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To answer the OP, I find the Bible to be very difficult. I think I need my own personal tutor, lol.
I grew up in a fundamentalist Baptist tradition and abandoned that at age 18. Several decades later, I came back to believing, but it is so problematic.
I can't even wrap my mind around the Atonement (as I posted a while back: "I don't understand the Atonement") re the actual mechanics of how it worked and considering how sin is still so rampant in the world, getting worse all the time.
I hate to admit I kind of avoid reading the actual Bible due to its complexity. I read lots of books by Bible scholars and watch lots of sermons and discussions. They have been edifying but I still have so many questions. "Accepting" without understanding is anathema to me. But I'm working on it.
The paraphrased "The Message" is sitting right next to me, waiting for me to crack it open after a few years.
To answer the OP, I find the Bible to be very difficult. I think I need my own personal tutor, lol.
I grew up in a fundamentalist Baptist tradition and abandoned that at age 18. Several decades later, I came back to believing, but it is so problematic.
I can't even wrap my mind around the Atonement (as I posted a while back: "I don't understand the Atonement") re the actual mechanics of how it worked and considering how sin is still so rampant in the world, getting worse all the time.
I hate to admit I kind of avoid reading the actual Bible due to its complexity. I read lots of books by Bible scholars and watch lots of sermons and discussions. They have been edifying but I still have so many questions. "Accepting" without understanding is anathema to me. But I'm working on it.
The paraphrased "The Message" is sitting right next to me, waiting for me to crack it open after a few years.
If you really want to learn, I'd be happy to teach you. I'd recommend first of all going with an actual good translation--not the Message paraphrase.
Romans 15:4 states: all the things that were written beforehand were written for our instruction, so that through our endurance and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope.
There are 4 reasons that we can discern from this one verse alone; instruction, endurance, comfort and hope. Have you found the Bible to help you in these areas?
I see this in a different light - the passage in context is about the distribution from the strong to the weak to build the weak up
It is about the sharing of the resources
Rom 15:1**We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
Rom 15:2**Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
Rom 15:3**For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
Rom 15:4**For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Rom 15:5**Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
Rom 15:6**That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rom 15:7**Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
It is the responsibility of the strong to give freely to those who are hungry, poor, thirsty for their benefit - we are to deny our ‘self’
To answer the OP, I find the Bible to be very difficult. I think I need my own personal tutor, lol.
I grew up in a fundamentalist Baptist tradition and abandoned that at age 18. Several decades later, I came back to believing, but it is so problematic.
I can't even wrap my mind around the Atonement (as I posted a while back: "I don't understand the Atonement") re the actual mechanics of how it worked and considering how sin is still so rampant in the world, getting worse all the time.
I hate to admit I kind of avoid reading the actual Bible due to its complexity. I read lots of books by Bible scholars and watch lots of sermons and discussions. They have been edifying but I still have so many questions. "Accepting" without understanding is anathema to me. But I'm working on it.
The paraphrased "The Message" is sitting right next to me, waiting for me to crack it open after a few years.
“The LORD is near to everyone who calls upon Him, who calls upon Him in truth.”
“(Father)your word is truth.”
“The LORD God does nothing without revealing His secrets to His servants the prophets.”
“My chosen ones shall shall inherit my holy mountain, my servants shall dwell there.”
To answer the OP, I find the Bible to be very difficult. I think I need my own personal tutor, lol.
I grew up in a fundamentalist Baptist tradition and abandoned that at age 18. Several decades later, I came back to believing, but it is so problematic.
I can't even wrap my mind around the Atonement (as I posted a while back: "I don't understand the Atonement") re the actual mechanics of how it worked and considering how sin is still so rampant in the world, getting worse all the time.
I hate to admit I kind of avoid reading the actual Bible due to its complexity. I read lots of books by Bible scholars and watch lots of sermons and discussions. They have been edifying but I still have so many questions. "Accepting" without understanding is anathema to me. But I'm working on it.
The paraphrased "The Message" is sitting right next to me, waiting for me to crack it open after a few years.
