The Light of God , The Light of Christ , Christ in The Lord b>, Light inside , light into and inner light are related phrases commonly used in Friends' Quakers as a metaphor for light Christ is illuminating or in it. It was propagated by the founder of the Quaker movement, George Fox, who "preached faith and dependence on 'inner light' (the presence of Christ in the heart)." The first Quakers are known to sit silently and meditate on the words in the Bible until they feel the inner light of God illuminating them and the Holy Spirit speaks.
Keys of Confidence and Practice The Religious Society of Friends states that the Light of Life is "a living and historical Jesus, and as God's Grace extends to people who simultaneously make us aware of sin, forgive they give us the strength and will to overcome them "and" teach us the difference between right and wrong, truth and falsehood, good and evil. "Thus, the word light is commonly used by Christians (including Quaker ) as a metaphor for Christ, which comes from many parts of the Bible including John 8:12, which states:
Quakers take this idea to walk in the Light of Christ to refer to God's presence within a person, and to the direct and personal experience of God, although this varies to some extent between Quakers at different annual meetings. The Quakers believe not only that individuals can be guided by this light, but that Friends can meet together and receive the collective guidance of God by sharing the concerns and directions that he gives to the individual. This is often done in meetings for worship; Pierre Lacout, a Swiss Quaker, describes the "active silence" that causes the Inner Light to "shine," in his book God is silence . In Friends meetings, it is usually called "service" when someone shares loudly what Inner Light says to him. The term inward light was first used by the original Friend to refer to the light of Christ shining upon them; the term inner light has also been used since the twentieth century to describe this Quaker doctrine. Rufus Jones, in 1904, wrote that: " Inner Light is the doctrine that there is something divine, 'Something of God' in the human psyche." Jones argues that his interpretation of Quaker's doctrine of inner light is something that George Fox and other early Quakers possess, but some Quaker theologians and historians, notably Lewis Benson, reject this view.
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Related terms for the Inner Light include the Light of God , The Light of Christ , Christ inside , That's God , Spirit of God within us , and Light within . It is often used interchangeably by Modern friends and can be spelled out early. Some people also identify it with the phrase "that God is in everyone," first used by one of the founders of the Society of Friends, George Fox.
The related term "Inward Light" appears in older Quaker writings, but is not often used today. Initially, Inward Light is used much more often than "Inner Light". This term evokes images of people who are illuminated by the light of God or Christ, rather than having their own light within them. Although this term is now often used interchangeably, according to Quaker historian Pink Dandelion, it is not wrong Rufus Jones uses the term in turn is a term that is considered equivalent.
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Quaker's conviction that the Light of Life shines on everyone is partly based on the passage from the New Testament, that is, John 1: 9, which says, "It is the true light, which enlightens everyone who comes into the world." Early friends take this verse as one of their motto and often refer to themselves as "Children of the Light". In addition, Friends emphasize parts of the verse that indicate that the Light "is extended to all people everywhere", even "those who have never heard of Christianity in a way that means or can at all share in the Light, if they sincerely respond to the grace of God.
Because when other nations, who have no law, naturally do what the law requires, they are the law for themselves, even though they have no law.They show that the work of the law is written in their hearts, while their conscience also be witnesses, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or forgive them on the day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus (Romans 2: 14-16). "
The main founder of what became the Friendship Religious Society, George Fox, claims that he has direct experience of God. After exploring the various sects and listening to various preachers, he finally concluded that none of them is enough to be the ultimate guide. At that moment he reported hearing a voice telling him, "There is one, even Christ Jesus, who can speak to your condition." He feels that God wants him to teach others that they do not have to rely on a teacher or a human guide, because each of them can experience God directly and hear his voice inside. He wrote in his journal, "I am glad that I am commanded to turn people into that inner light, spirit, and grace, by which everyone can know their salvation, and their way to God, even that divine Spirit who will lead them into all the Truth, and which I know will never deceive anybody. "Fox taught: that Christ, the Light, has come to teach his own people; that "men do not need any teachers but the Light that is in all men and women" (anointing they receive); if people will be silent, waiting for the Lord, Light will teach them how to live their lives, teaching them about Christ, showing them the condition of their hearts; they love the Light, it will remove them from the "cause of sin"; and soon afterwards, Christ will return in His glory to establish His Kingdom in their hearts. Fox called Light destroying sin inside as the Cross of Christ, the Power of God.
