Why do Christians

[ilovejcsog]

The difficulty is that there are many, many opinions on what certain passages of Scripture mean.

We see dozens of threads in the General Theology forum debating everything from the deity of Christ, to whether a Christian can have sex before marrying, to whether baptism is salvific or totally optional, to whether the Real Presence is True, to what the End Times will look like....

On and on. Often, Scripture does have what should be a clear answer to or at least inference on the issue, but we still debate it. Other times, it's extremely unclear. And debatable. This is why the body of Christ, the Saints, men and women very close to God while on earth, have also given us the meaning of Scripture through their writings, and life.

Your post is insightful, thank you.
This is what bothers me, people everywhere look to find an answer that the only source should be the word. Others just give their opinions and that is mans opinion. To me it causes confusion. I am thinking of the Mormons who rely on their leader to tell them what God meant and they are lead astray and the Universilists have a person, human who speaks for God. No one really knows for sure but God, and wandering only makes more confusion, for me anyway. What human is as Great as God to be able to interpret meaning with 100 percent accuracy? Its a dangerous thing. I'm not talking those ordained by God to guide us. I am not talking those in places like this that a person gives his or her opinion but those that people depend on to lead them. We can get a lot from another persons opinion as long as we don't look up to them to be a spokesman for God.
Thank you all for your responses, trying to explain what I mean is causing me to be confused, lol. I know what I mean but...:O)

 

[ilovejcsog]

Because your interpretation of the Bible is not the same as God saying something.

And someone else's is better than yours?

 

[ilovejcsog]

Can you give some examples?

For interpreting and understanding the Bible it helps to know the context and what it meant to the writer and reader at the time in history it was written.
1st Enoch, for example, can shed quite some light on things, for example.
Or do you mean something else?

Look what has happened to the Mormons? They have someone they have put first and God second. It could happen to anyone who goes outside of Gods word to find answers and then ends up putting that source first.

 

[Hieronymus]

And someone else's is better than yours?

That's certainly possible.

 

[PaulCyp1]

You can seriously ask that question after looking at Protestantism? When the first Protestants broke away from the original and true Christian Church, they decided they would find God's truth "in the Bible alone". Now, a few hundred years later, there are more than 6,000 different Protestant denominations, plus 20,000 so-called "non-denominational" Protestant churches, each one still claiming to be teaching God's truth right from the Bible, yet the teaching of each denomination contradicting the teaching of the others. Truth cannot contradict truth, so obviously a great deal of untruth is being taught in such churches. Which is why Jesus Christ founded ONE Church, said it was to remain ONE, and promised that ONE Church "The Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth", and "Whatsoever you bind upon Earth is bound in Heaven", and "He who hears you hears Me". 2,000 years later that ONE Church remains ONE in belief, ONE in teaching, ONE in worship, ONE in biblical understanding throughout the world, with NO conflicting denominations. You just can't beat God's plan.

 

[Chris V++]

error

 

[Chris V++]

Error

 

[ilovejcsog]

Does He favour the intelligent or the pure in heart?

Understanding scripture is a heart communion with His Spirit that the most simple can enjoy.

It must be the most over thought book ever written.

At the same time some are led by Him to make a lifetime study of His word and should be heard.

These ones however never loose a childlike faith in Him to teach as they read and have a humility to show for it.

Thank you for your input. After reading several of your other topics I would be likely to lean toward your interpretation than most. You are a good witness for God. There are a few very few that I trust to lead to Gods truth. See I too am influenced, I am just saying it can be dangerous.

 

[ilovejcsog]

People tend to prefer teachers that say what they want to hear.

I agree, But unfortunately, that confounds the problem because their beliefs are the only ones they hear and it might not be the truth

 

[Andrew77]

need to go outside the bible for answers? I see it every day and I don't understand. I can see that if in doubt of what they are reading they need further clarification but most are needing an additional opinion from man. Isn't Gods opinion enough? I find if I look outside the word It only confuses me in most cases and that is when the question comes up. Why isn't God enough?

That's a little vague. Answers to what? If I need to know how to fix my front door to stop letting in rain water, that answer isn't going to be in the Bible.

But if you just mean general doctrine... there are parts of the Bible that are just flat out difficult to understand. Sometimes you need more perspective to understand it.

 

[JustRachel]

God gave us preachers and teachers, though I cannot locate the verses right now. Why would he do this if we are supposed to do it alone?

 

[Not David]

And someone else's is better than yours?

Mine comes from the Church founded by Christ.

 

[derpytia]

need to go outside the bible for answers? I see it every day and I don't understand. I can see that if in doubt of what they are reading they need further clarification but most are needing an additional opinion from man. Isn't Gods opinion enough? I find if I look outside the word It only confuses me in most cases and that is when the question comes up. Why isn't God enough?

Not all of us can just read the Bible and understand it completely from the get-go. Even God knows that. Even children need to ask their parents what certain words and phrases mean.

