Can you be a Christian and reject certain parts of the Bible?

[Achilles6129]

Many Christians do not fully understand some parts of the Bible. Others disagree with the interpretations of various parts of the Bible. That, however, is not the same as accepting / rejecting the Bible as God's absolute truth standard and authority.

The huge problem with disbelieving any part of Scripture, is that it undermines one's ability to confidently believe any other part. How can one confidently trust Jesus Christ as one's Savior and Lord based on Scripture, yet, reject the Biblical account of God's creation?

Accepting everything in Scripture as literal is not the basis of Salvation and eternal life. But, stepping back from the truth and authority of God's inspired Scripture is a slippery slope (For more details, see ucanknowthetruth.com).

Just one thing to add: I think that tampering with God's word or commands in any way is an extremely dangerous thing.

 

[Brian Sellers]

You do realize that Protestant Old Testament follows the Jewish Old Testament, correct? That's the justification right there. The Catholic OT adds books that the Jews don't consider Scripture.

The Jews do not consider the New Testament Sacred Scripture either, are you going to throw it out? the Septugint which was a Greek translation of the Old Testament used by Jews around the Mediterranean Sea from the 3rd century BC which included the books you accuse Catholics of adding.

Early Christians and Jews from the 3rd-2nd century used the Septuagint which is a Koine Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures, translated in stages between the 3rd to 2nd century BCE in Alexandria, Egypt. According to Michael Barber, in the Septuagint, the Torah and Nevi'im are established as canonical, but the Ketuvim appear not to have been definitively canonized yet. The translation work might have been done by seventy or seventy-two elders who translated the Hebrew Bible into Koine Greek.

Philo and Josephus (both associated with first century Hellenistic Judaism) ascribed divine inspiration to its translators, and the primary ancient account of the process is the circa 2nd century BCE Letter of Aristeas. Some of the Dead Sea Scrolls attest to Hebrew texts other than those on which the Masoretic Text (24 books of the Hebrew Bible and Protestant OT) was based; in some cases, these newly found texts accord with the Septuagint version. Strong evidence exists that the Septuagint was the canon in place in first century Palestine. Authors Archer and Chirichigno list 340 places where the New Testament cites the Septuagint but only 33 places where it cites from the Masoretic Text rather than the Septuagint.

So these Sacred Books have been there since Christ founded His Church. It's a historical fact. The Jews revised their canon somewhere around the 2nd century. By then Christianity had become its own religion. Why would the Christian Church go back and revise its canon because the Jews, who rejected Christ, changed their canon?

 

[Thedictator]

Spot on in your first statement, then a total miss in your second statement.

There was no canonized Bible for the first three centuries of the Church, even if there had been, there was no printing press. It took years to copy by a book by hand which would then have to be read and reviewed to ensure its accuracy. There was no paper. They used papyrus or vellum, both very expensive. The cost of reproducing a book in the first century would cost more than your house; moreover, vast majority of people couldn't read. Christ founded a Church, not a book, on the apostles and gave them and us the great commission. The Apostles did not walk around with a copy of the KJV under their arm. Most of them never wrote a single sentence and most of their followers never read a single word, but they built Jesus's Church. Being literate is not a prerequisite for salvation, faith is.

Yes, and the Apostles were the vessels of God's Word, They began to realize that they needed to write down the Word's of God they were in trusted with (with help from the Holy Spirit) so future generations would have God's Word, and find salvation in them. If this had not happened we today would have no knowledge of Christ, God or Salvation. The canonization of the New Testament did not happen until the leaders of the Church was dealing with the false teachings of the Gnostics, and needed a canon of scripture to deal with such heresy.

 

[Galilee63]

The Holy Spirit speaks through God's Holy Word guiding and speaking to our hearts and souls if in particular one prays prior to opening God's Holy Word/His "Holy" Bible - making The Sign of The Cross in front of Jesus' Cross blocks satan and our hearts enter into God's Holiness receiving Him more powerfully.

Not rushing, quiet, in solitude, peace, one in Jesus, God and The Holy Spirit and then feel God's Love, Peace and Tranquility flowing through our hearts - all the earthly things cast aside not of importance in these wonderful moments.

God our Heavenly Father said that the certain Books/His Holy Word parts were withheld only for the "wise" among Ezra and God's appointed with him. In Jesus, from Jesus, His Parables have many different meanings - the more one prays and asks Jesus and The Holy Spirit for His Holy interpretations in trust - the more one will receive!! Prior or during reading!

The more one fasts and prays prior to reading God's Holy Word - the more one receives God speaking to their hearts - eliminating meat, heavy foods, replaced by bread and water for those times and offering up the bit of fasting for Jesus The Holy Spirit and Mother Mary for their Loving Holy Intentions - wait for the response from Jesus God and The Holy Spirit!! Jesus speaks to hearts if they can fast on occasions, trust in Him and sacrifice time with Him and for Him focussing on Him on His Cross, His Bitter Passion and Sorrowful Mysteries. Jesus loves this with The Holy Spirit.

By fasting of which Jesus did receiving God His Father speaking to His Heart and appearing to Him, being with Him, this blocks satan most powerfully, away from our hearts, trying to block our hearts and minds receiving Jesus, God and The Holy Spirit. Eliminating sweet things I have experienced is the way to go in addition to rubbish.

A Holy and Happy Blessed Holy Good Friday to all of my brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ our Merciful Saviour and our Blessed Virgin Mother

 

[Brian Sellers]

Yes, and the Apostles were the vessels of God's Word, They began to realize that they needed to write down the Word's of God they were in trusted with (with help from the Holy Spirit) so future generations would have God's Word, and find salvation in them. If this had not happened we today would have no knowledge of Christ, God or Salvation. The canonization of the New Testament did not happen until the leaders of the Church was dealing with the false teachings of the Gnostics, and needed a canon of scripture to deal with such heresy.

Yes and I agree Sacred Scripture is very important, but future generations, that is those in the 2nd and 3rd centuries did not have a Bible. Most Christians up until Guttenberg invented the printing press in the 15th century didn't have a personal copy of the Bible but they learned of God, Christ and salvation. Moreover, we forget that Christ established His Church, not a book. And He promised that the gates of Hades would not prevail against His Church. We who believe in and follow Christ are the Mystical Body of Christ, we are the Church. You could burn every Bible tomorrow but Christ's Church will prevail. The Bible contains a description of God's Word, but Christ is the Word made flesh. He is the Living Word. As Saint Francis proclaimed, "Teach the Gospel always, and when necessary, use words." Peace.

 

[Brian Sellers]

Yes, and the Apostles were the vessels of God's Word, They began to realize that they needed to write down the Word's of God they were in trusted with (with help from the Holy Spirit) so future generations would have God's Word, and find salvation in them. If this had not happened we today would have no knowledge of Christ, God or Salvation. The canonization of the New Testament did not happen until the leaders of the Church was dealing with the false teachings of the Gnostics, and needed a canon of scripture to deal with such heresy.

Yes and I agree Sacred Scripture is very important, but future generations, that is those in the 2nd and 3rd centuries did not have a Bible. Most Christians up until Guttenberg invented the printing press in the 15th century didn't have a personal copy of the Bible but they learned of God, Christ and salvation. Moreover, we forget that Christ established His Church, not a book. And He promised that the gates of Hades would not prevail against His Church. We who believe in and follow Christ are the Mystical Body of Christ, we are the Church. You could burn every Bible tomorrow but Christ's Church will prevail. The Bible contains a description of God's Word, but Christ is the Word made flesh. He is the Living Word. As Saint Francis proclaimed, "Teach the Gospel always, and when necessary, use words." Peace.

