Quote:
Originally Posted by Igzy
Mike makes a good point that the concept of "getting more God" is misleading and perhaps just plain wrong.
When we really sense the Lord's presence in us it does seem like we have "more" of God. But really, what is happening is that we are getting personally closer to God, and so are more aware of Him. The slang of getting more God is understandable, but it also illustrates again the diversion of the LC view of contacting God versus that of most serious Christians.
The LC saw experiences of God as experiences of his substance--His life, nature and Spirit--which you could get more of, like drinking more milk, which lent to an oddly impersonal personal relationship with Him. Most serious Christians see God as a spiritual personality with whom they can grow in relationship with, as thus become more aware of personally.
This growing sense of God's presence can give the impression one has more God, but probably what has really happened is that God has more of you.
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The Local Church people will insist that they are not a religion. However, one of the clearest evidence that a group has gone the way of religion is their drift towards works. This concept of "getting more of God dispensed into your being" has altogether to do with works.
You are right Igzy. We do not get more of God, we simply draw closer to Him. We have already received the all of God that we are going to receive. We cannot go to the dispenser and pump more into us.
Why do I say works? Well this idea of "God's dispensation" (as in dispensing, like a dispenser) leads to having to do something to get more of God. If you "call on the Lord" more, you will get more of God. If you "prayread" more, you will get more of God. If you go to all the meetings, you will get more of God than some who choose to miss some meetings, and so on, and so forth.
I can remember being in the Catholic Church with this kind of mentality. If I do more Novenas, I will be more pleasing to God. If I say more rosaries, I will score more brownie points with God. If I give to the foreign missions, and go to mass faithfully, and...so on, and so forth.
Remember this? If you do all that is expected of you, you are a "good brother," or sister. If you are found wanting, "Oh, brother you need to..."
Roger