Christian life by "denying the power thereof." Therefore the Bible just becomes largely a set of outward principles, philosophies and ideas to follow, often without the joy of knowing Him and His resurrection life.
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I find this to be very skewed based on the assertions of the leadership of groups that propose to rely on just letting His power do it all. Don't even try.
I have observed the speaking of the preachers at two different Bible Churches over a 33-year period, followed by listening to an Anglican Priest online during the last year. None of them argue that we just buck it up and live right. None of them push lists of dos and don'ts. None of them say we just have to do it. They all recognize the current living God within is our strength to do any of it. And they all assert that through it, we have been given the tools we need for it.
None of them deny the power of Christ in any way. They recognize our need for it.
I honestly believe that the inner-life teachers, in general, think that if you don't focus almost wholly on it, you deny it. That is to make as skewed a gospel as any who make it entirely about works.
And I am not sure that hardly any actually make it entirely about works. It is just a boogeyman to point to as evidence that "our" way is superior. Yet most of us have demeaned works of any kind. We argue to let the government do it, then send people to Congress to stop even that. Wow, what hypocrites we are!
The liturgicals may not speak like inner-life extremists, but they do not deny the inner-life. Oddly, both the inner-lifers and the standard evangelicals act as if the liturgicals are totally deficient spiritually because they are so "regimented." Yet their regiment is to read the word and pray. Almost more than any of us. I know it is more than I would on a good day.
Then they go out to do what God has commanded us to do. That is in all aspects of our lives. From our driving, talking, actions in the marketplace, charity, etc. All demonstrating love for our neighbor (which is everyone we come in contact with). Does everyone always do that perfectly? No. And neither do those who don't even intend to TRY because it might not be "in the Spirit." But I would argue that those who pray and set their minds on the Spirit have everything they need to be doing it all "by the power of Christ."
So the liturgicals may not be constantly engaged in trying to figure out a lot of spiritual stuff, but are still managing to "put on the new man" and all that goes with it, and are "setting their minds on the Spirit" and then are carrying out the commands of God. They are not waiting for God to do it all. They are not avoiding the implication that the commands are just that — commands.
The inner-life people seek knowledge and an inner sense and reject calls to obedience. Meanwhile, those at the other end of the spectrum are obeying in the manner in which they have been taught. And that seems to show that their leaders are actually following the Great Commission.
Do you understand my problem with the inner-life teachings? Especially when they are the predominant diet of an assembly? It is an extremely off-balance view of a small part of the truth in the Bible which effectively rejects other truths that don't fit its view. It is truth so divorced from the rest of truth that it begins to resemble a lie. And the lie is the idea that it is the whole thing rather than only a part.