It is unfair to paint members' responses as following Shelby or having no belief. What is sad to me is that I am not welcomed as a fellow believer. The atheists nurture me. They may not understand why I believe but I can't give a logical explanation other than it is my choice. So who is Christian here and who is not. It is arrogance to believe that millions of Christians must believe what Shelby beleives to be Christian. I could set forth why she is beyond the pale of Christian teaching. Suffice that is ok with Shelby. Why can't we share what isi mportant to us wit hout imposing it on each other? If I repeated some threads to fellow church goers, people would laugh so hard. I take it that my JW background does not allow me to laugh.
Sigh. I opened this thread with high hopes. Truly. Ah, well...
But I do "hear" you, BOTR... and wish to counter that it is not I who doesn't welcome you... but you who do not welcome me. Because I don't adhere to the "Christian teaching" you believe... or believe I should believe. I don't know who believes that millions of Christians must believe what I do "to be Christian." Neither what YOU believe nor what I BELIEVE makes one a Christian. I have tried to share what is important, from the standpoint of what I am given TO share that IS important (as far as my Lord is concerned); that you reject it is on you. You are concerned that sharing these things will cause you fellow churchgoers to laugh. That is where you and I differ, though - I don't CARE if they laugh. I don't care WHO laughs. It is not my task to worry about who laughs... or why. My task is to speak the truth... as I receive it FROM the Truth. I mean, they laughed at him, so what do I care if people laugh? I care that I share what I receive... just as I received it... while giving the glory to the One from WHOM I received it... and the One from Whom HE received it.
I do not expect or look for approval/agreement from anyone. I cannot tickle ears, however, or say what others might want me to say to make them feel better. As I have stated many... many... many times before, I can no longer lie when it comes to the MOST Holy One of Israel, JAH of Armies, or His Son and Christ, the Holy One of Israel and Holy Spirit, JAHESHUA, the Chosen One of JAH (MischaJah). Given that, I will start with a truth that some are going to find hard to receive, but...
A christian is NOT one who chooses to follow Christ. A christian... does not choose... but is chosen. That is the MEANING of the word. Those who call themselves "christians"... because they follow the teachings of Christ, etc., are those of whom he prophesied as saying, "Lord, Lord, didn't we...?" do such and so in his name. These CALL HIM LORD... and so he is that to them. HOWEVER... HE said to THEM, "I do not know YOU." What did he mean by that? He mean know... as in the sense of a UNION... in the sense of how a man knows a women: intimately. This "knowledge" is the same thing... because it relates to Christ... and those OF HIS BRIDE. And such ones do not choose him: he chooses them.
He CHOOSES them... by means of an ANOINTING... with the SAME substance... HOLY SPIRIT... with which he FORMS that union: his blood, breath, and SEED. If one has not received that anointing... that choosing... one is NOT a christian.
So, what IS one? One is a DISCIPLE of Christ. However, will all those who recieve(d) an anointing... and thus are christians... are also disciples... not all who are disciples are christians! Judas was a disciple, indeed an apostle. Yet, he was NOT a christian. Why? Because by the time of the first outpouring of holy spirit, the "oil of exultation" by means of which folks WERE so chosen... he was dead! Was he taken into the (New) Covenant? Yes, he was. He, too, ate the bread and drank the wine, although his "morsel" was polluted (dipped in sop). The Covenant was made and concluded not only while he was alive... but while he was PRESENT. Upon his death, another was chosen to replace him - however, that one did not receive holy spirit until Pentecost 30 CE - the other 11 received it prior to that time. FIRST.
I get it that folks WANT to be christians... because of what they have been taught that that means: a follower of Christ. One who follows/adheres to the teachings of Christ. But that is not a christian - that is a disciple. And many of my Lord's disciples... left off following him. His apostles, however, were given the kingdom promise FIRST... because they did NOT leave off following him... but kept with him... through all of his trials... until the night he was put to death (in the flesh).
Many misunderstand the statement that when some disciples of Christ were first called christians, that covered them all. It did not. It covered those who were CHOSEN... and ALL of those chosen MANIFEST THAT CHOOSING... by SOME means, SOME GIFT of the spirit they receive. They also misunderstand what it means that they "belonged to the Way". This wasn't speaking of a certain "way" of believing, living, conducting their affairs or lives. It meant... and means... they belong to the WAY... that is CHRIST. HE... is the Way... and they, by means of being PURCHASED WITH HIS BLOOD... now belong to him. They are his "belongings", possession, property. Because he BOUGHT them... PAID for them.
What, though, of those who have not received an anointing? Who are they and if they're not christians, where do they fit in? First, there is nothing to say that they WON'T be chosen. These, however, are those who hear the CALL. MANY hear the call, however. Many ARE called. But few... are CHOSEN.
