Second-hand Revelation: Some guy said God told him to tell you… (Jesus Christ, Earth)

[doppelgänger]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Mason

What would you like God to say that's not in the Bible?

I don't think that's the point. "God" doesn't speak to everyone through the Bible. Personally, I don't find the word of God in the Bible, though it has some lovely stories and ideas that I enjoy.

[Wandered Off]

Originally Posted by Fish-Hunter

It is impossible for man to believe through his own free will ability; because his will is not free...rather the will is in enmity with God...running from the light. That's what the Bible teaches. You have nothing to worry about if the Bible is not the Word of God.

You also have nothing to worry about without free will. In the context of predestination, your fate is in no way altered whether the Bible is God's word or not.

Biblical revelation is intentionally concealed to those who do not believe.

Again, in a context of predestination, neither revelation nor concealment has any impact whatsoever.

Originally Posted by Fish-Hunter

Jesus did pray for all future generation Christians while He walked this Earth.

What was the point of that? Their fate was already sealed, right? Obviously, his prayer would have no effect.

[MidnightBlue]

Originally Posted by Fish-Hunter

How can you have an honest opinion about apparent second-hand revelation without reading it? It seems your mind was made up before you came to this thread.

Wasn't yours?

People who try to argue by appeals to scriptural authority don't seem to grasp just how unimpressive that is. A good exercise might be to read some of the threads where Muslims appeal to their scripture to argue against Christianity and note how impressed you are with their arguments.

[Storm]

Originally Posted by lilithu

Nature may not reveal anything to you but many people have reported that it does for them. On what authority do you claim that your experience of revelation is the only kind or even superior?

rev·e·la·tion Audio Help /ˌrɛvəˈleɪʃən/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[rev-uh-ley-shuhn] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –noun
1.the act of revealing or disclosing; disclosure.
2.something revealed or disclosed, esp. a striking disclosure, as of something not before realized.
3.Theology.
a.God's disclosure of Himself and His will to His creatures.
b.an instance of such communication or disclosure. c.something thus communicated or disclosed.
d.something that contains such disclosure, as the Bible.

Nature is not revelation, it is nature. A sunset does not reveal God's will, nor even existence.

As for my kind being superior, don't put words in my mouth.

[lilithu]

Originally Posted by Storm

Nature is not revelation, it is nature. A sunset does not reveal God's will, nor even existence.

Just because you don't see revelation in nature doesn't mean that others don't. I don't have to put words in your mouth. You are denying the validity of other people's experiences.

[Storm]

Originally Posted by lilithu

Just because you don't see revelation in nature doesn't mean that others don't. I don't have to put words in your mouth. You are denying the validity of other people's experiences.

No, I'm denying the expansion of the definition of revelation.

[lilithu]

Originally Posted by Storm

No, I'm denying the expansion of the definition of revelation.

It's not an expansion of the definition of revelation. It's a recognition that some people have experienced revelation through nature - ie, experienced a "communication"with the Divine through nature. I'm not talking about "Ooh, look how pretty the sky is; God must have done it." So I say again, just because you haven't experienced revelation through this medium, doesn't mean it's not valid.

[Storm]

Look, I'm not saying revelation can't be found through nature. I'm just saying that nature =/= revelation.