Regarding this, Fox writes, "Now you know the power of God and come there-that is the Cross of Christ, who crucified you to the state that Adam and Eve are in autumn, and so is the world- -with this power of God you come to see the state of them before they fall, which the power of God is the Cross, in which the eternal glory stands, which brings into righteousness, holiness and image of God, and crucifixes for the unrighteous, unholy and the image of Satan. "The cross is not" stranded on the beaches of unconscious years ", but it must be a life experience deep within the believer's heart, and change his whole life. "You who know strength and feel strength, you feel the Cross of Christ, you feel the gospel, which is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes." All the real experiences of the Cross must lead, he thought, in the same way of life that brought the Master there-into the path of humility and non-resistance, to overcome evil with the sole power of love and goodness. For Fox, a high profession of Christianity often walks in a way that is very contrary to this. He writes to the persecutors: "Your fruits have shown that you are not of this (wisdom from above), and so out of the power of God who is the Cross of Christ: for ye are found in the world, out of the power of God, out of the Cross of Christ, persecute. "
Later, Robert Barclay, an apologist for the Society of Friends, wrote: "This most definitive doctrine is then accepted, that there is an evangelist and saves light and grace in all, the universality of God's love and grace toward mankind , both in the death of the Beloved Son of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the manifestation of Light Light in the heart, established and confirmed, against all objections such as deny me t. "
Contrast with other in-source
Many Friends consider this divine guidance (or "whisper" or "Spiritual guidance") different from either the inner impulse or the generally agreed moral guidelines. In fact, as Marianne McMullen points out, one can be asked to say something in a meeting that contradicts what he or she thinks. In other words, a Friend usually does not consider the Inner Light of conscience or moral sensitivity but something higher and deeper that informs and sometimes improves these aspects of human nature.
Unlike rules and credo
Historically, Friends have been suspicious of a formal creed or religious philosophy that is not based on personal experience. Instead one must be guided by the Inner Master, the Inner Light. But this is not a release for Friends to decide and do whatever they want; it is a duty for the Friend to consider the wisdom of the other Friends, because one must listen to the inner Light of others as well as their own. Friends have various procedures established to collectively distinguish and follow the Spirit when making decisions.
The procedure of friends is to collect their best advice in a book "Faith and Practice", which is gradually revised from time to time. Many or most of the books of Faith and Practice contain the following which were originally attached to the "Suggestions" list published in 1656, and illustrate the emphasis of Friends on the Inner Light:
- My dear friends, these things we do not make you as a rule or form to walk, but they are all, with a pure and holy light measure, guided: and so on in the light of walking and obedience, this can be fulfilled in the Spirit, not from the letter, because the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
In the Bible
Friends do not fully agree on the importance of the Inner Light in relation to the Bible. Most Friends, especially in the past, have seen the Bible as a source of wisdom and guidance. Many, if not most of them, regard the Bible as a book inspired by God. Early Quakers, such as George Fox and Robert Barclay, as well as most of the modern Quakers (including Conservative Friends, Evangelical Friends, Friends of Gurneyite and Friends of Holiness) believe that the true whisper of the Holy Spirit will not be against the Bible. They, furthermore, believe that in order to understand the Bible properly, one needs the Inner Light to clarify it and guide one in applying its teachings to the present situation. In the United States, in the nineteenth century, some Friends concluded that others of their faith, especially those of the Liberal Friends tradition, used the concept of the Inner Light to justify an unbiblical view. These friends argue that the Bible is more authoritative than the Inner Light and should be used to test personal leadership. Friends remain formally, but usually with respect, share the problem.
See also
- Warranty (theology)
- Baptism with the Holy Spirit
- Christian prayer
- Examination of conscience
- The intercession of the Holy Spirit
- Inner prayer
- Quiet Time
- Testimony # Religion
Note
External links
- Committee for Familiarity in Quaker and PYM Quaker Practices, page 29 (page pdf 14)
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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