Focus of Christians???

[Phil 1:21]

Your order of events there is off. You read the Bible first to be a truly "devout" Christian. A person who claims to follow any religion devoutly without knowing its creed and text is foolish and ignorant. What you describe is exactly what I said, a lack of faith.

If the same person had read the entire OT and understood the context of such, the OT is about a God who is madly in love with mankind but not turning a blind eye to man's increasing evil lifestyle. Sin always has and forever will be dealt with.

God is love, but he is also holy. In his love he sent Jesus to save us from our sins, because he will judge sin.

So again, a lack of faith is what caused them to lose their religion. Not God

It genuinely surprises me how many Christians have not read the Bible. I'm not judging their faith in the least, but it's easy to see how so many unbiblical theologies come into existence within a congregation unfamiliar with the Bible itself. If folks don't study the Truth, how will they discern a lie?

 

[Theadorus]

It genuinely surprises me how many Christians have not read the Bible. I'm not judging their faith in the least, but it's easy to see how so many unbiblical theologies come into existence within a congregation unfamiliar with the Bible itself. If folks don't study the Truth, how will they discern a lie?

Exactly! There is a Christian College here in Colorado where the text book isn't the Bible. What they study and teach you are books written about the Bible (someone's interpretation of it), but they don't use the Bible itself

I was also reading yesterday about how Jesus, during his temptations, defeated Satan with his knowledge of the word. And that's why It's so important to know the word and sow it into our hearts. Otherwise when Satan comes at you and tells you that God doesn't love you or that he is mad at you, you'll believe it, because you have no idea how God truly feels about you. Same with answered prayers. The Bible makes it very clear that God wants to answer all of our prayers (that are according to his will), but people don't know that, and so they pray prayers in doubt or unbelief hoping that God will be in a good enough mood to answer those prayers.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

As a church, should believers focus most their time and efforts on studying the Old Testament, the New Testament, or should there me a balance struck between the two?

What reasons would you give for your answer?

It's impossible to understand the new properly without understanding the old first.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

It's impossible to understand the new properly without understanding the old first.

It certainly does help a great deal

 

[dqhall]

As a church, should believers focus most their time and efforts on studying the Old Testament, the New Testament, or should there me a balance struck between the two?

What reasons would you give for your answer?

If you study the Old Testament you are studying Judaism. Jews in Israel studied the Old Testament and numerous other commentaries and writings about their religion. If you study the New Testament, you might find Christianity. It is good to know some of the Old Testament context as well.

One should not take the Bible too literally. While I was touring Israel, there was a report in an English version of one of the online Hebrew news periodicals about an Ultra-Orthodox Jew who put a goat in his car and drove to the Temple Mount. He was on his way to try to offer the goat as a sacrifice to YHWH. The police turned him back.

I may pray to God for what I should read, or decide to read the Gospels dozens of more times. I read hundreds of books. I would advise reading. I can not tell you what book you should be reading or how many verses a day you should be covering.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

If you study the Old Testament you are studying Judaism. Jews in Israel studied the Old Testament and numerous other commentaries and writings about their religion. If you study the New Testament, you might find Christianity. It is good to know some of the Old Testament context as well.

One should not take the Bible too literally. While I was touring Israel, there was a report in an English version of one of the online Hebrew news periodicals about an Ultra-Orthodox Jew who put a goat in his car and drove to the Temple Mount. He was on his way to try to offer the goat as a sacrifice to YHWH. The police turned him back.

I may pray to God for what I should read, or decide to read the Gospels dozens of more times. I read hundreds of books. I would advise reading. I can not tell you what book you should be reading or how many verses a day you should be covering.

Not sure what you mean by taking the Bible literally. If you mean by understand the context of scripture and does it apply to our current age then yes absolutely, some of scripture in that case is written more for our understanding and wisdom. But all scripture is God breathed and profitable for doctrine, reproductive, correction, and instruction in righteousness, that the person of God may be complete and fully equipped for every good work. All scripture, not just some.

 

[WilliamBo]

should believers focus most their time and efforts on studying the Old Testament, the New Testament, or should there me a balance struck between

I personally think Bible study should be done mostly by the individual and not completely rely on your church to teach you... I went through like 6+ Bibles in the first year after I found Christ just "cramming" God's Word into my heart and I would highlight and mark in the bible so much I had to get a new one... I read mostly all the NT but some OT like proverbs, psalms, genesis, the story of king David I've read like a dozen times, and a few others. I LOVE the OT but for me personally, I had to learn the gospel of Jesus Christ FIRST. Hope this helps

 

[ByTheSpirit]

I personally think Bible study should be done mostly by the individual and not completely rely on your church to teach you... I went through like 6+ Bibles in the first year after I found Christ just "cramming" God's Word into my heart and I would highlight and mark in the bible so much I had to get a new one... I read mostly all the NT but some OT like proverbs, psalms, genesis, the story of king David I've read like a dozen times, and a few others. I LOVE the OT but for me personally, I had to learn the gospel of Jesus Christ FIRST. Hope this helps

Similar story with me. I grew up in church but fell away after joining the military. Then once Jesus healed me of depression I literally locked myself in my room for 3 weeks and did nothing but read the Bible. I couldn't get enough! And every page I read burned within me for more and more.

 

[AACJ]

As a church, should believers focus most their time and efforts on studying the Old Testament, the New Testament, or should there me a balance struck between the two?

What reasons would you give for your answer?

A balance of course. The OT is just as relevant as it has always been. The same God that never changes is the author of both and is revealed in both.

The universal truths and revelations contained in the OT have not been abrogated nor abolished; therefore, they are just as critical to today's Bible student as they have always been.

