How are Christians led by the Holy Spirit? How does the Holy Spirit communicate God's will to Christians? What mechanisms does the Holy Spirit employ to this end? Since these are probably controversial questions, I'm interested in an overview of major perspectives and what groups hold each perspective. ___ **Appendix - NT passages about the lead of the Holy Spirit** > *For **all who are led by the Spirit of God** are sons of God.* (Romans 8:14 ESV) > *And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan **and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness***. (Luke 4:1 ESV) > ***My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me**.* (John 10:27 ESV) > *When the **Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth**, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.* (John 16:13 ESV) > *But **the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you**.* (John 14:26 ESV) > *Then **the Spirit said to Philip**, “Go up and join this chariot.”* (Acts 8:29 ESV) > *While Peter was reflecting on the vision, **the Spirit said to him**, “Behold, three men are looking for you. But get up, go downstairs and accompany them without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself.”* (Acts 10:19-20 ESV) > ***The Spirit told me** to go with them without misgivings. These six brethren also went with me and we entered the man’s house.​* (Acts 11:12 ESV) > *While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, **the Holy Spirit said**, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”* (Acts 13:2 ESV) > *6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, **having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit** to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, **but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them**. 8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9 **And a vision appeared to Paul in the night**: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 **And when Paul had seen the vision**, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that **God had called us** to preach the gospel to them.* (Acts 16:6-10 ESV) > *9 He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied. 10 While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “**Thus says the Holy Spirit**, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’”* (Acts 21:9-11 ESV)

Many denominations may believe they are right. Likewise multiple religions sincerely believe they are right. But does God require one to join a denomination? Or does he emphasize the importance of Christlike living and the study of his word?

What does the Bible teach about lying to protect people's feelings? If a loved one asks you a question and you know the truth would hurt him/her, what does the Bible say you should do in this situation? The truth, said cruelly, cuts just as deeply as a lie. When does the truth stop being an ideal worth striving for and just become an excuse to be mean?

My community recently found out that one of our local priests is also a [Freemason](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemasonry) . I'm not entirely sure of what Freemasonry is about and how it relates to Christianity. What exactly can outsiders know using publicly available sources about what Freemasonry teaches about the relationship between itself and Christianity? Does it teach that they overlap with, are a subset of, or are unrelated with the Christian faith? Note: Since one of our local priests is one, there must be others who profess Christianity and practice Freemasonry. How do they view the practice in relation to their faith? Where do ultimate allegiances lie for practitioners of both?

I have come across this phrase "***A born-again Christian has a new nature that cannot sin***" (or other versions written differently but carrying the same implication). Here is one example from this site and here is another more fulsome treatment from an evangelical perspective. Does this mean a born-again Christian can not sin? If we can still sin, then what is the purpose of that nature if it can not shield us from sin? ***How would/does a nature like this make us different from Abraham, Noah, Job, David or Moses?***

I recently read an argument which was basically 'Paul against Jesus' type and was something like this: Jesus said that He didn't come to abolish the Jewish laws but to fulfill them: > Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them. ([Matthew 5:17](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5:17&version=NET) , NET) And we have this verse in OT: > Any uncircumcised male who has not been circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin will be cut off from his people – he has failed to carry out my requirement. ([Genesis 17:14](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+17:14&version=NET) , NET) It is argued that even though Jesus was circumcised, it is not a requirement now for Christians because Paul preached so. What is the Biblical basis for not making circumcision a requirement for Christians?

In 1 John 5:16–17, John distinguishes between “sin that leads to death” and “sin that does not lead to death”: >If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. (NIV) What are some biblical or practical examples of sins that would fall under the category of “sin that does not lead to death,” and how should Christians approach them in prayer and fellowship?

Everything in the NT is addressed to people living in the first century, about past, present or an imminent fulfillment. So why do people read it as if God wrote all that stuff to them? For example, is this a command and promise for the disciples or for the disciples and every generation since?: >[Mat 4:19 NIV] "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people."

