My (mini) Theology in a nutshell.

Jesse Dornfeld · Oct 13, 2020

My (mini) Theology in a nutshell.

God’s character

God is three persons of one nature of immutable moral character. All persons of God are perfect in unity, personal, and above all, God is Holy. God is comprised of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, all existing from everlasting to everlasting. God the Father is an Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Omnibenevolent being. He lacks nothing and He needs nothing. God the Son is the only begotten of the Father. The Son is fully God, fully human, born of a virgin through the Holy Spirit. The Son is the Jewish Messiah sent into the world that all the world would be blessed and He intercedes for us. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin and indwells in every believer through regeneration.

The Bible

The Bible is the Word of God. It is inerrant in the first original manuscripts. The Bible was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It is the final word on matters of Christianity. It has been complete in the canonization of the Bible.

Christ

Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth and gives different degrees of authority to other people in His name, so too is our decision-making process.

God's knowledge

God created the universe. As such, He foretells what is going to happen by way of knowing the contents of the universe or He is intimately involved in what happens in the universe.

God's determining:
From the creation of time, God set things in order (ex. mathematics, physics, biology, psychology, laws of nature). Based on God's knowledge of how the universe works alone gives him the capacity to know what is going to happen in the universe. If John 1:1-3 is true, then God would have knowledge of how the universe functions and its governing laws. In knowing the how of something it follows knowing the what of that something. If He knows HOW the universe functions then he would know WHAT the universe entails. So, for God, how the universe works is a precedent to what the universe entails. If you believe God created the universe, then it follows logically that God has perfect knowledge of the universe. Why? Because if God determined the laws of the universe, there are no laws of the universe that He would be unaware of. If He is perfect in his understanding of how the universe works, then he would be perfect in knowing what happens in the universe. Ex. If I want to get myself a drink of water, and I know how the faucet works, then I will be able to determine at what point to turn the faucet on and off to give myself the amount of water that I want.

God's intimate involvement:
There are moments when God is more involved with the inner workings of the universe then at other times. God deals with things intimately when He providentially intervenes in the course of the universe to do His divine will. As such, it should be understood that the more God cares about a particular outcome of something the more He will be involved in that outcome. The more involved in the outcome God is in something, the higher chance that God is intervening supernaturally in that outcome. There are examples of this that are very clear from a Christian worldview. There are three most noteworthy occurrences that God has been most intimate with the outcome of things where he has intervened since the beginning of time.

The first that could not have happened any other way which is the first thing that actually did happen, which was the first of the three most intimate ways God has intervened is in the creation of the universe. Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
The second thing that actually did happen, which was the second of the three most intimate ways God has intervened is in the creation of humans. Genesis 1:27 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."
The third thing that actually did happen, which was the third of the three most intimate ways God has intervened is in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,"

God's Sovereignty vs Free Will

In terms of God's Sovereignty and our Free Will, I believe in a kind of Free Will that is a bit counterintuitive. I believe where humans are most involved in the decision-making process that this is when God is most involved in the decision-making process as well.
God's Sovereignty and our Free Will are not two sides of the same coin, but rather, Free Will is not possible without God's Sovereignty. As the Israelites have acted throughout history, it has not always been their choice to follow God, however, the Israelites would not exist unless it was for a promise that God made to a man named Abraham, that by his faith God promised to bless all the nations of the earth. The Old Testament is rife with God's redemptive nature for a sinful people we call the Israelites today. This was not a people built on unequivocal allegiance to God's promises as a sinless people, but rather that God used Israel to fulfill his ultimate plan of redemption for the whole human race. There were times when the Israelites wanted nothing to do with God, but there was always a remnant of people who were faithful to God. God raised up Moses to lead a people out of bondage to slavery. It was through this man that God gave His Law to this people so that they could be a blessing to all other nations. But they rebelled against God and wanted to devote themselves to other gods. God responds in kind to their rebellion against Him by chastising them into repentance so that God's ultimate purpose for humanity could be fulfilled by sending his Son, through the seed of Abraham, that all the world might be blessed through the suffering, atoning death, and resurrection of the promised Holy One of Israel who takes away the sins of the world. Insomuch as Christ died for our sins, which was an act of God, in so doing God provided a ransom for a chosen people. As the ransom was paid, and the work of Christ on earth was finished, Christ gave us a down payment for our salvation that is found in the life-giving work of the Holy Spirit. So, it is not as though we mere humans have control of our own destiny, as God has been at work since the beginning of creation to ransom a payment for a chosen people who neither earned nor deserved His saving work.

