Omegaman 3.0 Posted May 26, 2018 Group: Graduated to Heaven Followers: 57 Topic Count: 1,546 Topics Per Day: 0.21 Content Count: 10,320 Content Per Day: 1.41 Reputation: 12,323 Days Won: 9 Joined: 04/15/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/05/1951 Share Posted May 26, 2018 Bible Knowledge and Spiritual Maturity - What are your thoughts? Which choice below do you think is closest? There is: A. Demonstable correlation between Bible knowledge and spiritual maturity B. Generally some correlation between Bible knowledge and spiritual maturity C. Often little correlation between Bible knowledge and spiritual maturity D. Perhaps no correlation between Bible knowledge and spiritual maturity 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neighbor Posted May 26, 2018 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 18 Topic Count: 957 Topics Per Day: 0.35 Content Count: 13,624 Content Per Day: 5.03 Reputation: 9,075 Days Won: 6 Joined: 12/04/2016 Status: Online Birthday: 03/03/1885 Share Posted May 26, 2018 I think perhaps a fifth choice is needed E. None of the above. For as I see it; to have bible knowledge without prayer is atheism, to have prayer without knowledge of the Bible is presumption, to have either or both without thinking is to be without maturity in Christ Jesus, leaving one lacking in useful wisdom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enoob57 Posted May 26, 2018 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 35 Topic Count: 100 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 41,229 Content Per Day: 7.98 Reputation: 21,485 Days Won: 76 Joined: 03/13/2010 Status: Offline Birthday: 07/27/1957 Share Posted May 26, 2018 Seeing how faith is the ingested Scripture and acted upon by being lived out by the believer... I would say total by the knowledge implemented... implemented is key due to the fact satan knows God and the Scriptures and cannot help him or his followers... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enoob57 Posted May 26, 2018 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 35 Topic Count: 100 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 41,229 Content Per Day: 7.98 Reputation: 21,485 Days Won: 76 Joined: 03/13/2010 Status: Offline Birthday: 07/27/1957 Share Posted May 26, 2018 you got broad shoulders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex2165 Posted May 27, 2018 Group: Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 12 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 67 Content Per Day: 0.03 Reputation: 20 Days Won: 0 Joined: 12/29/2017 Status: Offline Share Posted May 27, 2018 I think that the Bible not only has correlation to spirituality but actually it has a direct impact on our spiritual growth. Bible as a Book gives only start to knowledge, but understanding of the Holy Scriptures comes only from GOD. In such order a certain connection is absolutely evident, because many people knows Bible very well and can find any place in the Bible in seconds, but not always understand the Scripture. Therefore, growth in knowledge comes from the Bible, but growth in spirituality comes from GOD, and only for those who deeply studying Bible. Because how you can get spirituality without knowledge of the Bible? And how your can get the knowledge that leads to spirituality without being motivated by GOD Who stirs your own spirit to spirituality? The level of spirituality can be measured in each and every person according to his/her level of the knowledge of the Bible. The more knowledge is gained, the more understanding and spirituality GOD gives to a person. For this reason it is not too hard to see among Christians who are a spiritual dwarf or a spiritual giant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walla299 Posted May 28, 2018 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 9 Topic Count: 92 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 2,165 Content Per Day: 0.66 Reputation: 1,727 Days Won: 0 Joined: 05/19/2015 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/10/1961 Share Posted May 28, 2018 On 5/25/2018 at 11:04 PM, Yowm said: I would say somewhere between'A' and 'B'. 2 Peter 1:3,5-8 NKJV [3] as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, [5] But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, [6] to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, [7] to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. [8] For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Not all who have Bible knowledge are guaranteed to have spiritual maturity, but those who are spiritually mature, generally do have bible knowledge. Answer: A A believer who spends time in regular prayer and in the scriptures will over time display increasing spiritual maturity. In other words: They will begin to display an increasingly Christ-like character over time because their heart has been changed. That process can take longer than you think. Also: what Yowm said. It is possible for a person to have great biblical knowledge - and not be a believer at all. Some of it comes back to what Jesus said about "by their fruits ye shall know them." 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omegaman 3.0 Posted May 28, 2018 Group: Graduated to Heaven Followers: 57 Topic Count: 1,546 Topics Per Day: 0.21 Content Count: 10,320 Content Per Day: 1.41 Reputation: 12,323 Days Won: 9 Joined: 04/15/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/05/1951 Author Share Posted May 28, 2018 I am finding people's reactions interesting, but am not commenting, because I do not want to influence how people respond. I thank those of you who have responded so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 (edited) There are two tensions that exist here... 1) THE LINK BETWEEN THE SCRIPTURES AND MATURITY 1.1) People are destroyed for lack of knowledge and are matured by it - e.g. Hosea = they forget God, His laws and ways. (Note also e.g. Col 1:9-10). 1.2) The Pharisees, Scribes and 'Lawyers' were most literate in the Scriptures in Jesus' day, and thought that in them they would 'find life', and were shortsighted about the arrival of the Messiah. So there are OTHER FACTORS 2) OTHER FACTORS 2.1) Obedience. Hearing AND DOING. If you aren't following what you are reading. Please. Growth comes from God. The Scriptures find their power in the Spirit-ing of God. It's His choice to make them powerful, which means, if you are displeasing God and seeking the Scriptures as your payment to Him, to bribe His attention away from your faithlessness, you will never grow no matter how much you read them. You might though be challenged continually, to either harden off your conscience towards God, or pull you back into action. So I still would recommend reading them to always pull us back. 2.2) What about those who do not have the Scriptures translated for them? One must contemplate that God is a little more flexible according to what someone has available to them. For example, once the law was available in writing, God expected that they read and learn them rather than showing up on every mountain in Israel to keep giving it. To him who more is given, more will be required. 2.3) Colossians, mentioned above, is more broadly speaking of the message of the gospel (contained undefiled in Scripture for us) that they needed to mature in, and come +out of the teachings of the world. Although 1:9-10 I think goes broader, the context of the book is more focused on the Word of God, being the message of the gospel, not 'the Bible' per se. This brings in a layer that is slightly distinct to 'the Scriptures', yet should not be separated dramatically by us. YOU CAN HAVE GOOD BIBLE KNOWLEDGE, PER SE, BUT NOT KNOW IT ACCORDING TO TRUTH. Deception comes from distorted passages of the Bible. So truth is important. There are Jews who know the Scriptures well, better than some Christians know their Old Testament, but their zeal is not in accordance with knowledge. (With all the normal extreme preventers like - one can only know it is truth by testing it against the Scriptures) IF YOU WANT TO GROW, THEN KNOW HIS WORD. DO HIS WORD. There is a link. There are technical ways where this can break down. I'd vote a stronger version of B, with a capability for it to not work on the bases above. One must sometimes discern when this chain is not working. The causes can be more complex than even mentioned above principles - it can be very personal and specific. Be aware of what I'm saying and what I'm not saying. It's hard to explain. As was mentioned above... On 5/26/2018 at 4:04 PM, Yowm said: Not all who have Bible knowledge are guaranteed to have spiritual maturity, but those who are spiritually mature, generally do have bible knowledge. Edited May 31, 2018 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts