HOW to establish bible authority 2

[holo]

Holo –
This has been a special discussion. Unless I think it is going somewhere I may not continue. You continue to be vague with what you want to say and don’t really have much to offer.
How about 1 Cor. 14:37?

That doesn't say that the bible is the "word of God". The bible quotes God from time to time, some of the writers say they are delivering a message from God, etc etc. But for the most part, the bible is the word of Moses, of Paul, of a host of unknown writers, it's poetry, song, prayer, personal letters, Paul's own opinions (according to himself), genealogies and so forth. Some places it even quotes satan! God's word is what God says, just like my word is what I say.

At last check, Graham is NOT inspired.

Maybe not, that's another discussion, but replace Graham with any speaker/writer you DO believe is inspired. Or just look at these forums, a lot of stuff here is written that we may believe.

Where was this? Book, chapter and verse please…

The bible doesn't mention the bible at all. And it most definately does not say that God guides us "only through the written word" - in fact, that's more like an exception than a rule in how God communicates with people.

Do you trust this verse? It is God’s own word? How do you know it is accurate and trustworthy?

Because I experience it.

I have found that very few differ on interpretation. Most people I have talked to offer NO Bible for what they teach and practice.

Could you give an example of what you mean?

HOW do you know???

Because I experience it. I see Christ in myself and in others.

I remember after coming to Christ as a suicidal drug-addicted wreck of a man. I just seeked God, without knowing exactly how to do it, or who He is. But as I did, I was surprised, even scared, to see the drastic changes in myself. First, I began loving people I used to hate. I would spontaneously start praying for them. Then, I began being happy in the mornings. I thought I was going insane! Later, peace began growing in me. And so forth, drugs lost their power over me, I kept changing (through none of my own effort) and improving in many ways. Only much later did I read in the bible that this was also Paul's experience; "the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace..." I experienced it, in that very order. Therefore I know those verses are true. If I hadn't experienced it myself, it would only be theory.

You said people today were “too religious” because they might want you to follow scripture. Weren’t the “moneychangers” meaning well.

I think they were more greedy than well-meaning.

They were supplying that which was needed for sacrifices weren’t they? Jesus drove them out! Was Jesus too strict? Too… religious?
The woman at the well said her people worshipped there in the mountain even though the Law stated they must worship in Jerusalem. Jesus told her “You don’t know what you worship”. That Jesus, there he goes being “religious” again by expecting people to act within the requirements of what God set forth. Jesus is just too… “religious”, huh?

Even though He was under the law, and teaching from the law to jews under the law (we're not under the law, with all its religiosity), Jesus wasn't too religious. He worked on the sabbath and stuff, and He didn't deny people like the religious people did. He was so unreligious as to supply MORE wine when the party had run out, for example.

If Jesus wasn't more religious than that, under the law, I see no reason why WE should be religious about anything at all.

They did what God required.

Yes, and so do I.

Says who, says what?

Says Paul, for one. And says I. And says Christ Himself.

So – how do YOU get the “word” of God??? What YOUR source of getting it?

God Himself, of course. Nobody has ever heard the voice of God unless God Himself has spoken.

 

[FreeinChrist]

Edit....you probably want to post this in the original thread.

 

[holo]

Yeah, please delete this one