 

[Brian Sellers]

Yes, and the Apostles were the vessels of God's Word, They began to realize that they needed to write down the Word's of God they were in trusted with (with help from the Holy Spirit) so future generations would have God's Word, and find salvation in them. If this had not happened we today would have no knowledge of Christ, God or Salvation. The canonization of the New Testament did not happen until the leaders of the Church was dealing with the false teachings of the Gnostics, and needed a canon of scripture to deal with such heresy.

Yes and I agree Sacred Scripture is very important, but future generations, that is those in the 2nd and 3rd centuries did not have a Bible. Most Christians up until Guttenberg invented the printing press in the 15th century didn't have a personal copy of the Bible but they learned of God, Christ and salvation. Moreover, we forget that Christ established His Church, not a book. And He promised that the gates of Hades would not prevail against His Church. We who believe in and follow Christ are the Mystical Body of Christ, we are the Church. You could burn every Bible tomorrow but Christ's Church will prevail. The Bible contains a description of God's Word, but Christ is the Word made flesh. He is the Living Word. As Saint Francis proclaimed, "Teach the Gospel always, and when necessary, use words." Peace.

 

[mikeirvan]

Can you be a Christian and only believe some parts of the Bible? For example, can you reject a global Noah's Flood, a six-day creation, a literal exodus, etc.? Could you reject other parts as well, like Christ walking on water? Discuss.

We live in an era where so many want to claim they believe in God but reject teachings in the bible. Why is it that so many want to disprove the bible but never try to disprove fairy tails even though they try to claim the bible is fairy tails? it boggles my mind! Yes, things worded in the bible can be confusing at times, but that is why we must study it. Some say the bible is contradictory because of things said in one verse may sound somewhat different than another verse. Don't people realize that one encounter can be explained differently by different people? If we reject the bible or its teachings than we reject God. Some Christians even want to argue what the bible teaches because of today's culture's beliefs. There are verses all over that state that everyone should in a sense be submissive to each other, as in a servant - however because of verses that state that wives need to submit to their husbands so many people take it as meaning men are to control their wives which is not true at all. after all there are verses that even state that men are to also care for/serve their wives as well.

 

[ChristianFromKazakhstan]

Can you be a Christian and only believe some parts of the Bible? For example, can you reject a global Noah's Flood, a six-day creation, a literal exodus, etc.? Could you reject other parts as well, like Christ walking on water? Discuss.

You're free to believe in anything in any way you like. The worst thing is just blindly follow what somebody else is telling you.

 

[TKICBS]

I mentioned Noah's flood, but I am sure many question events like the talking Donkey and the staff turning to a snake. I only said that its OK to doubt them but we should not necessarily say they are wrong, that's all.

It seems your biggest problem is believing in miracles. Can God do these things? Well I can only say I have had miracles in my life time. We had a dishwasher with a burn't out motor that the Lord started through prayer. A gerbil raised from the dead (wish it had been a person, but God loved my daughter and raised her gerbil) , he healed my swollen red twisted ankle instantly when I prayed for a sick pastor, he started a van that was out of gas and we drove 30 minutes on no gas, he sent electricity of some kind through my hand and into a man's back and healed him instantly, he pushed a truck up a hill after 4 or 5 tries when the driver finally came into agreement with me, the list goes on, finding things after searching for long time then remembering to ask, gave me a wife exactly according to a prayer I made and had forgotten, then he reminded me.
Those are a few but I have heard testimonies of many raised from the dead. And even literal hills that blocked a view disappearing over night when a couple agreed and went to bed.
My point is that if God can do any miracle at all why would we doubt his word? I can show you errors in the bible, but they are errors in historical records written by men. Jesus is the word and came to fulfill the prophecies and the laws. He did not come to fulfill historical records. One gospel tells us of one demonic when the pigs were possessed and ran off a cliff; another gospel tells us there were 2 demonics and the same story. So what? If I go on a trip with my wife and we come back and tell you the story separately there will be differences in our story. My memory is not the best in that area and she might think she saw two when there was only one etc...
The flood can be proved if you want proof. God is love and cannot lie so if He said he made the earth in 6 days who are we to argue? We weren't there and the devil is very busy trying to make God look like a liar. But look at the main theme and the story. It is flawless aside from the few man induced errors.
God created a perfect man. His woman sinned and he listened to her and sinned also. The human race was lost to sin. God began immediately a plan to redeem man. Satan and his angels planted an evil seed in mankind that spawned giants and began a new bloodline. God attempted to destroy that seed with a flood that can be proved was world wide. That seed survived the flood somehow and giants reeked havoc for many years til they were driven underground and over seas and killed off. God commanded whole tribes and all their possessions destroyed to again rid the earth of this evil bloodline. King after king disobeyed God and the seed remains today. God told through the prophets how he would redeem mankind through faith in his chosen. He rose from the dead and brought about 500 ancient prophets with him. He promised he would return for us and gave us the directions to live a holy life. He sent his ghost, the only Holy Ghost, the spirit of truth, here to help us make it home and he gave John the book of revelation of Jesus Christ that is Christ's testimony of what will come.
A study of the prophets reveals a world that would come before his return and that world and its entities are here today. He was found worthy to open the seals Daniel placed and these seals reveal the redemption of the planet itself and the NWO hand in hand with the Vatican preparing for the anti Christ.
With all of this why would any true Christian doubt God's ability to do what he said he did. It is his word against the unbelievers word and all of their so-called proof.
He is the God of miracles and nothing is impossible IF YOU BELIEVE.

