About The Antipathy Between Prophecy and Religion

Comment by Rhonda Fuller on 9thMo. 7, 2016 at 20:35

I like to say anybody can become a Christian. All that's required is to believe in Jesus and the one who sent him (John 5:24). So it seems adequate to say there's no religion, though there's more to be said about it. Union in Jesus Christ makes us a community and members of his church. In his church there can be no pretenders.

I will read Lewis Benson's entire treatise, but I don't see anything thing so far I'd disagree with. I appreciate you bringing to our attention, Ellis. 

Comment by Ellis Hein on 9thMo. 8, 2016 at 12:12

Thanks, Rhonda, for bringing this up. Many people would agree with your statement, "All that's required is to believe in Jesus and the one who sent him." But just to be clear, I will point any and all to George Fox's To All That Would Know the Way to the Kingdom. (Follow the link to the pdf document on our site.) It has a lot to say about becoming a Christian. There were any number of people in Fox's day (as in ours) whose claim to "believe in Jesus and the one who sent him," made no difference in their behavior. You do not need me to say that this is not being Christian.

Profession of belief is very much a part of religion. Possession of the life of Christ is something else entirely. Life only comes by entering that dialogic relationship Lewis Benson described in the quoted paragraph above. Look again at John 5:24 (quoted below). There is more there than "believe." First comes the hearing of the voice of Christ. Then we know what to believe; we know what to obey. That word begins within us as judgment against all those things wherein we have acted and are acting contrary to the purpose and direction of God. It is the love of God to lead us through this time of judgment that we may be made pure and holy before him. This is the distinction John draws in chapter 3 between those who hate the light and those who love the light. Those who love the light pass from death to life. By turning away from the voice of Christ, we passed from life to death. By returning to that voice we are made alive again.

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

Comment by Rhonda Fuller on 9thMo. 16, 2016 at 19:03

Hi, Ellis,

I have a question for you but no other way to ask it. On page 419 of the Nickall's edition of Fox's journal, Fox writes regarding the Fifth-Monarchy Men, "And they looked for Christ's coming outwardly, to set up his kingdom, and their looking was like unto the Pharisees 'Lo here' and 'Lo there'; but Christ was come and had set up his kingdom above sixteen hundred years since, according to Nebuchadnezzar's dream and Daniel's prophecy, and he had dashed to pieces the four monarchies and the great image with its head of gold, and silver breast, and belly of brass, and iron legs, and feed part iron and part clay."

Then he goes on to say on page 420, "And when Christ was come he said his kingdom was not of this world; it it was, his servants should fight, but it was not and therefore his servants did not fight.      

"Christ saith, 'All power in heaven and in earth is given to me', so then his kingdom was set up and he reigns. 'And we see Jesus reign', said the Apostle; and he shall reign till all things be put under his feet, though all things are not yet put under his feet, nor subdued."

Do you know whether Fox gave greater detail about his claim "Christ is come"? Do you know whether he means to say there is no other second coming? Is there a source where he does talk more about this idea?

Rhonda

Comment by Ellis Hein on 9thMo. 18, 2016 at 2:03

Rhonda, I will answer you in a separate blog post.

Add a Comment