Post by tomdurst on Sept 21, 2016 11:47:39 GMT -5
A GOD WHO IS ABOVE AND WITHIN
The Bible many times speaks of God as the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the one Who is above all, through all, and in all (see Ephesians 4:6). Christ dwells in the hearts of His children through the Holy Spirit. This is a mystery that can be experienced but not explained. I believe that trying to overly explain the workings of God in our hearts and lives can do more harm than good. Paul calls the experience of Christ indwelling a mystery and we need to accept that and just rejoice in the fact that we have a Savior Who indwells believers (see Ephesians 3:17; Colossians 1:27, 28; 3:16). The mystics have emphasized the indwelling Spirit sometimes to the point of seeming to deny that there is a Creator God outside of us that is to be worshipped (see Revelation 14:6-7). I’ve learned some good devotional practices from the mystics for which I’m very grateful but at a certain point have had to part company with some of them because it seems in some cases they are denying even the need for a savior who is outside of our own inner being. I have recently read some things online that I find quite alarming which seem to be saying that there is no God outside of us to worship or pray to. The emphasis on the indwelling Spirit to the exclusion of a Creator God who dwells in light unapproachable can lead to an experience that borders on self-worship (see 1 Timothy 6:16). I highly recommend that you carefully study Ephesians 1-3 and Colossians 1-2. We have a Savior, Jesus the Son of God, who came to this earth and took upon Himself our humanity that we might be redeemed from this nightmare of sin, sickness, and death (see Philippians 2:5-11). I choose to put my faith in this Savior rather than depending upon my own human resources or those of others. Please look up all of the Bible passages I refer to above and give them very prayerful consideration.
Again, I encourage you to read TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY which is on the link below. We need to be reminded over and over again of the gospel because there is a perverse element in human nature that wants to forget our need for a Savior.
TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY