What is the purpose of the bible?

mlepfitjw

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Hello you and welcome.

You know we have a bible, and we can go read it.

Never finished the old testament myself, some people can make it through maybe you are one of those people. Have read all the new testament but the book of Acts, guess for personal reasons of just never desiring to finish it.

What is the purpose of the bible?

You use it for what reason and why?

My only answer would be this: especially when it comes to the new testament has been made for the purpose of building up faith, and encouraging people to stay in faith with God, and to trust him, and His Son.

One more great reminder here: Remember, "faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Rom 10:17). So, keep studying the word of God and watch your faith grow.
 
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Aussie Pete

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Hello you and welcome.

You know we have a bible, and we can go read it.

Never finished the old testament myself, some people can make it through maybe you are one of those people. Have read all the new testament but the book of Acts, guess for personal reasons of just never desiring to finish it.

What is the purpose of the bible?

You use it for what reason and why?

My only answer would be this: especially when it comes to the new testament has been made for the purpose of building up faith, and encouraging people to stay in faith with God, and to trust him, and His Son.

One more great reminder here: Remember, "faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Rom 10:17). So, keep studying the word of God and watch your faith grow.
Before the New Testament was written, Lord Jesus had this to say:
John 5
"39You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me, 40yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.…
John 16
13However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.

The book of Acts is early church history. It makes for fascinating reading and gives some context to the much of the rest of the NT.

Most of the epistles were written to correct errors that had crept into the fledgling church and to encourage Christians in their faith. Romans is pretty much an A-Z of Christianity. Galatians specifically warns against falling back into Jewish legalism. So you can see that the NT is not a collection of random thoughts but rather a safety net to keep Christians from falling into error.

If Christians were not saddled with a mind that is still able to be influenced by Satan, we would not need the Bible quite so much. But we are also still influenced by the natural life that we inherited from Adam. We have a new spirit and the indwelling Holy Spirit, but we do not always heed the living word that the Holy Spirit brings to us. Also, we are not always confident that what we think we hear is really God. So we can look to the Bible to confirm or reject what we are hearing.

For example, I struggled with the preaching of a pastor who was laying down the law (of Moses), literally. In my heart, I was sure that he was wrong but I could not say why. So I did a study on the Law as it pertains to Christians. I confirmed, at least to my satisfaction, that the Law no longer applies to those who are born again.

Someone I knew and respected had this to say. "The Bible is a treasure map to lead us to Christ, "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

The Bible will be redundant because we will know all things. But Christ will always be the Word of God.
 
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Dave L

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Hello you and welcome.

You know we have a bible, and we can go read it.

Never finished the old testament myself, some people can make it through maybe you are one of those people. Have read all the new testament but the book of Acts, guess for personal reasons of just never desiring to finish it.

What is the purpose of the bible?

You use it for what reason and why?

My only answer would be this: especially when it comes to the new testament has been made for the purpose of building up faith, and encouraging people to stay in faith with God, and to trust him, and His Son.

One more great reminder here: Remember, "faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Rom 10:17). So, keep studying the word of God and watch your faith grow.
I read through the Bible every year for many years now. It only takes a little discipline. I use the M'cheyene outline after trying several others.

M'Cheyne Reading Plan

My biggest benefit is in the peace of mind it brings while meditating on scripture throughout the day. And secondly, how to reconcile the Old Testament with the New.

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on thee: Because he trusteth in thee.” Isaiah 26:3 (KJV 1900)
 
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Maria Billingsley

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Hello you and welcome.

You know we have a bible, and we can go read it.

Never finished the old testament myself, some people can make it through maybe you are one of those people. Have read all the new testament but the book of Acts, guess for personal reasons of just never desiring to finish it.

What is the purpose of the bible?

You use it for what reason and why?

My only answer would be this: especially when it comes to the new testament has been made for the purpose of building up faith, and encouraging people to stay in faith with God, and to trust him, and His Son.

One more great reminder here: Remember, "faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Rom 10:17). So, keep studying the word of God and watch your faith grow.
The Bible is the written word of the Word, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Be blessed.
 
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bling

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Hello you and welcome.

You know we have a bible, and we can go read it.

Never finished the old testament myself, some people can make it through maybe you are one of those people. Have read all the new testament but the book of Acts, guess for personal reasons of just never desiring to finish it.

What is the purpose of the bible?

You use it for what reason and why?

My only answer would be this: especially when it comes to the new testament has been made for the purpose of building up faith, and encouraging people to stay in faith with God, and to trust him, and His Son.

One more great reminder here: Remember, "faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Rom 10:17). So, keep studying the word of God and watch your faith grow.
It is a tool for Christians.
 