I was reading about Renovaré and came across the "twelve spiritual disciplines": meditation, prayer, fasting, study, simplicity, solitude, submission, service, confession, worship, guidance, and celebration My first thought is that the list almost sounds contrived (being exactly 12). However, when I look at each one, I can see how each of these things *might* be able to help us grow spiritually. Is this list found in the Bible somewhere or was a contrived list? Is this the only twelve items that can help you grow (or even the "top twelve")? Are there any one of the twelve items that may be contentious or can they all truly be ways to grow in faith? [More info at their website](http://www.renovare.us/SPIRITUALRENEWAL/PracticingLikeJesus/WhyPracticeLikeJesus/tabid/2518/Default.aspx)

## Overview Question ## **When a truth in the various fields of human knowledge contradicts or appear to contradict Divine Revelation, what is an overview of what various Christian religious traditions say is incumbent upon a Christian when their religious tradition hasn't said a thing one way or the other about the contradictory truth?** Science says > *"Science is not the only way of acquiring knowledge about ourselves and the world around us."* - WMAP Site FAQs Q9. Here are some fields of human knowledge (of course not exhaustive): *Mathematics, Astronomy & Cosmology, Natural Sciences, Human Sciences, History, The Arts, and Indigenous Knowledge Systems*. If a truth in these appears to contradict or directly contradicts Divine Revelation [= Sacred Scripture and Holy Tradition for the Church], what is an overview of what various Christian religious tradition teach a Christian ought to do, when their religious tradition hasn't said anything as yet on the truth in question? The best answer will also have Scriptural support and include a Catholic Perspective. Some examples: - *Current Cosmological model.* Outer Space, shape of the earth, that the earth moves and rotates, etc. - Darwin's *"Descent with modification"*. The above appear to contradict Genesis. - This one was big with me: that *that SARS-CoV-2 - a **"novel virus"** that is supposed to cause CoViD-19 disease - could have been created in a lab* when both Scripture and my Catholic Church says only God is Creator Please note that the answer can use an example for illustrative purposes, but not labor in trying to prove or debunk a truth in human knowledge field. Finally, it appears we are in the End-Times, and if the devil is the deceiver of the whole world, and in the End-Time he will be most active, one would expect to find his lies pervasive in ALL human fields of knowledge.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:16, "You will know them by their fruits." This verse is often cited to identify genuine believers based on their actions and character. However, a recent incident in Minnesota where a self-professed evangelical Christian—who had even received an appointment—was involved in the shooting of a congresswoman raises questions. How should this verse be understood in light of such events? Can we truly and reliably know a believer by their fruits, especially when someone outwardly identified with Christianity ends up acting in a way that seems so contrary to Christ’s teachings? How do different theological traditions interpret this principle when actions contradict profession of faith?

I figured in heaven it’s a totally different reality than the life we have here on earth. So, I believe in heaven race, color, creed, nationality, and ethnicity will not exist in heaven. Plus, it’s heaven—-paradise—-a place of bliss for believers of Christ. Plus, we get new heavenly, immortal bodies. I don’t want them to be subject to race and color or nationality again in heaven. God forbid. So I am hoping that in heaven I will not be black ever again. Don’t ask why I just want this. I know marriage isn’t in heaven, but if romantic love or divine love for people in heaven which includes romantic love is in heaven then I am all for it. I want to see my crush in heaven with me even if he did marry in this earth. I know in heaven he will love me too. I just hope heaven won’t be disappointing lol. Other than that I hope I won’t be black in heaven, because it just doesn’t define me as a soul or person.

> For as many as are **led by the Spirit of God**, they are the sons of God. [Romans 8:14 KJV] > 16 This I say then, **Walk in the Spirit**, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye **be led of the Spirit**, ye are not under the law. [Galatians 5:16-18 KJV] How are Christians led by the Holy Spirit according to Cessationism? For instance, when a Christian has to make an important life decision in which he/she would really like to hear God's opinion on the matter through the direct lead of the Holy Spirit, what should such a Christian do and possibly expect to receive according to the Cessationist view? Some concrete real life situations that come to mind where the lead of the Holy Spirit would be quite helpful include: - Knowing one's calling (*should I be a pastor, teacher, evangelist, missionary, etc.?*) - Deciding what career to pursue. - Choosing one's spouse (or whether to remain celibate for the sake of the gospel). - In the case of a pastor or another church leader, the discernment to decide who will join them in positions of leadership in the church (ideally, one would like that these people were directly chosen by the Holy Spirit Himself, because He has the perfect discernment). - Avoiding dangerous situations, especially when they are unpredictable (not for the Holy Spirit, of course). - Being led by the Holy Spirit, possibly in supernatural ways, to approach and share the gospel with specific individuals, especially at the right place and time when they are ready to receive it. ___ Related questions: - https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/9120/50422 - https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/80658/50422 - https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/84215/50422 - https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/83881/50422