Examples of how our Free Will work with God’s Sovereignty:

In a popular majority of what people choose, this is when God's Will is most easily seen. Consider an election of a government official. The more people that vote for that person the more that God wills that person to enter government office assuming people go along with the rules of election fairly.
In raising children, the more involved in the child's life the parents are, the better the quality of life that the child will have. As such, the more effort that goes into raising a child, the more of God's care that is involved in that child's life.
If you own a 1-million-dollar home, you are not going to drive a 1-thousand-dollar vehicle. As such the things we buy are determined qualitatively. The more God blesses someone financially, the higher quality things that person will have.

Soteriology

In terms of Soteriology, upon hearing the Gospel, people have an ultimate decision in how they respond to the message of Christ. The more God has intimate knowledge of the dealings that humans have in their everyday lives, the more providential God will be in who hears the Gospel and how they will respond to it. People can choose to accept the Gospel or reject it. In both cases, God is divinely at work in the decision of the person accepting or rejecting the message of Christ. In as much as people respond to the Gospel, God is glorified proportionally to the degree to which people respond to it.

Methodology of Soteriology:

Hearing the Gospel
Discerning the message of the Gospel
The souls work of accepting or rejecting the message of God
Acting in wisdom after receiving the Word
Bearing fruit from doing the Will of God

Gregory Thompson · Oct 13, 2020

I find Do It Yourself salvation kind of defeats the purpose of Jesus dying for us in the first place. If we could have saved ourselves, His death wouldn't have been necessary.

I tend to not agree with the predestination or free will dichotomy, so have no comment.

A_Thinker · Oct 13, 2020

I agree with most of your conclusions, however, I take a bit of exception to your statements regarding God's Will.

I believe that it is likely impossible for us mere humans to fully KNOW the workings of the will of God. Certainly, God gives us broad outlines, ... but He is also apt to do and will ... what we would never guess.

1. I do not believe that one can discern the will of God ... from the decisions of men of any number. It appears that Noah was a loner is representing God's will ... among a whole world who constant imagining was evil.

2. There is, likely, an "ideal" amount of parental involvement ... which most benefits children. Too little parental involvement tends to make children wild and rudderless, ... while too much parental involvement tends to make children weak and dependent.

The paradox is that it is likely that the "ideal" amount of parenting differs ... for every child. It is the challenge of even the good parent to discern exactly what their children need.

3. Your conclusion here is rather general and presumptive ... and is more based upon the foibles of men, rather than the plan of God.

Including analysis of other than material bestowals (i.e. emotional, spiritual, societal, etc.) ... will make this point more interesting.

Jesse Dornfeld · Oct 13, 2020

A_Thinker said:
I agree with most of your conclusions, however, I take a bit of exception to your statements regarding God's Will.

I believe that it is likely impossible for us mere humans to fully KNOW the workings of the will of God. Certainly, God gives us broad outlines, ... but He is also apt to do and will ... what we would never guess.

1. I do not believe that one can discern the will of God ... from the decisions of men of any number. It appears that Noah was a loner is representing God's will ... among a whole world who constant imagining was evil.

2. There is, likely, an "ideal" amount of parental involvement ... which most benefits children. Too little parental involvement tends to make children wild and rudderless, ... while too much parental involvement tends to make children weak and dependent.

The paradox is that it is likely that the "ideal" amount of parenting differs ... for every child. It is the challenge of even the good parent to discern exactly what their children need.

3. Your conclusion here is rather general and presumptive ... and is more based upon the foibles of men, rather than the plan of God.

Including analysis of other than material bestowals (i.e. emotional, spiritual, societal, etc.) ... will make this point more interesting.

Thanks for your post.

1. It says in the Bible that God appoints the leaders of nations. My point was to illustrate that what men do influences who is in charge by God's sovereignty. Certainly not every nation is a democracy, however, people are still involved in who is in charge.
2. More effort does not equate to more involvement.
3. Fair enough.

