How to interpret the christian Bible?

[nPeace]

I believe not everyone is equally gifted by the Spirit to interpret scriptures.

Gifted by the spirit?
You make it sound like something being dished out to selected individuals.
Was it not those who put faith in Christ, and accepted his teachings, that received holy spirit?

 

[Trailblazer]

If Jesus is in every person, why are they sheep and goats, and the goats are so terrible they are rewarded eternal destruction?

They aren't.

 

[danieldemol]

So if God didn't have a problem with wrong religions then whydoes he say: "Isaiah 53:6 6We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

Simple, God did not say that, in my opinion.

 

[pearl]

While persons might apply this to doing good works for others, and thus pleasing God, that does not mean that that is what Jesus had in mind.

Why do you think it is something other that Jesus intended. I think you're over thinking it and complicating it more than is necessary. If you know of those in need you act. If someone is starving and I do nothing, I've killed them. Instead of over interpreting it meditate on it.

 

[Faithofchristian]

Why do you think that people in the Church do not allow God's spirit to guide them, but only the single individuals that claim that they are different to those in the Church, are guided by God's spirit?

As to how do you know for sure it's the Spirit of God..
Did you try the Spirit to see if it is the Spirit of God...
As written in 1 John 4:1--"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world"

Therefore do you try the spirits to see if they are of God...
you probably have no clue or idea how to try the spirits...to see whether they are of God or not..

It is also written in
2 Peter 1:20--"Knowing this first, that no Prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation"

Therefore what part of that are you not understanding the ( N ) or the ( O ).

As there is (No) private interpretation of the word of God....God has already given the interpretation of all things in his word..

 

[nPeace]

Why do you think it is something other that Jesus intended. I think you're over thinking it and complicating it more than is necessary. If you know of those in need you act. If someone is starving and I do nothing, I've killed them. Instead of over interpreting it meditate on it.

You think. Maybe you are not hearing the holy spirit. In fact, I suggest you haven't.
Sorry @pearl I mistook you for Faithofchristian.
The Bible reveals that it is not the way you are thinking. I quoted the scriptures.
It's scripture that explains or interprets other scriptures. We do a lousy job of interpreting, thinking that it means what we think it does.
Then it becomes anyone's "bacon".
This is where humility comes in.

As to how do you know for sure it's the Spirit of God..
Did you try the Spirit to see if it is the Spirit of God...
As written in 1 John 4:1--"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world"

Therefore do you try the spirits to see if they are of God...
you probably have no clue or idea how to try the spirits...to see whether they are of God or not..

It is also written in
2 Peter 1:20--"Knowing this first, that no Prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation"

Therefore what part of that are you not understanding the ( N ) or the ( O ).

As there is (No) private interpretation of the word of God....God has already given the interpretation of all things in his word..

I'm not sure you answered my question, but let me take a closer look. Maybe the answer is there, amd I need to decode your response.

Okay you think everyone else but you has tried the spirit, and knows how to do so.
You think everyone else but you, understands the Bible.

Did I get it right.
...but that does not answer the question.
All you have done is repeat what you believe.
My question was, why do you think that people in the Church do not allow God's spirit to guide them, but only the single individuals that claim that they are different to those in the Church, are guided by God's spirit?

In other words why do you think that people in the church have not tried the spirit, but only the single individual - namely you?

 

[nPeace]

I like to watch how Trailblazer hangs herself with her ratings of posts.
Maybe she thinks Isaiah was not a prophet of God, sent by God, and speaking for God.
Maybe Moses was not a spokesman for God either. Only Bahaullah speaks for God.

 

[metis]

Love though, is not limited to just a few things, as I am sure you know.
Jesus did not actually describe love, which would help us get a better understanding of what love involves, although he did give us some good principles.
Love is described in 1 Corinthians 13, and there we can see some other details, which we might not have considered.

For example, a person may do kind acts for others - help an old lady carry her groceries... but he may be impatient. He may be one who can't have a conversation without easily and quickly losing by itself is their patience. I wonder what @metis thinks about that...

"Impatience" by itself is not generally considered to be a sin, such as with Jesus telling Peter to "get behind me, Satan". Matthew16[21-23]

"Agape" has no single-word equivalent in English because it's what might be called an "active noun", namely that one doesn't just have agape-- one lives agape.

 

[metis]

That's a primary way we show love to our neighbor, because spiritual things are better, and more important than physical things, and the message Jesus preached is a life saving message - saving persons for everlasting life.

If one is to truly believe in Jesus versus just paying lip-service to him and God, both are important.

The early Church attracted many followers because they were willing to risk their own lives helping others both spiritually and physically, such as working with lepers and preaching against what the Romans believed in. Thus, it isn't an either/or dichotomy but a mandate to do both. IOW, Jesus fed the crowds more than just words in Capernaum.

As Catholics, we recognize Jesus' words on this, but not so much the JW's.

 

[metis]

Why do you think it is something other that Jesus intended. I think you're over thinking it and complicating it more than is necessary. If you know of those in need you act. If someone is starving and I do nothing, I've killed them. Instead of over interpreting it meditate on it.

Absolutely, and that is an essential interpretation of Jesus' Parable of the Sheep & Goats. The "Goats" believe some things about Jesus but not in him. Helping those in need is essential according to the Gospel, according to the Gospel, but the JW's teach all one needs to do is to just talk-the-talk, thus not walk-the-walk.

