Hello. Been out of LC since 2008.

[aron]

Originally Posted by Camil0

Just a thought - see how this rings to you. I have a less mystical view of the word "abide" today than I used to. 1 John: "Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father." I really believe this means that our abiding in Christ simply means grasping, reminding ourselves, laying hold of, and not neglecting the promise of the Gospel. .... until we see Him face to face and get rid of this flesh He's given us something simpler to hold on to - just believe the message.

Well, it's a comfort to me, that's for sure.

I have no problems whatever with what you share. My problem has been this: the union of Christ with the Father issued in a living that was a firestorm, a contagion, to the kingdom of Satan here on the earth. Only a few times in my life have I had the experience of Christ living in me to such an extent that I no longer existed, practically, but focused all my energy and attention on the fact that He lived. This literally created a firestorm around me, as I no longer reacted to the world but remained fixed upon the Father, through Christ.

Mostly I walk into a room, or down the street, and it is all controlled by Satan (or mostly) and it is "business as usual" around me. Satan doesn't fear me nor my Christ. This bothers me. This I believe is due to the lack of abiding.

Yes I believe the gospel. I hope in the gospel. I attempt to align with it. But the person behind that gospel, so tantalizingly real, usually is out of sight, more or less. I simply have an idea: today's concept or theology. That can be frustrating.

And in the context of church affairs, today, I find almost nothing of interest when the Christians gather. Either ritualistic platitudes or excitement and froth about something inconsequential, or even misleading. Been there, done that.

But am I any better? Probably not. Plus I would rather show up and at least acknowledge those of the faith, than sit home like Jack Horner and pretend what a good boy I am. So I go.