If we in all of our studying in all of our seeking all of our research reaching a conclusion that we believe is truth yet it can be easily countered with the simple act of cherry picking scripture then it seems to me we don't have the full truth and understanding otherwise we could shut others down with the truth.
Well, there is such a thing as kindness. There are many on this site that love to shut others down with what they think is the truth, but all that does is kill proper debate and learning. Too much of that and people quit listening.
Also, even things Christ said can be countered by cherry-picking Scripture. Cherry-picking Scripture is too easily a form of mis-quoting it.
We call the bible the word of God, that is insulting. If he spoke to you and gave you a word how would you treat it? Would you treat it with care and caution as if it is not something to play around with or would go around spouting it and treating it like it is yours to do as you please with.
I don't know why people cannot see this and even if they do well what are you going to do about it? Will continue to go with the system or will you seek after the truth the real truth.
Yet, we MUST use it. We are required to use it. Humility is important here; to understand one's inability as mere temporal human leads to humility —it is not only that we are biased towards one concept or ideology or creedal worldview, but that we are simply small, weak, ignorant, unable to comprehend the greatness of God.
The Bible speaks of honoring or, what I think of more as giving appropriate respect, to those who have committed themselves in spending time in studying truth, and teaching it. It is significant, to me, that it doesn't mention the main reason I give them respect —that they find themselves driven to teach, yet knowing that their teaching will necessarily fall short of facts. This, in the face of condemnation for those who teach falsehood (see Jude and 2 Peter). NONE of us has it quite right; yet, teach we must. The reason I say it is significant is that the lack of mention implies that to some degree it applies to ALL of us —not just the ones we recognize as teachers and preachers.
Sure we can say we are seeking it in our studies our debates ect. and this is good and is good for growth but to actually do so for the sake of the truth itself well it requires you go before him knowing nothing if you want the truth you go to him directly first you surrender utterly and completely what he says goes no interpretation no adding or making it seem like it saying this or that no you shut up and you listen if you try adding or interpretating he asks you is that what I said? try to speak about your reasoning for it or try to say anything other than yes or no he just stops you before you can finnish and says is that what I said?
I am nowhere near great at this but am learning a lot from him I had to admit that if my doctrines and my beleifs and my truths are lacking then maybe there comes a point where we sit back stop studying until he says we are ready to and seek after him first the truth the way and the life.
But to find the truth he isn't messing around he demands comploete devotion in this you have to want the truth more than anything else you have to be willing to go into the unknown with him to trust him in a way that brings you out of your comfort zone your going to have to learn to act of faith and trust because the things he tells you to do when your walking with him like this well it is going to go against the normal flow it won't be seen as good for some those who are trapped in their theological minds forget that God is not just an idea or a subject to study and discuss he is a real person with real emotions attributes traits he is a personal God.
Problem is, we can't do that anymore than we can avoid being human. We cannot separate ourselves from being silly, fallible, ignorant, biased, etc. It is what it is, and God uses that very weakness not just as contrast with what he is, but to even teach truth through the fallible, biased, weak minds of those to whom he will affect this way or that with his truth. You no doubt have seen several posters on this site who say they have committed their hearts and minds to know nothing but to listen to the Spirit tell them truth as they study the Word, and thus THEY have the truth. Balderdash! I believe that no more than I believe they are able to live sinlessly.
In the end, I think, we must simply do our best to bear in mind that we are indeed weak and biased. We all have our own worldview, and it is not the same as God's. A LOT of prayer, here, is appropriate.
I mean it seems simple to me if we are not finding the actual truth of a matter in studying and debating the bible we have the actual source to go to Jesus himself
True. And the fact is that the Spirit of God will "lead [us] into all truth". But that phrase can be taken several different ways, and I'm not sure he didn't mean it as somewhat of a riddle. But we need to be careful here. It is easy to deceive ourselves. John 16:13 may be making the point of emphasis that it is HE, who will lead us into all (categories of?) truth, rather than to be suggesting that one can eventually apprehend ALL truth, as some suppose.
