"Study your scriptures!"

[Space]

I thought salvation was a free gift, but I hear many Christians saying that you need to study your scriptures to come closer to God. Isn't it all based on a relationship with Christ? Why would you need to study your scriptures to have this relationship? I wouldn't think a real relationship would be something you have with someone, just by reading their words in a book. For me, that kind of relationship would be frustrating, because I can't really tell how someone is feeling about what they're saying just by reading words in a book. Why would you need to read the scriptures if the relationship with God is real?

 

[WashedClean]

Our relationship with God is through faith in Christ. We GROW in that relationship by reading God's Word, the Holy Bible. It is through God's Word that he speaks to us and reveals himself. The Bible says in John 1 that Jesus is the Word: "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us".

The neat thing about God's Word is that you can read the same passage at different times in your life and you will get something else out of it. It's alive and cuts to the heart of man. Depending on what I'm going through in my life, a passage that meant one thing to me a few years ago, may have a different meaning today.

Another way that God speaks to us is through the Holy Spirit, if we are born again and have him living inside of us.

Hope this helps.

 

[lynn18]

Space this may help

http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/audio/?source=3

I find it difficult to read the Bible to so i use this.

 

[yasic]

Basic idea:

If you believe in Jesus, then you get in no matter how much you studied or not.

However, someone who does believe in Jesus in reality should want to know about him, and get to know him. (Hey, if you believe theres a god out there, it might be a good idea to get to know him), and the best way to do this is to listen to him which you can do by reading the bible (its his word)

 

[ReverendDG]

I thought salvation was a free gift, but I hear many Christians saying that you need to study your scriptures to come closer to God. Isn't it all based on a relationship with Christ? Why would you need to study your scriptures to have this relationship? I wouldn't think a real relationship would be something you have with someone, just by reading their words in a book. For me, that kind of relationship would be frustrating, because I can't really tell how someone is feeling about what they're saying just by reading words in a book. Why would you need to read the scriptures if the relationship with God is real?

you don't people have become more and more legalistic and seem to dwell not on god but on what the bible says about god, while this may seem confusing, what i mean is, they don't believe in something unless the bible says it, even if it has been show to be true (just check the creationism board)

if you have to read the bible over and over again its less about god and more about repitition and thus is brainwashing and not really about god, but about the book being the focal point and per gods law idolitry

 

[ebia]

I thought salvation was a free gift, but I hear many Christians saying that you need to study your scriptures to come closer to God. Isn't it all based on a relationship with Christ? Why would you need to study your scriptures to have this relationship?

It's hard to have a relationship with someone unless you converse with them, and one of the ways Christ speaks to one is through reading the bible.

I wouldn't think a real relationship would be something you have with someone, just by reading their words in a book.

It's not the reading their books as such that's important - one can read the bible without letting Christ speak to you through it.

 

[marke]

Space,

There are two powers in the world, Good and evil. How would you know which one is speaking to you without the word of Jesus contained in the Bible.

How would you know that two people replying gave you wrong information if you didn't read it yourself.

Jesus tells us a blind person (essentially what you are if you don't study the New Testament) following a blind person both fall into a ditch.

You've been offered a gift, but it is up to you to take that gift or not. Many are called but few are chosen. Reading the New Testament will tell you what you need to do to be chosen instead of just called. It's your soul. This is where that "free choice" stuff comes in.

God Bless.

 

[Space]

It's not the reading their books as such that's important - one can read the bible without letting Christ speak to you through it.

Can you please explain to me what you mean by this?

Thanks!

 

[Robinsegg]

If you had a good friend but were long distance, would you not read his/her letters to you? God wrote us a letter ( the Bible), and wants us to read it so we can have a closer relationship with Him.

Rachel

 

[Endure2End]

I look at the word of God as a priviledge to study. What a great blessing! God has given us His words written by the prophets to benefit us in these days where men walk in their own way and after the images of different gods. I value the words of God more than fine gold.

How to study it? Praying and asking for the Holy Spirit to unfold its meaning to our understanding before we begin reading is a great way.

 

[JesusWalks78]

Basic idea:

If you believe in Jesus, then you get in no matter how much you studied or not.

Wrong, faith is not all you need.

 

[ReverendDG]

Wrong, faith is not all you need.

true, for a lot of people you have to believe in things the bible doesn't even talk about,things that wern't believed by the people who wrote the bible

 

[Space]

If you had a good friend but were long distance, would you not read his/her letters to you? God wrote us a letter ( the Bible), and wants us to read it so we can have a closer relationship with Him.

Rachel

I want to know what God has to say to me alone, but it's hard for me to know this by reading a book, that was written to all mankind. I don't want to have to guess who God is talking to.

 

[ebia]

I want to know what God has to say to me alone, but it's hard for me to know this by reading a book, that was written to all mankind. I don't want to have to guess who God is talking to.

Read the book, and allow God to speak to you through it.

"The word of God should lead us first of all to contemplation and meditation. Instead of taking the words apart, we should bring them together in our inmost being; instead of wondering if we agree or disagree we should wonder which words are directly spoken to us and connect directly with our inmost personal story. Instead of thinging about words as potential subjects for interesting dialogue or paper we should be willing to let them penetrate into the most hidden corners of our heart, even to those places where no other word has yet found entrance. Then, and only then, can the Word bear fruit as seed sown in rich soil. Ony then can we "hear and understand" (Matt 13:26)"
Henri Nouwen.

 

[nvxplorer]

Our relationship with God is through faith in Christ. We GROW in that relationship by reading God's Word, the Holy Bible. It is through God's Word that he speaks to us and reveals himself. The Bible says in John 1 that Jesus is the Word: "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us".

Are you claiming that the Word in John 1 refers to the Bible? If so, you really do need to study God's word.