What do you think are some reasons certain Christians refuse to read certain parts of the Bible?

brinny

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This is a thought provoking question. There was a time i refused and/or avoided reading the book of Job like the plague (i had difficulty reading about his inexplicable suffering)....

but i don't refuse to read parts of the Bible to avoid the "truth" in those difficult books, that get us to praying and delving harder into studying them.

One of the most edifying and blessings that God granted me was in His helping me to understand and embrace what the "fear of the Lord" means. It was like He opened a treasure box when i began studying it, through the study of the book of Job.
 
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Here are my reasons why I think certain Christians may refuse to read certain parts of the Bible:

#1. They find it hard to accept (in the fact that it conflicts with their morality).
#2. They find it hard to accept because it is not so easily explained.
#3. They lack faith that all of the Bible is God's Word (even when they don't have an answer).
#4. There is a certain part of God's Word that is too personal for them to deal with at that moment in their life (even though GOD wants to talk to them about it).
#5. They have a desire to be religious, but they were not born again by the Spirit, and or by water (i.e. Scripture).
#6. They had a vision, dream, or prayer that guided them to not want to read the entirety of the Bible anymore.
#7. They believed another person or church that made a convincing argument that the Bible as a whole is not God's Word.


In explaining #1, a person could think that the Old Testament is too violent to read and it upsets them. I know how they feel. There were times I had to stop reading because it felt like it was really violent, but I did not refuse to continue in going back to read again at a later time. But I know of folks who flat out refuse to read the OT eve again because of this reason.

I think others do not like to read or they reject the words of Paul because he appeared to be against the Law. However, I think they misunderstand Paul in the fact that Paul was arguing against the keeping of the 613 laws within the Law of Moses as a whole or contract (or Law Alone Salvationism without God's grace) and He was not arguing against Sanctification by the Spirit or holy living after a person was saved by God's grace (See: Titus 1:16, 1 Timothy 6:3-4, and Romans 8:13).
 
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brinny

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Here are my reasons why I think certain Christians may refuse to read certain parts of the Bible:

#1. They find it hard to accept (in the fact that it conflicts with their morality).
#2. They find it hard to accept because it is not so easily explained.
#3. They lack faith that all of the Bible is God's Word (even when they don't have an answer).
#4. There is a certain part of God's Word that is too personal for them to deal with at that moment in their life (even though GOD wants to talk to them about it).
#5. They have a desire to be religious, but they were not born again by the Spirit, and or by water (i.e. Scripture).
#6. They had a vision, dream, or prayer that guided them to not want to read the entirety of the Bible anymore.


In explaining #1, a person could think that the Old Testament is too violent to read and it upsets them. I know how they feel. There were times I had to stop reading because it felt like it was really violent, but I did not refuse to continue in going back to read again at a later time.

I think others do not like to read or they reject the words of Paul because he appeared to be against the Law. However, I think they misunderstand Paul in the fact that Paul was arguing against the keeping of the 613 laws within the Law of Moses as a whole or contract (or Law Alone Salvationism without God's grace) and He was not arguing against Sanctification by the Spirit or holy living after a person was saved by God's grace (See: Titus 1:16, 1 Timothy 6:3-4, and Romans 8:13).

i agree.

In addition, we all need to pray about this, because it comes down to the bottom line of "Who" is God?

We struggle in subtle ways in obeying HIS will or choosing our own will, which is rebellion. The Bible speaks on this and says that rebellion is akin to "witchcraft".
 
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What do you think are some reasons certain Christians refuse to read certain parts of the Bible?
Most people skip over the begats and refuse to read them. I always read every word in the Bible. Because I have studied the geneologies in the Bible it is easy for me to understand that Adam and Eve really did live 6,000 years ago. It is easy to believe that Noah was a real person that we will meet in Heaven and his Ark was a real boat filled with real animals. Lots of people have lots of opinions, but they do not read the Bible and their opinions are not based on what they have actually read and studied.
 
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i agree.

In addition, we all need to pray about this, because it comes down to the bottom line of "Who" is God?

We struggle in subtle ways in obeying HIS will or choosing our own will, which is rebellion. The Bible speaks on this and says that rebellion is akin to "witchcraft".

Reminds me of the man of GOD who chose to believe a false prophet over what the Word of the Lord said. He was told not to eat or drink in Bethel by GOD. This false prophet was telling him that an angel told him that it was okay to do so. The man of GOD was later killed by a lion (1 Kings 13:11-32).
 
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brinny

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Most people skip over the begats and refuse to read them. I always read every word in the Bible. Because I have studied the geneologies in the Bible it is easy for me to understand that Adam and Eve really did live 6,000 years ago. It is easy to believe that Noah was a real person that we will meet in Heaven and his Ark was a real boat filled with real animals. Lots of people have lots of opinions, but they do not read the Bible and their opinions are not based on what they have actually read and studied.