A_Thinker · Oct 13, 2020

True Counterphobia said:
1. It says in the Bible that God appoints the leaders of nations. My point was to illustrate that what men do influences who is in charge by God's sovereignty. Certainly not every nation is a democracy, however, people are still involved in who is in charge.

Qualified agreement.

As you note, a democracy is a fairly novel concept. It certainly was not in evidence throughout all of the years in which the scriptures were written.

Human leadership most likely, depended upon familial heritage, ... or, even more crudely, upon who is the most powerful (i.e. survival of the fittest).

My larger point ... is that it is problematic to attempt to discern God's will ... working backwards from the will of men.

God, Himself, has declared that His will, ways, and thoughts ... are at odds to man's.

Isaiah 55

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Jesse Dornfeld · Oct 13, 2020

A_Thinker said:
Qualified agreement.

As you note, a democracy is a fairly novel concept. It certainly was not in evidence throughout all of the years in which the scriptures were written.

Human leadership most likely, depended upon familial heritage, ... or, even more crudely, upon who is the most powerful (i.e. survival of the fittest).

My larger point ... is that it is problematic to attempt to discern God's will ... working backwards from the will of men.

God, Himself, has declared that His will, ways, and thoughts ... are at odds to man's.

Isaiah 55

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

I would be extremely remiss if I was saying something that wasn't in the Bible with this. I am not working "backwards from what man does" rather, I am taking a Biblical principle that is stated in the Bible and attempting to explain philosophically how this works.

Blessings.

A_Thinker · Oct 13, 2020

True Counterphobia said:
I would be extremely remiss if I was saying something that wasn't in the Bible with this. I am not working "backwards from what man does" rather, I am taking a Biblical principle that is stated in the Bible and attempting to explain philosophically how this works.

Blessings.

Understood.

Just giving you more scripture to consider ...

Romans 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

Amittai · Oct 13, 2020

I think you're getting your no. 1 under politics wrong. God's appointing is permissive, and human systems are mostly based on imposing on minorities, part or all of whom may be more enlightened or nuanced; with or without attempts to address this effectively or ineffectively.

As for no. 2 parenting: young children know fair / unfair and function / dysfunction and rights / wrongs from logic. If their parents have destroyed logic and personality, the children will have difficulty. This may be what you were getting at.

We are beings for turning contingency (what we might or might not do) into necessity (fait accompli) across a "dimension" of time. We do this by our personality. It is creativeness. This is a general observation and not only in theology.

Some physicists believe (from their calculations) that in one of the very "first" fractions of a split second, light happened; thereby relating to the importance of its speed. This doesn't mean they have to be bossed (in connection with their job) into accepting a particular religion; surely they are doing mankind good in itself by sharing their interest in the universe with us.

Jesse Dornfeld · Oct 13, 2020

A_Thinker said:
Understood.

Just giving you more scripture to consider ...

Romans 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

For sure! I am not claiming to know the mind of God. I am simply trying to say what I read from the Bible.

Amittai · Oct 13, 2020

True Counterphobia said:
...

5. Bearing fruit from doing the Will of God

This is especially done through safeguarding the gift of the others (and not suppressing it like the Pharisees) so that that they can gain their crown.

Daniel9v9 · Oct 13, 2020

It's great that you're interested in theology - even to the point of writing up a short systematic account. There are many things I would agree with here, but there are also many areas I would have to take issue with. However, instead of addressing individual doctrines, there is perhaps a broader basic principle that is worth considering:

The first thing I would say is that theology is not like a bag of rocks, as if each doctrine is a completely self-contained thing that we can freely add and remove as it makes sense to us. Theology needs to be understood as something much more organic, like a jigsaw puzzle or a human body, which consists of many interconnected elements that are in support of each other. So it's better to understand theology as a system or a framework. If we attempt to customise it, we're essentially either forming a new system, or more commonly, modifying an existing system.

What you're proposing here is essentially a loose and modified Arminian Baptist system. This is unsurprising, because this is what tends to be found in non-denominational, contemporary charismatic, and mega-churches, which is very influential in our day. There's an important historical reason for this, which has to do with their origin in the American Restoration Movement and their rejection of creeds and confessions. So what you're doing here is what many non-denominational churches have started doing, which is to create their own confessions, or "statement of faith", which is perhaps a more common expression in our day.

