Quote:
Originally Posted by OGIA
Bro. Strange,
I agree with your post, but I don't see what it has to do with the thread? Someone spoke to an educated, religious woman who thought "Apostolic" was defined by outward standards and with legalism. It was also said, "She doesn't equate an apostolic as being a spirit filled believer who operates in the power and demonstration of the Holy Ghost."
While your post has truth in it, it does not answer the problem this woman has. She might be educated and religious, but she is not born again (that I've read) and apparently no one has ever taken the time to talk with her about what she believes and why, and, even moreso, explain scripturally what "Apostolic" does mean.
I don't see it and can't assume it didn't happen, but I wonder if the originator of this thread has an Apostolic church which "operates in the power and demonstration of the Holy Ghost" to take her to? If so, was she invited?
Also, I wonder how the originator of this thread answered this educated, religious woman's definition? Did he/she attempt to define "Apostolic" by scripture, or did he/she just agree and reinforce this woman's ignorance? If the latter, then I don't know why he/she would even start this thread, seeing as he/she shirked his/her responsibility to this woman.
It's fun to come on and bash standards, but I wonder if the educated, religious woman in this thread is any closer to being born again than she was before the conversation? That's what it's all about, isn't it?
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Central to the spirit of the title of this thread, "What the World Sees as Apostolic," lifts the curtain of discussion to reveal every species of dancing spirits in full motion. It was my purpose to address some of these spirits with the Word of God rather than to address a specific scenario presented by the originator of this thread.
It is a crying shame that, if it be so, that the attentions of the world have been focused upon our FLESH and how it is displayed before the world instead of the LIGHT of Christ so exibited within us. If we are so insane as to exhibit before the world OUR FLESH with its adornments or the lack of it, as our LIGHT from a city set upon a hill, our present day Apostolic doctrine has DECEIVED us.
Yet, I know this sad state of affair is true, calling it "separation," while it is not separation at all but rather, it has become just another sub-set of worldliness, abeit, religious worldliness.
So, the dance of spirits continued as this discussion ensued. Again, I want to re-empahsize that our LIGHT will never be a display of FLESH, regardless of how it is, or is not adorned, but rather as the song says...
If I can help somebody as I travel 'long
If I can help somebody with a word or song
If I can show somebody when he's travlin' wrong
Then my living shall not be in vain
If collectively we can embrace THIS focus, we will then give God glory and the world will see Jesus (the light) in us as a bright city set upon a hill that cannot be moved. Otherwise, we will, under the guise of Apostolic Doctrine continue to focus the attentions of the world upon (unholy) FLESH by which the world is not impressed. They already have plenty of their own.
Regardless, I suspect the endless dance of many and varied species of spirits will continue to infinity...or at least, until Jesus says, "ENOUGH."