What are they chosen FOR? To DO/BE? They are chosen... to SUFFER... "for the Christ"! They are not chosen because they are better... but because they exercise... DEMONSTRATE... their faith... by picking up the same "torture pole" that he carried: the willingness to be the scorn and derison of ALL... for HIS sake... just as he was willing to do so for JAH's sake. The thing is not for such ones to be RIGHTEOUS... but to be FAITHFUL. They are derided, scorned, ridiculed, and worse. Yet, they do not deny what occurs with them, even in the face of that... even in the face of death, should it come to that... because they CAN'T. Well, they CAN... but doing so would be tantamount to denying their own existence... one of the greatest lies they could tell. THEY exist... and they can't deny that. In the same way, they cannot deny what has occurred with them... not without living lie... which will eventually eat away at them.
Which is why some do end up in psych wards - because what others WANT them to say... or not say... deny... causes a glitch their minds simply cannot hold. And so, in order to stay alive, to NOT take their own lives... they give up their minds, as far as such is concerned as to THIS world. Not all are so weakened, though. Indeed, only a very few are. But there are only a very few at any given time to begin with.
Please know... I am not yelling or screaming. It's just late and I'm trying to get through this, get what I am hearing down for you, and so typing fast. Caps are easier than highlighting and italicizing, so...
Those who ARE chosen come to be in union with Christ, so that not only is HIS blood (holy spirit) in them... but all the way to his thoughts - his mind. Such one hears HIS voice... through their blood... because he resides IN them... and speaks to them THROUGH the blood. Because the blood SPEAKS. They are a vessel, then... a temple... for both him and the Father.
Again, I don't expect anyone to accept, receive, agree, what have you. I know there was a time when I would have hesitate had someone shared similar with me. But... I cannot lie as to these things. Yes, it would be SO much easier for me if I could, did... but I can't. The potential for bloodguilt is just too great. Now, some of you might do as has been done before: weep and gnash your teeth, get upset and say, "Who can listen to these things?!" and "Who does she think she is, saying these things, that I'm not a christian, as if SHE knows??!" and "What she's stating goes against EVERYTHING mainstream/the RCC/the WTBTS/the LDS/the SDA/the Greek Orthodox/Jews/Muslims/Hindus ALL say and teach about these things!!? Who is SHE that she thinks she knows more than THEM??"
I am no one and nothing. A good for NOTHING servant, truly. A willing slave, although called a friend by my master. I have not said who is and who is not a christian here. That was not my intent and I did not go there. What I HAVE shared is what a christian is... and what a christian is not. It is up to each one, then, to see where they stand as to that. I don't reject others who profess to be christians, however; it is others who profess the Christ THEY learned about from religion... "Jesus"... who reject me. I openly admit that I do not know "Jesus," that there is no "Jesus", that that is why prayers TO "Jesus" are not heard and responded to... and that is because it is the TRUTH. I have shared the TRUTH about the name of the MOST Holy One of Israel, JAH of Armies... AND about the name of His Son and Christ, JAHESHUA, the Chosen One of JAH (MischaJah). YOU must choose whether that is something YOU should ask about... or not.
All I've done with regard to these things, however, is what I ought to have done: borne witness to the truth about these, the Father and the Son. Borne witness as to who they are, and what they have given me. I have shared that with you... as and in the manner I would want you to do for me. Without placating me, pandering to me, or trying to flatter me. Straight up, straightforward, forthright, to the point, in honesty, and in truth.
Whether you hear... or refrain.
Perhaps if folks stopped looking at ME... and at least TRIED to look at HIM... bothered to TRY and listen to so as to hear HIM... rather than expending their time and energies trying to find/create issues with ME... they would receive what apparently they are looking FOR. I am just a servant - why keep looking at the servant... when you gaze upon the MASTER????????? I don't have sayings of everlasting life - I can only direct your attention to the One Who does. If you don't want to see or hear HIM... then why take issue with ME? You don't WANT to. Own it... and stop blaming others, including God... when you don't receive.
May any who wish it have ears to hear and get the sense of these truths, as well as to hear the Spirit and the Bride when they say to YOU:
"Come! Take 'life's water'... the holy spirit of God, who is the MOST Holy One of Israel, JAH of Armies... which spirit is poured out from the innermost parts of His Son and Christ, the Holy One of Israel and Holy Spirit, JAHESHUA, the Chosen One of JAH (MischaJah)... FREE!"
Again, peace to you, all. Truly.
A slave of Christ, and servant to the Household of God, Israel... AND THOSE WHO GO WITH...,
SA