Do you know for sure you are going to Heaven. https://marymargretsamerica.blogspot.com/2024/11/the-christ-child_69.html

Many Christians say that a couple shouldn't live together before they get married, even if they are not having sex with each other. What is the Biblical basis for this position? Are there certain passages of Scripture that speak against it? Or are there aspects of Church tradition that speaks against it? Or is there something else that has prompted Christians to view this as wrong?

This is probably a loaded question but I'm happy to learn of what you'll bring to the table if you think of some good input regardless of how you interpret the question. I've noticed an mostly 'unspoken' discrepancy between Christian communities which leads to substantial differences in outcomes regarding them living out their faith (I'm in USA mostly around protestant circles for reference but I wouldn't be surprised if this conversation happens (maybe implicitly as well) in other places) I am trying to wrap my mind around this and so far have only heard 'lessons' regarding these things which assume the audience to know/believe something about their lives and God which is never fully fleshed out. Recently I heard John Mark Comer say something like [It's about the switch from decision making to discernment, or full surrender]. This is just the most recent example of such an idea that I've heard. Frequently I've heard teachers explain away over-analyzing things through this lens like "what t-shirt you wear, what to eat for lunch etc. is not important in the grand scheme" but I've yet to hear a rigorous system of understanding these things. As an ideology it is captivating as one can believe themselves to be behaving under the direction of God and making personal 'sacrifices' in offering up the outcome of decision to God, 'neglecting their personal desires and honoring more holy ways of being'. But this same ideology can inspire guilt, as one could ask themselves "am I listening for/to God well enough, and not doing my best as a Christian?". When they are potentially expecting something of themselves that isn't actually expected (or desired) of us by God. So that's where I'm at, I'm familiar with Proverbs 3:5-6, John 10: 27-28 and probably some other relevant verses I'm forgetting now, but I believe these things in layman circles get misconstrued and I'm looking for ways to understand how to apply these things in my own life (and maybe hopefully clear up confusion regarding these teachings for others if they've suffered in similar bouts of confusion/guilt). To steal a quote from Dallas Willard "I don't have the [characters] to explain everything I don't mean" by this question so I hope I've done a decent enough job. Let me know if you think edits would be helpful. I imagine it possible some early church father has some highly fleshed out discussion about internally walking through these things, but maybe I'm looking towards the past with too much of an enchanted lens. I just don't know of how to search for this concept in few words. Thanks!

> **[Exodus 20:9–11](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+20%3A9%E2%80%9311&version=ESV)** (ESV)
> Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is > a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, > or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female > servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. > For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that > is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed > the Sabbath day and made it holy. What is an **overview of Protestant views on the Sabbath**? (Caveat: I'm not interested in the Seventh Day Adventist position.)

I know the Seventh Day Adventist church is known for following certain Old Testament laws found in Leviticus such as the food/dietary laws. However I'm also under the impression that they don't follow all 600+ Levitical laws either. Is there a reason why they follow certain Levitical laws like food/dietary but don't follow others, such as wearing clothing made of two different materials (Lev 19:19) or cutting the hair at the sides (Lev 19:17)? To what extent do they keep the laws?

Christians, when our brain goes into "fight or flight" mode are we held to the same accountability for our actions as when we are in our normal meditative state?

