# Do you feel something inside? Must be God!



## WrittenFromUtopia (Jun 21, 2005)

My girlfriend was telling me about how at her home church (currently) they were presenting the gospel to the children (vacation bible school at an SBC church), and the teachers were telling the children that God would make them "feel something strange inside" if He wanted them to believe the things they were teaching the kids.

I immediately thought to myself (after throwing up and spitting nails for a few minutes, in disgust and agony), isn't this Mormon heresy, not Christian teaching?

Am I off base here? Teaching our kids that they know things are true _when they feel something inside_???


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## blhowes (Jun 21, 2005)

> _Originally posted by WrittenFromUtopia_
> My girlfriend was telling me about how at her home church (currently) they were presenting the gospel to the children (vacation bible school at an SBC church), and the teachers were telling the children that God would make them "feel something strange inside" if He wanted them to believe the things they were teaching the kids.
> 
> I immediately thought to myself (after throwing up and spitting nails for a few minutes, in disgust and agony), isn't this Mormon heresy, not Christian teaching?
> ...


I'm hoping that the real reason you're concerned about it isn't because you've never felt that strange feeling inside that they're talking about. You have felt it, haven't you?

In a way, I can relate to what he's saying, but I'd never use the feelings I felt as a standard for seeing if God was working in a person's heart. As I think back on my regeneration/conversion, there were a myriad of emotions and feelings going on inside of me leading up to and then after my conversion. As an athiest, recognizing that a God I didn't believe existed was drawing me to himself, caused some pretty weird feelings inside. Recognizing I had offended and sinned against a God I didnt' even believe in was kind of a panicky feeling, making me feel like I wanted to run, but recognizing there was no place I could run to. Recognizing that I needed to repent of my sins and believe in Jesus gave me a humbling feeling. After I had done business with God, there was a feeling of joy, mixed with a feeling of embarrassment that I was so stupid to have waited so long (not realizing that the timing was beyond my control).

...but that was just me. They were strange feelings, but to make them the norm and say that others would feel those feelings I don't think is right. I don't think the Bible spells out what emotions, whether strange or otherwise, people will feel when God works in their heart.

I can't help but wonder if any of those kids left the VBS saved, but are uncertain because they never felt that strange feeling the teachers were talking about.


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## Me Died Blue (Jun 21, 2005)

Unfortunately, that is far from unique to "Mormon heresy." In fact, as soon as you began describing what they said, my first thought was, "Oh, must be a church with a charismatic slant." Having been raised in the Assemblies of God, I can say that putting that much weight and reliance upon random feelings and attributing it to God's revelation or "special moving" is almost _more_ than just the norm in some circles.

In many ways, it's Gnosticism's remnant in contemporary evangelicalism.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Jun 21, 2005)

It's called the "Highlander" spidey sense!


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## Tirian (Jun 21, 2005)

When I was reading your post, it reminded me of the time when there was great celebration at a family function because one of my relative's daughter, at tha age of 6 had "given her heart to the Lord." While trying to rejoice with them, I had to ask what they meant and found that their church offered Purple, sparkle covered helium filled balloons to all children who would say the "sinners prayer" and give their "hearts to the Lord". Needless to say, my suggestion that we didnt often see incentives such as these baloons in the bible to those people who were being told to repent was not well recieved. 

We often describe Christ's sacrifice to our kids, but it seems strange to me to communicate to them a need to "feel" something inside in order for it to be real. The danger here is that they dwell on manufacturing a feeling to justify themselves and we end up with child who is trying to gain merit with God based on what feelings they can generate within themselves. 

Obviously there are times when feelings are generated in response to what we hear or learn - I'm thinking of Peter's sermon in Acts when those (adults) who heard him were convicted of their sins. They were "cut to the heart" - but I hardly think this is a pattern to adopt with our children. We should concentrate on raising them in the "nuture and admonition of the Lord".

Matt


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## lwadkins (Jun 21, 2005)

You can see the fruits of this sort of thing all throughout the church as you see people doing things, often unbiblical, often against the doctrine of the church, etc. because they were "led to it by the Holy Spirit" Notice they seek not counsel or in any serious way test the spirit of their feeling but simply react to it. Its so much easier just to feel it and avoid the work of serious study and prayer.


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## Average Joey (Jun 21, 2005)

> _Originally posted by VirginiaHuguenot_
> It's called the "Highlander" spidey sense!



Another immortal approaches!There can be only one!


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## Average Joey (Jun 21, 2005)

I remember George Carlin one time saying that his mother took him to their catholic church when he was a child and telling him that you can feel God`s presence.He said he felt nothing and from that day was an atheist.


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## Arch2k (Jun 21, 2005)

Just another example of emotionalism plaguing the church!


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## WrittenFromUtopia (Jun 21, 2005)

No wonder 40% of Mormon converts are former Southern Baptists.


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## satz (Jun 21, 2005)

Just a question,

how then do we distinguish between this 'feeling in the heart' and conviction by the spirit?

I think (atm) that any conviction by the spirit will not be something external to what can be found in the word. Is this right?


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## Arch2k (Jun 21, 2005)

> _Originally posted by satz_
> I think (atm) that any conviction by the spirit will not be something external to what can be found in the word. Is this right?



I would say the exact opposite. If a conviction is wrought by the Spirit of God, it MUST be found in scripture. 

Outside of the scripture (and what can be deduced), all things are ok (i.e. christian liberty).


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## Me Died Blue (Jun 21, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Jeff_Bartel_
> 
> 
> > _Originally posted by satz_
> ...



Jeff, if I'm reading him correctly, that is exactly what Mark was saying: Any conviction by the Spirit will *not* be something _external_ to the Word. For the record, I fully agree, as do most people here as well as the majority of historic Reformed theologians. Some past threads in which I have talked about that are here and here.


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## Arch2k (Jun 21, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Me Died Blue_
> 
> 
> > _Originally posted by Jeff_Bartel_
> ...



Upon reading the quote again, I think you're right! 

Thanks for the correction.

[Edited on 6-22-2005 by Jeff_Bartel]


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## govols (Jun 22, 2005)

Gabriel,

What surprises me is that you would be dating a girl that goes to a SBC (currently). Reading some of your posts online I would see that as heresy.

Just Kidding. 

Most of the larger SBCs a filled with unbelievers - easy place to hide out and go through the motions.

A lot of Reformed Baptist and Presbyterian churches are smaller so you can't hide as much but there are still some there.


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