Today,
the reply shares an answer to atheists, mockers and other scorners
who liken Christian belief in divinity to the fantasies of small
children having invisible, imaginary friends. In addition to
supplying a companion for exploration and play who helps to manage
anxiety, fear and risk-taking, the device of imaginary friends
appears during the course of a child’s
development as an expression of their need for affirmation through
peers who are reflections of themselves. Those who receive rebirth
through the ministry of Jesus Christ are granted a fresh endowment of
spirit substance from the makeup of GOD. Included are balance,
faith, hope, joy, lovingkindness, meekness, wisdom, and wrath against
sin. As products of ones flesh (i.e., emotions, feelings, sensation,
the mind), and as finite man-made tools to address emotional and
psychological episodes, what a child imagines has no power to
establish authentic godly attitudes, behavior and conduct, or to
generate a continuing relationship with divinity. One
of the fighters in the “Yahoo! Answers” public forum on Religion
and Spirituality who uses the ID “Anonymous” (no profile
information shown) posted the following:
Christians,
what would you say if atheist tell you to Grow up & get rid off
your Imaginary Friend?
THE
GOLDEN ARROW: Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ
that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right
hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate
us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is
written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are
accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we
are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am
persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 8: 34-39, King James Version, KJV)
THE
DOUBLE DAGGER: From Spirit Not Mud (02/26/2019); Not By Bread Only
(02/22/2019); Anger Against Our Parents? (01/10/2019); We Have To
Believe? (01/06/2019); Offering Yourself To Christ? (12/27/2018); The
Option of Atheism (02/11/2018); Christianity Is Not Mindless (05/02/2017); In
Relationship With Divinity? (08/16/2016); Beyond Anything We
Imagine? (11/13/2015); About Deluding Yourself? (09/22/2014);
Delusions and Revelation (09/23/2014)
“Anonymous”,
Christianity is one of the most challenging and comprehensive belief
systems the world will ever know. Only those who are capable of
making adult decisions and sound choices actually become, remain, and
unselfishly serve as members within the body of Christ (his church).
The followers of Jesus Christ all pass through multiple stages of
organic development, discovery, gradual growth, and ordered change
that may seem natural and in keeping with the usual patterns for
human experience. However, the complete transformation the believer
must undergo can only be accomplished through actions by divinity.
To continually exist and live as a Christian demands balance,
completeness, consistency, direction, focus, and stability—in
a word we say, maturity. It is not enough that ones consciousness
and self-will (willpower) be made receptive to divinity as an
invisible, yet, active presence. Rather than finite secular
knowledge such as philosophy, politics and science the believer
must acquire sacred knowledge. The character, inner makeup,
and sources for awareness and action within the believer must be
infused with inseparable sacred substance, and reconfigured to
continually display the image of GOD. Included are faith, holiness,
longsuffering, lovingkindness, oneness without sameness,
personhood, righteousness, wisdom, and wrath against sin. Fresh
endowments of divine life essence (we also say, breath;
spirit; word) establish believers as vessels of divinity, the
children of GOD, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Even so, those
who are “born again” must “grow up again” while living on the
earth to exist as mature/ripe for harvest by the Lord at his
appearing. Within the body, there must be full acceptance of ones
own accountability; willingness to complete duty and discharge
obligation; discretion; fidelity; and integrity. Perfection and the
final transformation of the Christian believer to exist as an
immortal, incorruptible companion of divinity will be completed at
the Advent of Christ (we also say, the Rapture; the Second Coming).
Consider again the following that uses language from the Bible:
1.
Proverbs 20: 11, King James Version (KJV): 11 Even a child is
known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it
be right.
2.
Ephesians 4: 11-16, KJV: 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some,
prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for
the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity
of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect
man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and
carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and
cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But
speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which
is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined
together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according
to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh
increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
3.
Hebrews 6: 1-3, KJV: 1 Therefore leaving the principles of the
doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again
the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward
God, 2
Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of
resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this will
we do, if God permit.
There
is far more that should be said, correctly examined, and spiritually
apprehended. (For example, 4. Romans 8: 5-9, KJV: 5 For they that
are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that
are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally
minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life
and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God:
for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So
then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not
in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God
dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is
none of his.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it
unto you according to your faith.
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