I agree. The begats are like "hidden treasures"......God's own "history" and the "building blocks" of our faith. God is a God of "remembrance". WE are to be a people of "remembrance" as well.

This comes to mind:

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil." ~Pr 3:5-7
 
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brinny

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Reminds me of the man of GOD who chose to believe a false prophet over what the Word of the Lord said. He was told not to eat or drink in Bethel by GOD. This false prophet was telling him that an angel told him that it was okay to do so. The man of GOD was later killed by a lion (1 Kings 13:11-32).

Yes, i remember that. Powerful reminder.
 
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Most people skip over the begats and refuse to read them. I always read every word in the Bible. Because I have studied the geneologies in the Bible it is easy for me to understand that Adam and Eve really did live 6,000 years ago. It is easy to believe that Noah was a real person that we will meet in Heaven and his Ark was a real boat filled with real animals. Lots of people have lots of opinions, but they do not read the Bible and their opinions are not based on what they have actually read and studied.

I think the genealogies is something that a believer has to do a study on. In the context of reading the story, it really has no meaning to us. They are a listing of a bunch of names. Yes, sometimes I might scan through them to find a name I may recognize, but most of the time I realize that there is not much there for me in the genealogies when it comes to reading the stories or narratives within God's Word. There is no understanding unless one does the study. But of course this study has to point to Jesus. For that is what the whole Word of God is all about (of course).
 
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Well, I was terrified the first time I read the book of Revelations...
(of course my views have changed now)

Revelation (not Revelations). But yes. I can understand how you felt back then.
The book of Revelation (singular) is the building up of God's judgment against sinful mankind. Men who refuse to repent results in a build up of God's judgment that ushers in the coming of Jesus Christ and the setting up of His 1,000 year reign. Also, the light will shine even brighter when things appear to be at their darkest. In addition, Israel needs to be driven to the wall to acknowledge that Jesus is indeed their Messiah.
 
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brinny

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I think the genealogies is something that a believer has to do a study on. In the context of reading the story, it really has no meaning to us. They are a listing of a bunch of names. Yes, sometimes I might scan through them to find a name I may recognize, but most of the time I realize that there is no much there for me in the genealogies when it comes to reading the stories or narratives within God's Word. There is no understanding unless one does the study. But of course this study has to point to Jesus. For that is what the whole Word of God is all about (of course).
I think the genealogies is something that a believer has to do a study on.
While doing this, i found a gem. His name was Jabez. It's been an absolute treasure to study. It's like God interrupted the stream of genealogies, and stuck his name in there, just for his sake....God was honoring him, even though it seems evident that neither his mother nor his brothers did, and most likely the entire community treated him badly as well (his mother and brothers names are not mentioned....just the comment that Jabez was more righteous than his brothers).

This comes to mind:

"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." ~Jere 33:3

"Calling on God" is "seeking Him" in His Word. And when we "call on Him" in His Word, He "answers".

This comes to mind:

iu
 
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Here are my reasons why I think certain Christians may refuse to read certain parts of the Bible:

#1. They find it hard to accept (in the fact that it conflicts with their morality).
#2. They find it hard to accept because it is not so easily explained.
#3. They lack faith that all of the Bible is God's Word (even when they don't have an answer).
#4. There is a certain part of God's Word that is too personal for them to deal with at that moment in their life (even though GOD wants to talk to them about it).
#5. They have a desire to be religious, but they were not born again by the Spirit, and or by water (i.e. Scripture).
#6. They had a vision, dream, or prayer that guided them to not want to read the entirety of the Bible anymore.
#7. They believed another person or church that made a convincing argument that the Bible as a whole is not God's Word.


In explaining #1, a person could think that the Old Testament is too violent to read and it upsets them. I know how they feel. There were times I had to stop reading because it felt like it was really violent, but I did not refuse to continue in going back to read again at a later time. But I know of folks who flat out refuse to read the OT eve again because of this reason.

I think others do not like to read or they reject the words of Paul because he appeared to be against the Law. However, I think they misunderstand Paul in the fact that Paul was arguing against the keeping of the 613 laws within the Law of Moses as a whole or contract (or Law Alone Salvationism without God's grace) and He was not arguing against Sanctification by the Spirit or holy living after a person was saved by God's grace (See: Titus 1:16, 1 Timothy 6:3-4, and Romans 8:13).
Good list. I would add that some faith tradtions teach that to read anything in the OT is to fall under legalism. It is a form of hyper dispensational thought. God was this way back then but suddenly changed His mind and now is the exact opposite.

In talking to a guy on another board a few years ago (he was from a tradition that taught using musical instruments in worship was evil) I pointed out to him that the Psalms COMMANDED the use of musical instruments in worship (I used Ps 150 as example)

His reply was that before the cross, you could not be saved if you did NOT use musical instruments; but after the cross you could not be saved if you DO use instruments.

Boy, that will give you a serious case of whiplash.
 
