Does Christ speak and how?

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tam
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Does Christ speak and how?

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Post by tam »

May you have peace!

A question that continues to be posed to me is with regard to my bearing witness to a living and speaking Christ. How does He speak? What does that mean? How can we test that?

I imagine that one reason the questions are continually posed to me is because I cannot provide the proof that some are asking me to provide. I can only provide evidence in the form of:

a) Personal testimony from having heard Christ
b) The written testimony of or about others who have heard Christ
c) What Christ Himself is written to have said on the matter


If none of the above are acceptable to someone, then I am not sure what more that person and I would have to talk about on this particular matter. We could hopefully discuss respectfully from a point of love, reason, logic. For those who are interested...


Christ said that His sheep would hear His voice.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27

"I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. "I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.…" John 10:14-16



Written testimony about/from others who heard His voice, confirming the truth of what He said:

The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it." Acts 8:29

**
In Damascus, there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!"

"Yes Lord," he answered.

The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight."
(Acts 9:10,11... and it continues)

**
There is Peter's vision telling him that he should eat foods that he considered unclean, and then after his vision:

While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit (Christ) said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them." (Acts 10: 9-20)

**
There are of course multiple examples from Paul. The entire book of Revelation is from Christ to John. There is a warning against hardening our hearts if we hear His voice.

As has just been said: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion." Hebrews 3:15

Then of course there are the examples of Abraham, who heard, Noah, who heard, the prophets, who heard, Joseph, who heard, Daniel, who heard, etc, etc. Their faith is based upon the evidence of what they heard.



My own personal testimony


I did not always know that Christ spoke, and I did not always recognize that voice within me as being His. But someone else bore witness to a living speaking Christ, and it bothered me, lol. I had just ended a two year bible study with a certain denomination, and I did not want to get misled by man ever gain. But here was this person claiming that Christ spoke. If I believed this person, that they were from God, then what was wrong with me that I allowed myself to get misled yet again. On the other hand, what was wrong with me if this person did hear Christ, and I rejected them?

But soon into my dilemma (and my asking how I might know, even though I thought I was just asking myself) I heard:

Test WHAT this person is saying. Test the message. Do not pay attention to the person. Test to see if what this person is saying is true, or not. Then you will know who this person is from.


I still did not know this was Christ speaking to me. I just thought, "Oh, of course... that is what I will do."

So that is what I did. Along the way, I saw all these verses and examples and testimony that Christ does indeed speak, that God spoke also, though now speaks through Christ. In dreams, in visions, in direct words, in reminders, in opening eyes and ears to a truth that one might read, see, or hear. Once I realized that Christ is supposed to speak, I asked for ears to hear as well. Even though I did hear Him; I just did not know I heard Him. I needed to learn His voice and recognize Him.

**

I was asked how does He speak

He speaks in words. He speaks in visions (I have never had a vision that I am aware of). He speaks in dreams. He can also bring to mind something learned, read, or experienced in the past to help me see the truth in something He is teaching me. He has opened my eyes to something that is written, if I am reading the bible. He can and has read to me something that He is written to have said, so that I hear it in His voice. That was enlightening.

Sometimes when I am responding to something that someone else has asked, He will give me the words to say, or reveal something to me (as in open my heart and ears to understanding something) that I had not previously understood.


The language that He speaks is truth. He has never spoken anything to me that was not true, and that was not from love. And everything He teaches me deepens my understanding of love: His love and the love of His Father.



(As for testing the inspired expression... anything that is in conflict with what Christ teaches cannot be true. Also Christ (truth) comes from love (God), so nothing that He says will be in conflict with love. Especially since the law that is written upon our hearts in the new covenant is the law of love.)


**

I do not expect anyone to take my word for these things. I do not take the word of others for what they claim came from Christ. I explained above what I did, what I heard from Christ TO do.

If I have shared anything that helps anyone, then great. If not, then no problem. I am not the one people should be listening to if they are following or desiring to follow Christ... I can only point TO that One: Christ Jaheshua, the Holy One of Israel and Holy Spirit, the Chosen One of Jah. Christ, who is Himself, the faithful and true witness of His Father, Jah.



If one wants to know the truth of this matter themselves... then ask Christ. That is how one can confirm for themselves. Ask for ears to hear, and in the meantime DO what He has said to do, so that you prove yourself to Him. He does not have to prove Himself to us.

"If anyone loves me, they will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with (in) them."


(Please note that He says that they will obey HIS teaching. Not man's teaching. Not religion or religious leaders, not Paul, not the law, or anyone or anything else over Him. If we love HIM... we will obey HIM. If we love someone or something else more, then we will listen to and obey that one/thing. Including if we love our religion more than Him, although we might not realize it at the time. Including if we think the bible is the Word of God, especially when even that book states that Christ is the Word of God; and Christ himself said, "You diligently search the scriptures because you think that by them you have eternal life. These are the scriptures that testify about ME, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.")



May anyone who wishes them be given ears to hear, to get a sense of these things, and to hear as the Spirit (Christ) and the bride SAY to you, "Come... take the free gift of the water of life."


Peace again to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

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Re: Does Christ speak and how?

Post #251

Post by William »

[Replying to tam in post #249]
I imagine that one reason the questions are continually posed to me is because I cannot provide the proof that some are asking me to provide. I can only provide evidence in the form of:

a) Personal testimony from having heard Christa) Personal testimony from having heard Christ
b) The written testimony of or about others who have heard Christ
c) What Christ Himself is written to have said on the matter
Both b) and c) are focused upon the that which is written down.

While a) remains, it too seems to be referring to what you might personally write down for others to read, or alternatively speak to others re 'personal testimony'.

All three are basically the same thing in that they don't really involve any internal 'voice' that can be heard as 'the voice of Christ'. You appear to be saying that this is the only manner in which the voice of Christ can be heard... as in, even that it may be internal, it still requires being 'tested' by external voices.

From your personal testimony you write;
Test WHAT this person is saying. Test the message. Do not pay attention to the person. Test to see if what this person is saying is true, or not. Then you will know who this person is from.
You go on to write;
I still did not know this was Christ speaking to me. I just thought, "Oh, of course... that is what I will do."
You then go on to say how you go about doing this testing;
So that is what I did. Along the way, I saw all these verses and examples and testimony that Christ does indeed speak, that God spoke also, though now speaks through Christ.
You test by putting what a person tells you through the words of written language, not in itself a 'voice' that one hears internally - but rather through the device of yet another external voice, so how do you go about testing the validity of the external information you rely upon in order to accomplish the testing you speak about?
In dreams, in visions, in direct words, in reminders, in opening eyes and ears to a truth that one might read, see, or hear.
All 'tested' through an external device. Can we assume that nothing passes muster which is not backed up by said external voices?

If the dream or vision or direct words or "reminders" does not align with "opening eyes and ears to a truth" that one might read, see, or hear...all of which are external devices of voice rather than internal so if even the internal voice does not align with those external voices, I take it you would reject what is said internally and not recognize it as The Voice of Christ?

Is this how you are told to do it? What make you believe that it is "The Voice of Christ" that you are hearing and not simply something you are putting through filters as an externally learned thing?

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Re: Does Christ speak and how?

Post #252

Post by tam »

Peace to you,
William wrote: Thu Apr 21, 2022 11:12 pm [Replying to tam in post #249]
I imagine that one reason the questions are continually posed to me is because I cannot provide the proof that some are asking me to provide. I can only provide evidence in the form of:

a) Personal testimony from having heard Christa) Personal testimony from having heard Christ
b) The written testimony of or about others who have heard Christ
c) What Christ Himself is written to have said on the matter
Both b) and c) are focused upon the that which is written down.

While a) remains, it too seems to be referring to what you might personally write down for others to read, or alternatively speak to others re 'personal testimony'.
Well sure, but that is because I am responding to questions that have been posed to me, as I said:

A question that continues to be posed to me is with regard to my bearing witness to a living and speaking Christ.
All three are basically the same thing in that they don't really involve any internal 'voice' that can be heard as 'the voice of Christ'.


That is because it is just my testimony to and about a living and speaking Christ.
You appear to be saying that this is the only manner in which the voice of Christ can be heard... as in, even that it may be internal, it still requires being 'tested' by external voices
.