If I could offer some advice, it would be to take some time to study the Reformation and the writings that came out of it. I can appreciate that it may sound boring and irrelevant, and that it's much more fruitful to study the Scriptures (which is always true!) - but the reason I suggest this is simply because at the Reformation you can get some real insight into what the different church bodies believe and teach, and what they say in light of history. It will give you a much clearer idea of what our differences are and their significance. In simple terms, everything you've been touching on in your text has already been tackled very thoroughly and extensively at the Reformation, and it's just a real gold mine of Biblical and historical information.

In short, seeing as you believe in Sola Scriptura, which I do too, it can be worthwhile to study the reason and circumstances for this confession of faith.

Jesse Dornfeld · Oct 13, 2020

Daniel9v9 said:
It's great that you're interested in theology - even to the point of writing up a short systematic account. There are many things I would agree with here, but there are also many areas I would have to take issue with. However, instead of addressing individual doctrines, there is perhaps a broader basic principle that is worth considering:

The first thing I would say is that theology is not like a bag of rocks, as if each doctrine is a completely self-contained thing that we can freely add and remove as it makes sense to us. Theology needs to be understood as something much more organic, like a jigsaw puzzle or a human body, which consists of many interconnected elements that are in support of each other. So it's better to understand theology as a system or a framework. If we attempt to customise it, we're essentially either forming a new system, or more commonly, modifying an existing system.

What you're proposing here is essentially a loose and modified Arminian Baptist system. This is unsurprising, because this is what tends to be found in non-denominational, contemporary charismatic, and mega-churches, which is very influential in our day. There's an important historical reason for this, which has to do with their origin in the American Restoration Movement and their rejection of creeds and confessions. So what you're doing here is what many non-denominational churches have started doing, which is to create their own confessions, or "statement of faith", which is perhaps a more common expression in our day.

If I could offer some advice, it would be to take some time to study the Reformation and the writings that came out of it. I can appreciate that it may sound boring and irrelevant, and that it's much more fruitful to study the Scriptures (which is always true!) - but the reason I suggest this is simply because at the Reformation you can get some real insight into what the different church bodies believe and teach, and what they say in light of history. It will give you a much clearer idea of what our differences are and their significance. In simple terms, everything you've been touching on in your text has already been tackled very thoroughly and extensively at the Reformation, and it's just a real gold mine of Biblical and historical information.

In short, seeing as you believe in Sola Scriptura, which I do too, it can be worthwhile to study the reason and circumstances for this confession of faith.

Thank you for this long, detailed post, full of advice, I appreciate that you were not heavy handed.

Just FYI, I am more of a Calvinist than an Arminian. I do not believe being a Calvinist means you cannot be a compatibilist.

d taylor · Oct 13, 2020

True Counterphobia said:
My (mini) Theology in a nutshell.

God’s character

God is three persons of one nature of immutable moral character. All persons of God are perfect in unity, personal, and above all, God is Holy. God is comprised of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, all existing from everlasting to everlasting. God the Father is an Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Omnibenevolent being. He lacks nothing and He needs nothing. God the Son is the only begotten of the Father. The Son is fully God, fully human, born of a virgin through the Holy Spirit. The Son is the Jewish Messiah sent into the world that all the world would be blessed and He intercedes for us. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin and indwells in every believer through regeneration.

The Bible

The Bible is the Word of God. It is inerrant in the first original manuscripts. The Bible was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It is the final word on matters of Christianity. It has been complete in the canonization of the Bible.

Christ

Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth and gives different degrees of authority to other people in His name, so too is our decision-making process.

God's knowledge

God created the universe. As such, He foretells what is going to happen by way of knowing the contents of the universe or He is intimately involved in what happens in the universe.

God's determining:
From the creation of time, God set things in order (ex. mathematics, physics, biology, psychology, laws of nature). Based on God's knowledge of how the universe works alone gives him the capacity to know what is going to happen in the universe. If John 1:1-3 is true, then God would have knowledge of how the universe functions and its governing laws. In knowing the how of something it follows knowing the what of that something. If He knows HOW the universe functions then he would know WHAT the universe entails. So, for God, how the universe works is a precedent to what the universe entails. If you believe God created the universe, then it follows logically that God has perfect knowledge of the universe. Why? Because if God determined the laws of the universe, there are no laws of the universe that He would be unaware of. If He is perfect in his understanding of how the universe works, then he would be perfect in knowing what happens in the universe. Ex. If I want to get myself a drink of water, and I know how the faucet works, then I will be able to determine at what point to turn the faucet on and off to give myself the amount of water that I want.

