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<blockquote data-quote="losthope" data-source="post: 58585321" data-attributes="member: 94863"><p>To joey down under,</p><p></p><p>This is what both of us wrote recently:</p><p></p><p></p><p>I do not remember saying that I refused to look at Bible passages. You give many links to Bible verses and I read them. Sometimes I can understand the significance of the Bible verses to what you have written, and sometimes I cannot understand the relevance.</p><p></p><p>But you were asking me to do much more than that. To examine the Bible from different writers points of view. That implies getting at least two good but contrasting commentaries, and probably several different translations of the Bible, including the one that really expands on the verses (cant remember which translation that is). I know that Christian ministers and others who want to preach have such resources, but I thought that it was inappropriate for me as a non-Christian.</p><p></p><p>Seriously, if you think that the Bible is too difficult, or too spiritual, for me to understand its real significance, then I have to ask why you think it is the appropriate way for me to get to know God. If the Bible cannot reach me because of the state of my mind, surely God would have alternative ways of reaching me.</p><p></p><p>My understanding is that one of the works of the Holy Spirit is to help people to understand the significance of scripture. To help me to understand, what I would need is the help of the Holy Spirit, not the opinions of the writers of Bible commentaries. I need to be led into all truth.</p><p></p><p>You suggest that I want to know about God minus the Bible. Not at all. I want to know God. Not just to know about God, but to know God. I agree that a person can learn about God from the Bible. But that is not the same as knowing God in a personal relationship. I am searching to know about God and to know God. Not either/or, but both.</p><p></p><p>During the time that I was a believer I was the person who began, and sometimes led, a Bible study group at the church I attended, because until then there was no Bible study group at the church. Previously I attended a Bible study group at another local church. Please do not get the impression that I am anti-Bible.</p><p></p><p>In the two epistles that you mention, Paul writes about spiritual warfare. Perhaps because I have no spiritual awareness and therefore no concept of spiritual warfare, I have always regarded those passages as metaphorical. Though I appreciate why other people might interpret them more literally. Maybe this is an example of where I would really need to work of the Holy Spirit to help me to understand the things of the spirit, rather than the wisdom of a commentary writer.</p><p></p><p>You mentioned other checklists that I might refuse to examine. I have read and listened to at least most of the links you have suggested. I know that there is still the heart inventory Do you serve god or God? for me to deal with in detail, but you did tell me to answer each question carefully and discuss the results with much thought and prayer. I had intended to begin this now, but instead I decided that I needed to respond to your latest posting first.</p><p></p><p>I appreciate you writing to me in this way. I also appreciate the contributions of others to this thread. Whether or not it will help me to find God I do not know, but it is certainly making me think. I also have a lot going on in my life, and sometimes I am writing here when I ought to be getting on with other tasks.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="losthope, post: 58585321, member: 94863"] To joey down under, This is what both of us wrote recently: I do not remember saying that I refused to look at Bible passages. You give many links to Bible verses and I read them. Sometimes I can understand the significance of the Bible verses to what you have written, and sometimes I cannot understand the relevance. But you were asking me to do much more than that. To examine the Bible from different writers points of view. That implies getting at least two good but contrasting commentaries, and probably several different translations of the Bible, including the one that really expands on the verses (cant remember which translation that is). I know that Christian ministers and others who want to preach have such resources, but I thought that it was inappropriate for me as a non-Christian. Seriously, if you think that the Bible is too difficult, or too spiritual, for me to understand its real significance, then I have to ask why you think it is the appropriate way for me to get to know God. If the Bible cannot reach me because of the state of my mind, surely God would have alternative ways of reaching me. My understanding is that one of the works of the Holy Spirit is to help people to understand the significance of scripture. To help me to understand, what I would need is the help of the Holy Spirit, not the opinions of the writers of Bible commentaries. I need to be led into all truth. You suggest that I want to know about God minus the Bible. Not at all. I want to know God. Not just to know about God, but to know God. I agree that a person can learn about God from the Bible. But that is not the same as knowing God in a personal relationship. I am searching to know about God and to know God. Not either/or, but both. During the time that I was a believer I was the person who began, and sometimes led, a Bible study group at the church I attended, because until then there was no Bible study group at the church. Previously I attended a Bible study group at another local church. Please do not get the impression that I am anti-Bible. In the two epistles that you mention, Paul writes about spiritual warfare. Perhaps because I have no spiritual awareness and therefore no concept of spiritual warfare, I have always regarded those passages as metaphorical. Though I appreciate why other people might interpret them more literally. Maybe this is an example of where I would really need to work of the Holy Spirit to help me to understand the things of the spirit, rather than the wisdom of a commentary writer. You mentioned other checklists that I might refuse to examine. I have read and listened to at least most of the links you have suggested. I know that there is still the heart inventory Do you serve god or God? for me to deal with in detail, but you did tell me to answer each question carefully and discuss the results with much thought and prayer. I had intended to begin this now, but instead I decided that I needed to respond to your latest posting first. I appreciate you writing to me in this way. I also appreciate the contributions of others to this thread. Whether or not it will help me to find God I do not know, but it is certainly making me think. I also have a lot going on in my life, and sometimes I am writing here when I ought to be getting on with other tasks. [/QUOTE]
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