 

[1stcenturylady]

Achilles, you stated: "Can you be a Christian and only believe some parts of the Bible"? FYI: The Protestant Bible/KJV Martin Luther removed 7 Books away from the Bible, which are: Tobit, Judith, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, as well as parts of Esther and Parts of Daniel, AND nearly took the Book of James from the Bible.

Achilles, AND you are worried: "Can you be a Christian and only believe some parts of the Bible". lol lol lol

Achilles, the question you should be asking is: Can you be a Protestant Christian if your Protestants Bible is missing 7 Books and parts of Esther, parts of Daniel are Missing.

Truth is you can be a protestant Christians, you have the Bible of Martin Luther/King James. However, you can NOT be a Catholic Christians who have the intact Bible of the Apostles/Jesus Christ, to this present day Thanks to the guidance of the Holy Ghost.

Achilles, To sum it all up you have to BELIEVE all that the Bible tells you, to be a Christian, and frankly the Protestant bible is missing a lot.

Why do you think the Book of Enoch was not put in the Catholic Bible even though it was quoted by both Jude and Peter? And why wasn't the Epistle of Barnabas, one of my favorite books not canonized when it was on 6 lists and read by all the early Christians. It is amazing.

 

[1stcenturylady]

It seems your biggest problem is believing in miracles. Can God do these things? Well I can only say I have had miracles in my life time. We had a dishwasher with a burn't out motor that the Lord started through prayer. A gerbil raised from the dead (wish it had been a person, but God loved my daughter and raised her gerbil) , he healed my swollen red twisted ankle instantly when I prayed for a sick pastor, he started a van that was out of gas and we drove 30 minutes on no gas, he sent electricity of some kind through my hand and into a man's back and healed him instantly, he pushed a truck up a hill after 4 or 5 tries when the driver finally came into agreement with me, the list goes on, finding things after searching for long time then remembering to ask, gave me a wife exactly according to a prayer I made and had forgotten, then he reminded me.
Those are a few but I have heard testimonies of many raised from the dead. And even literal hills that blocked a view disappearing over night when a couple agreed and went to bed.
My point is that if God can do any miracle at all why would we doubt his word? I can show you errors in the bible, but they are errors in historical records written by men. Jesus is the word and came to fulfill the prophecies and the laws. He did not come to fulfill historical records. One gospel tells us of one demonic when the pigs were possessed and ran off a cliff; another gospel tells us there were 2 demonics and the same story. So what? If I go on a trip with my wife and we come back and tell you the story separately there will be differences in our story. My memory is not the best in that area and she might think she saw two when there was only one etc...
The flood can be proved if you want proof. God is love and cannot lie so if He said he made the earth in 6 days who are we to argue? We weren't there and the devil is very busy trying to make God look like a liar. But look at the main theme and the story. It is flawless aside from the few man induced errors.
God created a perfect man. His woman sinned and he listened to her and sinned also. The human race was lost to sin. God began immediately a plan to redeem man. Satan and his angels planted an evil seed in mankind that spawned giants and began a new bloodline. God attempted to destroy that seed with a flood that can be proved was world wide. That seed survived the flood somehow and giants reeked havoc for many years til they were driven underground and over seas and killed off. God commanded whole tribes and all their possessions destroyed to again rid the earth of this evil bloodline. King after king disobeyed God and the seed remains today. God told through the prophets how he would redeem mankind through faith in his chosen. He rose from the dead and brought about 500 ancient prophets with him. He promised he would return for us and gave us the directions to live a holy life. He sent his ghost, the only Holy Ghost, the spirit of truth, here to help us make it home and he gave John the book of revelation of Jesus Christ that is Christ's testimony of what will come.
