If it was possible to know, I would be interested in knowing if the average Apostolic spent more time following the extra-Biblical commands of the Church or the Biblical commands of God. A hunch says I would be disappointed in the answer.
The OT lists 613 God's commands in the Torah. If they are in the Bible then they are from God, right? Do you follow them? Do you fast? Oh, wait, Paul says we don't have to, because it doesn't apply to us? Right? So, what's left? The Ten Commandments, which we say (for some reason) apply to us but other OT Commandments don't (even though I am reminded that everything in the Bible, every dot in it, is the word of God!), and of course the Two Commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ, to love God with everything we have and our neighbor as ourselves (both of which are found in separate places in the OT).
Am I to assume that, unlike some of us, you follow God's commandments (and we don't)? While I am sure you love God with everything you have (especially when things are going well), do you really want me to believe that you love your neighbor as you love yourself? Do you pray for your friends? I am sure you do. Do you fervently pray for your enemies too? I don't, just as I don't love my neighbor as I love myself. I am simply not there (yet, if ever).
I think the disappointment should begin from us before we proclaim disappointment with the world. Religious pride (which is still pride) is alive and well, FK. At times it seems it has never been better, especially after the Reformation.
The Islamic world doesn’t recognize Israel exists today.
I still think otherwise.
Occasionally I feel myself approach this. It's kind of hard to explain the feelings, but I'll try:
I'll feel my entire being filled up with what I can only describe as a love that seems to have no beginning or end. It saturates every corner of my physical being and I feel like water balloon that's been overfilled, but not with water - with love.
Every part of me feels a little bit heavier, and my breathing begins to change. My breathing seems to begin to get deeper and slower. Just when feel like I might burst, tears begin to flow like a river from my eyes, but they aren't tears of happiness or sadness. The best way I can describe them is - they feel like tears of "awe"(?) - if that makes any sense.
While this is going on I feel noting but love for God, all of my loved ones, everyone I've ever met, everyone I'll EVER meet, and this includes ALL my enemies (even separatist Albanians! :-D) Time seems to stop and all that seems exist is Love.
The strangest little things will set this state off in me. Sometimes just witnessing 2 strangers come together to make someone's life a little better will trigger this response in me. I try not to make too much out of it, but it sure feels good. It feels like my entire being is a prayer when I get like this.
No, I did not imply that. My point was that I think Apostolics spend WAY too much time focusing on "other than God", rather than on God. To this day I do not understand the thinking that says that devotion to another somehow glorifies God. Why not just have devotion to God? Isn't the Bible absolutely clear that God does NOT WANT us to have devotion to any but Him? Does your interpretation of scripture tell you to devote yourself to Mary or other Saints, etc.?
Religious pride (which is still pride) is alive and well, FK. At times it seems it has never been better, especially after the Reformation.
Naturally, we see that religious pride predominates in the faith that glorifies men when it is proper to glorify God. Your side accuses us of pride for not following MEN. That is ridiculous. :) We give ALL glory to God, and you accuse US of pride??? It is your side that glorifies men at the expense of God. That is what I call pride.