God's intimate involvement:
There are moments when God is more involved with the inner workings of the universe then at other times. God deals with things intimately when He providentially intervenes in the course of the universe to do His divine will. As such, it should be understood that the more God cares about a particular outcome of something the more He will be involved in that outcome. The more involved in the outcome God is in something, the higher chance that God is intervening supernaturally in that outcome. There are examples of this that are very clear from a Christian worldview. There are three most noteworthy occurrences that God has been most intimate with the outcome of things where he has intervened since the beginning of time.

The first that could not have happened any other way which is the first thing that actually did happen, which was the first of the three most intimate ways God has intervened is in the creation of the universe. Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

The second thing that actually did happen, which was the second of the three most intimate ways God has intervened is in the creation of humans. Genesis 1:27 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."

The third thing that actually did happen, which was the third of the three most intimate ways God has intervened is in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,"

God's Sovereignty vs Free Will

In terms of God's Sovereignty and our Free Will, I believe in a kind of Free Will that is a bit counterintuitive. I believe where humans are most involved in the decision-making process that this is when God is most involved in the decision-making process as well.
God's Sovereignty and our Free Will are not two sides of the same coin, but rather, Free Will is not possible without God's Sovereignty. As the Israelites have acted throughout history, it has not always been their choice to follow God, however, the Israelites would not exist unless it was for a promise that God made to a man named Abraham, that by his faith God promised to bless all the nations of the earth. The Old Testament is rife with God's redemptive nature for a sinful people we call the Israelites today. This was not a people built on unequivocal allegiance to God's promises as a sinless people, but rather that God used Israel to fulfill his ultimate plan of redemption for the whole human race. There were times when the Israelites wanted nothing to do with God, but there was always a remnant of people who were faithful to God. God raised up Moses to lead a people out of bondage to slavery. It was through this man that God gave His Law to this people so that they could be a blessing to all other nations. But they rebelled against God and wanted to devote themselves to other gods. God responds in kind to their rebellion against Him by chastising them into repentance so that God's ultimate purpose for humanity could be fulfilled by sending his Son, through the seed of Abraham, that all the world might be blessed through the suffering, atoning death, and resurrection of the promised Holy One of Israel who takes away the sins of the world. Insomuch as Christ died for our sins, which was an act of God, in so doing God provided a ransom for a chosen people. As the ransom was paid, and the work of Christ on earth was finished, Christ gave us a down payment for our salvation that is found in the life-giving work of the Holy Spirit. So, it is not as though we mere humans have control of our own destiny, as God has been at work since the beginning of creation to ransom a payment for a chosen people who neither earned nor deserved His saving work.

Examples of how our Free Will work with God’s Sovereignty:

In a popular majority of what people choose, this is when God's Will is most easily seen. Consider an election of a government official. The more people that vote for that person the more that God wills that person to enter government office assuming people go along with the rules of election fairly.

In raising children, the more involved in the child's life the parents are, the better the quality of life that the child will have. As such, the more effort that goes into raising a child, the more of God's care that is involved in that child's life.

If you own a 1-million-dollar home, you are not going to drive a 1-thousand-dollar vehicle. As such the things we buy are determined qualitatively. The more God blesses someone financially, the higher quality things that person will have.

Soteriology

In terms of Soteriology, upon hearing the Gospel, people have an ultimate decision in how they respond to the message of Christ. The more God has intimate knowledge of the dealings that humans have in their everyday lives, the more providential God will be in who hears the Gospel and how they will respond to it. People can choose to accept the Gospel or reject it. In both cases, God is divinely at work in the decision of the person accepting or rejecting the message of Christ. In as much as people respond to the Gospel, God is glorified proportionally to the degree to which people respond to it.

