Do You Believe the Bible is God's Word?

2Peter 2:v.6-9 & 12-22

6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow,
making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds

9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:


12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;

14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.

18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.

19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

hedrick said:

no, I don't think Scripture is simply identical to the Word of God.

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Growing up, I was repeatedly reminded of 2Co 3:

6 He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.

I was always taught that Christ is the Word of God. A person, not a written code. By extension, one could say that that words of Christ are God's words.

I understand that Scripture is God-breathed and is certainly extremely precious. But who in history came up with the belief that all Scripture is the literal word of God?

jimmyjimmy said:

Here's a simple test:

"A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools." (Proverbs 26:3)

Has God spoken?

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We can't consider ourselves to have understood what God has said until we've responsibly applied collaborative hermeneutical efforts to our understanding of God's Word. Of course, this essential hermeneutical principle goes for any communication between two persons ...

2PhiloVoid said:

We can't consider ourselves to have understood what God has said until we've responsibly applied collaborative hermeneutical efforts to our understanding of God's Word.

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I don't like your avatar .

Andrewn said:

I don't like your avatar .

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That's alright. I don't suspect that many people do, bro! Just realize that it's a metaphor...for a more philosophical yet still Christian approach to Spiritual Warfare.

2PhiloVoid said:

Just realize that it's a metaphor...for a more philosophical yet still Christian approach to Spiritual Warfare.

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Is this a picture of Satan?

Andrewn said:

Is this a picture of Satan?

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No. It's a fictional comic-book character known as Ghost Rider; essentially, he is an anti-anti-Christ.

Mountainmanbob said:

The largest group of common men could have never thought up the plan as shared by God in the Bible with us.
M-Bob

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I agree. The number of authors and their varied cultures, professions, character, situations.... along with the passage of times and ages .... that the writing of these books spanned... and to have the continuity of theme and concept held to such an exactness..... with the original transcripts higher in number and closeness to the time of events than any other accepted ancient accredited writings...... This had to have been the work of a supreme being. It is the words of our creator.

2PhiloVoid said:

No. It's a fictional comic-book character known as Ghost Rider; essentially, he is an anti-anti-Christ.

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What is an "anti-anti Christ?

JacksBratt said:

What is an "anti-anti Christ?

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Do some hermeneutical research by watching the first and second Ghost Rider movies starring Nicolas Cage and find out ...

Andrewn said:

I understand that Scripture is God-breathed and is certainly extremely precious. But who in history came up with the belief that all Scripture is the literal word of God?

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I think it’s pretty obvious. The term “word of God” is used in the NT for all communication from God. I’m not familiar with use by the Catholic tradition, but certainly the Reformers saw Scripture as the Word of God. It was for them the primary authority for knowledge of God and his will.

Calvin, at least, did understand that it was also a human product. But before the Enlightenment, modern science, and critical study of Scripture, it was natural not to make too much of that distinction. Differences in viewpoint between various books could be accommodated by interpretation, even though some of that interpretation seems forced when looked at today. Hence it was perfectly natural to consider Scripture as a whole God’s message.

Today we understand a bit more just how much the human role was. I’d still be willing to call it God’s word, if understood properly. But not in the way the OP meant.

jimmyjimmy said:

Here's a simple test:

"A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools." (Proverbs 26:3)

Has God spoken?

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"Thus saith the Lord" is when we can identify the Lord speaking, through His Prophets. The writer, some say Solomon for the most part, did not claim divine inspiration, yet the writer assumed absolute authoritativeness of what they said, conscience as the final guide of life.
Blessings

2PhiloVoid said:

No. It's a fictional comic-book character known as Ghost Rider; essentially, he is an anti-anti-Christ.

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So, he's a good guy. Thx.

Semper-Fi said:

As an apostle of Christ sure, as the
governing body of a country, no.

“Let every soul be subject unto the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist [speaking of man’s governments and courts] are appointed by God.…

For he [a government or court official] is God’s minister [“servant” or “magistrate”] to you for good.

But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an AVENGER TO EXECUTE WRATH on him who practices evil” (Romans 13:1-4 )


People going around killing others
should not be forgiven, and let loose
back on society to harm or kill again.

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The Roman procurator Pilate was subject to Caesar and sympathetic to a ruling faction of the Jews. He killed Jesus. Pilate was the ruler of the people. Caesar put him there, not God. To be subject to Pilate would have made you an enemy of God. No man can serve two masters.

If you make a ruler more important than God, you will lose God’s support. According to the a Gospels, Jesus did not order executions, but was executed.

What should be done with military men all over the world who went about killing others with extreme prejudice? Will there ever be an end to war, strikes, counter strikes, bombs, and mass executions?

The US saturation bombed Vietnam and lost the war anyway. Now that the fighting stopped Vietnam and America are on better terms. Some US veterans went back there to help clear mine fields.

Andrewn said:

So, he's a good guy. Thx.

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Yep.

2PhiloVoid said:

Yep.

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This avatar is cool. Who is he?

jimmyjimmy said:

Here's a simple test:

"A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools." (Proverbs 26:3)

Has God spoken?

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Seems like a poll.

A.) Yes.

I'm not sure how anyone can create paragraphs out of their answers.

jimmyjimmy said:

Here's a simple test:

"A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools." (Proverbs 26:3)

Has God spoken?

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Yep the Bible is Gods inspired Word.

As these two verses attest to:

2 Timothy 3:16
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2 Peter 1:20-21 King James Version (KJV)
20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost

All SCripture is equally inspired, but not all Scripture are equally applicable!

Also we must remember we are reading a linguistic translation. It behooves us to understand how words were used originally to better grasp what is being said.

dqhall said:

The Roman procurator Pilate was subject to Caesar and sympathetic to a ruling faction of the Jews. He killed Jesus. Pilate was the ruler of the people. Caesar put him there, not God. To be subject to Pilate would have made you an enemy of God. No man can serve two masters.

If you make a ruler more important than God, you will lose God’s support. According to the a Gospels, Jesus did not order executions, but was executed.

What should be done with military men all over the world who went about killing others with extreme prejudice? Will there ever be an end to war, strikes, counter strikes, bombs, and mass executions?

The US saturation bombed Vietnam and lost the war anyway. Now that the fighting stopped Vietnam and America are on better terms. Some US veterans went back there to help clear mine fields.

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All people in powerful positions, evil or righteous, are there because God will be done.

jimmyjimmy said:

Here's a simple test:

"A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools." (Proverbs 26:3)

Has God spoken?

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Of course, he has in this verse. But it's not up to us to administer those corrections for unbelievers (Rev. 22:11). When we have personal relationships with believers, God can use our soft answer to help them.