How do you interpret the bible "correctly"?

[Phil B]

You have got three questions here, which can be answered very succinctly, or very elaborately. Let's keep it brief:
1. HOW DO YOU INTERPRET THE BIBLE CORRECTLY?
2. WHY DO CHRISTIANS HAVE DIFFERENT BELIEFS?
3. WHY DID GOD MAKE THE BIBLE HARD TO UNDERSTAND?

1. HOW DO YOU INTERPRET THE BIBLE CORRECTLY?
a. You get saved and regenerated (which means you receive the gift of the Holy Spirit).
b. You diligently study the Word (which means you labor in the Scriptures)
c. You compare Scripture with Scripture, and use all legitimate study tools
d. You depend on God the Holy Spirit to teach you and guide you into all truth
e. You accept the teaching of SOUND Bible teachers and preachers and reject all others.

2. WHY DO CHRISTIANS HAVE DIFFERENT BELIEFS?
a. Satan in the arch enemy of Christ and Christians, and he is behind all divisions
b. Satan's strategy is to sow confusion, doubts, divisions, and false doctrine
c. Many Christians do not study diligently and have no clue about many things
d. Many Christians prefer to hold on to denominational errors
e. Many Christians elevate the traditions of men above the Word of God
f. Many false prophets, apostles, teachers, and messiahs have misled (and are misleading) people.
g. Many Christians follow charismatic leaders rather than the Holy Spirit
h. Many Christians believe that there is a "Pope" who is infallible
i. Many people join the cults for emotional reasons and get seduced.

3. WHY DID GOD MAKE THE BIBLE HARD TO UNDERSTAND?
God did NOT make the Bible hard to understand. But for the "natural man" (the unregenerated man) the Bible makes no sense. It is a spiritual book to be spiritually discerned with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Very very true. I could not have said it better.

 

[ToBeLoved]

You have got three questions here, which can be answered very succinctly, or very elaborately. Let's keep it brief:
1. HOW DO YOU INTERPRET THE BIBLE CORRECTLY?
2. WHY DO CHRISTIANS HAVE DIFFERENT BELIEFS?
3. WHY DID GOD MAKE THE BIBLE HARD TO UNDERSTAND?

1. HOW DO YOU INTERPRET THE BIBLE CORRECTLY?
a. You get saved and regenerated (which means you receive the gift of the Holy Spirit).
b. You diligently study the Word (which means you labor in the Scriptures)
c. You compare Scripture with Scripture, and use all legitimate study tools
d. You depend on God the Holy Spirit to teach you and guide you into all truth
e. You accept the teaching of SOUND Bible teachers and preachers and reject all others.

2. WHY DO CHRISTIANS HAVE DIFFERENT BELIEFS?
a. Satan in the arch enemy of Christ and Christians, and he is behind all divisions
b. Satan's strategy is to sow confusion, doubts, divisions, and false doctrine
c. Many Christians do not study diligently and have no clue about many things
d. Many Christians prefer to hold on to denominational errors
e. Many Christians elevate the traditions of men above the Word of God
f. Many false prophets, apostles, teachers, and messiahs have misled (and are misleading) people.
g. Many Christians follow charismatic leaders rather than the Holy Spirit
h. Many Christians believe that there is a "Pope" who is infallible
i. Many people join the cults for emotional reasons and get seduced.

3. WHY DID GOD MAKE THE BIBLE HARD TO UNDERSTAND?
God did NOT make the Bible hard to understand. But for the "natural man" (the unregenerated man) the Bible makes no sense. It is a spiritual book to be spiritually discerned with the help of the Holy Spirit.

This is really very good.

I don't agree totally with point 2a. Because we (humans) are born of the flesh with tendancies towards personal desire and gratification and to say that "satan is behind all divisions" does not put the blame on us at all and our decisions. To be spiritual, one must nurture the spiritual aspect of their relationship with God. That is a human decision and many 'divisions' i believe are manifested because of different levels of spirtuality as well as traditions (ie. what we grew up with) as well as culture and other things. I believe that with the flesh, more is based on what we choose not to do (resisting our carnal sin nature)

But otherswise, besides my adding a little to 2 A, this is very good.

 

[angela 2]

I agree that the Holy Spirit is our guide to understanding scripture. I would add that this aspect of the work of the Holy Spirit is intended to be used in the community of faith. This doesn't mean that we can't study the writings of scholars in this area. In fact, it encourages us to do so.

I wouldn't say that scripture is "hard to understand." Rather I like to think of the understanding of scripture as a work in progress or an open paradigm. We would all like certainty, but knowledge of Truth is known only to God. We see now only through a glass darkly.

 

[NJA]

I know Christians all have different believes beliefs and I wanna know why? Like why doesn't everyone believe in the exact same thing and have the same interpretation. Also why did god make the bible so hard to understand instead of making it set and stone?

The bible is written to God's people, you would not expect to pick up someone else's letters and appreciate the things said!

What God does is send someone to you to tell you how to become one of his.

It's take the opportunity .. you need to be born again, to receive God's Spirit, a LIFE you don't have within you at birth and cannot attain to.

It would really help yout appreciation and willingness to call on God if you met people that have received this.
I don't know where you are but I know that if you contact the nearest people here they will help.

 

[yesyoushould]

I'm guessing you don't recognize the rather explicit irony in your post do you?

"Hate and division is a clear indication of the absence of God in an individual, which is why I hate and divide myself from Catholics"

Kind of like saying you hate being dirty, but instead of bathing with soap and water you roll around in a pig pen for a day.

-CryptoLutheran

Think about it.

Who thinks Catholics are the only church. Kinda sad right. Just admit it, all believers are of God, it isn't a catholic thing. Hope I helped.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Think about it.

Who thinks Catholics are the only church. Kinda sad right.

Well, no, not sad. It's just how Roman Catholics understand history and ecclesiology. I don't consider it sad, I just consider it errant.

Just admit it, all believers are of God, it isn't a catholic thing. Hope I helped.

Your condescending knee-jerk behavior when all I did was attempt to explain a misconception about Roman Catholic teaching wasn't helpful--and neither has this post been helpful.

If you aren't interested in what your fellow Christians believe then you really do not have any business opining on the subject.

-CryptoLuthean

 

[Best friend]

Now I got it all figure
Out, Paul ask the Warden
Of the prison, believe on
The Lord Jesus and be
Baptize. According to what
Denomination? And if
Believe, are you still
Going to hell, till you
Are baptize? If that
Was truth, then will be
Restriction where you
May preach the Gospel,
And the Devil will have
To ask Jesus , give me
Your believers, cause
There are not baptize,
and or repented, not
Confess, or not good
Only works and so on
Or sinners. If it is truth
That Jesus is the one
Who decides about
The destination of every
One, then the Devil is
Going to bost, I got the
Enemies of the Gospel
And most of the believers.
Jesus wants unholy
People and sinners to
Believe in him, cause
He gives them his
righteousness and been
Under his blood, they
Are safe, and when are
You under his blood
The very moment
You believe.

 

[yesyoushould]

Well, no, not sad. It's just how Roman Catholics understand history and ecclesiology. I don't consider it sad, I just consider it errant.



Your condescending knee-jerk behavior when all I did was attempt to explain a misconception about Roman Catholic teaching wasn't helpful--and neither has this post been helpful.

If you aren't interested in what your fellow Christians believe then you really do not have any business opining on the subject.

-CryptoLuthean

About who? Never heard of them. I'd rather believe in God.

 

[yesyoushould]

Now I got it all figure
Out, Paul ask the Warden
Of the prison, believe on
The Lord Jesus and be
Baptize. According to what
Denomination? And if
Believe, are you still
Going to hell, till you
Are baptize? If that
Was truth, then will be
Restriction where you
May preach the Gospel,
And the Devil will have
To ask Jesus , give me
Your believers, cause
There are not baptize,
and or repented, not
Confess, or not good
Only works and so on
Or sinners. If it is truth
That Jesus is the one
Who decides about
The destination of every
One, then the Devil is
Going to bost, I got the
Enemies of the Gospel
And most of the believers.
Jesus wants unholy
People and sinners to
Believe in him, cause
He gives them his
righteousness and been
Under his blood, they
Are safe, and when are
You under his blood
The very moment
You believe.

Mans ways that demand more than mercy and love for another are against God. You have witnessed the Pope offer mercy for those who have done wrong(abortion). God already offers mercy for all. No human is above God.

 

[Best friend]

Mans ways that demand more than mercy and love for another are against God. You have witnessed the Pope offer mercy for those who have done wrong(abortion). God already offers mercy for all. No human is above God.

At time of the need to
Have the abortion there
needs and moods and a
mind set different
than the mind the
People involve will
Have later on. By
Been supportive to
Those suffering from
The after effects, does
not mean a pro abortion
stand. Considering
The mind it was
Different when
everything happen
They should take it
Easier on them selfs,
Same person,
Different mind, give
a break, over sensitivity
and remorse can
do a lot of damage,
Unnecessarily. Let
People process things
On their own.

 

[HonestTruth]

I know Christians all have different believes beliefs and I wanna know why? Like why doesn't everyone believe in the exact same thing and have the same interpretation. Also why did god make the bible so hard to understand instead of making it set and stone?

there were many doctrinal differences among the apostles in the NT and that's the way it was meant to be - the only "churches" that have uniformity in their thinking processes are cults, not denominations

 

[yesyoushould]

At time of the need to
Have the abortion there
needs and moods and a
mind set different
than the mind the
People involve will
Have later on. By
Been supportive to
Those suffering from
The after effects, does
not mean a pro abortion
stand. Considering
The mind it was
Different when
everything happen
They should take it
Easier on them selfs,
Same person,
Different mind, give
a break, over sensitivity
and remorse can
do a lot of damage,
Unnecessarily. Let
People process things
On their own.

Is that a reply to me or a demand from yourself, man?

 

[yesyoushould]

The gospels demand that we speak the truth in season and out of season. Do you agree?

 

[yesyoushould]

there were many doctrinal differences among the apostles in the NT and that's the way it was meant to be - the only "churches" that have uniformity in their thinking processes are cults, not denominations

I don't agree with that. Where do you think there is disagreement in the Doctrine?

 

[yesyoushould]

The actual honest truth is, God is one, not divided by dividers seeking to harm others. It may be fun and games for the lost and forsaken to divide one another. The truth is, God is perfect. Man fighting man is error.

 

[yesyoushould]

there were many doctrinal differences among the apostles in the NT and that's the way it was meant to be - the only "churches" that have uniformity in their thinking processes are cults, not denominations

All of God agrees with God. Not some kind of "division is normal" error.

 

[hedrick]

Look at the nature of the Bible. History, poetry, 4 different versions of Jesus’ teachings. God could have given us a theology textbook. He didn’t. He gave us the Bible we have. I’m afraid that many people reject that, and try to treat it as if it were a textbook.

Why would he do it? Maybe he’s more concerned about how we respond to God, about how we live, than about doctrines beyond basic things like God is one and Jesus is his Son. Jesus’ parables often seem to be designed to get people to respond personally.

 

[HonestTruth]

I don't agree with that. Where do you think there is disagreement in the Doctrine?

good article on the subject:


http://bible.about.com/od/Biblicalp...-Bible-Says-About-Doctrinal-Disagreements.htm



to me, what matters most shouldn't be the subject you disagree on but how the disagreement is handled - I usually settle disagreements by using blueletterbible.org and the concordances to define all manner of ideas or subjects so as to (hopefully) settle amicably all disputes