You'll need to fill me in on why you've stated this in just this specific way in relation to Winfried Corduan.
Well, you asked me what do I have to do with the Bible. It’s the same reason that all men need the Bible including Winfried. All believers need God’s grace. They are required to throw themselves down before the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ in the proper due times out of their life. For are we not all supposed to be running the race so as to obtain the prize as mentioned by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:24? This is why we need God’s Word (the Bible).
You said:
It's almost as if you don't know that Corduan is already Christian, a Christian philosopher and apologist who has been an associate of the late Norman Geisler.
I never said he was not Christian. I am saying that all believers need the Bible from the beginning of their life up until the end of their lives. It is their lifeline to God when they pray, and when they love God and others, and when they desire to draw closer to the Lord.
But we have to be careful in uplifting a man. Paul warned us of this in 1 Corinthians 3 with the Corinthians. For some said, I am of Paul, and others said, I am of Apollos. We are nothing in and of ourselves. It is only God who is the source of all good. All good done in our lives should be reflected back at God. All praise should be given unto our Lord for any good in any life of a Christian.
You said:
So, it sounds to me like you're making an unnecessary dig at a fellow Christian. Surely you weren't intending on doing that, right?
Not at all. I prefer to attack the wrong beliefs, actions, etc. and not the individual. Sometimes they can seem indistinguishable, but we really do need to pray and love all people in our lives even when they might hurt us or when their beliefs are absolutely deplorable to us. I care for Winfried as a person and I am commanded by God to love him. I don’t know his heart as a believer in Jesus Christ. But what I don’t like is the belief he is promoting. It may seem minor and acceptable to you and others, but I do not like his belief of him trying to resurrect an old dead word like “
mysticism” when that word is viewed as primarily negative now (i.e. it is associated with New age, etc.). It would be like trying to bring back the word “gay” as meaning happy and not the other meaning most people know it by today. There could be lots of problems in attempting to do that. Sure, there are churches and groups who use the word mysticism with no negative association. I do get that. But select groups do not get to determine how that word is viewed by most people in the world. We have to be willing to reach all people for Jesus Christ. The best way we can do that is by not offending others by using the wrong words giving people the wrong impressions about us (as believers).
Bible Highlighter said:
Anyways, you made Winfried as if he was on equal authority with the writers of Scripture (which is simply not the case).
You said:
No, I didn't, actually. That's simply your bad interpretation about what it is you think I've said.
But whatever ...
Ask yourself this question. Can you see a teaching by Winfried that has influenced you that can be supported by the Bible? You know, the whole trying to resurrect a negative word idea like
mysticism whereby it can give people the wrong impression about what we believe? Does God want us to confuse others? Does God want us to make other people think we are new age mystics by trying to bring back that word like it once was?
You said:
... I think we can close this convo with each other here since you seem to think you're the superior man in this spiritual ship. And in the same way that you've refused to engage much of anything I've said, I'm more than happy to return the favor.
I am nothing. Christ is everything. I only speak based on what I have learned from God’s Word. His Word is my guidance and light of my path for my every day walk with God.
You said:
Cheers!
By the way, that book review you found didn't adequately review Corduan's book, so the review rather sucked in my estimation.
Are you in favor of his view of trying to resurrect the word
mysticism?
That is what this is really about, right?
Anyways, we can simply agree to disagree and move on (of course).
I am just giving you what I feel is good and correct in following Christ according to His Word.
For I do not believe we need to add anything to God’s Word.
No added teachings or beliefs by men’s thoughts.
His Word is enough.