Why Do Christians Believe the Bible is God's Word

[Guest]

.....And I am not proving here that God does not exists. I am just stating that at least parts of scriptures are purely

human and relative to the culture they apply to.....

All Scripture Is Personal

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

And Speaks To Our Desperate Need For Jesus

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; Colossians 2:13-14

And Without The Holy Bible

Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. John 5:39

We're Just Blind

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4

You See

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 3:36

>>>>>()<<<<<

Believe

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Be Blessed Beloved

The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:

The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them. Numbers 6:24-27

Love, Joe

[MorningGlory]

Where is it exactly in the New Testament? I just read the 4 Gospels and did not find it. Is it in Paul?

22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

Leviticus 18:22 (King James Version)

[OneLight]

Where is it exactly in the New Testament? I just read the 4 Gospels and did not find it. Is it in Paul?

If I may assist.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

Romans 1:26-27

For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

Revelation 21:6-8

And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

This is just a couple places off the top of my head where it is shown that sexual immorality only brings separation from God. God will not allow sin to be in His presence. This is why we turn to Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, as God set forth ...

John 3:16-21

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

[Guest]

God condemns homosexual behavior in both the Old Testament and the New Testament

Where is it exactly in the New Testament? I just read the 4 Gospels and did not find it. Is it in Paul?

And what about these passages I mentioned out of context? Are they still valid today or not?

Very simple binary answer please (yes/no).

If yes, then we should stone our rebellious children.

If no, then the Old testament (at least) is relative to a certain culture and cannot be reused today.

This is very simple logic.

And I do not think that they are out of context, because I believe they have been written by men. Since somebody

on this forum said that the whole Bible is God's word, then I just wanted to show that this cannot be the case.

I know I am cherry picking, but my intention was to show that at least one sentence in the Bible (not the whole Bible) is relative to a certain

culture and cannot be transported to our days. This is also very simple logic.

Well

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

God Speaks Through A Dear Brother You See (Or Not!)

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek .Romans 1:16-17

Giving Fair Warning To All Who Would Hear

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. Romans 1:17-19

For Clearly Men Are Without Excuse

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, Romans 1:20-22

And Can You Can See It Now?

And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. Romans 1:23-25

The Wages Of Sin

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. Romans 1:26-27

The Reprobate

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Romans 1:28-29

Mind

Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. Romans 1:30-32

For Jesus Saves

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:9-10

Men Can't

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23

____________

Believe

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:13

And Be Blessed Beloved

Love, Joe

[Guest]

Very simple binary answer please (yes/no).

Yes

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: John 3:36(a)

No

and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 3:36(b)

[MorningGlory]

Where is it exactly in the New Testament? I just read the 4 Gospels and did not find it. Is it in Paul?

22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

Leviticus 18:22 (King James Version)

Excuse my ignorance (I have been reading the Bible for a week), but I thought that Leviticus

is still Old testament.

Leviticus IS part of the Old Testament.....I just noticed you asked where it was in the New Testament; it isn't. It is still part of God's commands to us though.

[Guest shiloh357]

And what about these passages I mentioned out of context? Are they still valid today or not?

Very simple binary answer please (yes/no).

If yes, then we should stone our rebellious children.

If no, then the Old testament (at least) is relative to a certain culture and cannot be reused today.

Of course they are still valid and relevant, I might add. While the details are different, the principles they teach are relevant and still speak to us today. If, for example, someone found out his son had committed arson, he should, if necessary, turn his son in to the authorities or do what he can to help the authorities apprehend his son.

This is very simple logic.

And I do not think that they are out of context, because I believe they have been written by men.

Which shows that you dont' know what you are talking about. Context pertains to a line of thought. It has nothing to do with whether the Bible is or is not the Word of God.

Since somebody

on this forum said that the whole Bible is God's word, then I just wanted to show that this cannot be the case.

So far, you have failed in that endeavor. You don't have even a rudimentary understanding of what you are trying crticize.