A study of the prophets reveals a world that would come before his return and that world and its entities are here today. He was found worthy to open the seals Daniel placed and these seals reveal the redemption of the planet itself and the NWO hand in hand with the Vatican preparing for the anti Christ.
With all of this why would any true Christian doubt God's ability to do what he said he did. It is his word against the unbelievers word and all of their so-called proof.
He is the God of miracles and nothing is impossible IF YOU BELIEVE.

I don't believe any of the original bloodline of the hybrids lived through the flood, however I do believe other fallen angels did the same thing after the flood - Goliath, etc. I believe the original fallen angels are in a pit. It doesn't say what happened to the ones that did it in like manner after the flood.

I loved your testimonies. I believe you.

 

[TKICBS]

Why do you think the Book of Enoch was not put in the Catholic Bible even though it was quoted by both Jude and Peter? And why wasn't the Epistle of Barnabas, one of my favorite books not canonized when it was on 6 lists and read by all the early Christians. It is amazing.

I saw a post somewhere else that claimed the epistle of Barnabas was contrary to scripture. They found a leather paged version that claimed Jesus didn't die on the cross but Judas did in his place. Is that what you read? I know absolutely that if that is what he wrote then he was one of the first heretics not understanding the cross at all.

 

[1stcenturylady]

I saw a post somewhere else that claimed the epistle of Barnabas was contrary to scripture. They found a leather paged version that claimed Jesus didn't die on the cross but Judas did in his place. Is that what you read? I know absolutely that if that is what he wrote then he was one of the first heretics not understanding the cross at all.

No, I've read it many times and never read that. Besides it wouldn't have been passed around to all the churches if that was what it said, let alone wind up on six lists of books being considered. There is another book called the Gospel of Barnabas. That's probably where it came from. It has some really off the wall heresies in it. In fact, it sound like it could have been written my a Muslim.

 

[TKICBS]

I don't believe any of the original bloodline of the hybrids lived through the flood, however I do believe other fallen angels did the same thing after the flood - Goliath, etc. I believe the original fallen angels are in a pit. It doesn't say what happened to the ones that did it in like manner after the flood.

I loved your testimonies. I believe you.

I can't say one way or the other how the giants made it to this side of the flood, only that they did it. There are many mysteries hidden in the earth. I myself am totally convinced that the earth is a hollow sphere. Many think I am nuts for believing this but there are many scriptures that suddenly come to light if the earth is hollow. Including the king who ascends from the pit. It is literal! The reason he ascends is because of an asteroid hit that is explained all through scripture, especially in the first 5 trumpets. I have a blog in my signature where I explain all that I see concerning this. It is a real eye opener.

 

[1stcenturylady]

I can't say one way or the other how the giants made it to this side of the flood, only that they did it. There are many mysteries hidden in the earth. I myself am totally convinced that the earth is a hollow sphere. Many think I am nuts for believing this but there are many scriptures that suddenly come to light if the earth is hollow. Including the king who ascends from the pit. It is literal! The reason he ascends is because of an asteroid hit that is explained all through scripture, especially in the first 5 trumpets. I have a blog in my signature where I explain all that I see concerning this. It is a real eye opener.