Good commentaries are also important for instruction and encouragement. I enjoy the older commentaries/preachers/teachers.

"First, read the Word of God. Second, consume the Word of God until it consumes you. Third believe the Word of God. Fourth, act on the Word."
--Smith Wigglesworth

 

[Shempster]

I took an iPod and downloaded Romans, Psalms, and Genesis from a dramatized audio bible. Then I shuffle it all and listen as I work.
Trust me, you want both. They both relate to each other so much. One always seems to clarify the other if you spend enough time with them.

 

[JoeP222w]

As a church, should believers focus most their time and efforts on studying the Old Testament, the New Testament, or should there me a balance struck between the two?

What reasons would you give for your answer?

The answer is yes.

The Old Testament and the New Testament are all God's word. It profits the believer in Jesus Christ to study all of God's word.

 

[fat wee robin]

A balance of course. The OT is just as relevant as it has always been. The same God that never changes is the author of both and is revealed in both.

The universal truths and revelations contained in the OT have not been abrogated nor abolished; therefore, they are just as critical to today's Bible student as they have always been.

Good commentaries are also important for instruction and encouragement. I enjoy the older commentaries/preachers/teachers.

"First, read the Word of God. Second, consume the Word of God until it consumes you. Third believe the Word of God. Fourth, act on the Word."
--Smith Wigglesworth

I think for those with the light already in them, there is no real need for the O.T., and I have never read it ,but it was Jesus when I was a child ,that truly inspired me .The OT has no bearing on my belief ,and knowledge of my Saviour .
I go into a bible forum discussion often, so know a bit about the O.T . now , but emphasis on that , instead of the N.T., means that the person is not really a Christian , as they have no inspiration from the H. Spirit, who only came after the resurrection, to provide all that we need to know about Jesus .
To be a christian, means you follow the resurrected Christ Himself , not others .

 

[Halbhh]

A balance of course. The OT is just as relevant as it has always been. The same God that never changes is the author of both and is revealed in both.

The universal truths and revelations contained in the OT have not been abrogated nor abolished; therefore, they are just as critical to today's Bible student as they have always been.

Good commentaries are also important for instruction and encouragement. I enjoy the older commentaries/preachers/teachers.

"First, read the Word of God. Second, consume the Word of God until it consumes you. Third believe the Word of God. Fourth, act on the Word."
--Smith Wigglesworth

Commentaries can be helpful, but I've noticed they disagree about some things, and in the end you have to admit this is merely another person working at interpretation, and they can get some things right, and miss other things, so I only use them as a sort of challenge to investigate. If a commentary says "A", and I haven't already investigated "A", I will usually try to look up the source passages and read with full context if "A" has any real importance. I want to know if "A" is correct. But it's always good to remember that many verses simply cannot be represented well as just some ideas, but instead have a deeper level of connection in their wording, especially words from Christ. Someone can commentary about "love your enemy", but I had to admit finally that it was already all too clear, and then....finally, I actually tried it, and it works great!

Put another way, if Christ says to do "A", and a commentator or preacher says it really means just to do "B", and not "A".... Well, it's a good moment to set that commentator aside and seek better. It does help though to have actually read what Christ said, first, more than just 10 or 50 verses.

In the end we should dare to read His Words and let them change us, without any diversions to avoid what He says. If He says "Love your enemies" we should not be trying to find a way to do something else instead.

 

[HenryM]

As a church, should believers focus most their time and efforts on studying the Old Testament, the New Testament, or should there me a balance struck between the two?

I get the question, but as I see it, it's of much higher importance to study the Bible rightly handling the word. If done in that way, all Bible is profitable for us today, if not it doesn't matter much what parts do you focus on.

 

[JCFantasy23]

As a church, should believers focus most their time and efforts on studying the Old Testament, the New Testament, or should there me a balance struck between the two?

What reasons would you give for your answer?

I wish there was a balance. I grew up reading the old Testament before the new (read the bible in order at the time), you there is invaluable stuff for a Christian in both. Every church I've went to only references the New Testament in sermons and messages though.

 

[AlexDTX]

As a church, should believers focus most their time and efforts on studying the Old Testament, the New Testament, or should there me a balance struck between the two?

What reasons would you give for your answer?

Neither and both. The saints need practical help in know the communication of the Lord to them.

 

[YHWH_will_uplift]

As a church, should believers focus most their time and efforts on studying the Old Testament, the New Testament, or should there me a balance struck between the two?

What reasons would you give for your answer?

Instead of asking the body one should ask the head: therefore look at why Jesus walked and talked the way He did and you will better understand how He interpreted and applied the Old Testament in the New Testament.

 

[YHWH_will_uplift]

Neither and both. The saints need practical help in know the communication of the Lord to them.

Practicality is exactly what Jesus demonstrated and offered. When He told the Pharisees that David nor Abiathar sinned in the holy bread being eaten by David and his men: this meant that when one's ife is in danger and we are starving: God in His mercy will feed us with the holy bread which was only meant for the priests to eat: therefore Life preserves life: therefore Jesus told the hypocrites to learn the meaning of "I desire mercy and not sacrifice."

 

[Anto9us]

divinely inspired commentary

yeah, that's what we need -- "THE DIVINELY INSPIRED COMMENTARY" -- write it and publish it, ByTheSpirit -- with that exact title!! I bet it will go like hotcakes!

Would that Commentaries be divinely inspired, I am not even sure to what extent, if any -- TRANSLATIONS are inspired...

 

[AACJ]

Instead of asking the body one should ask the head: therefore look at why Jesus walked and talked the way He did and you will better understand how He interpreted and applied the Old Testament in the New Testament.

Good advice