 

[Aupmanyav]

"How to interpret the christian Bible?": Naturally, your way.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

One way to think of the golden rule, which Christ said was the essence of all the Law, is that it is the how-to for "love your neighbor" .
It's a very practical guide, or instruction manual, for good love towards others in all situations, where once in a while (even if rare) it can be harder to figure out what to do without that kind of extra guidance.

Yes, the 'how to' for 'love your neighbor... ' can be harder to figure out.... thus Jesus' extra guidance at Luke 10:29-37
So, the Golden Rule coupled with Jesus' New commandment of John 13:34-35 would be loving neighbor MORE than self in a very practical or merciful way to someone truly in need, someone outside of one's race or nationality as demonstrated by that neighborly good Samaritan.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Absolutely, and that is an essential interpretation of Jesus' Parable of the Sheep & Goats. The "Goats" believe some things about Jesus but not in him. Helping those in need is essential according to the Gospel, according to the Gospel, but the JW's teach all one needs to do is to just talk-the-talk, thus not walk-the-walk.

I find Jehovah's Witnesses teach what Jesus taught at Luke 10:29-37 which is ' walk the walk '.
For that matter, I find Micah 4:5 informs us that each will ' walk ' in the name of their God.
Jehovah's Witnesses 'walk ' by faith - 2 Corinthians 5:7 - just as Jesus 'walked' by faith - Luke 4:43.
- www.jw.org

 

[URAVIP2ME]

"How to interpret the christian Bible?": Naturally, your way.

Or, rather: naturally Jesus' way.
I find Jesus often referred back to the old Hebrew Scriptures as the basis for his teaching / interpreting.
A comprehensive concordance puts the Bible in alphabetical order for us.
Thus we can research Scripture by subject matter or by topic arrangement.
Among the many Bible writers we can see the internal harmony among them.
Thus, showing that all Scripture is inspired by God and Not by man.

 

[nPeace]

If one is to truly believe in Jesus versus just paying lip-service to him and God, both are important.

The early Church attracted many followers because they were willing to risk their own lives helping others both spiritually and physically, such as working with lepers and preaching against what the Romans believed in. Thus, it isn't an either/or dichotomy but a mandate to do both. IOW, Jesus fed the crowds more than just words in Capernaum.

As Catholics, we recognize Jesus' words on this, but not so much the JW's.

not so much?
There is a reason you don't know, based on what JWs practice.

Spoiler

(Matthew 6:1-4) 1 “Take care not to practice your righteousness in front of men to be noticed by them; otherwise you will have no reward with your Father who is in the heavens. 2 So when you make gifts of mercy, do not blow a trumpet ahead of you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be glorified by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3 But you, when making gifts of mercy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your gifts of mercy may be in secret. Then your Father who looks on in secret will repay you.

 

[nPeace]

Absolutely, and that is an essential interpretation of Jesus' Parable of the Sheep & Goats. The "Goats" believe some things about Jesus but not in him. Helping those in need is essential according to the Gospel, according to the Gospel, but the JW's teach all one needs to do is to just talk-the-talk, thus not walk-the-walk.

To the last clause, my sister would say, "What rubbish."
I would agree. JWs are known for their work in the community, as well as their door-to-door ministry... but I don't want to blow our trumpet for you to "see".

 

[metis]

I find Jehovah's Witnesses teach what Jesus taught at Luke 10:29-37 which is ' walk the walk '.
For that matter, I find Micah 4:5 informs us that each will ' walk ' in the name of their God.
Jehovah's Witnesses 'walk ' by faith - 2 Corinthians 5:7 - just as Jesus 'walked' by faith - Luke 4:43.
- www.jw.org

Jesus did not teach that we should judge others and then tell lie after lie after lie when dealing with what other denominations supposedly do. Dishonesty is not Truth.

 

[metis]

not so much?
There is a reason you don't know, based on what JWs practice.

Spoiler

(Matthew 6:1-4) 1 “Take care not to practice your righteousness in front of men to be noticed by them; otherwise you will have no reward with your Father who is in the heavens. 2 So when you make gifts of mercy, do not blow a trumpet ahead of you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be glorified by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3 But you, when making gifts of mercy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your gifts of mercy may be in secret. Then your Father who looks on in secret will repay you.

You're taking the same position of some the Pharisees that Jesus condemned because they were all talk. Jesus and the Apostles helped those in need, which shows up in numerous areas of the NT.

When we help others, it's not to be for show but for basic Christian compassion. The fact that the JW's don't much do that is very telling, especially when they strut around like peacocks bragging that they're the only true Christians.

 

[metis]

To the last clause, my sister would say, "What rubbish."
I would agree. JWs are known for their work in the community, as well as their door-to-door ministry... but I don't want to blow our trumpet for you to "see".

Sorry, but you are contradicting what you wrote on a previous post, plus one of your own fellow JW's admitted a while back that such charity work organized by and through the JW's is not emphasized. True Christian charity involves also helping even those outside your denomination as all people are of God's creation.

For example, if one goes to a Catholic hospital, it makes not one iota of difference what one's denomination or religion or neither may be. Here in the Detroit area, most of our charity money is spent on non-Catholics in need, especially in the inner-city.

 

[nPeace]

You're taking the same position of some the Pharisees that Jesus condemned because they were all talk. Jesus and the Apostles helped those in need, which shows up in numerous areas of the NT.

When we help others, it's not to be for show but for basic Christian compassion. The fact that the JW's don't much do that is very telling, especially when they strut around like peacocks bragging that they're the only true Christians.

Are you judging?