Results 1 - 4 of 4
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | What do we believe? | Jude 1:3 | Aixen7z4 | 117113 | ||
On the origin of the number 30000, see http://www.ntrmin.org/30000denominations.htm Whatever the number, it is clear that division in the church has run amok. There is also variation within a denomination, however it is defined, and discernable changes within a single church on the basic way that they do things. One is led to ask, “Is there anything to stop these people from doing whatever they want?” Maybe there is. On my journey today I found myself saying, “Thank God for the Bible“ and asking, “What would we do without it?” Without the Bible, I fear there would be even greater division, and there would really be chaos. I am not sure if the people had the Torah when Judges 17:6 was happening, but it is apparent that the book of the law was lost once. Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. And Shaphan read it before the king. And when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes “because”, he said, “our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written” (2 Kings 22). It is good that we have the book. And we all believe in the book. That there are so many differences in spite of the book is interesting because the book says there should be no schism in the body (1Corinthians 12:25). But again I would suggest that it is not up to us to say what we believe about the Bible, or what it is in the Bible that we believe. When we get saved we become a part of the church. It is the Bible, the prophets and the apostles, that should tell us what we believe. When we believe in Jesus, we believe in everything he says. This may seem a strange statement, but I hope we will give it some thought. |
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2 | What do we believe? | Jude 1:3 | EdB | 117148 | ||
Aixen7z4 What percentage of the Christian church has ever read the entire Bible? My guess less than 10 percent. My favorite radio pastor J Vernon McGee once said that less than 65 percent of the church was saved. I started to think on that and the more I searched and the more people that understand those types of numbers I asked the lower percentage became. One Pastor referred me to the story of the sower where 25 percent of the seed fell on rocks sprouted wilted and died, 25 percent the birds ate, 25 percent fell in among the thorns and were choked and 25 percent produced a crop. He took that number. I have since asked this question of many pastors and the almost to a man their guess is 10 percent. If that number is right or 25 percent or even 65 percent what percent has then read the Bible? Look at this forum the junk that keeps getting posted. People simply do not love Jesus enough to read His Word. That is why evey wind of doctrine that Kalos is always fighting keeps showing up. Judges 17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. I beleive this is truer to day in the church than it was in the days it was written. EdB |
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3 | What do we believe? | Jude 1:3 | Aixen7z4 | 117279 | ||
My experience tells me you’re correct. Only a small percent of Christians read the Bible. Many say, “The Bible says” and do not know what it says exactly, or where. It is sad, and frustrating, to try to share with someone who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, and is not willing to listen. Sadder still is the issue of salvation. Pastors tell me that they think 60 to 80 percent of the people in church are unsaved. But what can we do about it? We should preach the Gospel, in the church, but for many reasons, we’re afraid or disinclined to do that. One must often fear to put forth scriptures, even in this place. One who has not taken the time to read your statement, mush less the scriptures, can come on to opine and to oppose. But I suppose that is the way it has been, as I remember Paul’s experience. Acts 18:5,6: “Paul devoted all his time to teaching the word of God. He assured the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah. But they opposed him and insulted him”. Come to think of it, they also opposed and insulted the Messiah. What percentage of the Christian church has ever read the entire Bible? A small one. A small one. He said, “Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?” (Mark 12:24). What percentage of the people are saved? A small one. There is no way to calculate, that I know of. The fact there are 4 different types of ground does not mean that each type gets an equal percentage. There are two ways, one narrow, one broad, and they are not equal in the numbers traveling them. The number of unsaved reading the Bible may be small because people who are not saved may not understand what they read. They may discontinue reading it, because they do not understand it (1 Corinthians 2:14). What can we do to change things? How can we encourage more people to be saved? To read the bible? To obey it? I was going to say that God knows, but I am thinking that not even God knows. What can he do, more than he has done? He has provided salvation, at tremendous cost. He has given us his Holy Spirit. He has given us his word. He has given us the privilege of sharing it. What more can he do? I believe it is incumbent on us to clarify in our own minds and clearly state what the Lord has given us to believe. We must not be satisfied to disagree. We must not be satisfied to believe what is right in our own eyes. We cannot repeat the error of doing what is right in our own eyes. We must think again, and read again before we speak. We must give a clear and unified message to the world. |
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4 | What do we believe? | Jude 1:3 | EdB | 117286 | ||
Aixen7z4 In the past people didn't read the Bible because they couldn't they were illiterate. Today people don't read the Bible because they are lazy. In the past the problem was dealt with in a various ways and I think they need to be reinvestigated as I believe they will work today. People are hungry for Biblical truths look at the response to the movies the Passion today or Ten Commandments in past. However as most know these movies fail to provide true Biblical accounts. “Hollywood liberties” are taken to make them more exciting or believable. In the times past to teach people the gospel men and women wrote hymns that told gospel truths. Today we sing songs that make us feel better. we need to begin writing and singing songs once again that are doctrinally sound and are filled with Biblical truths. Another way is the one that brought us to this point. Creeds and doctrinal statements. Once again the church needs to make it a practice to recite the creeds and/or doctrinal statements that teach, reinforce and cause people to memorize by rote repetition scriptural truths. Lastly preaching needs to change from the just trying to draw large congregations through eloquent dissertations designed to entertain and impress and get back to preaching that teaches biblical truths. Lastly the church needs to call sin, sin. We have so marginalized sin in a effort not to offend we have actually opened the door to sin. We talk about relative truth and situational ethics but we offer no cure. People actually long for exacting standards but they want them only when they are universally applied to everyone. That is not to say they won’t rebel from time to time but they accept being drawn back in. EdB |
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