Of course Christians know this. However, large segments of "Christian" groups have aided and abetted Satan in stealing away the meaning of Biblical truth, leaving people in confusion and spiritual squalor. Just as the words, "gay," and "intercourse" are now associated exclusively with sexual or deviant behavior, so also some other words have been hijacked by Satan and misapplied by some "Christians." For instance...
LOVE
Satan has stolen away the word love and made it into a Liberal, "Get out of jail free card." Yes, salvation is a free gift, but it is not freedom to sin. Salvation has great cost, in Christ and in us. Christ made the sacrifice that provides salvation, but salvation is only available to those who deny themselves, the world and the flesh; those who deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Jesus.
"Christians" have helped Satan by attacking LOVE. This is partially due to the fact that very few people understand Divine love to begin with, and they do not understand that Divine love is consistent with Divine judgment and justice. In fact, when a person experiences and submits to Divine love, and is transformed by perfect love, that person could never attack love.
HOLINESS
Satan hates true holiness (purity, righteousness). When Satan cannot derail the message of God, he sidetracks it. Satan has stolen the word holiness (and others like it) and introduced it in terms of legalism. He has made it look like holiness is a list of does and don'ts. He also redefined "holiness" in terms of supposed spiritual manifestations and pseudo-proofs of the presence and power of God.
"Christians" have bought into the lie of Satan by reducing HOLINESS (and other words like it) to a rules and regulations list or associating it with aberrant behavior practiced by splinter groups of people who call themselves "Spirit filled."
Another misguided view of holiness is that it is either related exclusively to what we do or to our heart condition. Actually, holiness is both the purity of heart and the life of righteousness. To miss one aspect is to miss both realities.
MYSTICAL
Satan has taken the word, "Mystical" (which refers to a spiritual encounter with the supernatural realm) and identified it exclusively with non Christian encounters with God, such as occultism and spiritism. It is true that the word, "mystical" is appropriate to pagan religion, but the definition is also applicable to the spiritual encounter that Christians have with God. All encounters with God through Jesus Christ, through prayer, meditation, praise are mystical in the basic sense of the word. A Biblical and Christian encounter with God is outside of the natural realm and is personal and immediate. This is a mystical encounter with God
"Christians" have arbitrarily rejected the fact that the word MYSTICAL has to do more with the form of encountering God than with the specific application of the form. Having a mystical relationship with God is the norm for Christian believers. To claim to have a relationship with God, which is personal, immediate, unprovable by natural measurements is a mystical experience. The words, "mystical" and "spiritual" can both be used in reference to Biblical and unBiblical (occultic) encounters with the s(S)piritual realities. I am not arguing for anyone to use the word, "Mystical." I am simply pointing out that some people reject the idea of a mystical relationship with God through Christ, in the same way that some people deny Regeneration or the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, or Divine healing, or the present day exercise of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. YES, there are counterfeits and false claims, but we should not deny truth, simply because the devil does not like the truth.
Christian mysticism is not a "free form" way to encounter God. A true encounter with God (which is mystical by definition) must be consistent with the Biblical directives concerning prayer, praise, worship, meditation.
BORN AGAIN
Satan does not want a person to come alive to God, because that means the person will turn from sin. Satan has used one of his powerful modern tools to misguide society. Although being Born Again is a miraculous work of the Holy Spirit, which gives life to the repentant sinner, it has been redefined to simply mean, "a new start," or "turning over a new leaf," or a "new attitude." In fact, there have been occultic (psychology) ceremonies that provide a NEW BIRTH by having the psychologically tormented person strip down and enter a warm tank of water, from which they are "delivered" (as if being born into this world) by some psycho-guru or religious psycho.
"Christians support this lunacy and demonic activity by leading people into their past, even before their birth, in order to actualize a "new birth" or new beginning.
STAY BIBLICAL. This is why we need to have spiritual leaders and counselors that are true to the Bible and teach the truths of God clearly. People are being tossed by every wind of insanity.
