Originally posted by seebs
I don't think God isn't smart enough, or powerful enough, to answer our questions. However, as there are questions yet unanswered, I must either trust Him blindly, or try to figure out what His reasons are.
I believe that the Bible has everything we need that we can get from a book - which, frankly, isn't all that much. You don't need a Bible to be Christian, and the Bible won't make you Christian. All you need to be a Christian is Christ; the rest is window dressing.
Matthew 2:1-2 and again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the House. Immediately many gathered together,s o that there was no long room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the WORD to them.
Matthew 4:4, But He answered adn said, "It is WRITTEN, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every WORD that proceeds from the mouth of God.
Mark 4:13-20 and He said to the, "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the WORD; and these are the ones by the wayside where the WORD is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the WORD that was sown in their hearts. These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the WORD immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves and so endure only for a time. Afterwards, when tribulation or persecution arises for the WORDS's sake, immediately they stumble. Now these are the ones sown among throns; they are the ones who hear the WORD and the cares of this world, th edeceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the WORD, and it becomes unfruitful; but these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the WORD, accept it and bear fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty and some a hundred.
Mark 7:9 He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.
Luke 5:1 So it was, as the multitude pressed about him to hear the WORD OF GOD.
Luke 11:18 "More than that, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it!"
John1:1-5 In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with God, and the WORD was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through HIM and without HIM nothing was made that was made. In HIM was life, and the life was the life of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John 5:24 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears MY WORD and believes in HIM who sent ME has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgement, but has passed from death into life.
John 7:28 Has not the Scriptures said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was? So there was a division among the people because of HIM. Now some of them wanted to take HIM, but no one laid hands on HIM.
