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A serious question. I do rely on the Bible as my strongest worldly guide. However, God sent the Holy Spirit to guide EACH and EVERYONE of us through this world. He didn't send the Holy Spirit to guide a few hundred people to get a book together and then leave us all to fend for ourselves. The Holy Spirit is alive and working in and among us every second of every day.
That being said, I am not a Christian who believes the Bible is 100% accurate from front to back. WHY????? Because man was involved in its writing. Not just one man, but dozens upon dozens over many ages of time. Which brings me to my point in the thread title.
If we know from the story of Adam and Eve in the Bible that God gave 2 people absolute paradise and perfection in a sinless world, and they screwed it up, why should we think that dozens of people were able to put God's word completely perfect in text form? I have a hard time believing Adam and Eve could so easily be deceived to cause man's perfect fellowship with God to be severed, but yet all those who put together the Bible we see today did so in a turbulent, sinful world.
Are there others here who wonder if the Bible contains mistakes and inaccuracies that man caused by not following God's guidance? For me, it is the reason I believe prayer and a daily walk with God through the love of Christ is the most important way for a believer to seek truth and guidance.
The bibles is God's word. If He created all things, do you not think He can't get His words in a tiny book. It is called, divine guidance.
I am quiet sure that he can. But he also created paradise and gave it to man in a sinless world, and man goofed it up which is why we suffer so much today.
I guess my biggest issue is that I feel sometimes people get so caught up in scriptures and trying to make them all make sense that they forget we have the Holy Spirit with us every second of every day, and that we should rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us. Certainly if God is capable of divinely inspiring a book to be created through such a complex long term project, He can guide us through lifes daily struggles and issues. If something in the Bible is confusing, is it so important to understand the actual text when we have the Holy Spirit to lead us?
Why it is hard to believe Adam and Eve couldn't turn down an apple in a sinless world, yet a large number of people have had their hands on the production of the Bible and none of them would consider biting the apple and doing things that God did not instruct them to do. I believe the Bible is very much inspired, but I cannot say that I know whether or not there were some man caused changes in it. It certainly seems possible, which again, should lead one back to seeking the Holy Spirit's guidance through this world as the foremost way of seeking God's will.
I am quiet sure that he can. But he also created paradise and gave it to man in a sinless world, and man goofed it up which is why we suffer so much today.
I guess my biggest issue is that I feel sometimes people get so caught up in scriptures and trying to make them all make sense that they forget we have the Holy Spirit with us every second of every day, and that we should rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us. Certainly if God is capable of divinely inspiring a book to be created through such a complex long term project, He can guide us through lifes daily struggles and issues. If something in the Bible is confusing, is it so important to understand the actual text when we have the Holy Spirit to lead us?
Why it is hard to believe Adam and Eve couldn't turn down an apple in a sinless world, yet a large number of people have had their hands on the production of the Bible and none of them would consider biting the apple and doing things that God did not instruct them to do. I believe the Bible is very much inspired, but I cannot say that I know whether or not there were some man caused changes in it. It certainly seems possible, which again, should lead one back to seeking the Holy Spirit's guidance through this world as the foremost way of seeking God's will.
