Our Biggest Mistake on Faith

timewerx said:

Teachings in Romans can't be literally interpreted or it will contradict other teachings in the Bible.

Christianity in big trouble? You bet. This is prophesied anyway, the majority will be deceived.

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Can you share the contradiction you think will happen if we take Romans literally? Thanks.

Gids

timewerx said:

One example is between the teachings of Paul and James about faith and salvation.

Another example, is between Solomon (Proverbs) and Jesus on things about material wealth.

There's more but I don't have time to post them all here.

The Bible cannot contradict itself so clearly, one teaching cannot be treated on literal terms.

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There is no contradiction between Paul and James. If tbe seed is good seed, and the soil is free of weeds, and we abide in Him, we will bear much fruit.... what James refers to as works.

Rhere is a scripture that says that it is the glory of kings to conceal a matter, and the glory of man to search it out.

Too often, we want to see something as a contradiction and immediately dismiss it and choose one side over the other, when it is our task to seek the face of God to dispel the seeming contradiction.

Blessings,

Gideon

yes, charity is important..

timewerx said:

Jesus gave only two commands, Love God and Love your neighbor.

This agree with what Paul said concerning faith in Galatians 5:6.

"It's the only thing that counts...."

I don't think it can be interpreted in any other way. Just many Christians don't wish what I'm saying is true because they can't love their brothers and sisters in the way God wants us.

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Jesus commanded more than 2 things..to uphold the Law in its entirety . that's many commands.

timewerx said:

If you interpret every teaching in the Bible in literal terms, you will come across plenty of contradictory teachings.

It is a fact. This is why we must carefully consider the context of every teaching if they can be interpreted literally or not.




My observed response of many Christians I've discussed with concerning the matter. Including close relatives.

I don't take delight in this when my loved ones have same issues.

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So when people pick and choose which scripture to interpret literally and someone else disagrees it becomes clear why there are so many different thoughts on scripture. Nobody really knows what they are talking about for sure. The minute we have to start making interpretations we have the possibility of being wrong added in.

Mel333 said:

Truth that is relative to yourself is not truth.

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So what is truth supposed to be relative to? If we are interpreting isn’t that just like saying it’s relative to ourself? I mean it is a individual or a group of individuals interpretations.

harko said:

Jesus commanded more than 2 things..to uphold the Law in its entirety . that's many commands.

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So Jesus commands us to uphold the law?

Loversofjesus_2018 said:

So what is truth supposed to be relative to? If we are interpreting isn’t that just like saying it’s relative to ourself? I mean it is a individual or a group of individuals interpretations.

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Christ is truth. Which is where we started the discussion. So anyone leading people back to the truth and not ripping Christians apart is one who speaks truth.

One's truth will always be relative to another's truth. Which is what we call postmodernism. For where there is relative truth, there is no truth at all.

Truth is relative in the world's culture today. Which is what causes arguments, dissension and debates. All these different truths. One's truth is different to another's truth. Another's interpretation and experience is different to another.

Christ is truth. Anyone who speaks the teachings of Christ on this forum and leads others back to him and edifies the church and other Christians and helps Christians in their faith without is speaking Truth.

Love does not go around accusing. If love were accusatory in its nature, then this is no different to the devil prowling around condemning and accusing the brethren.

Gideons300 said:

There is no contradiction between Paul and James. If tbe seed is good seed, and the soil is free of weeds, and we abide in Him, we will bear much fruit.... what James refers to as works.

Rhere is a scripture that says that it is the glory of kings to conceal a matter, and the glory of man to search it out.

Too often, we want to see something as a contradiction and immediately dismiss it and choose one side over the other, when it is our task to seek the face of God to dispel the seeming contradiction.

Blessings,

Gideon

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And when two people seek to understand and come to different conclusions then what?

Mel333 said:

Christ is truth. Which is where we started the discussion. So anyone leading people back to the truth and not ripping Christians apart is one who speaks truth.

One's truth will always be relative to another's truth. Which is what we call postmodernism.

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Ok I got it. Thanks!

Loversofjesus_2018 said:

And when two people seek to understand and come to different conclusions then what?

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When we become one with Christ, abiding in Him, we will discover to our amazement that we also are one with one another.

Have we been abiding in Him....any of us? Remember the promise of His Word. If we abide in Him we WILL NOT fulfill the lusts of the flesh and we WILL bear much fruit.

What should our focus be on then? Does it not seem logical that we seek our God on HOW we abide?

Blessings,

Gideon

timewerx said:

Yes, I agree.

I only mean to say the contradiction only exists if those teachings are interpreted literally, or with a very narrow perspective - in other words, interpreted in the wrong context.

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ok, help me out here. Could you please share with me the correct interpretation where they do not seem to conflict? Thanks in advance!

blessings to you,

Gids

timewerx said:

Paul was chosen to be an Apostle to the Gentiles where the Gospel would be completely alien to them and the cultures encountered would be highly diverse.

Thus, Paul had to make some adjustments - 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Anyone who is closely familiar with the entirety of Paul's teachings would realize the incoherence of his own teachings (because they each meant to serve different Gentile cultures in those times)

You can guess some of these may not even apply to our modern culture.

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By such reasoning, we would be brought back to eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, each one doing what is right in his or her own eyes.

None could have confidence in the word of God and His promises, for what if those were not meant for us? Our job is to accept the word of God even if to us it seems impossible of unfair. It is our clouded vision, seeing through a glass darkly, that is the issue, but until we are hungry enough to seek God with all of our hearts to have Him bring us up higher so that we can understand the seeming contradictions, the mysteries will remain sealed to us.

blessings,

Gideon

timewerx said:

That's where the Holy Spirit comes in to guide you understanding the Bible.

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Well, if that were true, then He is failing one side or the other as to whether we need to produce fruits (works) to remain saved or not.

As I said previously, when we walk one with the Lord, we will discover that we all come into agreement with one another. And why? Because we all will have the mind of Christ.

blessings,

Gideon

timewerx said:

Real faith changes the heart and a changed heart will: (read the succeeding verses)

Galatians 5:6 (Paul said this! :o)
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

1 John 3:16-18
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

I expect everyone to be shocked at this!

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1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

timewerx said:

Telling the Truth is love.

1 John 3:18
Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

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Is believing the truth love, so if you do not believe the truth ?

Gideons300 hit it in post #31 with his mention of abiding. So you shouldn’t look at a new believer or young Christian and question their faith because they’re not yet bearing fruit. Love being worked out of a Christ follower is the fruit of the Spirit. Christians grow and mature at different rates; all of us are a work in progress.