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The most helpful thing to a new believer is tell him/her (sorry sisters) "you are all that God says you are", not what your old man (not your Dad) tells you or the pastor, preacher, teacher, prophet, and apostle tells you, unless they too believe they are all that God says they are.
Right, and where do we find what God says we are? I'm not going to go into any discussion other than to say that He tells us in His written word. We are also guided by the Spirit that indwells us, by the gifts that have been given to the church (which includes teach and pastoring and seem to disagree with part of your post - another thread), by abiding in Christ who in turn abides in us.
All this bantering back and forth is not helpful to the spirit of the OP, even if it can be justified as related to the letter of the OP.
Right, and where do we find what God says we are? I'm not going to go into any discussion other than to say that He tells us in His written word. We are also guided by the Spirit that indwells us, by the gifts that have been given to the church (which includes teach and pastoring and seem to disagree with part of your post - another thread), by abiding in Christ who in turn abides in us.
All this bantering back and forth is not helpful to the spirit of the OP, even if it can be justified as related to the letter of the OP.
Blessings in Christ,
Matthew
That the communication of thy faith may become effectual [b]BY the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.Philemon 1:6.
I'm sorry I do not have an ear for woe is me or I'm worm undone. I prefer to hear it from the portals of heaven .....my son/daughter that was lost is found.
None of this is helpful for a new believer. It seems amazing that one who believes that the written word is of no real value for a believer, you use it quite a bit.
This accusation that I do not use or need scripture or think it "has no real value" is tiresome. I have never said any such thing and I would never say any such thing. What is needful is to read scripture with the "mind and motives of Christ" (WWJT) to properly divide it and understand it . . . NOT what our ignorant savage ancestors THOUGHT was the "mind and motives of Jehovah" their War God.
Well do you believe the law as recorded in the bible is exactly what God told Moses to give to the nation of Israel? Do you believe that Christ died for our sins as the New Testament say's?
If you don't agree they are 100% correct then you don't believe the scripture. A simple yes or no is all that's needed but I bet your write a book to avoid having to answer it directly.
I don't mean to just argue with you but you come here and disavow most of scripture then object when someone makes mention of what you do. It's kind of like Bill Clinton saying he did not have sexual relations with the woman. At least be man enough to admit the truth of what you believe and stop trying to deny it. You seem like a double minded man.
It is your understanding of God and the scriptures, which are disavowed and not accepted. You're understanding of either of them are not the final word. Xoxox
Thanks for all of the responses to my first two posts.
Here's another question. I find it's very hard to understand the Bible just by reading it on my own. It's just so deep. I've checked some study guides out of the library, but I've found the same verse can be interpreted 10 different ways, depending on the author's denomination. How do I know that a particular interpretion is correct?
I can ask my pastor, but I certainly can't call him every day. I was wondering what more mature Christians do to reveal what God really meant each Scripture to tell us. Thanks.
You can understand the bible, and don't be afraid to over you the pastors/elders in your church, that is their primary function in the church. The bible clearly teaches that God gave the church certain gifts to help us understand what He has communicated to us in His written Word. He has sent us His Spirit which will guide us into all righteousness and comfort us and give us understanding, but He has also given the church as a whole and to each one of us individually gifts as well. God gave us the gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists and pastor/teachers (Eph. 4:11, 1 Cor. 12: 28) and He as also given us the spiritual/charismatic Gifts of teaching, the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge (Rom. 12:7, 1 Corinthians 12:8).
In this thread you have seen that there are those that would teach you against the need of such gifted people in the church, and the teach in direct opposition of the Scriptures even while using the Scriptures to support their claims. The problem is that they disregard and deem worthless those Scriptures that teach contrary to what they say. The Gifts have been given by God to us and the church in general for the edification of each other, and that includes teaching others and helping them to understand the Scriptures.
I would encourage you to use all the resources that God has given for your growth in the body of Christ - the mutual abiding in Christ and He in you, the Holy Spirit and the Gifts He has given to the church (Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12 & 14, Ephesians 4:1-15).
The word normally translated as church literally means "those who are called out" and it is clear that it means followers of Christ. Paul's letters and John's references are to the "local" church, or believers meeting in a particular area. Unfortunately the "believers" in most areas are divided by doctrine and dogma, so we have to go with the idea of believers who have enough unity to meet as a group.
I did not read every ones reaponses but for this reason.
God's intention is to teach the believer Himself.
Spend the time in your prayer life needing God's instruction and influence in the big and small things ,especially the scriptures .
Jesus said , Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness ,for they shall be filled .
Righteousness from God's perspective is obedience ,not of the letter but of the relationship.
When this becomes the focal point in your life , things will change .
One's prayer life is far more important then their knowledge of scriptures .
Jesus said ," Unless you become as littel children you will in no case enter the kingdom of heaven"
Last I saw , a little child doesn't have an intellect but is fully dependent on his fathers instruction .
That was Jesus example to us, and that is what is expected of us .
When the things Jesus taught, are more important to you than any other man ,you are come a long way ahead.
Church can be defined either locally or universally. In general terms, the church is the body of Christ which is made up of all believers. In local terms, it is the assembly of believers together and is the normal meaning, with some obvious exceptions, of the NT writers. The Greek word ἐκκλησία [ekklesia] was " a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly." It is used appropriately of believers who are called out (both from the world and from their homes) to assemble for the purpose of worship and edification of each other.
It is to the church in general (each individual believer) that the 'spiritual' (πνευματικός [pneumatikos]) or 'charismatic' (χάρισμα [charisma]) gifts are given. Some see the gifts given in Ephesians 4:11 as referring more specifically for the local church because of the nature of those gifts, though these too are given to the church in general for the purpose of the edification of the local body of believers.
Blessings in Christ,
Matthew
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