The power of God

[Serving Zion]

I would have to say, that it has to do with not wanting to be known. If love is a relationship, then you can't compose one without knowing each other openly. A lack of love in Christians would point to a fear of being known, and knowing others.

That is very insightful, thank you! I also find that Christians most broadly do not accept those who do not receive them. Rejection is a hurtful thing, and it wages war on love. This too often triggers a response of pride, to offend the one who hurts us.

It's quite a catch-22 really, because of the false doctrines of salvation under which Christians have received the gospel. The prevailing doctrine now is that if someone does not believe that Jesus died for their sin, they will go to hell. This creates an anxiety in Christians, who assume that everyone needs to believe that Jesus died for their sins. Then their primary objective is to convince people to believe that, and of course, you cannot make someone believe that unless they first believe they are a sinner. So, that sort of Christian is then formed to immediately regard others as sinners and to tell them so .. instead of receiving them as fellow human beings that might simply have not learned who Jesus was and what He was all for.

Do you remember, that Jesus had to often draw away to quiet places to pray? In this way, He kept Himself close to God, because God is love. As He walked among the sinners, His power flowed out of Him to heal them. What's more, is that Christians don't live that closely to God, who is the source of that healing love, and instead they watch TV for hours each day - which actually tempts them to sin, whether by lust or mammon or anger or bitterness or whatever. The TV is a really bad role model as far as Christian behaviours should be, and it's just like Jesus said about the yeast: "a little leaven puffs up the whole dough".

We are what we eat, you know?

 

[chriscomplex]

That is very insightful, thank you! I also find that Christians most broadly do not accept those who do not receive them. Rejection is a hurtful thing, and it wages war on love. This too often triggers a response of pride, to offend the one who hurts us.

It's quite a catch-22 really, because of the false doctrines of salvation under which Christians have received the gospel. The prevailing doctrine now is that if someone does not believe that Jesus died for their sin, they will go to hell. This creates an anxiety in Christians, who assume that everyone needs to believe that Jesus died for their sins. Then their primary objective is to convince people to believe that, and of course, you cannot make someone believe that unless they first believe they are a sinner. So, that sort of Christian is then formed to immediately regard others as sinners and to tell them so .. instead of receiving them as fellow human beings that might simply have not learned who Jesus was and what He was all for.

Do you remember, that Jesus had to often draw away to quiet places to pray? In this way, He kept Himself close to God, because God is love. As He walked among the sinners, His power flowed out of Him to heal them. What's more, is that Christians don't live that closely to God, who is the source of that healing love, and instead they watch TV for hours each day - which actually tempts them to sin, whether by lust or mammon or anger or bitterness or whatever. The TV is a really bad role model as far as Christian behaviours should be, and it's just like Jesus said about the yeast: "a little leaven puffs up the whole dough".

We are what we eat, you know?

Exactly.

 

[Serving Zion]

Exactly.

I also have thought to correlate Ephesians 4:15-16 "according to the effective working by which every part does its share" and Matthew 18:12, keeping in mind the times we are in (John 12:35/John 1:9/Matthew 21:38-39 & Luke 19:14/2 Thessalonians 2:3) - so, perhaps it is only patience that you need, but do by all means feel encouraged to keep pressing toward it

 

[aiki]

I guess the greatest struggle I had within my Christian faith, was. Why don't I see the "Mature Christians" that I know, displaying the power of God as Jesus said they could do.

It's all "Read your bible" and "Attend church" and "Pray in his name" and "Pay your tithe" but what about the miracles I'd say.

What is the greatest display of the power of God in the life of an individual? It isn't healed bodies but changed lives. And Scripture agrees with me. In the Bible, the miraculous is typically associated with the exercise and/or establishment of divine authority. Old Testament prophets performed miracles to establish their authority as speakers for the divine; Christ performed miracles in demonstration of his claims to be God incarnate; the apostles performed miracles to establish their authority as apostles and as an aid to forming the Early Church. There are no prophets or apostles today and Christ has not yet returned. The Christian church is well-established. Scripture communicates to us all we need to know of God's character, and will, and truth. What need, then, of miracles, or prophecies, or apostles? Today, God shows His power in the transformation of wicked, rebellious people into loving, Christ-like children. He takes people mired and bound in selfishness and sin, blind and deaf to divine light and truth, and makes them "new creatures in Christ." In some very profound ways, this is far more of a miracle than any healing, or prophecy, or babbling in an unknown tongue.

If Christians are telling you the life of a believer is all "read your Bible, attend church, pray and tithe" it's because they don't know themselves what the Christian life really is. At its heart, the Christian life is knowing and living in loving fellowship with the God of the Universe. All the praying, tithing, Bible reading and church attendance are just the by-products of knowing and loving God. The core of the Christian life is a Person, not an activity.

1 John 1:3-4
3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

Selah.