Friend of Jesus (revised)

[dsaly1969]

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[Tigger45]

Hi co-friend of Jesus . We are at about 90% agreement and would love to have an ecumenical discussion on our similarities.

 

[dsaly1969]

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[Tigger45]

The first thing I was interested in was #4 of your post.


4. A Friend of Jesus affirms that every person is loved and continue to be guided by God through the Inward Light or Holy Spirit which we can learn to hear and allow it to guide us both in our daily lives. Contemplative practices such as Christian meditation, lectio divina, centering prayer, the rosary, etc. as well as the sacraments and sacramentals can help open us to the Spirit. We can know the guidance is true if it does not conflict with the Law of Love. If we are sincerely open to the Divine Will, we will be guided by a Wisdom that is more compelling than our own more superficial thoughts and feelings. This can mean that we will find ourselves led in directions or receiving understandings that we may not have chosen just from personal preference.

I really think most churches don't emphasize the practice of this topic enough. It's like many churches shied away from this not wanting to be associated with eastern meditation and New age practices. The fact is the bible is very pro meditation within the parameters of biblical teaching.

Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.

Psalm 4:4 Tremble, and do not sin; Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still.



I've recently started meditating on God's word. Where are you on this particular aspect of your spiritual journey?

 

[LastSeven]

5. As a Friend of Jesus, I define myself as a seeker. It is readily apparent that there is wisdom in all the world’s living faiths and salvation through the Way of Love is not limited to those in the Christian tradition. All religions have goodness in them and are guided by the same Spirit, even if they have another label for it. Salvation is available for people of all religions and spiritual paths who develop love for others rather than only oneself. (John 10:16)

Since no two religions agree, no more than a single religion can be true, which by extension means that all other religions are false. Now, you say that there is goodness in each religion, but if it is Christianity that is true, then it is also true the devil aims to lead you away from the truth and into deception. The easiest way to deceive people is to make them believe that you are good, or as you say other religions are "good", yet Jesus said "no-one is good except the father".

In other words, if Christianity is true, there is no goodness in other religions, only deception.

I encourage you to continue your search for the truth but you must begin with the knowledge that the antithesis of a child of God is one who looks for salvation within himself. This is the religion of the devil. For this reason, look to God for your answers, not religion, not man, and not your inner self as some other religions teach.

And most importantly, you must realize that salvation is not through love. Salvation is through Jesus, who is the word of God, and the light and the life of this world. There is no other way to God except through him. If you don't believe this, then you are not a friend of Jesus.

 

[dsaly1969]

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[dsaly1969]

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[LastSeven]

Hmm.. I think that "LastSeven" is posting on the wrong message board. This is a form for liberal Christians and not a debate board.

Is there a rule on this board against speaking your mind, or responding honestly to another person's posts? If so, then what's the point?

 

[Anto9us]

show-time

 

[dsaly1969]

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[XtianAgain]

I am a Friend of Jesus. "I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father" (John 15:14).

1. A Friend of Jesus affirms that the central and sole essential teaching of Jesus is the Law of Love – Love of God and Love of neighbor. The Holy Spirit helps us live out the Way of the Cross - to die to our Old Selves (egos) to be born again as a new creation through Christ. (Matthew 22:35-40, Mark 12:28-34, Luke 10:25-28, John 13:34).

2. Having the "correct beliefs" is not necessary for "salvation". We experience and bring heaven into our lives when we follow the Law of Love and can create hellish conditions in our lives when we elevate love of self and love of power over compassion for others. Therefore, "salvation" is the product of developing a genuine love for other people and for God. We temporarily reject salvation if we choose not to love others like God loves us. Jesus clearly taught that it is our actions which are important and not what one claims to believe. Jesus taught us how to live, not what to believe. He did not exclude people because of their beliefs. (Matthew chaps. 5-7, Luke 6:17-49, Matthew 25:35-40, Luke 10:25-37).

3. A Friend of Jesus affirms the primacy of the current guidance of the Holy Spirit as the most important spiritual guide to our lives, rather than limiting it to the Bible. The Word of God is Jesus and not the Bible itself. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). The Bible contains the history of the development of the church and its traditions and developed creeds as well as the cultural context from which they evolved filtered through the bias and opinions of the human authors. Therefore, Friends of Jesus read the Bible as a historical human response to the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the past and as a secondary source of guidance. Even in the Bible, Jesus told us to rely on the inspiration of the Spirit rather than books written and compiled by fallible human beings. "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come” (John 16:13).

4. A Friend of Jesus affirms that every person is loved and continue to be guided by God through the Inward Light or Holy Spirit which we can learn to hear and allow it to guide us both in our daily lives. Contemplative practices such as Christian meditation, lectio divina, centering prayer, the rosary, etc. as well as the sacraments and sacramentals can help open us to the Spirit. We can know the guidance is true if it does not conflict with the Law of Love. If we are sincerely open to the Divine Will, we will be guided by a Wisdom that is more compelling than our own more superficial thoughts and feelings. This can mean that we will find ourselves led in directions or receiving understandings that we may not have chosen just from personal preference.

5. As a Friend of Jesus, I define myself as a seeker. It is readily apparent that there is wisdom in all the world’s living faiths and salvation through the Way of Love is not limited to those in the Christian tradition. All religions have goodness in them and are guided by the same Spirit, even if they have another label for it. Salvation is available for people of all religions and spiritual paths who develop love for others rather than only oneself. (John 10:16)

6. As God is Love itself and as a Friend of Jesus, I do not believe in the doctrine of eternal damnation as God will continue to seek to ultimately reconcile all things to Himself (Colossians 1:20). In His love, I believe that God will continue to love those who die without salvation and seek to bring them to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4).

7. There are three steps to become a Friend of Jesus: First, to seriously confront his teaching. We are called to love God and love our neighbor. Second, to decide that Jesus was right-- this love of God and neighbor is the most important thing. Then, third, we have to decide that we will try to live that way -- with Jesus as our focus, our compass. This is what makes one a Friend of Jesus -- the decision to follow him, to make him function as the Christ in our lives. Then we should acknowledge and declare this decision to follow Jesus.

I love this. Sincere and lovely. All of it. Love it.

 

[LastSeven]

LastSeven, you have shared your theological opinion (given your "testimony" if you will). Thanks. We won't "convince" each other as we are using different things as a primary source of authority. Have a nice day!

First of all, if you really did appreciate my input you would not have commented on it as you did. It's pretty obvious that your "Thanks" is insincere and your "Have a nice day!" just reeks of arrogance.

If you had said nothing in the first place I wouldn't even have looked at this thread again, but your incredibly rude response prompts me to say one more thing.

All this "friend of Jesus" crap is an insult to the real Jesus since you know nothing about who Jesus is or what he expects from you. It's clear that your "primary source of authority" is not the same God I worship, so if you must continue with your false religion, I would appreciate it if you would stop using His name in vain, and hopefully someday you'll get struck by lightning (figuratively) and meet the real Jesus.

 

[dsaly1969]

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[Anto9us]

Dear dsaly1969

welcome to WWMC - Liberals

I used to go to a Unity Church and many shared the insights in your post

I can no longer go that far away and gone back to a Methodist Church close by

You will have to ignore any bashers that pay no heed to the SOP of "no debating if you don't share the views of the subforum" etc etc

They will be few - again, welcome!

 

[Anto9us]

I'm posting the whole blooming thing from the SOP cuz I don't think people are LOOKIN at it:




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[dsaly1969]

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