I haunted Christian forums full-time for a couple of years. There was perhaps no single claim invoked more, than the reason someone believed something, was because the Holy Spirit had led them to their conclusion. I remember one even embellishing his claim by saying he got his inspiration while closed up in a closet with a candle burning. As if he had found the way to
really be led to the truth. Like his own extra-special lead.
Forum members generally invoke this "Spirit led" claim as a last resort, specifically at a time when they find they are unable to support what they are suggesting, through scripture. This is why the Bible instructs...
1Th 5:21
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.That doesn't say to support our belief by making idle claims about being led by the Spirit but rather to
prove all things.
When a Christian suggests that they are correct because the Holy Spirit led them to a certain conclusion, while having a discussion among brethren, then it follows that what they are effectively are saying is that since your view differs from theirs, then you must not be led by the Holy Spirit.
Whether it is intended or not this is obviously also insulting to the person they are chatting with.
These unnecessary claims, rendered hollow in the absence of scriptural support for their view, would seem to indicate the direct opposite of what is professed. That their unsupportable assertion is specifically
not drawn through the power of the Holy Spirit. This becomes even more transparent once we realize that they are generally drowning in an eschatological doctrine that they have been taught, and didn't even come up with the conclusion on their own in the first place, except perhaps as an ancillary detail that embellishes a cherished doctrine that they hold.
With a couple thousand denominations, and the two most popular end time doctrines in the 20th century church being irreconcilable in total, isn't the truth of many of the Spirit-led claims made transparent?
http://www.islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=14.0For those non-Christians reading this, I am not talking about core doctrines of Christianity, as all Christians are on the same page in those regards. The differences I am pointing out generally arise out of the various interpretations, of the figurative language found in prophetic dreams and visions in scripture, that are widely open to interpretation. However any interpretation should be well grounded in scripture, rather than simply made through conjecture.
Let's look at a whopper of an example detailed by Charles Chiniquy from "50 Years in the Church or Rome".
http://www.islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=434.0Chapter 53
"The 8th December, 1854, Pope Pius IX. was sitting on his throne; a triple crown of gold and diamonds was on his head; silk and damask- red and white vestments on his shoulders; five hundred mitred prelates were surrounding him; and more than fifty thousand people were at his feet, in the incomparable St. Peter's Church of Rome. After a few minutes of most solemn silence, a cardinal, dressed with his purple robe, left his seat, and gravely walked towards the Pope, kneeled before him, and humbly prostrating himself at his feet, said:
"Holy Father, tell us if we can believe and teach that the Mother of God, the Holy Virgin Mary, was immaculate in her conception."
The Supreme Pontiff answered: "I do not know; let us ask the light of the Holy Ghost."
The cardinal withdrew; the Pope and the numberless multitude fell on their knees; and the harmonious choir sang the "Veni Creator Spiritus."
The last note of the sacred hymn had hardly rolled under the vaults of the temple, when the same cardinal left his place, and again advanced towards the throne of the Pontiff, prostrated himself at his feet, and said:
"Holy Father, tell us if the Holy Mother of God, the blessed Virgin Mary, was immaculate in her conception."
The Pope again answered: "I do not know; let us ask the light of the Holy Ghost."
And again the "Veni Creator Spiritus" was sung.
The most solemn silence had a second time succeeded to the melodious sacred song, when again the eyes of the multitude were following the grave steps of the purple-robed cardinal, advancing, for the third time, to the throne of the successor of St. Peter, to ask him:
"Holy Father, tell us if we can believe that the blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God was immaculate."
The Pope, as if he had just received a direct communication from God, answered with a solemn voice:
"Yes! we must believe that the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, was immaculate in her conception. * * * There is no salvation to those who do not believe this dogma!"
And, with a loud voice, the Pope intoned the Te Deum; the bells of the three hundred churches of Rome rang; the cannons of the citadel were fired. The last act of the most ridiculous and sacrilegious comedy the world has ever seen, was over; the doors of heaven were for ever shut against those who would refuse to believe the anti-scriptural doctrine that there is a daughter of Eve who has not inherited the sinful nature of Adam, to whom the Lord said in His justice:
"Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return!" (Gen. iii. 19), and of the children of whom the God of Truth has said, "There is none righteous; no, not one: for all have sinned!" (Rom. iii. 10, 23)."
So apparently it took 1800 years for the Holy Spirit to finally get around to leading the pope to the Roman Catholic dogma of the immaculate conception of Mary. Let alone that all that didn't buy into the new dogma would have no salvation.
But the questions begs.....
http://www.islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=79.0Luke 1:46
And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.If Mary was sinless, what did she need a Savior for?
Romans 3:9
What then? are we better [than they]? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:Except Mary?
1Cr 15:21
For since by man [came] death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead. 22
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Gal 3:22
But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
