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Do you first trust your interpretation of the Bible (or the interpretation you've been taught), and let that interpretation teach you about God?
Or, do you first trust your understanding of God/the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, and let that understanding teach you about the Bible?
Don't misunderstand and think I'm asking whether you trust God or the Bible. Both are trustworthy. I'm asking if you first trust your understanding of God or your interpretation of the scriptures.
Do you give the benefit of the doubt to your understanding/belief of scripture, assuming above all else, it is correct?
Or, do you give the benefit of the doubt to your understanding/belief of God's character, assuming above all else, it is correct?
Another way to ask it is, do you go to the Bible to understand God, or do you go to God to understand the Bible?
I trust the Holy Spirit to do any interpreting... Many years of following man's interpretation put a dirty glass wall between myself and God..I could see him dimly but could not feel His presence no matter how many rules were given or forced on me by the ones who followed the rules and interpretations of man..The glass wall is gone now and I walk in freedom and peace with Him..
Do you first trust your interpretation of the Bible (or the interpretation you've been taught), and let that interpretation teach you about God?
Or, do you first trust your understanding of God/the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, and let that understanding teach you about the Bible?
Don't misunderstand and think I'm asking whether you trust God or the Bible. Both are trustworthy. I'm asking if you first trust your understanding of God or your interpretation of the scriptures.
Do you give the benefit of the doubt to your understanding/belief of scripture, assuming above all else, it is correct?
Or, do you give the benefit of the doubt to your understanding/belief of God's character, assuming above all else, it is correct?
Another way to ask it is, do you go to the Bible to understand God, or do you go to God to understand the Bible?
The Bible was given by God so that believers can understand God.
2 Tim. 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2 Tim. 3:16 ''All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 17) That the man of God may be perfect (mature), thoughly furnished unto all good works.
But as a believer you can get only so much understanding by studying ONLY on your own. God provided the gift of Pastor/teacher so that the believer can grow to spiritual maturity.
Ephesians 4:11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 ) for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13) until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ. 14) As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by envery wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful schemng; 15) but speaking the truth i love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ, 16) from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every loint supplies, accordig to the proper working of each individual part, cause the growth of the body for the building up if itself in love.
Those who think that they can progress very far in their spiritual lives on their own without a qualified pastor/teacher to explain the doctrines of the word of God to them are only fooling themselves. The foolish things that are posted on this forum by so very many demonstrate that.
Those who think they don't need a pastor/teacher are in disagreement with the word of God as shown in Ephesians 4. The fact that most pastors don't know straight up from straight down does not invalidate the principle. In every generation, God sees to it that there are qualified pastors who diligently teach His word for the edification of the saints.
With so many religions and different interpretations of the Word - one must follow the Holy Spirits guidance. There are too many man made doctrines that are causing a great deal of harm to people on their path to God.
One must pray earnestly to God for the Holy Spirit to guide them. When you are at one with the Lord and his substance dwells within you, then is when the key to the truths are unlocked. We must seek God with all of our hearts and all of our souls and all of our mind. When we do so we can read the Words from Jesus and our soul will know the truths that Jesus spoke of.
I have searched many a religion....I did not just take what was taught to me as a child.
do you first trust your interpretation of the bible (or the interpretation you've been taught), and let that interpretation teach you about god?
Or, do you first trust your understanding of god/the holy spirit dwelling in you, and let that understanding teach you about the bible?
Don't misunderstand and think i'm asking whether you trust god or the bible. Both are trustworthy. I'm asking if you first trust your understanding of god or your interpretation of the scriptures.
Do you give the benefit of the doubt to your understanding/belief of scripture, assuming above all else, it is correct?
Or, do you give the benefit of the doubt to your understanding/belief of god's character, assuming above all else, it is correct?
Another way to ask it is, do you go to the bible to understand god, or do you go to god to understand the bible?
To trust anything else but God's Word is not to trust in God. We have the promise that God's Word will never pass away.
