Do differences in practices of faith mean we follow the same Jesus Christ? (reject, gospel)

[Scott1]

Originally Posted by sojourner

If we do not act by authority of Christ, we cannot be the Body of Christ.

It's interesting that you look to restrict who can be in the body of Christ, but then object when the RCC attempts to do the same thing to you with Communion.....

[sojourner]

Originally Posted by Scott1

It's interesting that you look to restrict who can be in the body of Christ, but then object when the RCC attempts to do the same thing to you with Communion.....

How can this post be interpreted as being restrictive??? I didn't say anything about who can be in the Body of Christ. I simply said that the Body of Christ acts upon Christ's authority, or it's not the Body of Christ. Are you saying that the Body of Christ does not act upon Christ's authority?

[Scuba Pete]

Originally Posted by sojourner

Could you enlighten us as to just what this has to do with anything I said?

Uh... that's the Spirit's job. That WAS my point.

[sojourner]

Originally Posted by Scuba Pete

Uh... that's the Spirit's job. That WAS my point.

so...even though you want me to use the Bible to prove a point, and, even though you use the bible to prove a point, we don't really need the Bible, because we can all just sit around and magically dream up what the Spirit wants us to know? The Bible has no place in informing us of what God is doing in humanity? If that was your point, I wouldn't put it on the end of a sword.

[Scott1]

Originally Posted by sojourner

How can this post be interpreted as being restrictive???

I'm just wondering what the point of your posts are such as "And yet, you do not know the Church, nor do you abide in community, nor do you recognize the Spirit at work within that community. Interesting."....

Shouldn't we have unity/communion no matter what?

[Scuba Pete]

Originally Posted by sojourner

so...even though you want me to use the Bible to prove a point, and, even though you use the bible to prove a point, we don't really need the Bible, because we can all just sit around and magically dream up what the Spirit wants us to know? The Bible has no place in informing us of what God is doing in humanity? If that was your point, I wouldn't put it on the end of a sword.

So, you want us to DISMISS the role of the Spirit? Would you like to crucify it as well?

I can see how men have destroyed so much that is supposed to be God's. I guess if you don't trust the Spirit, you are in a sad shape indeed.

[sojourner]

Originally Posted by Scott1

I'm just wondering what the point of your posts are such as "And yet, you do not know the Church, nor do you abide in community, nor do you recognize the Spirit at work within that community. Interesting."....

Shouldn't we have unity/communion no matter what?

that was exactly my point. The writer commented that he knew the Spirit by its fruits (part of which is the Church, itself), yet he does not recognize the Spirit in the Church. I found that interesting. The Spirit serves to bring us into community, not separate us from community.

[doppelgänger]

Originally Posted by sojourner

In fact, you are communicating through words when you tell me about your experience of Spirit.

I'm not telling you about my experience of the Spirit. And I'd be the first to tell you that words aren't going to communicate it anyway, unless you already know.

Originally Posted by sojourner

Words can and do inform us of Spirit. In fact, it was probably words by which you came to know that the still, small voice you were hearing was the Spirit, and not dimentia.

Be careful not to presume to know what I am referring to as the voice of the Spirit. Words convey an illusion of 'truth.' They are not the truth. What they signify might be the truth, but it depends on what the person using them does with them.

Originally Posted by sojourner

If we do not act by authority of Christ, we cannot be the Body of Christ.

Nonsense. Christ does not work through the institutions of human social power.

Originally Posted by sojourner

And yet, you do not know the Church, nor do you abide in community, nor do you recognize the Spirit at work within that community. Interesting.

Wrong on all three counts. If you consider the "Church" to be a social institution governed and defined by humans, their egos and their economics, then you would be the one doesn't know the Church, abide in community with those in Christ, nor recognize the Spirit at work.