...Hi TX...Might I suggest that you are attempting to justify not reading yours? reason 2. A declaration made to explain or justify an action, decision, or conviction. 3. An underlying fact or cause that provides logical sense for a premise or occurence. 4. The capacity for rational thought...7. Logic. A premise, usually the minor premise, of an argument. "THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF REASONING" Sense knowledge is faiths' worst enemy. You want to reason with it because you can't make sense of it. Reasoning admires the Word, but it doesn't obey it. Dear TX, FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH! 1 Timothy 6:20 says: Guard what was committed to your trust, avoid the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge-by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Amen. (NKJV). or (in simpler terms), guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge. Some people have wandered from the faith by following such foolishness. 1 Timothy 6:12 says: Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (NKJV). or (in simpler terms), Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses...and I charge you that you obey this command without wavering. Our emotions are a source of sin in our lives. There is one and only one weapon we have to fight the good fight of faith with-THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT!"- WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD! I'm going to stand on what the Word says because I believe in it! You'll reason away the truth. No one who relys on their senses, can ever explain anything. Philosophy is the swan song of the human senses. GOD SAID IT-I BELIEVE IT! Ephesians 6:4-18 says: Do not provoke your childres to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. Bondservants, (slaves), be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free...Finally, my brethren, be strong in the lord and in the power of His might. PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST THE WILES OF THE DEVIL. FOR WE DO NOT WRESTLE AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST POWERS, AGAINST THE RULERS OF THE DARKNESS OF THIS AGE, AGAINST SPIRITUAL HOSTS OF WICKEDNESS IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES. THEREFORE TAKE UP THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND IN THE EVIL DAY, AND HAVING DONE ALL, TO STAND. STAND THEREFORE, HAVING GIRDED YOUR WAIST WITH TRUTH, HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND HAVING SHOD YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPERATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; ABOVE ALL TAKING THE SHIELD OF FAITH WITH WHICH YOU WILL BE ABLE TO QHENCH ALL THE FIERY DARTS OF THE WICKED ONE. AND TAKE THE HELMET OF SALVATION, AND THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD...end...AND VERY, VERY IMPORTANT ALSO FOR YOU TO READ; 2 COR. 10:3-WE ARE HUMAN, BUT WE DON'T WAGE WAR AS HUMANS DO. WE USE GOD'S MIGHTY WEAPONS-(THE WORD), NOT WORLDLY WEAPONS,(CARNAL-SENSES),TO KNOCK DOWN THE STRONGHOLDS OF HUMAN REASONING AND TO DESTROY FALSE ARGUMENTS. WE DESTROY EVERY PROUD OBSTICLE THAT KEEPS PEOPLE FROM KNOWING GOD. WE CAPTURE THEIR REBELLIOUS THOUGHT AND TEACH THEM TO OBEY CHRIST. I love you TXBoomerang. This post comes from the very heart of God, to you...receive it! To Him be all the glory, honor, and praise. Amen...get into the Word......Love.
Yes, faith's worst enemy is reason, especially when the bible is involved. But does that really discount reason, or faith? Which one has brought our society to where it is today, with all the modern technologies that save lives and increase our standards of living?
The OP has a point. People wrote the bible, not God. If God wrote it himself, it would have flaming text and glow brighter than the sun or something. Or at least, it wouldn't have all the contradictions and brutally immoral stories it does have.
If the Adam and Eve story is true, why would God have decided it would be best to put that evil tree with dire consequences in Eden in the first place? He would have known the outcome before it happened. So why isn't it God's fault, as it would be a parent's fault for leaving their young kid unattended near an xmas tree if it fell on the kid after attempting to climb it, even if the kid was told not to go near it. And why is it reasonable to punish so many other people (that is, all other people) for something just two people did?
I know many Christians who don't interpret the bible completely literally. Many of them would go insane trying to reconcile the inconsistencies if they did.
LIYF, The reason for the 'brutally immoral' stories is because God inspired the writers to 'tell it like it is'. He didn't sugar coat man's evil, as the present 'civilization' is attempting to do. I admit, they are very disturbing to me, too, but so is all that I read in the newspapers. Mankind has always had evil people amongst them, and they alway will. That makes it all the more important that Christians strive to correct all the evil, by bringing all to the love of God.
Those who wish to discount the word of God, can read it with the intent to do so. Those who love God, will read it with the knowledge that He gave us what we need to know, to both understand humanity, and to understand Him.
Contrary to what Calvinism teaches, God has not put sin on all from the time of their births because of Adam and Eve's disobedience. He put spiritual death on them immediately (which all will experience whentheysin), and physical life, eventually...after a long life on earth. Infants are not born sinners!
It is parent's job to guide their children in the way they are to go, and God is doing the same thing with His children. Just as many children are headstrong and disobedient, so are many of God's children. Our government is attempting to tell human parents how to raise their children, now human's are trying to tell God how to raise His children!
God is righteous, and all he does is righteous. His wisdom is so much higher than ours, there is no way we can fully understand it. Most Christians are willing to accept that, and leave the final decisions up to Him.
Texboomerang, where does the scriptures say it was an "apple" that was the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden??? Yes, humans distort the scriptures, but they do it after the fact! And your statement is just one minor example!
LIYF, The reason for the 'brutally immoral' stories is because God inspired the writers to 'tell it like it is'. He didn't sugar coat man's evil, as the present 'civilization' is attempting to do. I admit, they are very disturbing to me, too, but so is all that I read in the newspapers. Mankind has always had evil people amongst them, and they alway will. That makes it all the more important that Christians strive to correct all the evil, by bringing all to the love of God.
Those who wish to discount the word of God, can read it with the intent to do so. Those who love God, will read it with the knowledge that He gave us what we need to know, to both understand humanity, and to understand Him.