Consider Jesus' way of explaining concepts to His followers using parables so that they might understand. Were those parables in the OT? No. But Jesus used them to illustrate a point so that others could more easily understand.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

That's a little vague. Answers to what? If I need to know how to fix my front door to stop letting in rain water, that answer isn't going to be in the Bible.

But if you just mean general doctrine... there are parts of the Bible that are just flat out difficult to understand. Sometimes you need more perspective to understand it.

Because the things of the Spirit are spiritually discerned, those who don't have the Holy Spirit do not have the faculty to understand what is quite clear to those who have the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, an unconverted person, who does not have the Holy Spirit, can comprehend only the literal meaning of the Bible. When it is boiled down, the only meaning that an unconverted person can extract is that all people are sinners and that the only way to eternal life is through Christ, and that must mean that the person believes the gospel of Christ and receives Christ as Saviour and Lord. Once that happens, the person is converted to Christ, receives the Holy Spirit, and is then able to understand more of the Bible that must be spiritually discerned.

 

[d taylor]

I know one thing many christians love to go to pagan science, instead of the Bible when seeking answers about God's creation.

 

[Hazelelponi]

Your post is insightful, thank you.
This is what bothers me, people everywhere look to find an answer that the only source should be the word. Others just give their opinions and that is mans opinion. To me it causes confusion. I am thinking of the Mormons who rely on their leader to tell them what God meant and they are lead astray and the Universilists have a person, human who speaks for God. No one really knows for sure but God, and wandering only makes more confusion, for me anyway. What human is as Great as God to be able to interpret meaning with 100 percent accuracy? Its a dangerous thing. I'm not talking those ordained by God to guide us. I am not talking those in places like this that a person gives his or her opinion but those that people depend on to lead them. We can get a lot from another persons opinion as long as we don't look up to them to be a spokesman for God.
Thank you all for your responses, trying to explain what I mean is causing me to be confused, lol. I know what I mean but...:O)

Not looking for assistance in understanding can be just as dangerous as blind following.

I think of key importance for all Christians is personal study, research, prayer for understanding, and listening to others who have studied well. We should be well rounded in the faith.

We aren't left on our own, but Christ joined us with a body when we joined to Him. We all have different strengths and abilities and all of us together help one another in our Christian walk.

That is of God's own design. It can be overwhelming sometimes, and we need one another.

One another (other Christians) can be confusing too sometimes, and the waters seem difficult to navigate... but God hasn't left us alone to navigate them. For He is with us also.

it's worth a lot, one another. Even if it's confusing a lot.. lol

 

[Gregory Thompson]

need to go outside the bible for answers? I see it every day and I don't understand. I can see that if in doubt of what they are reading they need further clarification but most are needing an additional opinion from man. Isn't Gods opinion enough? I find if I look outside the word It only confuses me in most cases and that is when the question comes up. Why isn't God enough?

Ro 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

Men are liars, so their interpretations of the bible are wrong.

I would agree that God is right, but you're not God, and neither am I.

 

[Tutorman]

need to go outside the bible for answers? I see it every day and I don't understand. I can see that if in doubt of what they are reading they need further clarification but most are needing an additional opinion from man. Isn't Gods opinion enough? I find if I look outside the word It only confuses me in most cases and that is when the question comes up. Why isn't God enough?

God is enough, God is not the Bible. The Bible is not easy t understand in many places nor did Jesus ever say the Bible was all we need and you will never ever find it in the Bible that the Bible is all one needs. God had St. Paul write that the Church is the pillar and foundation of truth

 

[FutureAndAHope]

need to go outside the bible for answers? I see it every day and I don't understand. I can see that if in doubt of what they are reading they need further clarification but most are needing an additional opinion from man. Isn't Gods opinion enough? I find if I look outside the word It only confuses me in most cases and that is when the question comes up. Why isn't God enough?

The bible tells us to "bear one another burdens", and to "bear with those weak in faith". The fact is that there are many people who are new Christian's, who have not had the privilege of reading God's word, or long term Christians who don't read it enough to know the answer. That is why God appoints overseers for the flock. As Paul told timothy to appoint overseeres who knew God's word to guide the flock. In the OT it was said that the priests "gave meaning" to the commandments given by the LORD. Those who know the word are given the task of giving meaning to those who don't know the scriptures. But the primary task of such a person is to direct people to the Word, not their opinion.

 

[Monk Brendan]

need to go outside the bible for answers? I see it every day and I don't understand. I can see that if in doubt of what they are reading they need further clarification but most are needing an additional opinion from man. Isn't Gods opinion enough? I find if I look outside the word It only confuses me in most cases and that is when the question comes up. Why isn't God enough?

It depends on the question.

I have yet to see computer instructions in the Bible.

In any case, God does not have "opinions", as He KNOWS the truth.