OK. Fair enough. Let's take a brief look at this "heart affair with Jesus" phrase we adventists always use, along with the evangelicals.
When I used to go to rock & roll concerts or bars; the event would sooner or later reach a point where everyone was getting a little high, and the music would get louder and faster, then, all of a sudden, everyone would have both arms outstretched into the air, swaying, or waving wildly, to the rock & roll.
I have before me now, a christian newspaper, from last week. I am looking at a picture on the front page.
There are hundreds of young people, all holding their hands in the air, the exact, same way, as what I just described in the rock & roll world.
Arms swaying, eyes closed, smiling, crying, yelling out "Thankyou!" Or "Jesus!" It must leave the world at large totally turned off and confused, trying to figure out what this heart affair with Jesus thing is really all about.
I even saw someone driving down the street with a bumper sticker that said: "Jesus Is My ROCK
My Name Is On His ROLL
Here is another good example of what happens to church members who do not "spiritually discern" the truth:
DA.171.004
Surprised out of his self-possession, he answered Christ in words full of irony, "How can a man be born when he is old?" Like many others when cutting truth is brought home to the conscience, he revealed the fact that the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God. There is in him nothing that responds to spiritual things; for spiritual things are spiritually discerned.
Now, let us look closely at this story of Nicodemus, to see what it was that happened, to enable Nicodemus to "spiritually discern" what was happening, and what Jesus was trying to tell him?
What specifically happened to Nicodemus, to change him so suddenly from a "natural man," to a "spiritual man," who could suddenly understand the "things of the Spirit?"
How does this story of Nicodemus tel us what "the things of the Spirit are?
[ March 12, 2002: Message edited by: DavidTBattler ]