We have scripture to know God more in this current day. This is crucial for the christian. No bible-no spiritual life pretty much. But what did beleivers do before the bible was written???
Before the Bible
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RaymondG
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They lived by every word that procedeth out of the mouth of God...... just as we should today. Once in contact with the comforter, it will lead and guide us into all truth.............
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~Anastasia~
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Hello and welcome to CF.
That question if seriously pursued will lead to a lot of truth.
The beginning of the Church was the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon those in the upper room and taught them so that they fully understood what Jesus had prepared them for, what He had done, and so on.
They began to preach, people were saved, baptized, and began to gather. The Apostles taught them, and ordained faithful men full of the Holy Spirit to hold fast to that doctrine, and went out spreading the Gospel in like manner, doing the same in many places, planting Churches and also overseeing them to ensure the Truth was kept.
Much of the New Tesament are letters demonstrating that process (the Epistles). But they were basically taught in person by the Apostles.
That question if seriously pursued will lead to a lot of truth.
The beginning of the Church was the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon those in the upper room and taught them so that they fully understood what Jesus had prepared them for, what He had done, and so on.
They began to preach, people were saved, baptized, and began to gather. The Apostles taught them, and ordained faithful men full of the Holy Spirit to hold fast to that doctrine, and went out spreading the Gospel in like manner, doing the same in many places, planting Churches and also overseeing them to ensure the Truth was kept.
Much of the New Tesament are letters demonstrating that process (the Epistles). But they were basically taught in person by the Apostles.
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Im asking before Jesus and before the 10 comamandments, they must of had a priest as a leader that heard from God, a prophet i guess...i think i answered my own question
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God speaks to me through his spirit at times. At times it is so strong- an unction and a heaviness over my soul (this usually happens when i need to share salvation to someone or Gods love) and when i complete the task the heaviness Goes away..ive had people come back to me crying bcuz they were so ministered to by the words..and other people come back to me to confirm what i said becuase they were so joyed to get the message and couldnt beleive it. (IM not trying to brag just relay what God has done)
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Well, those early Christians were kinda writing the bible since the NT contains what they did etc. Their everyday life was bible in action as a blueprint in scripture for later generations.
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R.J. Aldridge
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I believe that the book of Hebrews begins to answer your question.
"God, having spoken in former times in fragmentary and varied fashion to our forefathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by a Son whom he appointed to be the heir of everything and through whom he also made the universe." (Heb. 1:1-2)
We have the benefit of a completed work to look back upon. We have a greater revelation than they did, but they did have revelation from God even though they couldn't quite see where things were heading. Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness(Gen. 15:6), and he didn't even have the Old testament, all he had was a promise from God and he was faithful with what he had been given. Eventually the Israelites were given the Law, then the prophets, then came the Son. God dealt with the people in their historical times depending upon their level of revelation.
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mnphysicist
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Meeting together was absolutely critical, as they only way to hear God's word was to do so in person. Forsaking the assembly was a huge deal.
Spiritual truths were also conveyed via song... which meant that songs with bad theology were a huge problem.
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~Anastasia~
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You have to be specific about who and when you mean then, since before Christ covers thousands of years. I thought you meant Christians.
Enoch walked with God, for example. But as people spread over the earth, most were swallowed up in wickedness. At the time of Noah, it was only him. Likewise as people spread again before the time of Abraham, but some sought God (Job, for example). Abraham walked with God and learned much, and taught his descendants.
And there were prophets. From the time of Moses there was the Law, and Scriptures. The revelation of God was not complete at those times though. Christ Himself came and fully revealed God to us.
You ask a very complex question. The answer(s) would depend on the specifics.
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Believers received direct revelation. Through the Prophets primarily and some received direct revelation. There was a time of Inscripturation when the revelation was written down which eventually became the Bible.
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Hi Daphne, first off, WELCOME TO CF
You ask an excellent question. St. Paul reveals part of the answer to us here when he talks about the people from the Nations who had the basic requirements of the God's laws "written on their hearts" from birth (like we all do). IOW, God gave them a conscience, and thereby an innate sense of right and wrong (even though they didn't have the written Law of Moses like the Jews did).
Romans 2
12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.
13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.
14 Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law unto themselves, even though they do not have the law,
15 since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.
16 This will take place on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
Revelations, but no direct commandments from God were given to men (of the sort that He gave to our progenitors in the Garden of Eden .. "don't eat the fruit from that particular tree") until the Decalogue was given on top of Mt. Sinai, but He did speak to certain people (as I believe you already mentioned .. through visions and dreams, burning bushes, etc.) before that time, like He did to Abram/Abraham (long before the written law was given to Moses). For instance:12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.
13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.
14 Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law unto themselves, even though they do not have the law,
15 since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.
16 This will take place on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
Genesis 15
1 The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying,
“Do not fear, Abram,
I am a shield to you;
Your reward shall be very great.”
2 Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”
3 And Abram said, “Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.”
4 Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.”
5 And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”
6 Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.
--David1 The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying,
“Do not fear, Abram,
I am a shield to you;
Your reward shall be very great.”
2 Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”
3 And Abram said, “Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.”
4 Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.”
5 And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”
6 Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.
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Akita Suggagaki
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We are all God's children. Everyone of us since the beginning of time have had access to our Father.
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concretecamper
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I think it is important to remember 2 thing.
1st is literacy rate and the 2nd is the printing press.
Prior to the printing press, copies of bibles were very rare. A church may have had 1 copy so they chained and guarded it becasue they may not get another copy for years. Also, Christianity flourish when less than 10% of the population could read.
The faithful were taught by the Church. Just as Christ wanted it.
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Can you explain why illiteracy would cause Christianity to flourish? What's wrong with being able to read?
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concretecamper
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I didn't say that.
nothing
Its just that having your own copy of the bible AND being able to read it is a relatively new thing.
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Sola Scripture was unheard of unlike today. It was mostly word of mouth, Tradition etc in those early centuries.
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