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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Can someone help me get to God? | Rom 10:9 | Zsuzsi | 122650 | ||
Hi Edb, Being willing to become a Bible scholar and/or a theologian, I might have a special viewpoint, but I believe an honest heart does recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit! If we search the Bible just to find some passages that prove our ideologies, we will probably end up with getting lies and deception out of it - but then it is our deliberate choice... But if we prayerfully and without prejudice (for this reason, personally I don't even read the commentaries before I study a passage myself) read the Bible, the Holy Spirit will lead us to His Truth and teach us all things (Jn 14:26)! Don't we pray, 'deliver us from evil' (Mt 6:13)? We know that God listens to all our prayers (Jn 14:13-14) - so if our sincere intention is to find the Truth, not to bigotedly hold on to our beliefs, we can fully trust in God's power to protect us from lies and deception from the adversary! Luke 11:13: "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?" The truth that the Holy Spirit reveals to us is never in contradiction with the Scriptures, and ripping single verses from their context or holding on to beliefs which are clearly proven wrong is clearly not 'being led by the Holy Spirit'... "Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you -- unless indeed you fail the test? But I trust that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test. Now we pray to God that you do no wrong; not that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear unapproved. For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth." 2Cor 13:5-8. We listen to preachers for the purpose of testing our faith. We are to pray and open our minds: if we know the Truth, nobody can convince us of anything else, for God Himself will protect us, if we ask Him to do so. But if we do not know the Truth, we must be prepared to change our mind... This is what teachers and preachers are for: we judge their teachings, and pray that God will show us what we are to accept and what we should reject. Whether we are lay people or theologians, we are not to suffer fools gladly... (2Cor 11:19) Blessings, Zsuzsi |
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2 | Can someone help me get to God? | Rom 10:9 | EdB | 122682 | ||
Zsuzsi Well said. However how many ever approach scripture this way? Most look for the verse that speaks to them in this situation and a verse that confirms their preconceived ideas. Look around how many denominations do you see? Thousands! Ask any they will all tell you they hold the truth. All claim to be lead of the Holy Spirit and to be founded in truth. Yet they differ. Could it be the Holy Spirit gave each a different answer? No! A close examination will reveal most are separated by verse, passage or perceived doctrine that simply does not stand on its own merit when viewed in the light of the whole of Scripture. They have verse and text to prove their point and claim Spiritual purity in their doctrine. Yet none are even a close copy of the first, second or third century church.. A church that few of us would be willing members of. We humans are funny individuals, we want to believe what we are comfortable with. Your right we can find the truth in scripture and many do, but only after they have approached it a systemic way. Today people want to be spoon feed, choice morsels that delight the palate but provide little in the way of nutrition. When confronted with the truth that often times upset them they reject it as merely opinion of which they hold a differing view of. When I said one must become a theologian or scholar I did not mean in the academic or occupational way but rather in the approachthat must be used to study scripture. I believe without systemic study of scripture we can and will form opinions and doctrines that conflict with the overall thrust of the scripture. I also know that not too many people are not willing to invest that much commitment and discipline in the study of scripture. It is easy to say if I pray the Holy Spirit will lead me to the truth. The hard part is to pray and tarry until that leading comes. Most of us today are far to impatient, to rushed to spend the time required. Yet we will quickly argue our beliefs with men that have in fact invested the time, the prayer and waited on the Lord. We smugly claim spiritual truth because the Holy Spirit would not lead us astray. Yet the fact remains many haven’t remained silent long enough to hear the Holy Spirit say anything. Your right we should judge what is taught or preached, but we can’t do it if we haven’t first at least read and study the Bible, established a relationship with Christ and know first hand His voice in our own lives. Today we have people judging and forming doctrine and they haven’t even read the Bible in its entirety. EdB |
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3 | Can someone help me get to God? | Rom 10:9 | Zsuzsi | 122706 | ||
EdB, What you said is unfortunately true, and it is very shameful... I believe this behavior of people orginates from plain pride: this is the tragedy of humanity, wanting to know, and thinking we know, but not realizing that we are limited in our knowledge and therefore do err. We ate from the tree of knowledge, and see where we are heading. We acknowledge, with words, that only God knows everything; but somehow it seems to be beneath our dignity to accept that we ourselves might sometimes be wrong. Bigotry is one of our weakest points; we all are tempted and we do fall. To make it worse, we even draw on the 'Holy Spirit' as an excuse. :-( As for the denominations, you are so right... Jesus made one Church, and I believe He never intended it to end up in different groups getting into bitter debates with one another. (John 13:34: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.") He especially did not intend it to become any financial institution or political organization (Mark 12:17: "Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." And they were amazed at him."). It was meant to keep His sheep in unity and bound to Him - so they would stand on the Rock and not be shaken when the storm comes. I am convinced that the painful divisions within His Body hurt Him the most. I actually think we should thank Him, daily, on our knees, that He is patient enough to hold us together even this much, when we have constantly tried to scatter throughout the centuries. Sadly the problem is rooted too deeply in us... I mean, just look around: we, being 'good Christians', even start selling sightseeing books and postcards in cathedrals and churches - I am sure Jesus would whip all that out just as He did in Jerusalem. And after all that, WE want to work miracles, speak in tongues and heal the sick?!? We'd be better off begging for a miracle of Grace that this greed would disappear from our hearts... The true Church of Christ is fortunately not going to be destroyed by any powers of hell, for it was His will that it should stand (Mt 16:18); but it certainly does not consist of the people who bigotedly hold on to 'MY faith is right', but rather of those, of whatever denomination, who are in but not of the world - the reborn 'little flock', who are able to place love before pride on their priority-list. Maybe I am too naive. I probably am. But that is what the Scriptures seem to tell me anyway. 1 Corinthians 1:10: "I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought." Zsuzsi |
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4 | Can someone help me get to God? | Rom 10:9 | EdB | 122710 | ||
Zsuzsi Once again well said! However we must consider 2 Thes. 2:3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, Along with Matthew 24:10 Matthew 26:15 Luke 11:26 Luke 14:30 1 Timothy 1:19 1 Timothy 4:1 1 Timothy 5:12 2 Timothy 4:4 Hebrews 3:12 Hebrews 10:26 2 Peter 2:21 2 Peter 3:17 All of which tell us there will be a great sifting, a great falling away from the truth. I believe we are seeing this occurring today at a faster pace than ever before. I will probably take some heat for making this next statement, but I think the Reformation kicked it off. It seems from that time period on man has decided for himself what we will or will not believe. Even the great reformers could agree on what was truth and what was man's prejudice, logic, and understanding. It should have been a wake up call but instead pride as you mentioned allowed it to become a rallying point, a call to arms in which many lost their lives. Now it must have broke the heart of our Lord to see men and women put to the torch in his name. To see saints martyred because they held a different view of scripture than another. To see man turn on man instead of reinvestigating scripture to find the truth. We have seen it many times on this forum where one doctrine is argued over another with neither side willing accept the truth the other has to offer. They fail to see they both missed it and that God’s truth is found in a position that makes the truth in both positions be harmonize with the rest of scripture. The fact remains the church needs to first seek God and all else will fall into place. EdB |
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