To explain what I mean by "very interactive, intimate, and personal friend", let me quote some excerpts from T.M. Luhrmann's book *[When God Talks Back: Understanding the American Evangelical Relationship with God](https://www.amazon.com/When-God-Talks-Back-Understanding/dp/0307277275)* . From the book's synopsis: > Combined with scientific research that studies the effect that intensely practiced prayer can have on the mind, ***When God Talks Back* examines how normal, sensible people—from college students to accountants to housewives, all functioning perfectly well within our society—can attest to having the signs and wonders of the supernatural become as quotidian and as ordinary as laundry**. From the book itself: > I set out many years ago to understand how God becomes real for modern people. I chose an example of the style of Christianity that would seem to make the cognitive burden of belief most difficult: **the evangelical Christianity in which God is thought to be present as a person in someone’s everyday life, and in which God’s supernatural power is thought to be immediately accessible by that person**. The Vineyard Christian Fellowship is a new denomination, a few decades old, and it represents this shift in the American imagination of God. **These Christians speak as if God interacts with them like a friend. He speaks to them. He listens to them. He acts when they pray to him about little mundane things, because he cares**. This kind of Christianity seems almost absurdly vivid to someone who grew up in a mainstream Protestant church; when I first encountered it, I imagined that people thought of God as if he were a supernatural buddy with a thunderbolt. > The Americans in this church are ordinary Americans. They are typically middle class, but one finds very wealthy and very poor people in the congregations. They are typically white, but the congregations include many minorities. Most participants are college-educated. The church took form in California, but there are now more than six hundred churches across the country and as many as fifteen hundred around the world. **The Vineyard is arguably the most successful example of what one sociologist has called new paradigm Protestantism, the infusion of a more intensely expressive spirituality into white, middle-class Christianity.** **This style of spirituality has also been called neo-Pentecostal because it represents the adoption of a Pentecostal ethos, and its flamboyant emphasis on the direct experience of God, into a form acceptable to the white mainstream**. Another name is *renewalist*. According to a recent survey, **nearly one-quarter of all Americans embrace a Christian spirituality in which congregants experience God immediately, directly, and personally**. The Vineyard typifies this powerful new impulse in American spirituality. > The reason people have their notebooks out during sermons isn’t because the sermon is about God, the way a college lecture is about the American Revolution or the poems of Emily Dickinson. Rather, the pastor’s sermon teaches the congregation to use the Bible to relate to God, **both as a God of power and as a best friend**. **Church is a class in which you learn how to hear what God has to say. The pastor teaches that when you are intimate and personal with a supernatural being, God speaks to you. Not all the time and usually not audibly, but in as real and as practical a way as if you were sitting down to coffee with a puzzle you had to solve.** > **Elaine told me that she was trying to hear God speak in the little things, so that she could hear his voice when it really counted. She began to ask him what she should wear every morning. The Sunday we spoke, God told her—as she experienced it—to wear the blue shirt**. But when she put it on, her bra showed, so she took off the blue shirt and put on a black one. When she arrived at church, she was standing around with the worship team. The pastor walked by, smiled, and said (she reported), “I see you are all wearing blue today.” Elaine told me this story to illustrate how mortified she was at having not taken God seriously. The real point, of course, was that Elaine—a deeply committed Christian who had repeatedly explained to me that every word of the Bible was accurate—did not, as she stared at her closet, treat her inference about what God was thinking (“wear the blue shirt”) as an actual insight into divine intention. She thought she had just imagined it. > **The evangelical interest in the direct personal experience of God exploded in the 1960s**. Americans have always been religious, but every so often our religious enthusiasm seems to crest. **Historians have called these periods of religious excitement “great awakenings.”** They appear (more or less) from 1730 to 1760, 1800 to 1840, 1890 to 1930, and 1965 to the present. **During these decades, Americans were more likely to have had unusual spiritual experiences in which they fainted, spoke in tongues, saw visions, and so forth, and they were more likely to seek out and publicly celebrate these changes in consciousness as proof of God’s living presence in their lives**. These are not, of course, the only times when God has inflamed the American senses. Throughout the twentieth century, there were American churches that encouraged and even relied on unusual spiritual phenomena. Pentecostalism was born in Los Angeles in the early twentieth century and continued to grow over the decades. Southern Baptist churches encouraged richly spiritual experience well before the late twentieth century. Nevertheless, America does seem to have periods when great spiritual passion enters many humble homes. We are, scholars suggest, in such a period now. --- What is an overview of Christian views on the practice of relating to God as a very interactive, intimate, and personal friend?