Ephesians 4:11-16
(11) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
(12) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
(13) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
(14) That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
(15) But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
(16) From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
LOVE
Satan has stolen away the word love and made it into a Liberal, "Get out of jail free card." Yes, salvation is a free gift, but it is not freedom to sin. Salvation has great cost, in Christ and in us. Christ made the sacrifice that provides salvation, but salvation is only available to those who deny themselves, the world and the flesh; those who deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Jesus.
"Christians" have helped Satan by attacking LOVE. This is partially due to the fact that very few people understand Divine love to begin with, and they do not understand that Divine love is consistent with Divine judgment and justice. In fact, when a person experiences and submits to Divine love, and is transformed by perfect love, that person could never attack love.
HOLINESS
Satan hates true holiness (purity, righteousness). When Satan cannot derail the message of God, he sidetracks it. Satan has stolen the word holiness (and others like it) and introduced it in terms of legalism. He has made it look like holiness is a list of does and don'ts. He also redefined "holiness" in terms of supposed spiritual manifestations and pseudo-proofs of the presence and power of God.
"Christians" have bought into the lie of Satan by reducing HOLINESS (and other words like it) to a rules and regulations list or associating it with aberrant behavior practiced by splinter groups of people who call themselves "Spirit filled."
Another misguided view of holiness is that it is either related exclusively to what we do or to our heart condition. Actually, holiness is both the purity of heart and the life of righteousness. To miss one aspect is to miss both realities.
MYSTICAL
Satan has taken the word, "Mystical" (which refers to a spiritual encounter with the supernatural realm) and identified it exclusively with non Christian encounters with God, such as occultism and spiritism. It is true that the word, "mystical" is appropriate to pagan religion, but the definition is also applicable to the spiritual encounter that Christians have with God. All encounters with God through Jesus Christ, through prayer, meditation, praise are mystical in the basic sense of the word. A Biblical and Christian encounter with God is outside of the natural realm and is personal and immediate. This is a mystical encounter with God
"Christians" have arbitrarily rejected the fact that the word MYSTICAL has to do more with the form of encountering God than with the specific application of the form. Having a mystical relationship with God is the norm for Christian believers. To claim to have a relationship with God, which is personal, immediate, unprovable by natural measurements is a mystical experience. The words, "mystical" and "spiritual" can both be used in reference to Biblical and unBiblical (occultic) encounters with the s(S)piritual realities. I am not arguing for anyone to use the word, "Mystical." I am simply pointing out that some people reject the idea of a mystical relationship with God through Christ, in the same way that some people deny Regeneration or the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, or Divine healing, or the present day exercise of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. YES, there are counterfeits and false claims, but we should not deny truth, simply because the devil does not like the truth.
Christian mysticism is not a "free form" way to encounter God. A true encounter with God (which is mystical by definition) must be consistent with the Biblical directives concerning prayer, praise, worship, meditation.
BORN AGAIN
Satan does not want a person to come alive to God, because that means the person will turn from sin. Satan has used one of his powerful modern tools to misguide society. Although being Born Again is a miraculous work of the Holy Spirit, which gives life to the repentant sinner, it has been redefined to simply mean, "a new start," or "turning over a new leaf," or a "new attitude." In fact, there have been occultic (psychology) ceremonies that provide a NEW BIRTH by having the psychologically tormented person strip down and enter a warm tank of water, from which they are "delivered" (as if being born into this world) by some psycho-guru or religious psycho.
"Christians support this lunacy and demonic activity by leading people into their past, even before their birth, in order to actualize a "new birth" or new beginning.
STAY BIBLICAL. This is why we need to have spiritual leaders and counselors that are true to the Bible and teach the truths of God clearly. People are being tossed by every wind of insanity.
Ephesians 4:11-16
(11) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
(12) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
(13) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
(14) That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
(15) But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
(16) From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
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