[Evangelical]

Originally Posted by Jo S

My argument isn't about testing other people, I'm asking how do you determine for yourself if through your mystical practices of "gaining Christ" you are experiencing the Holy Spirit and not a different spirit?

Well you've been testing me, and others in the recovery, and you have tested us, only according to your observation about the practice of calling on the Lord, relating that to chanting, and then further relating that to Eastern religions. This is not an effective method because we could find a false religion that relates to any Christian practice, even yours.

No where have you raised the matter of 1 John 4:2 and 1 Cor 12:3 which indicates to me you are unaware that these tests exist or can be applied to anyone. These are genuine tests because they are written for us, and were written for the churches at that time dealing with false converts in the church.

There are some more tests in Scripture:

We call God "Abba Father" as per Romans 8:15. Only those born of the Spirit can say that.

And there is also the guarantee of Matthew 7:9-11 that if we pray to God He won't give us a demon.

So far in this discussion you have not used or even proposed the tests of Scripture, rather only performed similarity comparisons in relation to your own observations and drawn conclusions based upon that.

Originally Posted by Jo S

In the case of the yogis of the SRF (Self-Realization Fellowship), the fact is they do pass the test as you argue. The mystic practice Yogananda's disciples use in gaining a subjective experience in Jesus' name is called "Jesus prayer meditation". It's also a chant using a short phrase similar to the LC's. The exception being the number of times the phrase is repeated. Instead of 5x as in "Oh, Lord Jesus" these yogis will chant, "Lord Jesus have mercy on me" 6x. The similarity however is the use of the title of "Lord Jesus".

These yogis also believe that Jesus came as an actual historical person. The difference between their beliefs and scriptural doctrine is that they teach Jesus became a spirit or "Christ consciousness" after his ascension into Heaven and that this consciousness is available to us on earth and gained through mystical practices. This is similar to the belief that's found in the LC's profession of faith that after Jesus' ascension, he became "a life giving spirit" and through "calling", Christ as a spirit can live in us. That's not scripture.

Everything you say about them makes them sound Christian to me. And if we believe a Mary-worshipping Catholic is a Christian then surely these people fit the bill as well. They may be like those in Acts 18:26 who needed explaining to them the way "more accurately". They probably could easily past the test of "belief" as well in any John 3:16-based gospel tract. I think they also believe that Jesus is the Son of God and they love Jesus. If they believe in and call on the name of the Lord then maybe they are saved. "Lord Jesus have mercy on me" sounds like the "kyrie eleison". The "Christ consciousness" may just be another name for the Holy Spirit. Compared to some Christians who say the Holy Spirit is merely a "power/force", they at least recognize that Christ left something of Himself on the Earth since he went to the Father.

Earlier in discussion of "brain dead" people you wrote:

Who's then to say in this physical state salvation is not a possibility when the mind's functionality is not confined to measurable brain activity as per NDE testimonies?

So you are open to the possibility of even a comatose person being saved. Why not Yogananda followers as well who, more obviously than a comatose person, display some sort of faith in Christ?

Originally Posted by Jo S

If as you argue, 1 John 4:2 and 1 Cor 12:3 was the absolute test in testing the spirits and not just "a" test, along with the argument that even demons believe, and the unsaved can confess Jesus as Lord (Matthew 7:21-23) then how would you test the validity of your own subjective mystical experiences through practices such as chanting when even non-Christian groups like the SRF do the same things and pass this test as well?

You seem to be doubting the tests of Scripture and leaning on your test which is to test genuine Christianity by comparing with other religions.

Originally Posted by Jo S

Should then the body of Christ accept all groups influenced by eastern mysticim that chant "Lord Jesus" and believe he came as a human being? If so, then I believe the papacy would have legitimate competition in Christian ecumenism.

You are asking whether or not the body of Christ should accept people who call the name of the Lord and believe He came as a human being, and I think the answer to that is yes because they sound like genuine Christians to me:

"Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:" (1 Cor. 1:2).

I would say those who don't call upon the name of the Lord are the ones who are not Christians, if they cannot confess/call upon His name, they are not truly saved, because the expression follows the genuine faith.