The topic and testimonies indeed have immense value.
To the soulish person, let’s say an unbeliever, or even somebody who had studied religion, but not yet reborn again of the spirit, is very right to take the rational view that such reports are mere hallucinations. This is because they are speaking from an anthropological make-up of being a human with a body and a soul. They do not yet have a reborn human spirit, by which they might even perceive such things, until that is provided to the regenerated human spirit of a believer in the Church Age.
For those who have a reborn human spirit, these testimonies offer information which confirms what God has provided us in His Word.
Whereas some believer might have spiritual gifts of dreams or visions, likewise some believers have the spiritual gift of interpretation and discernment. It is valuable for those with the dream or vision gift to remain in fellowship with God, and commune with those with the spiritual gift of interpretation and discernment to assist in identifying if such perceptions are the work of spiritual deception or if they are the gifts from God.
For those believers who have not fully studied or been exposed to such things, a good word study in Greek and Hebrew is very helpful in studying what is already provided us by God by His Word. Many such studies are frequently interpreted in a soulish fashion, paying more value to the reasoning in our minds, rather than through faith in Christ and relying on what He has provided us.
I’m reminded of the passage in Mark 2:6-8 corresponding to Luke 5:21-22.
In Mark, the same event is described where:
Mar 2:6-8
(6) ButG1161 there wereG2258 certainG5100 of theG3588 scribesG1122 sittingG2521 there,G1563 andG2532 reasoningG1260 inG1722 theirG848 hearts,G2588
(7) WhyG5101 doth thisG3778 man thusG3779 speakG2980 blasphemies?G988 whoG5101 canG1410 forgiveG863 sinsG266 butG1508 GodG2316 only?G1520
(8) AndG2532 immediatelyG2112 when JesusG2424 perceivedG1921(EPIGINOSKO) in hisG848 spiritG4151(PNEUMA) thatG3754 they soG3779 reasonedG1260(DIALOGIZOMAI) withinG1722 themselves,G1438(HEAUTOU) he saidG2036 unto them,G846 WhyG5101 reasonG1260(DIALOGIZOMAI) ye these thingsG5023(TAUTA) inG1722 yourG5216 hearts?G2588(KARDIA)
In Luke we are told:
Luk 5:21-22
(21) AndG2532 theG3588 scribesG1122 andG2532 theG3588 PhariseesG5330 beganG756 to reason,G1260 (DIALOGIZOMAI) saying,G3004 WhoG5101 isG2076 thisG3778 whichG3739 speakethG2980 blasphemies?G988 WhoG5101 canG1410 forgiveG863 sins,G266 butG1508 GodG2316 alone?G3441
(22) ButG1161 when JesusG2424 perceivedG1921(EPIGINOSKO) theirG846 thoughts,G1261(DIALOGISMOS) he answeringG611 saidG2036 untoG4314 them,G846 WhatG5101 reasonG1260(DIALOGIZOMAI) ye inG1722 yourG5216 hearts?G2588(KARDIA)
Note that Christ was perceiving spiritually and then asked why they reasoned in their hearts, when the events should have been perceptible spiritually.
Scripture and esecially the New Testament is full of such examples of how we are to to pray without ceasing, keeping short accounts for when we fall out of fellowship, and continue to grow and walk the Christian walk. The Christian life is a spiritual life.
It isn’t just fire insurance, it’s also life insurance.
;^)
Good points, imho.
Thx.
Or not.
"It is valuable for those with the dream or vision gift to remain in fellowship with God, and commune with those with the spiritual gift of interpretation and discernment to assist in identifying if such perceptions are the work of spiritual deception or if they are the gifts from God.
"For those believers who have not fully studied or been exposed to such things, a good word study in Greek and Hebrew is very helpful in studying what is already provided us by God by His Word. Many such studies are frequently interpreted in a soulish fashion, paying more value to the reasoning in our minds, rather than through faith in Christ and relying on what He has provided us."
There's a distinct and remarkable disdain for and rejection of logic indicated here, yet logic is required to know and understand anything real- like the passage given from Mark.
Mark 2:6-8, "Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, "Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things?"
"Note that Christ was perceiving spiritually and then asked why they reasoned in their hearts, when the events should have been perceptible spiritually."
God was doing nothing more here than violating the FR ban on reading another person's mind. God's Spirit is His mind. Since the passage is given in plain language and is completely logical, rational inquery in a logical manner is the best way to understand this passage. If it were otherwise, Mark would have written it in code, so that only the gnostics geniuses would get the message.