So the church is perfect, the whole world has been evangelised, Jesus has returned and we are living in the millennial kingdom. That's why they call the current generation millennials! I don't think.
Jesus says be ye perfect as the Heavenly Father is perfect.
If Jesus told us to do this and it was impossible, it would have made Jesus out to be a liar.
But seeing Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, He cannot lie.
We can be perfect as the Father is perfect, but He was not talking about Sinless Perfection in this instance, but He was referring to certain characteristics of the Father that make Him out to be perfect (if you were to look at the context in Matthew 5). Anyways, Jesus said to others to "sin no more" (John 5:14) (John 8:11). Paul and the other apostles agreed with Jesus (See: Galatians 5:24, 2 Corinthians 7:1, and 1 Peter 4:1-2).
You said:
It took me three years of doubting, researching and resisting before I was able to accept that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a current experience. Once I did, my life changed. A new realm opened up.
Actually, your conclusion is simply not true. All you have to do is read and believe the words of Peter in your Bible to understand what the "
Baptism of the Holy Spirit" actually is.
As Peter was telling Cornelius and his family about Jesus and salvation in Him, Peter states the following:
"And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost." (Acts of the Apostles 11:15-16).
So Peter is relating the receiving of the Spirit involving Cornelius and his family with the "baptism of the Holy Spirit." This was there first time receiving the Lord and His salvation, and the Spirit came as a part of that package deal (involving their salvation).
You said:
It can be dangerous, as there is a lot of counterfeit to contend with. God can and will steer us through the minefield. I am well aware that the Church in Corinth reads like a modern Pentecostal church, complete with moral and doctrinal issues. That does not invalidate the gift.
When Paul was writing to the Corinthian church in his 1st letter to them, they were not spiritually right with the Lord and they needed to seek forgiveness of their sins with the Lord in order to be restored back to God and His salvation. In Paul's 2nd letter to the Corinthians, we discover that by this time, they had repented or sought forgiveness with the Lord (2 Corinthians 7:10) (2 Corinthians 12:20-21).
You said:
I do not understand why people think that apostles have to have seen the Lord Jesus. Paul did not spend 3 years with the Lord as the others did. Yet he was a true apostle. Yes, there are founding apostles. "Apostle" simply means one who is sent. The Latin Bible translates "apostle" into the word that we get missionary from. There are still missionaries because there are still peoples to evangelise and Churches to found.
First, Paul learned of the revelation of the gospel by the revelation of Jesus Christ, and he did not learn it by any man.
“For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:” (Galatians 1:12-13).
Paul spent three years in Arabia learning from the Lord.
“To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.” (Galatians 1:16-18).
Second, Paul classifies himself as an apostle based on the fact that He had seen the risen Lord.
"Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?" (1 Corinthians 9:1).
Three, while there are the core 12 apostles (that are unique), if we were to count beyond the original twelve, it is possible that there were 25 apostles. Check out this article here:
How Many Apostles in the NT -- 12 or 25?
Four, I am already aware that "apostle" means "one who is sent." But the apostles are not just anyone.
The saints are laid upon the foundation of the prophets and apostles (with Christ being the chief cornerstone).
"Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner
stone;" (Ephesians 2:19-20).
You said:
For sure play it safe. I did. I'm glad. I did not fall into the trap of being pushed over, emotionally coerced into speaking in tongues and I did not receive the demon of spiritual pride that many Pentecostals end up with. I sure had pride but it was of a different variety. My motivation was a knowing that I lacked spiritual power. I received the Holy Spirit on my own, while staying at a friend's house, Christmas Eve 1974. No music, no emotion, no one standing over me telling me not to talk in English - I'd had all that and I baulked at it.
I believe the Spirit is given to those who obey Him (Acts of the Apostles 5:32).
Experiences are not always the gauge by which we should go by (Although I am not discounting you did not have a genuine experience with God). Anything is possible.
You said:
Watchman Nee says that the BOHS is simply a part of the salvation that God provided through Christ. All we have to do is pick it up.
Not sure about the picking up phrase, but we are given the Spirit as a part of salvation through Christ. As for Watchman Nee: I would caution in reading his writings.
Check out this article here to learn more:
Last Days Watchman: Why I Can No Longer Endorse Any Of Watchman Nee's Books
