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 In
the Oct. ‘71, edition of Mission Messenger, bro. Carl
Ketcherside has an article on “seeking Guidance.” He
proposes to tell how he “seeks the guidance of the Spirit, and
ascertains the will of God for his own life.” He says this “May
not be at all valid for another individual. No two of us are of
the same intellectual, temperamental or spiritual caliber, and
the Holy Spirit must not be “boxed in” by my own experience.”
...(A)
“1.
I seek to immerse myself in the total revelation of God. I
regard the Bible as containing that revelation in promise,
prophecy, precept and perfection.” .... (B)
“2.
I eagerly and fervently pray for guidance in specific and
immediate problems.... And I keep on praying, persisting and
continuing until I feel I have the answer and the light within
turns green and I have the right of way.” .... (C)
“3.
I also seek the advice of other saints.... As a member of the
community of the reconciled I do not want to go it alone.”
.... (D)
“4.
I seek to live in the shadow of God’s umbrella of grace all of
the time and abide in the tent of the Spirit.”
.... (E)
“5.
I relate my entire being to the dynamic of love, injecting it
into every life situation. Even if a thing is right and proper,
I discard it as a possibility if it requires a loveless attitude
or will cause another to stumble or fall out of the way.” ....
(F)
“When
I have related my problem to the word of God and sought the
counsel of heaven, when I have consulted brethren of
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reputation and made sure that I am
willing to pursue the more excellent way, and when I have prayed
until my inner consciousness is directed to a certain activity,
or in a certain direction, I take it that this is the will of
God for me and I pursue that course.” (C)(A)
*********************
Bro.
Ketcherside shares the error common to the many who have sought
to explain H.S. guidance apart from the written word. He looks within
himself and this subjective approach, in the final
analysis, puts man above God.
Note
(A) “may not be valid for another” “the will of God for
me.” This destroys the unity in “the faith,” presents
unconfirmed testimony, reinstates “divers portions and manners”
(Heb. 1:1) and denies the “perfection” of Bible revelation
claimed in (B). If God’s revelation in the Bible must await
the “green light” of each man’s “inner consciousness”
(C) it is neither total, perfect, nor understandable, so as to
“thoroughly furnish.”
(E)
is beautiful — but what does it say? And a thing cannot be “right
and proper” (F) which requires that “loveless attitude”
etc. The “love” which God requires of us is an integral part
of our total relation to Him. It was being manifested when Jesus
denounced hypocrisy and Paul withstood Peter. (Matt. 23: Gal.
2:11)
And
who wins if the inner light says “go” but God’s word says
“STOP!”
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