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Separating Religious from Biblical Doctrine

There is nothing more profound than for Jehovah’s spirit to bear witness with our spirit. (Romans 8:14-17) There is also nothing more disagreeable than seeing someone become so completely Gnostic by means of spirit that they are no longer open to reason. The unsettling truth is, anyone touched by the spirit world can become so certain, so affected that a revelation has been personally given by God, that it becomes unique to themselves alone and nothing can convince them otherwise.

“I used to believe like you,” is a common statement. “But now I see life from both sides now,” so say the lyrics of one popular song of the 60’s. So, what are we really saying? That we have “special” knowledge, a spiritual enlightenment beyond our fellow humans’ comprehension? This can be viewed as quite arrogant and condescending since some are saying in effect, “You do not believe me because I’m a spiritual man and the Bible predicted in 1 Corinthians 2:14-16 that a spiritual man understands all things”—concluding of course that you are not so gifted if you cannot see it—because you are just a physical man. And so anything you say thereafter is rejected because you ‘have not received the spirit.’

Which may be true if the spirit is from God. Dare we question that? Not to the spiritually Gnostic.

Most, if not all have had a spiritual awakening—anything from a glimmer to a strong sense that God has sent an enlightenment for other reasons than we can explain. But as a human sold into sin, the spirit is a dangerous substance to abuse in our three-dimensional world. And since we are not even made of the same stuff, we are not yet meant to completely grasp the spirit realm.

So when we are “enlightened” from the spirit realm, how do we know that our enlightenment was complete or from which realm? Are any humans (besides the so-called enlightened Gnostic believers) familiar with the spirit realm?

Enlightenment is a unique experience. Which is why it is so controversial. True enlightenment remains within establish Bible doctrine while the other presumes doctrine beyond that which can be Biblically proven. One is ‘Bible based’ whereas the other is ‘Religion based.’ One is from God. The other is human—presumptuous—beyond what is written and ignores Biblical contradiction. So spawns the ‘I’m spiritual’ argument.

Religious doctrines so affect the powers of reason that Biblical contradictions become invisible, veiled to its adherents. There is much in the Bible deliberately withheld that any number of religions can satisfy, which is why religion also blinds its patriots to the lies it presumes to teach as truth. That is why Jesus praised his Father for ‘hiding these things from wise and intellectual ones and revealing them to babes;’ and why Jesus refused to speak to the crowds with ‘anything but illustrations,’ but granted knowledge of sacred secrets to be later revealed—still within scripture and not esoterically. It is why John told us to ‘test the spirit or inspire expressions to see whether they originate with God.' (1 John 4:1-3; Matthew 11:25-27; 13:10-15)

How are we to test them? For one thing, they cannot presume and ignore contrary Bible text. They cannot go beyond what is written. They cannot form a doctrine that presumes itself to be Biblical when it is in fact—religious.

Hi smoldering wick,
I fully support the thoughts in your article.:thumbup::D

May Jehovah God's blessing be with you.
With brotherly love Jan

Good subject and you brought out some points that everyone should think about. Way to many times religion has taken the word of God from the Bible and twisted it to fit their own unique view of things. The WTBS has done this a lot, and sadly the vast majority of JW's have taken the words of the society and believe they are the words of God, when in reality they are far from Gods word.

It's not just the JW's that do this, many other religions have done the same thing over the years, and just like the members of the WTBS, their followers also believe that what their religion teaches is from God. I see it all the time on different discussion boards, if you don't believe the same as their church, then you are not a "real" christian. I also have seen people claim that you must be part of a certain political party, or you can't be a true christian. Of course they can't show proof of this from the bible, at least not "real" scriptural proof. Sure they can point to this and that, take on scripture here, another there, and try and say that it "proves" their belief, but it's not really coming from God.

The biggest problem is that people interpret the scriptures differently, and try to slant them to fit their own thinking. I think the Bible is pretty clear on what it is that God likes and does not like. God made the basics pretty easy to understand, he didn't make it so hard that his children on earth could not figure it out. On the other hand religious leaders like to make it more complicated that it is in order to make the claim that only "they" have the "truth", or that only they can interpret the meaning of scripture.

Everyone likes to feel special, and those who twist the words of God use that to control those who follow them. We all want to be part of the special group that will learn the "secrets" of the Bible, be part of the "chosen" ones. The thing is we don't have to become a member of any one group in order to do so, we simply need to open our hearts and let the truth in. Nobody will ever have it all right, it just isn't going to happen. The only time we will now for sure what it was God wanted for us is when Jesus comes back and lets the world know. As you stated in your post, the secrets will be revealed, but at at time in place no mortal man knows. When the time is right Jesus will return and explain things, until then we simply must keep on doing what is right, and conduct our lives the way the Bible tells us.

Take care.

Andy

re⋅li⋅gion   /rɪˈlɪdʒən/ [ri-lij-uhn] Show IPA
–noun

1. a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.

2. a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion.

3. the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions.

4. the life or state of a monk, nun, etc.: to enter religion.

5. the practice of religious beliefs; ritual observance of faith.

6. something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience: to make a religion of fighting prejudice.

7. religions, Archaic. religious rites.

8. Archaic. strict faithfulness; devotion: a religion to one's vow.

—Idiom9. get religion, Informal.


a. to acquire a deep conviction of the validity of religious beliefs and practices.

b. to resolve to mend one's errant ways: The company got religion and stopped making dangerous products.



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Religion = Man grasping desperately to reach up to God.

Calvary = God reaching Lovingly down to man.

True Religion

James 1

21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. 26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.


( funny how we can point at others spots while we may look like we have the Chicken pocks ourselves:D )


In the Parable known as " The Parable of the Good Samaritan " perhaps better entitled " The Parable of the Good Neighbor "

The lawyer " wanting to justify himself " asks " Who is my neighbor "
( He wanted a little check list to go by, to say yep done that been there I'm good )

Instead he gets a story about a person who he despises a Samaritan who bandages up a fallen stranger, gives 2 days wages ( and a what would be equal to credit card deposit today ) to cover all the mans expenses. While the most religious men ( a Priest and a Levite walk right on by ) Then the lord asks which of these 3 was " Neighbor " to the fallen man. The lawyer can't even muster up the guts to say
"The Samartian" instead he says " He who showed mercy on him "
to which the Lord says to him " go and do like wise "


One man had a good Religion the other had a good relationship.
( with God)

BB

I couldn't agree more SW :ok:

agape Johnny :heartbeat: