How closely should one follow the Bible

[sydneylad]

Just curious as to how you lot feel about this.

How closely should Chirstians follow the Bible?

Should it be followed word by word, as it's the word of God?

Or can you pick and choose which parts of the Bible you'd like to follow?

Cheers.

 

[oneofthem]

How closely should Chirstians follow the Bible?

Christians should be a "doer" of the word as best they can. Chrisitans should do their best to align their mindsets and attitudes with what the Bible says, to the best of their understanding.

Should it be followed word by word, as it's the word of God?
[SIZE=+0][SIZE=+0][/SIZE][/SIZE]
[SIZE=+0][SIZE=+0][SIZE=+0]For the parts that are meant to be taken "word-by-word" like literally, then Christians should follow it word-by-word. Eg, the moral laws, Paul's letters. If you're reading something in Exodus about our need to sacrifice lambs, then obviously you have to not do that because that's already been fulfilled in Christ. I don't think this needs to be pointed out.
[SIZE=+0]
Or can you pick and choose which parts of the Bible you'd like to follow?

Well, i guess you can if you want to, but it's not going to do you any favours. We should take and practice what we're instructed to, and interpret the OT through the NT.
[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE]

 

[Godssong]

Amen to that. God's Word is God's Word, who are we to determine "which words" in it are to obeyed and believed over others? Um, personally, I know I'm a fallible stupid person with sinful opinions and biases. Think I'd best listen to the Wise King. Yeah...

 

[norbie]

Just curious as to how you lot feel about this.

How closely should Chirstians follow the Bible?

Should it be followed word by word, as it's the word of God?

Or can you pick and choose which parts of the Bible you'd like to follow?

Cheers.

I believe to read exactly word for word from the 4 Gospels. They have Jesus words.
I have a little Problem with the Letters of Paul, and maybe not on my own too as our discussion about Women Pastors showed. If you carefully study Pauls Letters you will find that some content was just written for a specific Church. I just think you can't interpret it today.
BUT PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS MY THINKING ONLY - this is a hot issue on this Forum.
But you should not pick and choose I think.
Norbie

 

[foadle]

Something I learnt about the Bible many years ago is that you either believe it or you don't. Believing means acting in this case. If you pick and choose then you are on very shakey ground. If you doubt one part you have no reason to believe any other part of it.
As the Bible IS THE WORD OF GOD then Christians should embrace it and its power whole heartedly.

 

[tgg]

Just curious as to how you lot feel about this.

How closely should Chirstians follow the Bible?

Should it be followed word by word, as it's the word of God?

Or can you pick and choose which parts of the Bible you'd like to follow?

Cheers.

http://www.jesus21.com/content/faith/index.php?s=bible_believing_tricks

 

[skinnybrad]

not sure how that answers anything at all TGG

 

[KristianJ]

2 Timothy 3:16 doesn't leave room for picking and choosing - "ALL scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness..." You have to read it all in the light of the central theme of God revealing himself through Jesus, and Jesus' death for our salvation, which means you don't take some stuff literally (such as OT commands that applied to Israel and were part of specific covenants that we on this side of the cross are not under) but there are practical words and exhortations that need to be taken at face value.

Regarding content written "specifically for churches", I think that Paul's words and advice can appropriately be applied to us in our churches. An example I'd cite are the letters to the seven churches in Revelation - even though specific churches are named, the number 7 is symbolic of the entire group of believers, and thus should not be restricted to the people who were in the 7 churches addressed. The truth is that the issues facing the early NT churches are very similar to issues being faced in the churches of today, and God has spoken through Paul and the other NT authors so we would do best to consider their words and how they relate to us today

 

[ScMay]

Just curious as to how you lot feel about this.

You're probably not interested in the atheists opinion about this but I'll post anyway

How closely should Chirstians follow the Bible?

Should it be followed word by word, as it's the word of God?

Follow it as little as possible! Word for word = BAAAAAAD consequences for humanity and civilisation (fortunately no one is doing it)

Or can you pick and choose which parts of the Bible you'd like to follow?

Depends what parts you pick! The would be examples of ones I hope you wouldn't for various reasons:

• Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee. -- Lev.19:19
• If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.. -- Lev.20:13
• And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death. -- Lev.24:16
• For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. Titus.[SIZE=-1]1:10-11[/SIZE]
• Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times. Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard. Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD. -- Lev.19:26-28

 

[erin74]

2 Timothy 3:16 doesn't leave room for picking and choosing - "ALL scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness..." You have to read it all in the light of the central theme of God revealing himself through Jesus, and Jesus' death for our salvation, which means you don't take some stuff literally (such as OT commands that applied to Israel and were part of specific covenants that we on this side of the cross are not under) but there are practical words and exhortations that need to be taken at face value.

Regarding content written "specifically for churches", I think that Paul's words and advice can appropriately be applied to us in our churches. An example I'd cite are the letters to the seven churches in Revelation - even though specific churches are named, the number 7 is symbolic of the entire group of believers, and thus should not be restricted to the people who were in the 7 churches addressed. The truth is that the issues facing the early NT churches are very similar to issues being faced in the churches of today, and God has spoken through Paul and the other NT authors so we would do best to consider their words and how they relate to us today

Spot on.

Word for word is an interesting way of putting it.

We always have to take into account the genre and context of the passage/book we are looking at. Otherwise we run the risk of misapplying. So we can't simply read something from the Old Testament, for example, and apply it straight to ourselves. We must always ask of it what it meant in it's context, and how Christ might impact how we would apply it today. eg has Christ fulfilled this already?

So it's a bit more complicated than word for word. But I don't think we get to just pick and choose.