how helpful is bible study really?

[blackribbon]

I like it best when a Bible study is set up so when someone is gone, they are missed...and even better when someone actually calls to check why someone is missing. I know the ones that I have not completed usually were ones that I fell behind on my outside work. The best one was one where someone actually called and told me to come anyway....that it didn't matter but I did.

 

[Sophrosyne]

I just read this on a congregations board. Thought it was pretty good.

Intimacy with God does not come through bible study, either, else the Pharisees would have been the FIRST to recognize Who He was. If bible studies and sermons gave us what He wanted us to have, then He'd have chosen Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes as his disciples, right? But even though there were literally THOUSANDS of those people walking around Palestine in His day, he didn't choose even ONE of them!

I think a lot depends on what you study in the Bible myself. There are parts that really don't do anything for me but some places where God shows mercy and Jesus does miracles and Paul talks about the grace of God one can get to know more of the character of God through these actions and by learning the character of God we can know him more and be more intimate. Too often people study the bible and don't see God's character and love and mercy in it because they are not looking for it.

 

[dayhiker]

Good point, Sophrosyne

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

very true Sophrosyne!

Also true is that it is the Holy Spirit that guides us and gives us wisdom and understanding. Those that are non-believers have a hard time understanding the bible because they don't have the Holy Spirit. Sure they can gain head knowledge just as with any other book they study, but they won't have heart change because they don't have the Spirit of God to guide them.

 

[redblue22]

at most church bible studies I've been to you really aren't allowed to say what you think. I've grown to prefer churches where I can say anything.

 

[dayhiker]

A number of churches I attended I felt the same thing, redblue. But there were people that did express their thoughts. I was just afraid to I think. But I agree that church where people can be real and express their views are much more enjoyable and I feel the Spirit moving more when I'm honest and don't hide what believe.

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

I hear ya. When I first started at my last church, at first you could go on the web site and there would be the pastor's email and assistant pastor etc. Then they took all that off and you only had one number and one email to communicate with. I could tell by some of the things said in the service by the pastors that they were kind of tired of people complaining.

I get that there are alot of people that will complain about anything and everything, but as a pastor if you close yourself off to any suggestion that you might have gotten something wrong, you have now become a Pharisee because you think us little sheep don't know anything and I think that is an error on their part.

 

[exitstageright]

I just read this on a congregations board. Thought it was pretty good.

Intimacy with God does not come through bible study, either, else the Pharisees would have been the FIRST to recognize Who He was. If bible studies and sermons gave us what He wanted us to have, then He'd have chosen Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes as his disciples, right? But even though there were literally THOUSANDS of those people walking around Palestine in His day, he didn't choose even ONE of them!

I believe that the scribes, the Pharisees , and the Sadducees had a very good idea that Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus was rejected by these people. These people were disappointed in Jesus, because Jesus did not free the Hebrews from the oppression and the tyranny of the Roman Empire.

They had more access to the scrolls than anyone. Jesus did exactly what he was predicted what he would do.

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

I don't think they knew Jesus was the Son of God. I also think they were mad not disappointed because they expected Jesus to set up His kingdom there and THEY would be the officers and chiefs etc.
So since Jesus wasn't doing it the way they expected, they had no earthly idea He was the Son of God.

 

[Sophrosyne]

at most church bible studies I've been to you really aren't allowed to say what you think. I've grown to prefer churches where I can say anything.

I think this is a two edged sword, you can both correct the teacher and also some can try and convince people of unbiblical doctrines too. I think it is good to be able to question people and there is many bible teachers that themselves are taught by people that have doctrinal positions that go contrary to scripture.

 

[Sophrosyne]

I don't think they knew Jesus was the Son of God. I also think they were mad not disappointed because they expected Jesus to set up His kingdom there and THEY would be the officers and chiefs etc.
So since Jesus wasn't doing it the way they expected, they had no earthly idea He was the Son of God.

I think they considered him a sort of a prophet, and Israel has a history of mistreating their prophets.

Matthew 23:36-38
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

36 Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
Lament over Jerusalem

37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. 38 Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

Yeah I think you might be right. They definitely knew He was different and could command a crowd but they did not think He was their Savior. Even some of the disciples were disappointed when they found out Jesus was not going to set up kingdom, but instead was going to die on a cross.

 

[dayhiker]

It is a lot easier for us to look back and say OH ya, Jesus is God. But the church spent 300 years thinking and arguing trying to understand the trinity. It wasn't an easy thing to understand. They were looking back at a stable target to understand: Jesus' life on earth and the writings of the Apostles.
If I was alive and trying to figure out the significance's of Jesus and his life ... I'm not sure how good I would have done. I think the best I could have done is know when I experienced Jesus that is was real, powerful, loving, dynamic, truthful etc. Then accept that God was with this man and believe having pretty limited understanding.

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

Oh I totally agree dayhiker, it's like saying "well if I would have been Eve I certainly wouldn't have been deceived" that's being deceived right there IMO. I don't think any of us would have faired better if we were living in those days.
I just remember reading about the transfiguration when they were up on the mountain and Peter wanted to stay right there and make tabernacles for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. And that was Peter, the rock, who also said Jesus was the Son of God when Jesus asked.

 

[exitstageright]

I don't think they knew Jesus was the Son of God. I also think they were mad not disappointed because they expected Jesus to set up His kingdom there and THEY would be the officers and chiefs etc.
So since Jesus wasn't doing it the way they expected, they had no earthly idea He was the Son of God.

We both may be right.I used the word"dissappointed" so my words would not be too harsh,as a few people have accussed me of doing. Yes,they were mad,angry,acrimonous,or even P'd off.

When one asked Jesus,"By what authority....?" Surely this person did not beleive that Jesus is the Son of God. Now,Nicodemus certinally believed that Jesus is the Son of God( John chapter 3) Even the Roman Centurian,during the cruxcifixtion said,"Surely....he was the Son Of God! "

I am sure that the Roman Centurion never read the Old testament scrolls.

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

I agree exit, and the point is that we would not have fared any better if we had been the ones alive in those days. Heck some people today are still so Pharisitical (is that a word ). And yeah, the one that said "By what authority" definitely did not view Jesus as the Son of God but we can't really blame them cuz if someone was running around today like that we would not think he is the son of God. In fact that's why the bible warns us that when people say He is over here or over there, do not go!

 

[exitstageright]

I agree exit, and the point is that we would not have fared any better if we had been the ones alive in those days. Heck some people today are still so Pharisitical (is that a word ). And yeah, the one that said "By what authority" definitely did not view Jesus as the Son of God but we can't really blame them cuz if someone was running around today like that we would not think he is the son of God. In fact that's why the bible warns us that when people say He is over here or over there, do not go!

In that scripture it also says that if someone says that the Son of Man was in the desert, do not go there .It is ironic that the Manson Family once lived in the desert. And yes ,some of Charles Manson's followers thought that Charles Manson was the Son of Man. For example, some even thought that his name was a play on words.....Son Man or Man Son.