Reno,
I won’t return an insult for an insult.
You miss the point. If you claim to know truth
based on strictly subjective measures, you prove
nothing. All cults do that. Fake religions do
that.
Using those things to “prove” they are of the
Lord, when any other run of the mill cultist
can do exactly the same, is no proof at all.
Mix into that brew the contradiction of the
Bible and you are exactly where you began -
cult-land. Where subjective truth reigns instead
of the Lord.
When the Apostle Paul wrote vast portions of
the NT, he said this:
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteouness” (2 Tim. iii. 16).
Notice he didn’t say all experiences were inspired from
God and are the basis of doctrine, reproof, correction
and instruction. Scripture is.
In Acts 17:11, Paul of Tarsus and Silas preached at Berea, and the inhabitants “eagerly examined the scriptures every day to see whether these things were so”, and many of them believed.” They were commended not for having or seeking an
experience, but for examining the scriptures.
Paul COMMANDED “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth” (2 Tim. ii. 15).
He didn’t command Christians to seek experiences as the
basis of truth.
We could add more. The point would be the same. When you
elevate experiences above God’s Word, the Bible, you are
reversing the order of scripture. You are substituting
subjective truth for objective truth - exactly like any
Whirling Dervish (which are Muslims, btw).
Your life, of course. Live it as you wish. Don’t claim
it is Christian Truth, though, without expecting believers
to point out the error - like II Timothy 3:16 says we are
to do with scripture - use it for reproof.
ampu
I’m not sure whether you’re just missing this or are purposely omitting this from your response. We’re taught very specifically to study, ponder, & then pray as found in BOM Moroni 10:3-5
“3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.
4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. So, I agree w/ you that one can’t just rely on seeking guidance from Father w/o putting forth the effort in the first place. You should realize this from our posts”.
You state that our beliefs contradict the Bible. That’s your opinion, nothing else. I can respect that even though I find your opinion to be lacking. We have showed on numerous occasions where your supposed contradictions are anything but. You rarely do likewise other than to say that when we’re ready, the answers will appear. There are many things in the Bible that could be taken as contradictions as I’ve eluded to to in previous posts.
Our challenge to all is to study the scriptures, ponder them extensively, come up w/ what you feel is correct, & then take it before the Lord. So you can see, this is the antithesis of what you say we believe. Surprise, surprise.
The Lord admonishes us to read the scriptures, as He does to pray to Him for answers. They are not mutually exclusive as you seem to claim. For those seeking the truth, one cannot do one w/o the other. Otherwise we could be fooled either by the adversary or our own “wisdom”.
Ultimately, you have sought for wisdom through your studies & I applaud that to some extent. But you opinion differs so vastly from ours & other Christians in many areas. Many Christians have studied throughout the centuries & come up w/ varying opinions on baptism, sacrament, works vs. grace, Catholic vs. Protestant issues, capital punishment, women in the priesthood, etc, etc. Is your opinion any better than other “Christians” who have studied as you but have come up w/ different opinions? So, who’s right then?
Perhaps, after doing all that you can, if you were to take it before the Lord for final discernment, truth, nothing doubting, could be found. I for one, have found that to be true through the methods described above.