I am coming out and saying it: Many Christians I know for a long time read themselves in some way into the bible. I did it too for years. The danger is to see ourselves as like biblical characters, really as templates of biblical characters in some way.
For instance, no we don't face our Goliath. That is reading ourselves as being a form of David. David was a historical man who lived centuries ago and became a king who loved God, while marrying a princess, ruling a nation, prosecuting wars, and having a harem.
The idea we have our Goliath to defeat is a mischaracterization of the new covenant, in which we will be hated by the world, and looking at church history, a world that may demand our pleasures, possessions, and even life out of such hatred. All while forgiving our enemies and praying for and blessing those that do such things to us. I for one thought I was up against a series of foes like Goliath for years. This was unbiblical thinking, ultimately. I wasn't David, I was Steven and had to realize that the new covenant is not like the old.
Charismatics are pros at narci-gesis. From things like having "the mantle of Cyrus" to being a "type of Daniel." Their false theology is partially rooted in the idea of being a "type" of a biblical character and receiving an "anointing" or "mantle" to prove this.
Unfortunately, I have found plenty of narci-gesis distorting the Gospel in Orlando.
It comes in many forms narci-gesis but simply saying no I am not Adam or Eve or a prophet or Joseph or Abraham or David or Joshua or Moses or Jesus or Peter or Paul or John or any biblical character. Instead I am lowly me obeying Jesus in a new covenant with total loyalty to the Word in flesh and Word of the scriptures. The one thing that does make sense is that, yes, I can make the same mistakes as biblical characters by embracing the same kinds of sins. Hating my brother for instance or loving the material world over God. However, even in this the propensity to be puffed up and self-important must be warred with.
Probably the biggest narci-gesis I have found in Baptist circles is taught Henry Blackaby in his book "Experiencing God." Once you take away the idea that you are Moses or like Moses in terms of your life, that book quickly loses its relevance and for me, and many friends, became a kind of mysticism in line more with Charismatic influence or Roman Catholicism.
For instance, no we don't face our Goliath. That is reading ourselves as being a form of David. David was a historical man who lived centuries ago and became a king who loved God, while marrying a princess, ruling a nation, prosecuting wars, and having a harem.
The idea we have our Goliath to defeat is a mischaracterization of the new covenant, in which we will be hated by the world, and looking at church history, a world that may demand our pleasures, possessions, and even life out of such hatred. All while forgiving our enemies and praying for and blessing those that do such things to us. I for one thought I was up against a series of foes like Goliath for years. This was unbiblical thinking, ultimately. I wasn't David, I was Steven and had to realize that the new covenant is not like the old.
Charismatics are pros at narci-gesis. From things like having "the mantle of Cyrus" to being a "type of Daniel." Their false theology is partially rooted in the idea of being a "type" of a biblical character and receiving an "anointing" or "mantle" to prove this.
Unfortunately, I have found plenty of narci-gesis distorting the Gospel in Orlando.
It comes in many forms narci-gesis but simply saying no I am not Adam or Eve or a prophet or Joseph or Abraham or David or Joshua or Moses or Jesus or Peter or Paul or John or any biblical character. Instead I am lowly me obeying Jesus in a new covenant with total loyalty to the Word in flesh and Word of the scriptures. The one thing that does make sense is that, yes, I can make the same mistakes as biblical characters by embracing the same kinds of sins. Hating my brother for instance or loving the material world over God. However, even in this the propensity to be puffed up and self-important must be warred with.
Probably the biggest narci-gesis I have found in Baptist circles is taught Henry Blackaby in his book "Experiencing God." Once you take away the idea that you are Moses or like Moses in terms of your life, that book quickly loses its relevance and for me, and many friends, became a kind of mysticism in line more with Charismatic influence or Roman Catholicism.