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mlepfitjw

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Thank you all for your comments, the Bible is a way that we can hear from God, and also build our faith up if you want to. Of course want and need are two different words. Need being the desire to be equipped for trails and tribulations, and to overcome the world and its problems by the spirit when we build up this faith, at least this is the way it seems to me.

Take care.
 
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Jesse Dornfeld

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Before the New Testament was written, Lord Jesus had this to say:
John 5
"39You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me, 40yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.…
John 16
13However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.

The book of Acts is early church history. It makes for fascinating reading and gives some context to the much of the rest of the NT.

Most of the epistles were written to correct errors that had crept into the fledgling church and to encourage Christians in their faith. Romans is pretty much an A-Z of Christianity. Galatians specifically warns against falling back into Jewish legalism. So you can see that the NT is not a collection of random thoughts but rather a safety net to keep Christians from falling into error.

If Christians were not saddled with a mind that is still able to be influenced by Satan, we would not need the Bible quite so much. But we are also still influenced by the natural life that we inherited from Adam. We have a new spirit and the indwelling Holy Spirit, but we do not always heed the living word that the Holy Spirit brings to us. Also, we are not always confident that what we think we hear is really God. So we can look to the Bible to confirm or reject what we are hearing.

For example, I struggled with the preaching of a pastor who was laying down the law (of Moses), literally. In my heart, I was sure that he was wrong but I could not say why. So I did a study on the Law as it pertains to Christians. I confirmed, at least to my satisfaction, that the Law no longer applies to those who are born again.

Someone I knew and respected had this to say. "The Bible is a treasure map to lead us to Christ, "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

The Bible will be redundant because we will know all things. But Christ will always be the Word of God.

Thank you for this. It was very well said. I appreciate your knowledge on things.
 
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Aussie Pete

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I see the Bible as the essential way God communicates to us as humans and how we relate to God and how to navigate our authority as being In Christ.
Sure, except that the Bible is restricted to generalisations. Of course, they will often apply to us personally. However, the Bible is not going to tell you that the job you are applying for is wrong for you. It won't tell you that the woman you are wooing is wrong for you. The Holy Spirit will indeed direct you, if you are willing to listen. Often God will speak to you through His word to confirm what you hear in your spirit.

An example may help. I lost all my peace one time. I was in the military and I wanted out. I was signed up for 12 years and I could not just resign. Yet I was without peace. I asked the Lord if it was time to go. I then read Colossians 3:15, in the Amplified. It reads, "Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always]."

So I had a dilemma. Lack of peace said that I was in the wrong place. My contract said I had four years to go. I then received a word from the Lord that gave me an out. I'll not quote it unless you need to know. A few weeks after I asked for early release, I was a civilian. I was in a state of disbelief for every day of those few weeks. There is nothing in the Bible that directly related to my situation. I was guided by the Holy Spirit according to God's will for me at that time.
 
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Jesse Dornfeld

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Sure, except that the Bible is restricted to generalisations. Of course, they will often apply to us personally. However, the Bible is not going to tell you that the job you are applying for is wrong for you. It won't tell you that the woman you are wooing is wrong for you. The Holy Spirit will indeed direct you, if you are willing to listen. Often God will speak to you through His word to confirm what you hear in your spirit.

An example may help. I lost all my peace one time. I was in the military and I wanted out. I was signed up for 12 years and I could not just resign. Yet I was without peace. I asked the Lord if it was time to go. I then read Colossians 3:15, in the Amplified. It reads, "Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always]."

So I had a dilemma. Lack of peace said that I was in the wrong place. My contract said I had four years to go. I then received a word from the Lord that gave me an out. I'll not quote it unless you need to know. A few weeks after I asked for early release, I was a civilian. I was in a state of disbelief for every day of those few weeks. There is nothing in the Bible that directly related to my situation. I was guided by the Holy Spirit according to God's will for me at that time.

I do not doubt that God answered your prayer, but, brother, God gives peace in any situation and that is what those verses are about. Even through trial, God gives peace. You had faith and that is what freed you from your servitude, it was not what the Bible was talking about there. Timothy was a soldier.
 
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Aussie Pete

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I do not doubt that God answered your prayer, but, brother, God gives peace in any situation and that is what those verses are about. Even through trial, God gives peace. You had faith and that is what freed you from your servitude, it was not what the Bible was talking about there. Timothy was a soldier.
You plainly do not understand what I am talking about. Peace is the normal condition for the believer. If peace evaporates for no apparent reason, it is time to find out why. For example, it may be because the believer is about to embark on a course of action contrary to God's will. It can save people a great deal of grief. Or it can enable people to make good decisions. I decided to retire a year early because I had no peace in my job any more. I sought the Lord on it and He said it was time to go.

Christianity is a relationship with God, not with a book or letters carved into stone. I know God's word reasonably well. That is not eternal life. Knowing God and Jesus is eternal life. The Bible says so.
 
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