Contrary to what Calvinism teaches, God has not put sin on all from the time of their births because of Adam and Eve's disobedience. He put spiritual death on them immediately (which all will experience whentheysin), and physical life, eventually...after a long life on earth. Infants are not born sinners!
It is parent's job to guide their children in the way they are to go, and God is doing the same thing with His children. Just as many children are headstrong and disobedient, so are many of God's children. Our government is attempting to tell human parents how to raise their children, now human's are trying to tell God how to raise His children!
God is righteous, and all he does is righteous. His wisdom is so much higher than ours, there is no way we can fully understand it. Most Christians are willing to accept that, and leave the final decisions up to Him.
That would be fine until you realize that in more than a few cases, God (allegedly) had something to do with the 'brutal immoral stories.' Numbers 31 says that God told Moses to go massacre the Midianites. Either:
That would be fine until you realize that in more than a few cases, God (allegedly) had something to do with the 'brutal immoral stories.' Numbers 31 says that God told Moses to go massacre the Midianites. Either:
1. Moses is lying on God
2. The writer is lying on Moses
3. The writer is telling the truth
No matter how you slice it, there be problems.
According to the scriptures, God had the evil Midianites"massacred" ( your word, not scripture) in order to protect His people, and keep them pure. God's purpose is, was, and always will be, to keep all who are His pure.
It is not our place to question God. His ways are righteous, even though mortal man has a problem with how He works.
You are attempting to mold God into man's imagine!
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...Hi TX...Might I suggest that you are attempting to justify not 
reading yours? reason 2. A declaration made to explain or justify an action, decision, or conviction. 3. An underlying fact or cause that provides logical sense for a premise or occurence. 4. The capacity for rational thought...7. Logic. A premise, usually the minor premise, of an argument. "THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF REASONING" Sense knowledge is faiths' worst 
enemy. You want to reason with it because you can't make sense of it. Reasoning admires the Word, but it doesn't obey it. Dear TX, FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH! 1 Timothy 6:20 says: Guard what was committed to your trust, avoid the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge-by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Amen. (NKJV). or (in simpler terms), guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge. Some people have wandered from the faith by following such foolishness. 1 Timothy 6:12 says: Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called 
and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (NKJV). or (in simpler terms), Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses...and I charge you that you obey this command without wavering. Our emotions 
are a source of sin in our lives. There is one and only one weapon we have to fight the good fight of faith with-THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT!"- WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD! 
anything. Philosophy is the swan song of the human senses. GOD SAID IT-I BELIEVE IT! Ephesians 6:4-18 says: Do not provoke your childres to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. Bondservants, (slaves), be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free...Finally, my brethren, be strong in the lord and in the power of His might. PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST THE WILES OF THE DEVIL. FOR WE DO NOT WRESTLE AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST POWERS, AGAINST THE RULERS OF THE DARKNESS OF THIS AGE, AGAINST SPIRITUAL HOSTS OF WICKEDNESS IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES. THEREFORE TAKE UP THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND IN THE EVIL DAY, AND HAVING DONE ALL, TO STAND. STAND THEREFORE, HAVING GIRDED YOUR WAIST WITH TRUTH, HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND HAVING SHOD YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPERATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; ABOVE ALL TAKING THE SHIELD OF FAITH WITH WHICH YOU WILL BE ABLE TO QHENCH ALL THE FIERY DARTS OF THE WICKED ONE. AND TAKE THE HELMET OF SALVATION, AND THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD...end...AND VERY, VERY IMPORTANT ALSO FOR YOU TO READ; 2 COR. 10:3-WE ARE HUMAN, BUT WE DON'T WAGE WAR AS HUMANS DO. WE USE GOD'S MIGHTY WEAPONS-(THE WORD), NOT WORLDLY WEAPONS,(CARNAL-SENSES),TO KNOCK DOWN THE STRONGHOLDS OF HUMAN REASONING AND TO DESTROY FALSE ARGUMENTS. WE DESTROY EVERY PROUD OBSTICLE THAT KEEPS PEOPLE FROM KNOWING GOD. WE CAPTURE THEIR REBELLIOUS THOUGHT AND TEACH THEM TO OBEY CHRIST. I love you TXBoomerang. This post comes from the very heart of God, to you...receive it! To Him be all the glory, honor, and praise. Amen...get into the Word......Love. 