I am not saying that at all. I am just offering evidence for people to examine for themselves. If one wishes to know the truth of this (or any other) matter, then one should go to Christ and ask HIM, ask for ears to hear, then listen to Him. As I said in the OP:

I do not expect anyone to take my word for these things. I do not take the word of others for what they claim came from Christ. I explained above what I did, what I heard from Christ TO do.

If I have shared anything that helps anyone, then great. If not, then no problem. I am not the one people should be listening to if they are following or desiring to follow Christ... I can only point TO that One: Christ Jaheshua, the Holy One of Israel and Holy Spirit, the Chosen One of Jah. Christ, who is Himself, the faithful and true witness of His Father, Jah.

If one wants to know the truth of this matter themselves... then ask Christ. That is how one can confirm for themselves. Ask for ears to hear, and in the meantime DO what He has said to do, so that you prove yourself to Him. He does not have to prove Himself to us.

From your personal testimony you write;
Test WHAT this person is saying. Test the message. Do not pay attention to the person. Test to see if what this person is saying is true, or not. Then you will know who this person is from.
That is what I heard from my Lord to do, yes. That is my Lord speaking directly to me. Not through what is written. Not through some other person. He, Himself.

You go on to write;
I still did not know this was Christ speaking to me. I just thought, "Oh, of course... that is what I will do."
Yes...
You then go on to say how you go about doing this testing;
So that is what I did. Along the way, I saw all these verses and examples and testimony that Christ does indeed speak, that God spoke also, though now speaks through Christ.
You test by putting what a person tells you through the words of written language,


What I said was... 'along the way, I saw...." So after exercising faith in what I heard from my Lord (directly), and doing what He said, I also saw the corroboration, the other witness testimonies of those who heard Him, as well as His own words on the matter.

I gave a brief summary of how to test the inspired expression in the OP here:

(As for testing the inspired expression... anything that is in conflict with what Christ teaches cannot be true. Also Christ (truth) comes from love (God), so nothing that He says will be in conflict with love. Especially since the law that is written upon our hearts in the new covenant is the law of love.)



If the dream or vision or direct words or "reminders" does not align with "opening eyes and ears to a truth" that one might read, see, or hear...all of which are external devices of voice rather than internal so if even the internal voice does not align with those external voices, I take it you would reject what is said internally and not recognize it as The Voice of Christ?
If something was in conflict with Christ and with love, then it could not have been from Christ. But if Christ taught me something and it conflicted with something written (though not conflicting with love or with my Lord), I would go with what my Lord said. He is the Word of God.



Peace again to you.
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- For Christ (who is the Spirit)

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Re: Does Christ speak and how?

Post #253

Post by tam »

[Replying to William in post #251]

In addition to the above, from a previous exchange we had in this very thread:

Words are not necessarily sounds (or at least not audible sounds heard with physical ears). We can think in words, and words can be written <- neither of those make physically audible sounds. Words spoken from the Spirit (from Christ), are - in my experience - heard within, with spiritual ears. Still a voice - but not one heard with PHYSICAL ears.

viewtopic.php?p=1030543#p1030543


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Re: Does Christ speak and how?

Post #254

Post by William »

I have communion with YHWH and publish these hereabouts.

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Re: Does Christ speak and how?

Post #255

Post by William »

Re: Does Christ speak and how?

viewtopic.php?p=1102194#p1102194

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Re: Does Christ speak and how?

Post #256

Post by OneWay »

tam wrote: Thu Sep 10, 2015 9:24 pm May you have peace!




Peace again to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy
Matthew 10:34
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth:
I came not to send peace, but a sword.


John
Chapter 8
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

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Re: Does Christ speak and how?

Post #257

Post by tam »

Peace to you, oneway,
OneWay wrote: Sun Dec 04, 2022 4:05 am
tam wrote: Thu Sep 10, 2015 9:24 pm May you have peace!




Peace again to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy
Matthew 10:34
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth:
I came not to send peace, but a sword.
I'm not really sure what your point is, but this is the command that Christ gave:

5 “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you.

And what He did,

Eight days later, His disciples were once again inside with the doors locked, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."