Scientists say the center is molten lava. So it's liquid. I just don't know how thick the crust is. The "pit" could even be another dimension, seeing as they are spirits.

 

[TKICBS]

No, I've read it many times and never read that. Besides it wouldn't have been passed around to all the churches if that was what it said, let alone wind up on six lists of books being considered. There is another book called the Gospel of Barnabas. That's probably where it came from. It has some really off the wall heresies in it. In fact, it sound like it could have been written my a Muslim.

Well to be honest I don't trust anything that comes out of the Vatican. The fact that they are just releasing this manuscript at this time is very telling. They obviously aren't trying to boost anyone's faith in Christ.

 

[1stcenturylady]

Well to be honest I don't trust anything that comes out of the Vatican. The fact that they are just releasing this manuscript at this time is very telling. They obviously aren't trying to boost anyone's faith in Christ.

Which book is the Vatican promoting?

 

[TKICBS]

Scientists say the center is molten lava. So it's liquid. I just don't know how thick the crust is. The "pit" could even be another dimension, seeing as they are spirits.

Scientists say many things that are taught as truths. The trouble with scientists is that they go to school to learn what their forefathers taught. then they teach it as knowledge and we all believe them because they are scientists. Kinda like doctors. We grow up thinking they know all the answers and later on in life find out they are human subject to error just as we are.
On page one of my blog I give good reason to believe in the hollow earth. It is true that the core is a molten core just as taught in science classes, however between that core and the surface inside there is about 3500 miles of atmosphere. Then the inner crust much like our crust. Between these 2 crusts is where the lava flows. I wish other Christians would realize this and research it. Those teaching prophecy that I have read of don't see it and because they don't see it they misinterpret end times eschatology. The king who ascends from the pit becomes symbolic along with his locust army. When in fact they are a literal army forced out of the hollow earth pit because of the asteroid hit out here. Isaiah 13:9-13 says God will move the earth out of its place on the day of the Lord. If you hit the earth hard enough to move it and it is hollow then the star at the core will crash into the inner surface lighting the whole interior ablaze. Now if you read Rev 9 it takes on a whole new meaning and is exactly what would happen in this event. This king is only here for the final 5 months.
Anyway this isn't the thread to go into that to deep. I wish I could start a thread so I could explain it and others could research it.

 

[1stcenturylady]

Scientists say many things that are taught as truths. The trouble with scientists is that they go to school to learn what their forefathers taught. then they teach it as knowledge and we all believe them because they are scientists. Kinda like doctors. We grow up thinking they know all the answers and later on in life find out they are human subject to error just as we are.
On page one of my blog I give good reason to believe in the hollow earth. It is true that the core is a molten core just as taught in science classes, however between that core and the surface inside there is about 3500 miles of atmosphere. Then the inner crust much like our crust. Between these 2 crusts is where the lava flows. I wish other Christians would realize this and research it. Those teaching prophecy that I have read of don't see it and because they don't see it they misinterpret end times eschatology. The king who ascends from the pit becomes symbolic along with his locust army. When in fact they are a literal army forced out of the hollow earth pit because of the asteroid hit out here. Isaiah 13:9-13 says God will move the earth out of its place on the day of the Lord. If you hit the earth hard enough to move it and it is hollow then the star at the core will crash into the inner surface lighting the whole interior ablaze. Now if you read Rev 9 it takes on a whole new meaning and is exactly what would happen in this event. This king is only here for the final 5 months.
Anyway this isn't the thread to go into that to deep. I wish I could start a thread so I could explain it and others could research it.

Which book is it you said the Vatican is promoting? You didn't say. They aren't promoting the Epistle of Barnabas if that's what you are referring to. I'm promoting it. The church in the 300's didn't put it in the canon.