The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Losing one's memory, but not one's salvation ?

A close friend of mine who could probably recite the Canons of Dordt word for word, and who has probably read more books than I have seen in my entire life, has helped me much over the last five or so years with wise words and research material (books mainly).

While she was caring for her mother, she had a really wierd thing happen. It went something like this:

"While I was caring for my mother she seemed to forget things. At first just little things. Then one day she forgot she was a Christian, and started to embrace the religion of her childhood. 'Buddhism.' She was assailed by terrible fears and confessed that she continually saw the devil close by her. I prayed much for her and tried to remind her of Jesus. She grew steadily more and more helpless and finally she began to wither. Then on the last day of her life she suddenly came to her senses and confessed her sin and put her trust in Jesus."

I had not thought of this until today. I was once a boy of eleven singing in the church choir at the orphanage. Time passed. I was once a young scholar, in the school choir singing 'Oklahoma' at the Eistedford. Time passed. I was once a man of thirty singing at the local tavern. Time passed. I recently sang at a fellowship in Huntington Beach and it was so fine. Time has passed and I am nearly fifty years of age and have been a full time musician for twenty years. That's right, it's my 20th anniversary this year and next year I will hit my half century. I plan to live to be a hundred and twenty. Time is passing by and one day I might be like the old lady who lost her memory and forgets huge parts of my life.

Strange I thought. I could completely forget about Jesus and still not lose my salvation. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/cloud9.gif" alt="" /> ??? Thoughts ???

add.
Only if one were senile or lapsed into some form of mental disorder or such like and thereby could no longer remember that one were a child of God. Obviously, if one were merely religiously Christian, in a nominal sense and not elect, then such forgetfulness might be a blessing. For to be self-deluded into a place of apparent safety and to enter the afterlife would be most terrible indeed but to have forgotten what one never really had would be the correct state to go from this world into the next.

I wonder then if one might be greeted with one's complete self as it were in all it's glorious religious foolishness, in the afterlife ? Having lost one's senility therefore, would only offer comfort in this life and not the one to come.

I guess I should cast these cares upon the Lord and not bring my miserable blues to bear down on this forum. Sorry fellas, I guess I should cut back on the caffeine and stop reading so much of 'Heaven and Hell' by Emmanuel Swedenborg. Right ?

< perhaps hysteria was a little inappropriate, but I could not find my old man in a rocking chair...

We will have to rely upon God's grace at those times.

Here is what I fear. I struggle with having a good thought life. Sometimes I think sinful thoughts, but I am able to filter them out when I speak. However, I have witness older people who seem to lose their internal filters and say things that they would never day when they completely had their wits. Does the loss of being able to filter reveals your true self? Or thinking of such things come from the flesh or Satan?

Right!

Although I've never heard of Swedenborg before, I found a few things on the Internet about him. And this was just a very short visit.

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(10) Doctrine of Faith, 1761-1763, 58 pp.
Contrary to the common concept, "faith" to Swedenborg does not mean believing that which is not understood. Genuine faith is presented as an internal acknowledgment or perception of truth which, in the stream of providence, cannot properly be separated from charity. Faith alone and salvation by faith are pointedly rejected

Swedenborg Church
We believe that religion touches all areas of our lives. Our responsibility is to put what we believe into practice in our daily lives. All who do this, of whatever faith, are saved since they are living in the spirit of Christ's name.

Swedenborgianism
This, then, is the living reality of Swedenborg's teachings. In stressing freedom, diversity, and individualism, he issued a challenge to individuals, churches, and other organizations to be committed to the human growth processes and to express their personal commitment in ways as diverse as their numbers. Sensitivity to, and respect for, each individual's "internal church," or spirituality, is what Swedenborgianism is really all about.
One primary pathway advocated in the Swedenborgian Church for spiritual growth is a specialized study of scripture, enabling the diligent student to become aware of the inner-penetration of nature and spirit, of our natural world here and the universal spiritual world. In addition, an expanding awareness of spiritual reality is encouraged by the exploration of dreams and by prayer and meditation practices. And perhaps the most popular of Swedenborg's spiritual growth practices is his Zen-like discussions on "being useful." Teilhard de Chardin once said, "Do not forget that the value and interest of life is not so much to do conspicuous (although we have this ambition) as to do ordinary things with the perception of their enormous value." For Swedenborg, such a focus provides the ground for future spiritual growth. As Paul Zacharias, a Swedenborgian minister, observes in his pamphlet This We Believe, "Everyone who lives up to the best he knows, whether Christian, Jew, Moslem, or Pagan, is truly a member of the church Invisible."

All people who live good lives, no matter what their religion, have a place in heaven. - Emanuel Swedenborg

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This man believed in works righteousness and besides being an inclusivist, has thousands of New-Age channelers and mystics such as himself as followers. I personally would not touch his writings with a ten foot pole.

Denny

Romans 3:22-24

Hi Denny, How are you to ? I have read those earlier ideas in E.S'sssss theology while I was sitting outside Macro (a store for el cheapo furniture and stuff.) I was revolted by his 'works righteousness' ideas. The man had definitely gone wonky. The parts I am reading are his so called discussions with angels. I must admit I am reading with one eye closed and at times with both. Right now, I am not that interested anymore. He just gets less and less believeable the more I read. No harm I need to read a wack of negative stuff, part of the process if you are going to write a book of consequence. I know some would disagree. However, if you spend as many hours in Gordon Clark lectures, you will know the value of knowing your enemies ideas. Seeing as there is so much with 'familiars' these days, horrific. I need to have a whiping post for some parts, I might however totally discard it, as I have done before. In the end, I know that my only focus is upon the Word of GOD.

Thanks for watching my back, I think the coffee did the rest.

Peace,

Ha, ha John, that is not funny I know, but I was just thinking about Billy Graham as a man who speaks an awful lot but has said some pretty Swedenborgish type things about all religions pointing to God. I have read quite a bit by aeging theologians and I fear that senility might be the cause for quite a few heresies in the Church and in the past. Consider that some had the decency to try and tidy up, in the past Augustine with his Retractions, (I would love to get a copy) and ofcourse more recently Derek Prince who spent much time endeavouring to straighten house after the Sheperding darbuncle (I hope darbunkle is the right word, I am sorely in need of sleep having spent some time answering letters. A bit of a rush being Mom and Dad at the moment, but I am coping.)

I do agree, always as the Spirit of Christ has taught us, 'His grace is sufficient'

Mellowing out, is what I pray for.