I can remember feeling like you do. I know how overwhelming it can be. When I first became a Christian, someone gave me a copy of the Simple English New Testament. I can’t tell you how helpful it was to me. It’s a word for word translation rather than a paraphrase like the Message is. You can still purchase them online in softcover, and they are very inexpensive. Eventually I was able to read from the King James, which can be very challenging.
May I suggest starting out with one of the gospels. John is my favorite, but is a little more difficult. Luke would be a good one. Even if you only read a few chapters, that is a start. I would read those same chapters several times over. You will be surprised at how much God will help you with understanding. He sees our hearts, and He will see your struggle. He will know how sincere you are in wanting to learn. You must be patient and not give up. He will help you when He sees the time is right.
I would also suggest staying away from commentaries as much as possible because you are allowing others to shape your thinking, especially now because you are not yet firmly planted. It seems you are in a good place ready to learn, and you have the most basic of things going for you. You are a believer!
I would love hearing some of your questions. PM me if interested. I wish you the best in your search. God bless!
I see this in a different light - the passage in context is about the distribution from the strong to the weak to build the weak up
It is about the sharing of the resources
Rom 15:1**We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
Rom 15:2**Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
Rom 15:3**For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
Rom 15:4**For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Rom 15:5**Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
Rom 15:6**That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rom 15:7**Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
It is the responsibility of the strong to give freely to those who are hungry, poor, thirsty for their benefit - we are to deny our ‘self’
It seems like one's belief in the source and authority attributed to Scripture (the Bible) is often reduced to a matter of personal opinion. That does not change the truth, which supports the truth of God's divinely inspired Word of Truth, with verifiable, empirical evidence.
PROPHECY: God has uniquely provided thousands of accurately fulfilled future prophecies. Over 2000 Israel and nations prophecies and 300 Messianic prophecies have been accurately and verifiably fulfilled. Several hundred End Time prophecies are in various stages of fulfillment. Prophecy affirms God is in sovereign control of the universe, life and the past, present and future. It also affirms that God has revealed everything He intends to reveal and that we have the complete, beginning-to-end story of mankind.
SCIENCE: Hundreds of scientific facts were revealed in Scripture thousands of years before science ;officially' discovered them. Compelling evidence of God’s design and creation of the human body, earth, planets and the entire universe can be seen across most scientific disciplines (Astronomy, Biology, Archaeology, Microbiology, DNA research, Physics, and in astonishing mathematical evidence).There is absolutely no contradiction between unbiased science and the Bible.
ARCHAEOLOGY: Over 20,000 substantive archaeological artifacts affirm the accuracy of Scripture’s claims of events, people, leaders and nations. Archaeological artifacts support every book in Scripture (except Esther). No archaeological artifact has ever contradicted a single Scriptural truth. Biblical history continues to be affirmed by archaeology, while other historical and traditional beliefs and records are often revised and rewritten.
LITERARY: Unparalleled literary evidence affirms Scripture is intact and unchanged. We have available to us over 24,000 ancient manuscript copies (including the Dead Sea Scrolls), recorded over 1,500-years. Each demonstrates the meticulously accurate reproduction and preservation of Scripture. Today, six-billion copies of 2,000 to 3,000-year old Scriptures, in 2,000 languages,(plus countless digital copies), ensure the Bible will never be swept aside or destroyed.
CLAIMS OF DIVINE INSPIRATION: Forty Scripture writers over 1,500-years unwaveringly affirmed God’s divine inspiration of Scripture over 5,000 times! Credible claims are supported by hundreds of first-hand, eye-witnessed miracles and other proofs of God’s inspiration. God, Christ, the prophets and apostles never disputed a single verse of Scripture or expressed any concern mankind might change or ”un-inspire” Scripture. God continues to speak to His people today, just as he did thousands of years ago.
HARMONY: An overriding supernatural harmony is evident in the single-minded consistency of Scripture over thousands of years. The ancient prophets and Bible writers did not have computers, books, mass communications, or even a common culture, language or even live in the same generation. Still, all writers over thousands of years reached the same conclusions about God’s holiness, character, truths, ways, plans, purpose, promises and love for mankind – in all sixty-six books of Scripture. The Bible reads like it was composed by a single author because it was!
