Eating air leaves you empty.

[PATrobas]

Reminders – Complete in Him

            None can deny the importance of the Holy Scriptures, the written Word of God. Also referred to as the oracles of God, they are the recorded utterances of the creator. Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit and wrote those words down for men to read. ^{2 Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 3:16} Yet as important as the Scriptures are, knowledge of them is incomplete without the manifestation of the Living Word of God as revealed by the Holy Spirit. Ultimately, the whole Bible that we hold in our hands is the revelation of Jesus, who is the Word of God, the fullness of the Godhead bodily. ^{Colossians 2:9}

            Jesus placed extreme importance on the Word, describing it as the nourishment of life saying, “It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” ^{Luke 4:4} But Jesus also recognized that just having an intellectual knowledge of the Scriptures was like eating air, worthless without the Holy Spirit giving understanding of them. He often spoke in parables that even His disciples did not understand without His explanation. The Pharisees took great pride in their knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, having memorized large portions of them, and yet Jesus said this to them, “Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And you will not come to me, that you might have life.” ^{John 5:39} The Scriptures are the words of life, and those words tell us of God’s singular message, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus said no one could come to the Father except by Him. ^{John 14:6} After His resurrection, Jesus spoke with two of His disciples on the way to Emmaus, “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” “And their eyes were opened, and they knew him.” ^{Luke 24:27, 31}

            Final Thoughts: There are four truths we can glean from this. 1) Our knowledge of the Scriptures is not complete without the Holy Spirit teaching us what is written there, “…that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” ^{1 Corinthians 2:12-13} 2) The Holy Spirit’s work is not complete without the revelation of Jesus Christ to us, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me:” ^{John 16:13-14} 3) The body of Christ is not complete until those whom He calls receive Him by faith. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” ^{John 1:12-13}    4) We are now the sons of God, the body of Christ and “We are complete in Him.” ^{Colossians 2:10}  Hallelujah!       _ph

[D. Adrien]

I find the Gospel of John to be mystical. God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and truth. What is truth? God's word is truth. Sanctify them in truth. Your word is truth. Spirit gives life, the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak are spirit and life.

[NConly]

1 hour ago, PATrobas said:

Reminders – Complete in Him

            None can deny the importance of the Holy Scriptures, the written Word of God. Also referred to as the oracles of God, they are the recorded utterances of the creator. Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit and wrote those words down for men to read. ^{2 Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 3:16} Yet as important as the Scriptures are, knowledge of them is incomplete without the manifestation of the Living Word of God as revealed by the Holy Spirit. Ultimately, the whole Bible that we hold in our hands is the revelation of Jesus, who is the Word of God, the fullness of the Godhead bodily. ^{Colossians 2:9}

            Jesus placed extreme importance on the Word, describing it as the nourishment of life saying, “It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” ^{Luke 4:4} But Jesus also recognized that just having an intellectual knowledge of the Scriptures was like eating air, worthless without the Holy Spirit giving understanding of them. He often spoke in parables that even His disciples did not understand without His explanation. The Pharisees took great pride in their knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, having memorized large portions of them, and yet Jesus said this to them, “Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And you will not come to me, that you might have life.” ^{John 5:39} The Scriptures are the words of life, and those words tell us of God’s singular message, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus said no one could come to the Father except by Him. ^{John 14:6} After His resurrection, Jesus spoke with two of His disciples on the way to Emmaus, “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” “And their eyes were opened, and they knew him.” ^{Luke 24:27, 31}

            Final Thoughts: There are four truths we can glean from this. 1) Our knowledge of the Scriptures is not complete without the Holy Spirit teaching us what is written there, “…that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” ^{1 Corinthians 2:12-13} 2) The Holy Spirit’s work is not complete without the revelation of Jesus Christ to us, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me:” ^{John 16:13-14} 3) The body of Christ is not complete until those whom He calls receive Him by faith. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” ^{John 1:12-13}    4) We are now the sons of God, the body of Christ and “We are complete in Him.” ^{Colossians 2:10}  Hallelujah!       _ph

 

Makes one wonder how so many core beliefs are different reading the same Bible?

Some things we were not given enough information to fully understand and those differences are ok and not essential anyway.

[farouk]

50 minutes ago, NConly said:

Makes one wonder how so many core beliefs are different reading the same Bible?

Some things we were not given enough information to fully understand and those differences are ok and not essential anyway.

@NConly I was just remembering as a general thought:

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (Psalm 119.105)

'O may these heavenly pages be
My ever dear delight.
And still new beauties may I see,
And still increasing light.

Divine Instructor, gracious Lord,
Be Thou forever near:
Teach me to love Thy sacred word
And view my Savior there.' (Anne Steele, 18th century)

Edited March 9, 2024 by farouk

[warrior12]

1 hour ago, NConly said:

Makes one wonder how so many core beliefs are different reading the same Bible?

Some things we were not given enough information to fully understand and those differences are ok and not essential anyway.

So true.

I think though, there are a couple that lets you into the door. From there it is a life long journey the you must navigate. As long as you remain in the room where you were led, then how you go on is your journey .  

[D. Adrien]

Yes, people come from varying backgrounds and are raised differently through culture and types of parents. The Holy Spirit leads to a repentance of sin in each one of us, but different sins for different Christians, after repenting of the very basic obvious sins that we all must overcome. Each Christian's understanding will be colored by the past and the present, as well as type of education, and how one's mind works. This way Jesus through His Spirit is developing Christians fit for different purposes as Paul wrote. Some are for a more noble application than others.

[Starise]

On 3/8/2024 at 6:17 PM, NConly said:

Makes one wonder how so many core beliefs are different reading the same Bible?

