----- Original Message -----
Sent: March 29, 2004 12:35
Subject: [TruthTalk] M Scott Peck a
Christian LOL
Charles, you wrote about M Scott Peck
I did not consider him a Christian. Or even a Buddhist, or anything. I
considered him a psychologist. Nothing more, nothing less.[�.] Rather than
wallow in my secular journey as an
adversary, can you celebrate with me in my spiritual awakening, belief, and salvation? There is
much more to my story than just reading Scott Peck. It was not the only, and
not even the greatest influence going on in my life at the time.
Jt: Yes Charles I can rejoice with you over your �spiritual awakening�
but there is a very important issue here with regard to truth vs error
and let me remind you that I am not your adversary. You may not see it now
but I am here to challenge listers to fix our eyes on Jesus and to
�contend for the faith once delivered to the saints� which in our generation
is no easy feat because the professing Church is at present hopelessly
enmeshed with mixture and has little or no spiritual discernment to speak
of. You hear more about smart men and psychobabble than you hear God�s
Word today and people with emotional issues now look to secular counseling
to try and fix their spiritual problems. Yes, we do have an adversary but he
is not me.
For example Izzy wrote to Lance: Thanks for
the comments. I agree completely, sadly enough. I have no
hope of unity either.
I say why not? Where is faith? Jesus will not come for a
messed up sick, fragmented bunch who act like devils but claim to belong to
Him. The Church He returns for will be �without spot, Wrinkle, or blemish�
So how do we get from here to there? Certainly not by turning to
psychological gurus who peddle this worlds wisdom.
Sinfulness/selfishness/flesh is a fact of life on
earth.
It is but it is not supposed to be a �fact of life� in the Church
(unless you are John) sanctification is a second work of grace and Jesus
died so that we could be free. However only His truth will make
us free and that when choose to walk in it.
We can only try to keep our eyes on our own failings, and
try to avoid toxic relationships that drag us down. I
guess that�s why I tend to avoid the subject of doctrine�everyone has a different opinion about everything. Infinite hairsplitting.
The fruit of the mixture. This concept of toxic relationship (a new
psychiatric condition labelled in May 2003) points the finger at others
because of their demonics while excusing our own. This is the stuff you
find on Oprah Winfrey and she pays Dr. Phil to come with his worldly wisdom
to give the illusion that he is fixing something. Where does sin comes from?
Out of our own heart (see Matt 15:19) and until we deal with
ourselves we are part of the problem and we are doing the same
as Adam in the garden when he pointed the finger blaming God instead of
taking responsibility for his own actions; accusing spirits are from the
adversary.
If you were looking at Jesus, face to face, right now I am sure that
doctrine would be the LAST thing on your mind.
So I just keep trying to look at Him.
Impossible! How do we know we are looking at the right Jesus
aside from His Word? God has not left us an image to follow and the
4th commandment forbids making one so any Jesus we could
conjure up outside of what is written is only a figment of our own
imagination and no better than the Jesus of the cults �His sheep
hear His voice and another voice
they do not follow� Without sound doctrine we don�t know
what voice we are following.
(�
We know that when He appears, we
will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.� I John 3:2)
Seems to me that the important thing is what kind of relationship we have with
the Lord, and how that is reflected in our everyday
life.
Outside of His Word there is no relationship. He sets the terms and He
says �If you love me you will do what I say (John 14:15). When we love Him
enough to take his word seriously and do what he says then we will
know of the doctrine - and this is when He and the Father will
make their abode with us and the spirits will obey us so we can help
others. Until we reach this point we are ever learning and never
able to come to the knowledge of Truth and may even be helping to establish
the wrong kingdom.