The problem as of late is that people who reject certain teachings have a relatively easy way to produce a bible that resembles their beliefs. It's almost becoming like another tower of Babel.
Have a problem with Jesus being God...use a JW's edition.
Have a problem with by faith not works... use a Mormon edition
Have a problem with eternal damnation ... use the YLT edition
Do you first trust your interpretation of the Bible (or the interpretation you've been taught), and let that interpretation teach you about God?
Or, do you first trust your understanding of God/the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, and let that understanding teach you about the Bible?
Don't misunderstand and think I'm asking whether you trust God or the Bible. Both are trustworthy. I'm asking if you first trust your understanding of God or your interpretation of the scriptures.
Do you give the benefit of the doubt to your understanding/belief of scripture, assuming above all else, it is correct?
Or, do you give the benefit of the doubt to your understanding/belief of God's character, assuming above all else, it is correct?
Another way to ask it is, do you go to the Bible to understand God, or do you go to God to understand the Bible?
Are you not asking how to interpret scriptures?
If Jesus said that the scriptures cannot be broken, then spouting a doctrine such as UR without reading those misapplied verses in context and the whole of scriptures in discerning a doctrine as being evil or good is not the way to reprove the works of darkness by the light of scriptures.
Thus UR is a work of darkness as per example.
Understanding the scriptures is a wisdom that comes from the Lord, but believers of UR as an example will only zero in those words that support UR while screening out those verses surrounding their misappled verse that debunk their beliefs.
It is one thing to say that we believe the Bible, but what happens to those that only believes parts of the Bible? They are not hearing Him nor the reproofs they need in defending the faith which is the good fight.
1 Corinthians 3: 1And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
Hebrews 5: 11Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. 12For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Ephesians 5: 10Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 15See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
2 Timothy 3:14But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 4: 1I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 5But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. 6For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Do you first trust your interpretation of the Bible (or the interpretation you've been taught), and let that interpretation teach you about God?
Or, do you first trust your understanding of God/the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, and let that understanding teach you about the Bible?
Don't misunderstand and think I'm asking whether you trust God or the Bible. Both are trustworthy. I'm asking if you first trust your understanding of God or your interpretation of the scriptures.
Do you give the benefit of the doubt to your understanding/belief of scripture, assuming above all else, it is correct?
Or, do you give the benefit of the doubt to your understanding/belief of God's character, assuming above all else, it is correct?
Another way to ask it is, do you go to the Bible to understand God, or do you go to God to understand the Bible?
If Jesus said that the scriptures cannot be broken, then spouting a doctrine such as UR without reading those misapplied verses in context and the whole of scriptures in discerning a doctrine as being evil or good is not the way to reprove the works of darkness by the light of scriptures.
Thus UR is a work of darkness as per example.
Understanding the scriptures is a wisdom that comes from the Lord, but believers of UR as an example will only zero in those words that support UR while screening out those verses surrounding their misappled verse that debunk their beliefs.
It is one thing to say that we believe the Bible, but what happens to those that only believes parts of the Bible? They are not hearing Him nor the reproofs they need in defending the faith which is the good fight.
One could substitute UR in the above paragraphs with ET (eternal torment) and the same point would be made. No one should only take the parts of the Bible they like and ignore the rest.
I started this thread because I am geninuely curious about what/who people trust first as the basic guide for their beliefs. Should our interpretation or a pastor/teacher's interpretation of the Bible be our guide to decide who God is, or should the Holy Spirit living within us be our guide to help us understand the Bible?
I used to trust the Bible/man's interpretation first to help me understand God, but as I matured as a Christian I first trusted God's character to help me understand the Bible.
I believe that if there are conflicting interpretations of passages and/or the understanding of God's plan, that we should give the benefit of the doubt to God's character - his love, grace, mercy, holiness, justness, etc., even if this doesn't agree with what we've been taught in the past.
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