tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post9138387113211044846..comments2023-10-07T04:07:56.527-04:00Comments on The End Time: Gnosticism Part 4: Ceremonies & RitualsElizabeth Pratahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04341086233512507156noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-68956830882224442172012-09-25T06:21:26.906-04:002012-09-25T06:21:26.906-04:00I used the Zondervan NIV only to list the 6 main e...I used the Zondervan NIV only to list the 6 main elements of Gnosticism, and acknowledged there are other elements because Gnosticism is not a religion with a set of identified creeds, but that those were the main ones. My preferred translation is ESV.<br /><br />Jesus never taught that power to men comes thru angels. He never said there were secrets still to be learned by only the select. There is nothing new to learn about Jesus unless it is in the OT or the NT. He IS the Truth and apart from Him there is no truth. That truth is found in His word. If is not in the bible it is not His word. It is not 'important to accept' that the Apostles taught Gnosticism. I think you missed the entire point ...and I'm really sorry for that because it means you missed the point of Jesus.Elizabeth Pratahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04341086233512507156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-79910729230324059002012-09-25T06:14:40.423-04:002012-09-25T06:14:40.423-04:00I think you've done well to address gnotisisim...I think you've done well to address gnotisisim in today's culture, but I think you'd do better to find a better source to rule out the disciples and teachings of Jesus than what you listed from the NIV Zondervan Bible. Gnostic beliefs are centered around a supreme God above the God of the people (Jesus), that man is fallen and existence is but a droplet or vapour, they believe Spiritual power comes through Angels on behalf of God, more often or always rather than God themselves, and they speak oft of keys to kingdom or secrets of heaven or mysteries of God. It's important to accept that Jesus and his disciples not only taught many of these beliefs, but most of them where never introduced in the bible at all before the new testament. It's especially important not to overlook how their facesAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-6803661563884821982012-09-13T22:08:50.619-04:002012-09-13T22:08:50.619-04:00"Do you really hold cannibalism and incest al..."Do you really hold cannibalism and incest along the same lines and choreographed dancing?"<br /><br />No.<br /><br />Too many people take something that is in the bible casually and not exegetically and use it as the excuse for doing what they do. "Dancing is in the bible, hey, David danced so it must be all right", and use that verse as a platform for their reasoning.<br /><br />I'm glad you saw the ridiculousness of the process of saying "it's in the bible so it must be all right," because no one in their right mind would advocate incest or cannibalism. Just because something happened in the bible does not mean that it is appropriate to strip it out of its context and use it for a bad purpose that is really only a deluded self-justification.<br /><br />It is NOT a heart issue. The heart is desperately wicked, who can know it? That's why we look to the bible for what *He* said on how we should worship Him. Choreographed praise dancing is not biblical. It is carnal. I encourage you to read the essay at the link, it explains fully why.Elizabeth Pratahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04341086233512507156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-90142608223588237782012-09-13T21:46:51.665-04:002012-09-13T21:46:51.665-04:00Do you really hold cannibalism and incest along th...Do you really hold cannibalism and incest along the same lines and choreographed dancing? I'm pretty sure the Jews didn't offer up babies as sacrifices to their God, and yet they offered up their dancing.<br /><br />I guess it becomes a heart issue, are you doing it to please God or man? If man, then yes I am with you.. it doesn't really count as worship. I have seen one choreographed dance about Jesus online and it was stunningly beautiful and I would count that as worship for sure. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-8356239480784324992012-09-13T06:05:23.922-04:002012-09-13T06:05:23.922-04:00Your response is similar to those I receive that e...Your response is similar to those I receive that essentially says "dancing is in the bible, so it is OK!" well, cannibalism is in the bible. So is incest. A knee-jerk reaction to praise dancing by a tenuous support of it by saying "Well...David danced" is not exegetically sound.<br /><br />Davids dance was an choreographed, unscripted, unrehearsed response to the joy in hes heart. Praise/Liturgical/Lyrical dance in Christian worship services is the opposite.<br /><br />What made David's dance different (and acceptable) is<br /><br />It was spontaneous, not planned<br />It was responsive, not catalytic<br />It was for the audience of the Lord, not people<br />It was asymmetrical, not choreographed<br />It was humble, not man-exalting<br />It was spirit, not body-centric<br />It was characterized by noticeable fervency, not noticeable form<br /><br />more here<br />http://misslink.org/chapel/askaminister/renewal/newworship.htmlElizabeth Pratahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04341086233512507156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-24534779957588803182012-09-12T23:27:10.999-04:002012-09-12T23:27:10.999-04:00David danced before the Lord in a way that embarra...David danced before the Lord in a way that embarrased onlookers, he had joy in his heart. There is nothing wrong with dancing and expressing the joy of the Lord. Yes, that guy dancing looked ridiculous but I don't think he was trying to be serious, do you? He sure did look happy though didn't he?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-8657841643208535002012-09-12T19:47:49.676-04:002012-09-12T19:47:49.676-04:00I was told by a missionary some years ago that the...I was told by a missionary some years ago that the Roman Catholic church would be in the practice of blending itself with the cultures existing religious system to make it more palatable. <br />Every church that has people in it are to some degree guilty of adding something. It looks a lot like syncretism.<br />http://www.gotquestions.org/syncretism-religious.htmlJeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05171219693651832856noreply@blogger.com