Hi Greg...I just had to respond to your posting of 3/8/13.  There are lots of people (both men and women) who have "theological degrees" and think they know more than "lay" people do about the bible.  This is not necessarily so.  We (you, me, or any other Christian) cannot determine who has, or who has not, received the Holy Spirit.  One can be "spirit filled" and still not be able to discern biblical meanings as they should.  Many Christian's belief in bible doctrines develop because they sit in a building every Sunday and believe what the "pastor" tells his "flock".  In actuality, it is the "church" that sits in the building....it is not the building that is the "church".  That is where wrong doctrine originates, for the most part....men trying to teach other men wrong things (doctrines).

Jesus Christ told us (red letter words), Himself, in John 16:13..."Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is co! me, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come."

Also, it is written by John in I John 2:27..."But the anointing which ye have received of him (God) abideth in you, and ye need NOT that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him."

I read through your lengthy posting, and I was about to just let it go until I came to the part at the end where you said, "Let us encourage, exhort, and edify one another to preserve ourselves in soul, spirit, and body (I Thess 5:23) all the way to the day of Christ."

We CANNOT preserve ourselves!!!  What I Thess.5:23 says is, "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 
!
BUT the essential meaning of that verse does not end there.  Verse 24 continues with, "Faithful is HE THAT CALLETH YOU, WHO ALSO WILL DO IT."  God is the one who preserves us.  We can't do anything of ourselves.  Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us that our saving grace (through faith) is a "gift of God" and that it is not of works of any kind.  None of us can boast in what we do or don't do to be saved.  God alone draws us, calls us, elects us, and preserves us.  All He wants us to do is read and study the bible by ourselves....but most Christians are too "busy" or lazy to do this.  If we do not do this OURSELVES, each and every one of us, we will be "ashamed" before God....II Tim. 2:15.  That's all we are told to do, and God will do the rest in, and for, us.

God preserved the Israelites as He led them complaining, rebelling constantly, and grumbling out of Egypt (defined as "sin") and, finally, into the Promised Land by His mig! hty hand alone.  This story was given to us for an example of what! God will also do with us, the "Church", as well.  We can do nothing without Him.  All we have to do is have the FAITH that He is able to do what He said He would do.  That is called GRACE.

Arlene