Some things we were not given enough information to fully understand and those differences are ok and not essential anyway.

And this is one complaint among those who are skeptical. The way I see this there are areas the bible isn't as specific on. Even Jesus didn't know the day of the hour of the Lord's return. He may know it now that He sits at the right hand of the Father.

I think this should be a lesson that there are areas  we only know as through a glass darkly as Paul said. No room for  cocky 'experts' in my opinion. 

Several thoughts which are potential conclusions:

-Everyone can know everything about the bible.

-No one can know anything about the bible.

-We can all know what we need to know or what was intended for us to know.

-We should all study and be hesitant to present dogmatic conclusions.

-We should all study with the knowledge that the bible is presented spiritually and knowing it will be misunderstood by those who do not have this benefit or intend to have it.

-If the bible is understood spiritually, some will assume they are 'spiritual' and therefore they will usurp an authority self imposed.

-It is possible for a spiritual man to misunderstand the bible.

-It is possible for an unspiritual man to understand the bible if they have a sincere interest.

- It is common for critical unbelievers to find fault

-It is common for believers to cover over questions they can't answer.

- There are many supposed inconsistencies which really aren't inconsistencies when further analyzed.

- There are translational inconsistencies.

-There are no translational inconsistencies

- If there are inconsistencies, they inhibit interpretations sometimes.

- The bible is contextually unified

- The bible is not contextually unified.

- We can template anything that happened to the Israelites and apply all of it to us today.

- We cannot template the bible and apply it to all of us today

- We can template some of the bible and apply it to use today.

 

 

 

 

[D. Adrien]

14 minutes ago, Starise said:

And this is one complaint among those who are skeptical. The way I see this there are areas the bible isn't as specific on. Even Jesus didn't know the day of the hour of the Lord's return. He may know it now that He sits at the right hand of the Father.

I think this should be a lesson that there are areas  we only know as through a glass darkly as Paul said. No room for  cocky 'experts' in my opinion. 

Several thoughts which are potential conclusions:

-Everyone can know everything about the bible.

-No one can know anything about the bible.

-We can all know what we need to know or what was intended for us to know.

-We should all study and be hesitant to present dogmatic conclusions.

-We should all study with the knowledge that the bible is presented spiritually and knowing it will be misunderstood by those who do not have this benefit or intend to have it.

-If the bible is understood spiritually, some will assume they are 'spiritual' and therefore they will usurp an authority self imposed.

-It is possible for a spiritual man to misunderstand the bible.

-It is possible for an unspiritual man to understand the bible if they have a sincere interest.

- It is common for critical unbelievers to find fault

-It is common for believers to cover over questions they can't answer.

- There are many supposed inconsistencies which really aren't inconsistencies when further analyzed.

- There are translational inconsistencies.

-There are no translational inconsistencies

- If there are inconsistencies, they inhibit interpretations sometimes.

- The bible is contextually unified

- The bible is not contextually unified.

- We can template anything that happened to the Israelites and apply all of it to us today.

- We cannot template the bible and apply it to all of us today

- We can template some of the bible and apply it to use today.

 

 

 

 

I have an ongoing list of paradoxes, is there such a word? I know that my lack of understanding plays a huge role in this. Here are a couple by how I reason:

Free will and predestination. (Both exist simultaneosly)?

Can one find the narrow gate without being led? (Being led by the Holy Spirit but not led to the proper gate)?

[enoob57]

My contention to any of this type of thinking is that God has called us to reason with Him:
Isaiah 1:18 (KJV)

[18] Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

[19] If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

[20] But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Just because the work is at times overwhelming... we are to continue in it because it is obedience... remembering that it is the purpose of the devil to hide God's Truth and that means we must continue with God in understanding His Word... The Word will support your obedience by opening it unto your understanding:
2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)

[15] Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

In this wonderful passage we are instructed to observe divisions within Scripture to properly glean the Words intention in directing of life, mind and eternity...

[Starise]

20 minutes ago, D. Adrien said:

I have an ongoing list of paradoxes, is there such a word? I know that my lack of understanding plays a huge role in this. Here are a couple by how I reason:

Free will and predestination. (Both exist simultaneosly)?

Can one find the narrow gate without being led? (Being led by the Holy Spirit but not led to the proper gate)?

Well I am probably the opinion man here and not the answer man.I have looked at both.

I see predestination as a determined purpose aimed at specific individuals for specific purposes. The whole reformed view rests on the idea that a soveriegn God already sends some to hell and chooses others for heaven. I think this is because they are taking specific cases and applying them to all of us. Yes, God assigned John the Baptist to a task from birth. God did certainly set some people up for unique callings before they were born.

God does not ever contradict Himself. Those not assigned at birth to tasks are the rest of us. Does God know what their decisions will be? Yes I think He does or He would not be God. This does not negate their freedom to decide.

I think God draws and God reveals specifically to individuals for the purposes of bringing them to Himself. He makes the choice very apparent. 

From my human perspective this seems a very difficult task. Show them His love through goodness and prosperity and they forget Him. Cause calamity and many will blame Him. If He exists He must be cruel and He caused this to happen. So in that respect He can't win with some people who are just determined to either not believe or hate Him if He exists.

The answer might be coming to a place where everything is empty, even the best of the best is empty. No pursuit for happiness ever fulfills. There are different ways people can come to the end of the rope. Living miserable in a mansion all alone isn't fulfilling. Material things are nice to have, but they are external things that don't feed the internal. Substances can make one feel better temporarily, but then there is the day after and the hangovers and the need to explain what you said while you were under the influence. Addictions always leave more emptiness at the end than they ever fill. Some come to the realization young and some waste their lives trying to find it.