(Many people are in their homes when reading these posts)



Certainly there is not going to be peace in the world, since some accept and some reject, and Christ came to speak and teach what is true (even though many would reject that truth and He, Himself). But if we love Christ, then we will obey His commands (John 14: 15, 21, 23) - one of which is to offer a blessing of peace.
John
Chapter 8
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Indeed. What one does with their freedom and who they choose to serve, is up to them. Just as Christ came to serve, and made Himself a least one, just as He also said that we are to serve one another, and that whoever wishes to be greatest must be least. Note also that the apostles and other disciples referred to themselves as slaves/servants of Christ also, and surely you would agree that Christ/the Truth had set them free, yes?


Peace again to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy
- Non-religious Christian spirituality

- For Christ (who is the Spirit)

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Re: Does Christ speak and how?

Post #258

Post by William »

I have said that He speaks within. I hear His voice within.
I simply heard someone else sharing that Christ spoke to them; that Christ does indeed speak. I tested that. As soon as I saw (from what is written, from Christ, and from reason) that indeed, Christ is supposed to speak, then I believed that He does speak, and asked to be able to hear also.

I already had been hearing Him, in truth, but I just had not recognized Him.
Words are not necessarily sounds (or at least not audible sounds heard with physical ears). We can think in words, and words can be written <- neither of those make physically audible sounds. Words spoken from the Spirit (from Christ), are - in my experience - heard within, with spiritual ears. Still a voice - but not one heard with PHYSICAL ears.
There is no mediator between man and Christ.
I must state clearly that my own inner voice is not the same as my dear Lord's voice.
Correct me if I am mistaken Tam, what you refer to as "The Voice of Christ" [your "dear Lord's voice" et al] is a distinct internal male voice.
Is that correct?

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Re: Does Christ speak and how?

Post #259

Post by OneWay »

tam wrote: Sun Dec 04, 2022 6:12 pm Peace to you, oneway,
OneWay wrote: Sun Dec 04, 2022 4:05 am
tam wrote: Thu Sep 10, 2015 9:24 pm May you have peace!




Peace again to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy
Matthew 10:34
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth:
I came not to send peace, but a sword.
I'm not really sure what your point is, but this is the command that Christ gave:

5 “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you.

And what He did,

Eight days later, His disciples were once again inside with the doors locked, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."

(Many people are in their homes when reading these posts)



Certainly there is not going to be peace in the world, since some accept and some reject, and Christ came to speak and teach what is true (even though many would reject that truth and He, Himself). But if we love Christ, then we will obey His commands (John 14: 15, 21, 23) - one of which is to offer a blessing of peace.
John
Chapter 8
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Indeed. What one does with their freedom and who they choose to serve, is up to them. Just as Christ came to serve, and made Himself a least one, just as He also said that we are to serve one another, and that whoever wishes to be greatest must be least. Note also that the apostles and other disciples referred to themselves as slaves/servants of Christ also, and surely you would agree that Christ/the Truth had set them free, yes?


Peace again to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy
It is not my point. I repeated to you
what someone else said about you an me.
I agree with them.

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Re: Does Christ speak and how?

Post #260

Post by OneWay »

tam wrote: Sun Dec 04, 2022 6:12 pm Peace to you, oneway,
OneWay wrote: Sun Dec 04, 2022 4:05 am
tam wrote: Thu Sep 10, 2015 9:24 pm May you have peace!




Peace again to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy
Matthew 10:34
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth:
I came not to send peace, but a sword.
I'm not really sure what your point is, but this is the command that Christ gave:

5 “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you.

And what He did,

Eight days later, His disciples were once again inside with the doors locked, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."

(Many people are in their homes when reading these posts)



Certainly there is not going to be peace in the world, since some accept and some reject, and Christ came to speak and teach what is true (even though many would reject that truth and He, Himself). But if we love Christ, then we will obey His commands (John 14: 15, 21, 23) - one of which is to offer a blessing of peace.
John
Chapter 8
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Indeed. What one does with their freedom and who they choose to serve, is up to them. Just as Christ came to serve, and made Himself a least one, just as He also said that we are to serve one another, and that whoever wishes to be greatest must be least. Note also that the apostles and other disciples referred to themselves as slaves/servants of Christ also, and surely you would agree that Christ/the Truth had set them free, yes?


Peace again to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy
Do you agree that Jesus did not come to send peace on earth: but a sword,
and to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother,
and the daughter in law against her mother in law?

Yes or no?

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