How Important is the Inner Life?

[Sower]

6 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

This seems like the focus is on me doing it, instead of me letting the Spirit's life do it in me. We do need to follow His word, but not just in the sense of the dead letter, but in spirit and in reality --> for apart from Him, we can do exactly nothing!

                           We worship God in spirit and truth!

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine;
no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
 

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit:
for without me ye can do nothing. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.    John 15

 

 

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (my navigator)     Proverbs 3:5-6

Without faith it is impossible to please God.  (Faith is throwing the switch to ON)  (FAITH!!)

God is my navigator. I have the controls. I hear His voice, I chose. He directs. (He works through me)
Without the WiFi (holy spirit), I do not get direction from my navigator, Christ Jesus.

I can do nothing without the "abiding" spirit within me for direction. (believing faith switch)

                                          Abide in me and I in you!  

My navigator can speak English, also......

[Vine Abider]

Since the matter of living by this indwelling One is so central to the new covenant and most prominent in New Testament writings, why is it that so much of what is taught these days seems to be about doing something in the old covenant way of following outward rules, etc.?   

[Waggles]

2 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

Since the matter of living by this indwelling One is so central to the new covenant and most prominent in New Testament writings, why is it that so much of what is taught these days seems to be about doing something in the old covenant way of following outward rules, etc.?   

Now you know how much damage the church of Rome has wreaked upon Christian faiths.

[Vine Abider]

46 minutes ago, Waggles said:

Now you know how much damage the church of Rome has wreaked upon Christian faiths.

There is a lot of emphasis on the outward things there it seems . . .

[Vine Abider]

I read this in a devotional today and thought of this thread's discussion.  He has done it all and now lives in us, so all we need to do is "fan into flames the gift of God which is in [us]!" 

There is a life in our spirit that has power to change us. That life

has become a drink to us. It has become our food. As we enjoy
that life, it flows and it operates. It has the ability to tear down our
hardness. It has the ability to work in us to actually change our
choice, change our attitude, and change our feeling. That life in us
can do a complete work on our insides, because it has passed through
human living and death itself. It has resurrected and ascended all the
way to the throne, and now it has been dispensed into our spirit and
is living and operating and working in us.

What we need to do is simply stir up what is already within us.

Second Timothy 1:6-7 says, "Stir up [or, fan into flame] the gift of
God which is in you .... For God has not given us a spirit of fear,
but of power and of love and of a sound mind." Resurrection power
is in your spirit. You do not know the potential that is there! All you
have to do is fan into flame the gift of God which is in you. The Greek
verb literally means "to fire life up," to "fan" it. Fire up what is
smoldering there. This means that you and I have a spirit that is
joined to the resurrected, ascended Christ. And this resurrected,
ascended One is just waiting for our spirits to be fanned. For
example, when you come to a meeting of the church and you sing,
pray, and praise, you are fanning. You are "firing life up." Then that
life operates. Or during the day as you are going through some kind
of trial, open yourself to call "Jesus." By speaking His name you are
fanning the flame, causing that resurrection life to operate and work.

[Waggles]

2 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

What we need to do is simply stir up what is already within us.

And how pray are Christians who do not have the indwelling Holy Spirit supposed to do this ??

[Sower]

21 minutes ago, Waggles said:

And how pray are Christians who do not have the indwelling Holy Spirit supposed to do this ??

There is no such thing as a "Christian", a born again believer,
without the holy spirit of God indwelling them, as you inferred above..

I'm happy for you that you speak in tongues. The gift of tongues saves no one, and is the least of the gifts.
Condemning those who do not speak in tongues seems contrary to what that 'gift' from God would be responsible for.
Encouraging to others your experiences I enjoy, and consider. Judging others without the gift causes me concern. 

Salvation 101;

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

 

NOTHING about tongues...........



 

[Vine Abider]

9 minutes ago, Sower said:

There is no such thing as a "Christian", a born again believer,
without the holy spirit of God indwelling them, as you inferred above..

I'm happy for you that you speak in tongues. The gift of tongues saves no one, and is the least of the gifts.
Condemning those who do not speak in tongues seems contrary to what that 'gift' from God would be responsible for.
Encouraging to others your experiences I enjoy, and consider. Judging others without the gift causes me concern. 

Salvation 101;

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

 

NOTHING about tongues...........



 

Beat me to it - EXACTLY!  This is the simplicity in Christ. Tongues and other gifts of the spirit are just that - gifts after salvation (i.e., Christ comes to live in your spirit through being reborn).

Edited February 7, 2023 by Vine Abider
Clarity

[Sower]

23 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

Beat me to it - EXACTLY!  This is the simplicity in Christ. Tongues and other gifts of the spirit are just that - gifts after salvation (i.e., Christ comes to live in your spirit through being reborn).

My wife has told me many years ago she speaks in tongues occasionally. And Only in private.
And never brings it up. Only a few minutes ago was only the second time in years I ask her about it.
Was trying to get some more perspective/understanding on this topic but it is the least of my 'spiritual' concerns.

She is a very humble, loving quiet wife, mother and grandmother, not given to emotional outbursts.
I assumed this was the evidence of someone with the gift of tongues. Cool. Use it in prayer, not flaunt it in pride.
My personal experience over many decades concerning watching and listening to those pushing tongues is trouble.
But then again, there may be many I know who have the gift and do not feel the need to advertise.

That's cool, and I can appreciate it. But to say without the gift you're not saved crosses the line. (In my opinion)
Would have rather hear how tongues has helped someone to be more Christlike, a humble servant, loving, edifying.
Using the gift, as a good steward of a blessing,  bearing fruit, to bless others, and glorify the Father.

A post like this one causes me to have negative ideas/thoughts about tongues. Judgement.
But this is not the first one I've heard.

[Vine Abider]

27 minutes ago, Sower said:

My wife has told me many years ago she speaks in tongues occasionally. And Only in private.
And never brings it up. Only a few minutes ago was only the second time in years I ask her about it.
Was trying to get some more perspective/understanding on this topic but it is the least of my 'spiritual' concerns.

She is a very humble, loving quiet wife, mother and grandmother, not given to emotional outbursts.
I assumed this was the evidence of someone with the gift of tongues. Cool. Use it in prayer, not flaunt it in pride.
My personal experience over many decades concerning watching and listening to those pushing tongues is trouble.
But then again, there may be many I know who have the gift and do not feel the need to advertise.

That's cool, and I can appreciate it. But to say without the gift you're not saved crosses the line. (In my opinion)
Would have rather hear how tongues has helped someone to be more Christlike, a humble servant, loving, edifying.
Using the gift, as a good steward of a blessing,  bearing fruit, to bless others, and glorify the Father.

A post like this one causes me to have negative ideas/thoughts about tongues. Judgement.
But this is not the first one I've heard.

I've not spoken in tongues. I've had those around me who do.  One person was pretty strong that it was pretty much a necessity for me.  He talked to me and sent me books.  But then even one of the books quoted Paul saying "not all speak in tongues, do they?" (1 Cor 12:30)  And then Paul goes on in chapter 13 to say there is a more excellent way . . .

So I have prayed a few times for the gift, but have not received.  Therefore I assume this gift isn't meant for me.  If others have the genuine gift of tongues - great!  They will no doubt build-up their own faith with that gift.  God seems to have other ways/gifts for me.

It's interesting that one of the books which was given to me on the subject, enumerated and went into detail concerning what the baptism of the Spirit looks like.  I saw that I experienced most all of those things after one encounter with the living God I had, just not the tongues aspect.

Edited February 7, 2023 by Vine Abider
Clarity