Where is Jesus quoted to say ‘do as I say, but not as I do.” in scripture.
The Apostles were certainly present, why would they be present for such a conversation but not be permitted to emulate the behavior of Christ in this regard?
We are to emulate Jesus in those things that can be emulated without going against His will for us. But there are things Jesus did and will do we can never emulate. We are not God. We will never sit on the throne of Heaven. We will never create a universe and name all the stars. And we do not have permission to talk to the deceased. We have in fact been warned not to.
In any hierarchy of emulation, we must begin at first principles. Jesus, being God, can do things permanently beyond us, for all eternity. But there are things we can emulate, because they fall withing the range of redeemed human nature. Probably the most basic way in which we should emulate Christ is this: Jesus was completely obedient to the Father. Even though He was Himself God. He emptied Himself of the full range of things God could do, in order to become our Savior:
Php 2:5-8 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (6) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: (7) But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: (8) And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
If we know God does not desire us to be communicating with the dead, and we do, we can hardly emulate the obedience of Jesus by disregarding the express will of the Father.
Peace,
SR
Where does it say in the bible that we should disregard those who according to John 3:16 in the KJV “shall not perish and have everlasting life?”
Where is this prohibition, especially when it emulates the servants at Cana and Jesus at the Transfiguration?