Covering

[@@Paul@@]

I was refering to a Bible education, not a liberal one. There is a difference. Our Pentecostal pastor in town only has a certificate and knows his Bible well, but not with any theological depth. He preaches heresy almost every week.

In the end, you are responsible for you.

Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!​

This has nothing to do with interdenominational ties or education, Has your pastor been sent? Certainly there are many out there who were not sent...

 

[Koey]

...Has your pastor been sent? Certainly there are many out there who were not sent...

Basically, many people seem to agree that he is building his own empire and not God's kingdom.

 

[christian-only]

So then if you misunderstand some words, then each day you will reinforce your error.

Use a dictionary

If you misunderstand some basic doctrines, you will have no one to challenge your heresy and teach you where you are wrong from the same Scriptures.

Other clearer Scriptures are much more able to correct you along the way than foolish men are.

If you lack wisdom...

If you lack wisdome ask of God who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not.

 

[Koey]

Wow are you in a dangerous position!

 

[christian-only]

Wow are you in a dangerous position!

Actually: no. Reading the word of God is not dangerous. Listening to your pastor and accepting whatever he says and refraining from reading God's word because you know it will prove him wrong is what is dangerous, but alas, such is the custom of all denominations.

Jesus did indeed say "he that is not against us is for us," as your signature says, BUT He also said "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad." (Mat 12:30)

 

[Koey]

Not quite! In a multitude of counsel there is safety. Reading our Bibles and only relying on our own faulty interpretation without the balancing effect of listening to more educated Christians than ourselves is very dangerous.

And we could say, "I dont' interpret the Bible. I just believe what it says." However, we all interpret because of distance, time, culture and language. These are filters that cloud our understanding. In order to better understand the Bible, we need to undestand what was in the author's mind when he wrote it, the cultural context, the wide variances in language from English to Hebrew and Greek, and a host of other things.

There are too many people who claim they only need the Holy Spirit to guide them, and then blame the Holy Spirit for producing some very wacky, damaging and perverted ideas. The Holy Spirit does guide us directly, but he also guides us through other people and interestingly that also teaches us humility. And we don't want to be unteachable do we.

 

[Rev. Smith]

I'm with Koey, reading scripture is very important and very fruitful - but alone with nothing more it can lead to error and prejudice. The value of a cover is not in the church itself, but in the assurance that difficult questions are studied and dealt with. My Bishop is 2600 miles away from my parish, but I often refer people to him with questions I can't ((or won't - if I'm not certain of the answer) opine on.

We have a weekly thological study (note not Bible Study) - where we address moral, ethical and faith issues from scripture, tradition and the best of theological thought. As Koey points out, even the most ardent fundimentalist inturprets. Having a Syod, congress or any other body helps us understand and ensure orthdoxy. Sometimes that means being wrong in numbers, but usually its safer

 

[Chloe~]

I am about to read a GREAT book on the subject. It's "Who Is Your Covering" by Frank Viola and I think it addresses this issue wonderfully.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0966665716/103-1806988-3407022?v=glance

http://www.ptmin.org/

 

[Polycarp1]

I disagree with the idea that education makes good preachers as well. Most of the time education ruins preachers because they get all that Greek gobbly-gook in their head and start doubting the inspiration and preservation of the Scriptures and then get to the point where they will just say anything because they no longer feel bound by the authority of the Scriptures to teach the truth, since they no longer believe that they have the Scriptures.

Gee, it's too bad that Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Jude, and James wrote in "that Greek gobbly-gook" -- perhaps we should not trust what they said?

Jesus said, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

Perhaps your problem is that teachers who have learned something of the original words and the thoughts of 20 centuries of Christian leaders say things that disagree with your point of view. After all, it's very uncomfortable to be confronted by the Holy Spirit that something you thought was true is not actually what He meant.

 

[Koey]

Gee, it's too bad that Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Jude, and James wrote in "that Greek gobbly-gook" -- perhaps we should not trust what they said?

Jesus said, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

Perhaps your problem is that teachers who have learned something of the original words and the thoughts of 20 centuries of Christian leaders say things that disagree with your point of view. After all, it's very uncomfortable to be confronted by the Holy Spirit that something you thought was true is not actually what He meant.

You make a good point Polycarp. I think a major problem is that we are exposed to so many preachers at the extremes and very few in the middle:

1. The sugar-coated poorly-educated charismatic preacher who is often very exciting, but preaches empty-headed fluff that really doesn't satisfy in the end of the day, and contains more hype than truth.
2. The well-educated preacher who can rightly divide the word of truth, but is so boring that nobody listens.

I dream of a generation of preachers who know their Bibles well, including the original languages, but have a zeal and heart to preach that universe-changing message with gusto and attention-grabbing dynamism -- who preach the truth of the Bible and not brainless heretical junk.