Fundamentalist Christians... why the "danger" of seeking within?

Question

This question is coming from a mystical Christian... why all the cautioning against finding the "inner castle" as St. Therese of Avila has called it, the same experience of all great Catholic saints, such as St. Thomas Aquinas, St. John of the Cross, St. Francis of Assisi? The Kingdom of God that Jesus said to seek within, the esoteric foundation of all great world religions. God truly is within you and in all of us, but fundamental Christianity takes the keys of this love and union of God away from the masses, much as the Pharisee scribes and priests did in the time of Jesus Himself. This is the mystic marriage of us with God through Jesus Christ and our spirit within.

I've sought and found within, and have never been happier, more at home, or known such love from God than when I united with His Spirit through Jesus Christ, it was the most life changing experience I've ever had, and now my own spirit is truly married to that of God through Jesus Christ after intimate union.

It's the "inner castle" and the "Kingdom Within" through the Holy Spirit in Jesus Christ that brings true spiritual enlightenment and the end of suffering on earth. I suffer no more and I fear death no more, in fact I look forward to it when God deems the time right since that's when I will return to Him whence I came, since as His children, we were with Him before we were born on earth. I can't wait to be united with Him again, forever, which is why I don't fear death in the least, and look at it as the beginning of my true life with Jesus Christ and God, although I have a personal relationship with Him on earth, it cannot be anything compared to truly beholding Him in the beatific vision after our time here is done.

JohnFromNC, that's what I meant, God within, but to me this also means what St. Thomas Aquinas said... "God became man so man may become gods". Even Jesus Christ said to do works as He did and even greater than He did. Humanity is evolving towards God, and this has been His plan from the beginning, personified in Jesus Christ, His Son, the ultimate expression of God, love and true humanity, and ultimately, who we all strive to become like.

MarkS... Yes! Christian enlightenment, what I experienced, is very similar to Buddhist ideas. Unity with God brought me expressionless joy and a feeling of love and eternity never before experienced, time and self disappeared, there was only God and love. My life has been God and love ever since.

Answer 1

.............AGAIN??!!.................

Answer 2

I agree with a lot of what you said. I'm not quite sure I get the inner castle reference. I would be called a fundamentalist by your definition. Everything is through Jesus Christ. We have nothing good in and of ourselves. It's only by the power of the Holy Spirit in us that we can be righteous people before God. It's not our own striving to do what is right. That's works based righteousness. Our works have to be motivated by God within us, just as Paul said in Ephesians.

So if that is what you mean, I agree. If not, I can't accept reasoning contrary to the Bible. "Seeking within" must be God within...not the god (ourselves). Just look around at the world today and you'll see exactly why we're not to seek answers from ourselves. Pride and selfishness is what is within if it's not God - the God of heaven and earth.

Answer 3

Totally!
1 Corinthians 6:19 What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own.

John 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in the Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

Genesis 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it was thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. Jeremiah 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

what i'm trying to show here is that we are just earthen vessels. until we are made new in Christ. with his Spirit we are made a new creation.

John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

and there it is, if our earthen vessel is filled with the spirit, then it is filled with the words of Christ. Hope I stayed close to the question you had in mind.

Answer 4

Jesus on no account suggested to seek for a kingdom of God "interior of". you have defined the prospect of ignoring the Bible in choose of listening to "religious professionals". that's why I encouage human beings to seem to God's word the Bible and not pay attention to the phrases of artificial faith. I frequently cite a Bible verse or 2 to assist my answer yet this time i'm telling you that there isn't something interior the Bible to assist the form of coaching. there's a passage interior the Bilbe which says, do not pass previous that that's written. permit me see if i will discover it. a million Corinthians 4:6 6 Now, brothers, I easily have utilized those issues to myself and Apollos to your income, so as which you will learn from us the meaning of the asserting, "do not pass previous what's written." then you certainly won't show satisfaction in one guy over against yet another. Pastor paintings

Answer 5

One must be careful about "looking within" If what is found within is in antithesis of what God has said one must look toward what God has said as He does not change His mind or give different opposing revelations to different people. Also look at some of the revelations of people such as Theresa of Avila She had 'revelations" with antisemitic interpretaions to her visions. I am not saying we should not "look within" but we must remember that if it is not in harmony with God's word it is not from Him. Too often people will lead on the feeling or "revelation they have had from within and be lead away from the one they were wanting to get to know in the first place. And please stop using the fundamentalist term it seems to be one many use to stereotype people they really don'y knowabout or what they believe. Thank You

Answer 6

Are you talking about trusting Christ? Been there already.

I am the way, the truth, and the life. None come to the Father, but through Me. JC

Answer 7

Fundementalism relies on being led by demagogues like Pat Robertson; it's not about spirituality; it's definitely not about religion - it's about politics and especially about control.

Answer 8

Although I am a Buddhist I have some experience with Christian meditation, and would like to share with you some Biblical references.

Remember it is in silence and through release that we feel the Love of God within and see a world filled with innocence, charity, and love.

Joshua 1:8

“This book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”

Note: A bonus scripture for those who may be afraid of what they may encounter in stillness:

Joshua 1:9

“Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy G-d is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

Psalm 1:2

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”

Psalm 119:15

“I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.”

Psalm 119: 97-99

“Oh how I love thy law! It is my meditation all the day. Though through thy commandments hast made me wiser than my enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.”

Note: The Book of Psalms mentions the importance of meditating on God's works, precepts, decrees, and promises no less than 16 times.

2 Corinthians 6-8

“Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

1 Timothy 4:15

“Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.”

Phillipians 4:8

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
Lamentations 3:24-28
“The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.”