Quote:
Originally Posted by OBW
You have continued to argue for a construct that is not found in the Bible. And assuming you intend it as a catch-all for real things that are there, it fails to identify any of them. You have asserted that the word "know" means personal knowledge and therefore requires experience. But the experience that underpins the knowledge is also experience with the subject matter, not only some kind of "experience of Christ."
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"Experience of Christ" is a generalization. But it is an accurate one. There is nothing wrong with using the term that you have demonstrated. You've given theoretical reasons for not using it, but nothing from experience that is conclusive. Yes, the LCM had a bad connotation for it sometimes. That's not enough reason to throw it out.
I've considered your argument and I disagree with it. And I think most people would. I've never heard anyone else arguing that saying we need to "experience Christ" is not a good thing. Since you are clearly in the tiny minority of people who would argue for such a thing the burden is on you to demonstrate its validity. And you can't do that by simply making a theoretical point. You have to show evidence, both that doing something produces negative results, and that not doing it produces better results. You haven't done that. You've just argued theory.
You have the tendency to put what someone says in the worst light possible and then attack that. That's one step from a straw man argument. I mean, if you are going to be stubborn I can be just as stubborn. If you are not going to at least acknowledge the usefulness of my ideas I certainly am not going to acknowledge yours, especially if I tend to disagree with them. I've already said I can see your point in theory. I just have not been shown that it actually produces the negative results you tie to it. You've provided no evidence that speaking of "experiencing Christ" has directly led to anyone being led astray from the truth. Nor have you provided evidence that only speaking of specific experiences produces better results. You just speculated it does.
How has holding this belief improved your relationship with God and your living out of the fruits of the Spirit? That's the bottom line. Since you are in the minority on this you need to tell us how it's made you a better Christian, because frankly I don't see how it has. We can all argue for things. But the proof of the pudding is in the eating.