Rather than refuting my Scriptures with Scriptures, again you resort to your stock phrases about "religiosity" etc. And yes, scholars do disagree on theology, depending upon their bent, but not essential things, and not key issues. Whether they are Arminian, Baptist or Reformed, there are essentials!
No one is saying that the Holy Spirit isn't needed to illuminate the Bible! No one is saying that the Holy Spirit does not lead, but the law leads! The law is a taskmaster! Christ has come to set us free, and set us free from the false doctrines of internet preachers, too!
The issue is not my interpretation of the Bible, which lines up with orthodox Christianity. Not because I am religious, but because I have read the Bible over and over, in many translations, and studied it, studied theology, rejected what didn't seem right from my readings, and then learning and growing, sometimes changing, as I did even in public on this site. And all the time, it is the Holy Spirit who has been transforming me, showing me the path to follow. Not of my own works, lest anyone should boast.
But God has called me to know the original languages and to study it as a worker approved. Studying the Bible, using the Bible is essential to our walk with Christ. It is a combination of the Spirit within, who illuminates the Scriptures. I agree totally! And there are Greek scholars who do not even believe in God! I don't understand it, but the devil has his way with people, for evil, I guess! Really something I do not understand!
But Joseph Prince is far beyond the pale as far as theology is concerned. It is not about religious traditions, but how he has warped and distorted the truth, in many ways and in fact, created his own religious traditions, which are contrary to all the Word and the Spirit have to say. And he has done this under the guise of God telling him to walk this way!
Anyway, I can see you did not carefully read my refutation of your claims concerning whether we are progressively sanctified, as the Greek and many English translations say, or whether we are already perfect in Christ, as I guess the NASB says. (A translation I read for 25 years, and ironically, never discovered the truth of the meaning of transformation and the Holy Spirit walking with us and changing us. I now wonder, after reading your posts, if that translation held me back in growing in the Lord!)
I really don't care if you want to learn Greek better. That is between you and God, of course! But if you don't want to learn to really read Greek, then my plea is that you stop posting these simplistic answers from the Greek, and the patently WRONG translations which warp theology. It seems to me, that you have developed some pretty rock solid religious ideas yourself. So please study again, maybe without using internet teachers, with perilous and heretic doctrines, again which are the NEW religious traditions, you so obviously hate.
As for this whole thing of being made perfect when we are saved, and missing the essential fundamentals of justification, being how God saves us and makes us positionally righteous in Christ; moving on to sanctification, which is the on-going work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, transforming us, leading us away from sin and unrighteousness; and finally, being made perfect when Jesus returns or we see him face to face, I have one verse to refute this whole notion that we are made perfect when we are saved. Of course, if you don't agree, then you are calling Paul the heretic, instead of rightly looking at these false teachers, who say something not only contrary to the Bible, but everything the Holy Spirit has called us to work out in our lives.
I love the way the Holy Spirit works! I was praying yesterday for more verses to show we are not perfect when we are justified. In other words, God has not forgiven our past, present and future sins. Instead, he saves us in spite or ourselves, when we repent of our sins! Then the Holy Spirit convicts us of on-going sin, and helps us to overcome those sins, in his own time. JP's theology would lead us to not having to examine ourselves about sin in our lives, because we would be perfect, right? So the Holy Spirit, in my daily devotionals showed me this important verse:
"Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own." Phil. 3:12 ESV
"Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus." Phil 3:12 NASB
If you have a problem with this, then take it up with Paul and the Holy Spirit. Or do some more tap dancing, blame my theology on some kind of religious tradition that I have not now, nor never had, being somewhat of a rebel against the establishment, including religious establishments, but instead, relying on the voice of the Holy Spirit to speak to me, and to speak to me in his word.
PS And thank you for your concern about my health. I have made some adjustments, and still feel like I am on a roller coaster with regards to flares and pain. Today, is a good day! Yesterday, not so much! But at the end of the month, I add a fourth med, (or 5th, if you count pain killers) which I am certain will help, but the catch is that it may hurt my liver again. Just trusting God for whatever the result.
