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Evangelical · 10-15-2018, 05:34 PM

"end run around the bible" is an exaggeration. Anyone can see that I am proposing the direct application of 3 key verses about discernment of spirits. I have not ventured beyond that.

The suitability of the 3 verses proposed, is enhanced by the fact that the situation in the early church that Paul/John addressed would have been worse than most churches today. They did not have the benefit of gotquestions.org, or any internet forum, or even the complete New Testament to guide their discernment. They had a simple test, which was what a person says about Christ reflects what is in their heart (Luke 6:45). John and Paul did not describe any further tests than theses.

Lee is sometimes accused of being a gnostic, so these tests applied to gnosticism in the early church should work for the local churches as well!

Rather, ZNP and others are trying their best to explain away these verses and why these verses are inadequate. To do so, they have had to venture from Hebrews to Proverbs (and these are very light on the subject of spiritual discernment), which do not provide a complete or adequate answer.

I agree with Zeek's statement about "What else is there?". If we cannot use the confession of the Lord Jesus as absolute proof of the anointing then there are not many more tests we can use and stay within the bible. Medieval Europe or even the Reformation was rife with unscriptural tests and this led to the death of many wrongly accused witches and heretics.

I suggest that churches rich in good works which do not call upon the Lord Jesus invite all sorts of spiritual things in their midst. For one, the act of calling the Lord's name might keep evil away as they cannot tolerate it. For two, it might show everyone the genuineness of everyone's heart. It is well known that Catholic liturgies for example are mostly filled with unbelievers, possibly even the Priests, whom evangelicals would love to evangelize and give them the "born again experience". An example of this is Mother Teresa. She did many good works but it is well known that she did not believe the Lord Jesus to be the only way to Heaven. Did she call upon the Lord Jesus or Hare Krishna? Would she have passed the spiritual tests of John and Paul? While people were dying, she was placing mystical spells upon their heads to grant them a ticket to heaven without them having to confess anything about Jesus.

10-15-2018, 05:34 PM	#7
Evangelical Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 3,965	Re: Discernment of spirits "end run around the bible" is an exaggeration. Anyone can see that I am proposing the direct application of 3 key verses about discernment of spirits. I have not ventured beyond that. The suitability of the 3 verses proposed, is enhanced by the fact that the situation in the early church that Paul/John addressed would have been worse than most churches today. They did not have the benefit of gotquestions.org, or any internet forum, or even the complete New Testament to guide their discernment. They had a simple test, which was what a person says about Christ reflects what is in their heart (Luke 6:45). John and Paul did not describe any further tests than theses. Lee is sometimes accused of being a gnostic, so these tests applied to gnosticism in the early church should work for the local churches as well! Rather, ZNP and others are trying their best to explain away these verses and why these verses are inadequate. To do so, they have had to venture from Hebrews to Proverbs (and these are very light on the subject of spiritual discernment), which do not provide a complete or adequate answer. I agree with Zeek's statement about "What else is there?". If we cannot use the confession of the Lord Jesus as absolute proof of the anointing then there are not many more tests we can use and stay within the bible. Medieval Europe or even the Reformation was rife with unscriptural tests and this led to the death of many wrongly accused witches and heretics. I suggest that churches rich in good works which do not call upon the Lord Jesus invite all sorts of spiritual things in their midst. For one, the act of calling the Lord's name might keep evil away as they cannot tolerate it. For two, it might show everyone the genuineness of everyone's heart. It is well known that Catholic liturgies for example are mostly filled with unbelievers, possibly even the Priests, whom evangelicals would love to evangelize and give them the "born again experience". An example of this is Mother Teresa. She did many good works but it is well known that she did not believe the Lord Jesus to be the only way to Heaven. Did she call upon the Lord Jesus or Hare Krishna? Would she have passed the spiritual tests of John and Paul? While people were dying, she was placing mystical spells upon their heads to grant them a ticket to heaven without them having to confess anything about Jesus.