I agree, but it's all about how we use the Bible, and that was the point I was trying to make. Those verses are talking about the Word of God and about Truth. Not about what man calls Scripture.
I disagree. The Bible is Scripture and it is God breathed.
You said:
“Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68).
Jesus spoke the words that were given to Him by His Father.
Men were under the inspiration of God when writing Scripture.
It is God breathed.
You said:
That verse is about the words that Jesus was speaking. His Words, spoken by the Spirit.
Jesus is saying His words are spiritual and they are life (eternal life). The very words can lead to life if we act upon them. They are the promises of God’s Word.
You said:
All Scripture is God-breathed. 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
Yes, this would be the Holy Bible.
You said:
When I say that the Bible has no life in it's own, that is because if we read it in the flesh, we cannot understand it. That is where all doctrines of men come from. We need the Holy Spirit, and Jesus who is the Word of God. John 1:1-3. All Scripture points to Him. John 5:39
I believe God’s Word is a living book. It is not just words on a page even for that person who reads it from a carnal perspective. For yes, I agree that a person cannot understand Scripture or the Bible if they do not have the Holy Spirit. No doubt about it. But is in God’s best interest to get somebody to see the truth if they really are seeking it. For the very words of God do work upon a person’s heart because these words are divine in origin and they are not like other words or books. God draws people to hear His Word, but they have to not just read it, but they have to believe it with a pure heart and with good intentions. It requires faith. It’s a faith thing. If they believe it, they are going to want to act properly, and then God can move in their life by the Spirit. One reason why people do not understand God’s Word is because of their sin. With sin in the way, they will never understand it. Another reason why people do not understand God’s Word is because sometimes certain doctrines themselves are sinful, and hence why God cannot show a person the truth because man’s traditions or men’s wrong theologies gets in the way. They may sound comforting to them, but they are not true. Usually it is a belief that caters to their sin in some way or it is an attempt to malign the good character of GOD. This is why the Spirit cannot act in their life to give them understanding because they are wanting to see a doctrine that is sinful and wrong (Even when God’s Word lovingly calls them by it’s power).
You said:
"23 “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” (1 Peter 1:23-25).
This is also about the Word of God, not the Bible itself. The Bible won't live forever. The Truth that it reveals us to us will.
I disagree. Verse 25 says the word of the Lord endures forever.
Then it says this word is by which the gospel is preached unto you.
Verse 22 says, “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit.”
When Jesus was praying to the Father, He said,
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17).
1 “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:1-2).
The milk of the Word is talking about a teaching within the Scriptures. So 1 Peter 1 is still talking about the Holy Scriptures (the Bible). For the Bible also talks about how there is the meat of the Word. The meat of the Word is to discern between good and evil. The milk of the Word is having a belief in Jesus for your salvation. But most cannot move past the milk of the Word.
You said:
Another point is, of which I'm sure you'll agree, if we merely read the Word but not do the Word, it won't do us any good at all (and you did post James 1:22 already). Many are deceived into thinking that it will, but they aren't focusing on getting to know God or becoming like Him, but learning doctrines.
Yes, we have to seek to please the Lord and not ourselves.
Granted, there is a satifisfaction in knowing God.
The benefits of knowing God is beyond any treasure or pleasure that this world has to offer.
But they need to experience that.
You said:
We have to worship God in Spirit and in Truth. Truth is what Scripture teaches us (the unchanging nature of God, His ways, His will, His commands), and it is the Spirit that teaches us, leads us and transforms us.
I agree with what you stated here.
You said:
The Bible often becomes a weapon in the hands of a men who live in the flesh. Because they aren't speaking Truth and they aren't pointing to Jesus. It can be misused in so many ways, and if we don't have understanding if what it means or we don't have sound doctrine or the true Gospel, then what good will it do to give a few verses?
Do you understand what I mean? I'm not opposing using the Bible, I wouldn't willingly speak a word that I didn't know is true with any authority, and without having the verses in my mind, but we have to be led by the Spirit. Without Him, there is no life. The Bible was breathed by God and it reveals God to us, but it isn't God Himself. The Word of God is God Himself.
It is true that God is spirit. However, the book conveys God’s thoughts and His heart to us. This Word leads us to salvation in Him. It is true we have to be led by the Spirit. But it is in God’s best interest to convict all men to repent. That is what the Scriptures are supposed to help a person with. They may fight against God’s Word in favoring a doctrine of man, but God is going to keep nudging them in love with His Word (Which is a living book). For they are the very words of God, that is accompanied by God trying to get men to listen to it.