Methodology of Soteriology:

Hearing the Gospel

Discerning the message of the Gospel

The souls work of accepting or rejecting the message of God

Acting in wisdom after receiving the Word

Bearing fruit from doing the Will of God

Interesting you use universe when speaking of Gods creation. Interesting because that universe (as described/created by science) is not found in the Bible. Actually when a writer in the Bible speaks of Gods creation they always use heaven and earth as the creation.

Jesse Dornfeld · Oct 15, 2020

In fact, I am open to hearing where people disagree with me. Where do you differ in theology?

Albion · Oct 16, 2020

True Counterphobia said:
In fact, I am open to hearing where people disagree with me. Where do you differ in theology?

It looks from here that the disagreements which have been posted so far are less about the specific doctrines than about the idea that it's appropriate for any individual to create a creed for himself based on whatever seems good or plausible to his own way of thinking.

Jesse Dornfeld · Oct 16, 2020

Albion said:
It looks from here that the disagreements which have been posted so far are less about the specific doctrines than about the idea that it's appropriate for any individual to create a creed for himself based on whatever seems good or plausible to his own way of thinking.

Perhaps you are right.

I think if one derives their theology from the Bible as the impetus and reads of others as a secondary means, I don't see a problem with this.

Like the bereans, we have to search the scriptures to see if what people believe regarding their Christian faith is truely based on the Bible or not.

Blessings.

Jesse Dornfeld · Oct 16, 2020

Amittai said:
This is especially done through safeguarding the gift of the others (and not suppressing it like the Pharisees) so that that they can gain their crown.

Perhaps. Or perhaps it is up to us to "search the Spirit" to use our gifts for God's good pleasure.

Albion · Oct 17, 2020

True Counterphobia said:
Perhaps you are right.

I think if one derives their theology from the Bible as the impetus and reads of others as a secondary means, I don't see a problem with this.

Like the bereans, we have to search the scriptures to see if what people believe regarding their Christian faith is truely based on the Bible or not.

Yes, but there is also the issue of a single person fully understanding all of Scripture.

It is easy for any of us to read and form an opinion, but if we stand on that alone, never considering the consensus of the church, not taking account of what the great theologians, Bible scholars, and etc. of 2000 years of Christianity have said,..then that is to reach a conclusion on one's own knowledge.

We would never do that with a medical issue or a legal issue, but we have an impulse to do that with a theological issue, perhaps because the Bible is there for all men to read and/or because we know it to be divine revelation.

In any case, the "go it alone" approach is inherently risky, no matter who we may be.

pescador · Oct 17, 2020

Albion said:
Yes, but there is also the issue of a single person fully understanding all of Scripture.

It is easy for any of us to read and form an opinion, but if we stand on that alone, never considering the consensus of the church, not taking account of what the great theologians, Bible scholars, and etc. of 2000 years of Christianity have said,..then that is to reach a conclusion on one's own knowledge.

We would never do that with a medical issue or a legal issue, but we have an impulse to do that with a theological issue, perhaps because the Bible is there for all men to read and/or because we know it to be divine revelation.

In any case, the "go it alone" approach is inherently risky, no matter who we may be.

Of course you realize that in the days of the Bible, very, very few people were literate. In those days there were few great theologians, Bible scholars, etc. People had to rely on what they heard in the synagogues or from the letters from apostles, evangelists, and others that were read aloud.

Now we have churches on every corner and many different Bible translations to teach us God's ways. Of course, they don't always agree on many points so one must decide for themselves (unless you're Catholic).

Albion · Oct 17, 2020

pescador said:
Of course you realize that in the days of the Bible, very, very few people were literate. In those days there were few great theologians, Bible scholars, etc. People had to rely on what they heard in the synagogues or from the letters from apostles, evangelists, and others that were read aloud.

Now we have churches on every corner and many different Bible translations to teach us God's ways. Of course, they don't always agree on many points so one must decide for themselves (unless you're Catholic).

Ah, but that's not what I was referring to. If there are learned people with different conclusions, and we make a choice about which is correct, we are still making use of those resources.

My comment went to the idea that any one of us can just read the Bible and conclude by ourselves whatever we think is right--perhaps including some notions that none of those 'churches on every corner' of which you spoke would agree with.

We're free to do that, of course, but it's not a good way to approach the matter.

My (mini) Theology in a nutshell.

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