I know I am cherry picking, but my intention was to show that at least one sentence in the Bible (not the whole Bible) is relative to a certain

culture and cannot be transported to our days. This is also very simple logic.

You are not the least bit logical. You make leaps in logic that are untenable and rather absurd. So far, you are batting zero.

[Guest shiloh357]

If you take the Bible to be God's word, including translations and such to be transcendent of culture as well, I think one would conclude that at a minimum homosexual acts are condemned. However, I think that with such a view of scripture one would probably be forced to condemn the mere instinct to look upon the same sex the way heterosexuals look upon the opposite gender.

Incorrect. It is not a sin to be attracted to the opposite sex. What the Bible condemns is lusting after the opposite sex, particluarly if one or both is married. It is when one entertains the desire to engage in sexual gratification outside of marriage that sexual attraction leads to sin.

IOW, just being attracted to the same sex is a sin in the same way heterosexuals are attracted to each other. I find such conclusions disturbing, but to each his own I suppose.

It is a sin and indeed a perversion for anyone to be sexually attracted to the opposite sex. To etertain that attraction is also a sin. God did not make us that way and those suffering from those perverted desires need deliverance from them.

[OneLight]

Where is it exactly in the New Testament? I just read the 4 Gospels and did not find it. Is it in Paul?

22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

Leviticus 18:22 (King James Version)

Excuse my ignorance (I have been reading the Bible for a week), but I thought that Leviticus

is still Old testament.

Leviticus IS part of the Old Testament.....I just noticed you asked where it was in the New Testament; it isn't. It is still part of God's commands to us though.

It is in the New Testament. Read Romans 1 to start with ... verse 27 "Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. "

[Guest shiloh357]

This is where the definition of "homosexuality" and how it was used in relation to the culture/time when written compared to today comes in.

Now you are just trying to muddy water. Homosexuality is the same now as it was 4,000 years ago. The Bible is very explicit in what God considers an abomination and it pertains to men and women having sexual relations with the same sex gender.

I just threw out some common interpretations of the relevant texts, there are many interpretations within Christianity, one of them being attracted to the same sex is a sin regardless of any lust.

That is how the Bible depicts it. God has not wired mankind to be homosexual. Homosexual attraction is a perversion of what God created.

It's been a while since I looked this stuff up, but from what I remember the words Paul uses to condemn homosexuals is somewhat ambiguous when making an accurate translation into modern English.

It's only ambiguous if you are trying skirt around the text.

One of the definitions of the words Paul used seems to condemn effeminate men regardless of sexual preferences, and said word is translated as "homosexual" sometimes.

The term effeminate needs to be understood in the light of the culture that many believers were coming out of. In Corinth, "effeminate" refers to the transsexual activities that were rampant in that city. Male prostitutes would adorn themselves in women's clothing and grow their hair out and fix it in a femine fashion to attract other men. Transsexual activity was VERY prevelant in Corinth at the temple of Aphrodite and becasue Corinth was a major port city and sailors who had been at sea for months were looking for some action and the male prostitutes were always available to service them. Corinth was so immoral even up to the level of the magistrates of the city, that the term "Corinthian" was coined as a byword in that day as a way of calling someone a sexual pervert.

I would like to ask the difference between being attracted to the opposite sex and lusting after the opposite sex?

If I happen a nice looking young woman and I find her attractive and desirable, that is attraction. That is how God has made us. He made us to be attracted to members of the opposite sex.

Lust on the otherhand is much, much more. It includes entertaining a fantasy of sexual relations with someone. It is when you start imagining them in the nude and what you would do with them if you had the opportunity to engage in sexual rendevoux.

To me, they are the same thing, just that lust is a more intense attraction, but the principle is the same.

No, they are not the same at all. One comes from God. The other is the product of sin in your heart.

It is aching to the difference between murder and punching someone in the stomach. Sure there is pragmatic/worldly difference, but both stem from the same source, it is just how far a person goes. Both is sin.

Wrong. Your analogy is entirely dissimilar.

Sexual attraction does not come from sin, God created men and women to be attracted to each other. Lust, however, is born of sin.