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Dave-W

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While doing this, i found a gem. His name was Jabez. It's been an absolute treasure to study. It's like God interrupted the stream of genealogies, and stuck his name in there, just for his sake....God was honoring him,
LOL!!!

The congregation I attended in college called the "Prayer of Jabez" the most selfish and ungodly prayer in all of scripture. They openly said they did not understand why God honored it.
 
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ByTheSpirit

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Some people avoid parts of scripture because it doesn't mesh well with their view of God. Thomas Jefferson famously cut out of his Bible all the miracles of Jesus so all that was left were the teachings. Look around here on CF for a bit, scores of people live only in the New Testament thinking either:

The God of the Old is too mean
The God of the Old is not the Christian God
Leviticus (yuck)
Etc

Most blame can honestly be laid on teachers. If churches taught a more complete scriptural picture, tying the Old and New together it would open a lot of eyes. But thats just my opinion
 
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brinny

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LOL!!!

The congregation I attended in college called the "Prayer of Jabez" the most selfish and ungodly prayer in all of scripture. They openly said they did not understand why God honored it.

God HONORED Jabez, because against ALL ODDS, Jabez turned to the God of Israel, in all of his pain and anguish and suffering, as he recognized that his ONLY "help" came from the Lord.

THIS is what God "heard" when Jabez prayed. Jabez prayed right in sync with many of David's pleadings and prayers in Psalms.

It's a GOOD thing to turn to God in our sorrow or sufferings. In another sense, this is exactly what Jacob did. Jacob was beyond desperate, and he REFUSED to "let go" of God. And what did God do? Did God "get mad"? No, He BLESSED Jacob for holding on "for dear life" in his sheer desperateness. And consequently we are invited to do the same.

I cannot count the number of times i've "clung" to God with all my might, just like essentially Jabez did, and Jacob did.

Another dear soul comes to mind - Gideon.

But that's another story.

:D
 
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Also, sometimes we think we know better / we know more than what that Scripture says because surely God doesn't mean what it says or what I think it's saying.

(unfortunately been guilty myself)
Here's an example:
"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;" I Tim 2:1-3.
 
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Good list. I would add that some faith tradtions teach that to read anything in the OT is to fall under legalism. It is a form of hyper dispensational thought. God was this way back then but suddenly changed His mind and now is the exact opposite.

In talking to a guy on another board a few years ago (he was from a tradition that taught using musical instruments in worship was evil) I pointed out to him that the Psalms COMMANDED the use of musical instruments in worship (I used Ps 150 as example)

His reply was that before the cross, you could not be saved if you did NOT use musical instruments; but after the cross you could not be saved if you DO use instruments.

Boy, that will give you a serious case of whiplash.

I believe we are under a New Covenant with New Commands and that the Old Law (the 613 laws given to Israel is no more as a whole or contract). Yes, certain laws have been repeated in the New Testament, but the commands in the NT are not put there for a believer to ignore or downplay in some way. There are 450 explicit general commands given to the New Covenant believer. I find it hard to believe they are to be ignored or watered down in some way. They are there by divine design. In fact, a passage within the last chapter of our Bible ends with saying,

"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie." (Revelation 22:14-15).

Oh, and I also don't see God's commands or instructions condemning a person unless there is a specific clause saying that there is punishment for doing so. So if you were an OT saint, and there is no part in the OT that says, "If you don't play musical instruments in praise to me, you shall be destroyed" then I don't see that not using musical instruments as an OT saint really is a necessity when worshiping or praising GOD.

But there are many warnings in breaking God's laws with damnation attached even in the New Covenant. But many today think they do not have to focus on keeping God's laws or they can just keep some of them that they like or some that are obvious and move about their life as they choose. But that is not how things work. GOD calls us to be servants and to do His will.

Please do not misunderstand me. I don't think a believer can keep God's laws or seek to obey the LORD without first being saved by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ and if they do not uplift and glorify His grace and mercy. The point here is that we all have chosen at some point in our lives to not read certain portions of Scripture or we glaze passed certain words that we don't like. We read fast through Scripture and don't want to pay attention to what God is trying to say to us. I believe many do this with God's commands because it is an issue of authority within their lives. Most are content in living their own life, so they read fast past God's commands in the New Testament (as if they are not even there).
 
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brinny

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Some people avoid parts of scripture because it doesn't mesh well with their view of God. Thomas Jefferson famously cut out of his Bible all the miracles of Jesus so all that was left were the teachings. Look around here on CF for a bit, scores of people live only in the New Testament thinking either:

The God of the Old is too mean
The God of the Old is not the Christian God
Leviticus (yuck)
Etc

Most blame can honestly be laid on teachers. If churches taught a more complete scriptural picture, tying the Old and New together it would open a lot of eyes. But thats just my opinion
The God of the Old is too mean

How sad. It is in the Old Testament where we read that our God "rejoices over us with singing", and where it says that His mercies are renewed each morning, and where it is written that those who heed His voice will be "chased down and overcome with His blessings".
 
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