LIFE CHANGING POWER - The life-changing power of God and Scripture has changed the world. Objectively measuring the life-changing power of God and Scripture/the Bible in the world might seem impossible, except for an overriding truth. All human knowledge of Christ’s life and teachings, and God’s ways, truths, plans, purpose and promises for mankind, comes solely and directly or indirectly from Scripture. Everything bearing God’s authority and the name of Jesus Christ is inseparably linked to God’s inspired Word, Scripture/the Bible. No other book has produced such universal and lasting changes in the lives of billions of faithful believers in every generation. The Bible has directly changed culture, governments, leaders, constitutions, education, music, literature,art and life itself.
INDESTRUCTABILITY: Scripture has faced 2,000 to 3,000 years of violent opposition, persecution and martyrdom; in addition to the same fires, wars, floods and natural deterioration that have destroyed other ancient manuscripts. Over 70 millionmartyrs have died, and 100,000 die each year rather than renounce God,Christ and God’s inspired Word, the Bible. Yet, 2.5 billion professing Christians and six billion Bibles thrive today.
HOLY SPIRIT - A remarkable proofs of God’s inspired Scriptural truth is the work and power of His indwelling Holy Spirit in the lives of a born-again believer. Every born-again believer can readily compare the Scriptural promises and revealed work of the indwelling Holy Spirit with the changes in their own life. This life-changing work leads countless non-believers in every generation to believe God and trust Jesus Christ for themselves. The Incomparable work of the Holy Spirit is God working in and through mankind (Spiritual life, fruit, gifts, growth, understanding and transformation).
MATHEMATICAL - The exponential weight of evidence that the Bible is God’s truth. Renowned mathematicians have carried this to the next level and uncovered astonishing mathematical sequences and patterns throughout nature and Scripture. Multiple layers of verifiable evidence exponentially add weight to the proof of supernatural inspiration. Astonishing mathematical sequences and patterns exist throughout nature and Scripture
The issue with Biblical inspiration is not a matter of imposing a "burden of proof" upon God. but, rather a "burden of belief" which rests upon the hearts and minds of mankind.
John 12:48 - 48 "There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day."
2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us why he gave us the Bible.
"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."
That’s right! And also 2 Peter 1:2-4
2. Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Knowledge of Him originally comes from the Scriptures. We find all things pertaining to life and godliness in His word.
The question: " Why did God give us the bible?"
Well, the Bible contains from Genesis to the books of Revelations (formerly Apocalypses) stories of how the wold was created, the history of mankind, God's laws, events that took place, prophecies for the future, and promise of salvation or eternal life at the end. So If you are a believer interested in this salvation, then the Bible is your guidance book to read, understand, and practice.
However, God did not give us the Bible (in some sort of way, yes). But, we gave ourselves the Bible which is a compilation of many books written by different authors among whom Moses, it is said, had penned down the first five. God gave us his laws and commandments which we could just memorize in our brain and comply with. Then our brain would be our Bible? But they were written down to remain as records for future generations and as a testimony of past events in the history of the world. Some stories in the Bible appear to be irrelevant to know to comply with God's will other than to testify of the magnificence and mightiness and superiority of God. To Him be all glory!
The word "Bible" seems to derive from the Latin word "Biblia" which means book; and "Bibliotheca" which means "library" where books are archived, stored; in other words, a "book graveyard" or " book nursing home". So the " Bible", in another word, is a "portable library".
What lexicons does JW.org use? Which Greek manuscripts did NWT translators use?
I am sorry maam, I do not know. If I question something then I pursue further versions, and internet searches, until I am satisfied that I understand what God was saying. I know they itemize them for particular doctrinally challenged verses, but I do not know where they intitially translated the version from. I trust the Greek septuigint as Jesus and the apostles when quoting verses, did so from it. Of course the ones available today are not the one they had in their day, so it is a toss up. Great question though, as you and I have discussed previously, versions we have accepted have molded us into serving different Gods.
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