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Should we Follow The Bible Only?

Linus

Well-Known Member
Do you believe that we should follow the Bible only? Or are there other texts/documents that would validate our religious practices? What do you all think?
 

robtex

Veteran Member
Christanity is an interesting religion in that respect Linus. If you read about Hinduism, Buddism or even Judism it would be impossible to read all the stuff written about it in one lifetime. The religions are under constant state of progression through research by its believers. Christanity doesn't. It has its one book and active research outside of its content is even discouraged by some churches. I think Maize has brought up retired Bishop John Spong before. J Spong is a Christian bishop who is retired. He stated that with the current path that life is taking and the current lack of changes in Christanity that if Christians don't put more value in research that the religion will have serious problems with membership decades and centuries down the road. He may have a point. The Bible was written thousands of years ago and what was known than is small compared to what is known now. Christians, if they have the mentality of the Bible is the only source of info are taking a one way ticket backwards in progression of their understanding of the what how when wheres and why of the universe.
http://www.dioceseofnewark.org/jsspong/reform.html
http://www.dioceseofnewark.org/jsspong/
 

Ellie_A

Member
Linus said:
Do you believe that we should follow the Bible only? Or are there other texts/documents that would validate our religious practices? What do you all think?

To me it would be like eating only one food all the time. I am sure you could live that way, but isn't a nice life when there is diversity in what we eat? Think of it as a spititual diet, a smorgasbord of life. With the bonus of diminishing intolerence, if we understood our neighbor better we might like them more. :)
 

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
Truth is truth, wisdom is wisdom. Why should it matter where it comes from? And why would you ignore it if it were not from a particular source?
 

precept

Member
The real quetion is really "who cares?" While it may appear that I am being desingenuous in answering insincerely, yet permit me to continue by saying that if one does not believe as the God of the bible requires him to believe then neither does that "unbeliever care" nor does the God of the bible.

The God of the bible says "I am God; I change not"..."My word does not return to me void." That to me is 'take it or leave it; you are free to do as you will and so am I" God does not leave us in darkness re His intentions. He says "it is appointed unto man once to die, and after death the judgement." He says those He judges as righteous He has prepared for them mansions that wherever He is they will also be"...while those He judges as unrighteous will be cast into a lake of fire burning with brimstone".

Does ti matter if there is "one" or "one million" righteous Christians?...Not to God. Revelation states that the righteous returned from heaven with Jesus in a city called the "New Jerusalem"....The bible also stated that those outside the city-the unsaved-were as sand on the seashore. Also the bible states that like the time of the flood only eight humans were saved...and that the same will be on the return of Jesus....The scriptures in Romans 9:27......."......a remnant shall be saved". Romans 11:5...."....Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of Grace."
And the saved! Here they are; found in Revelation 11:13...."And the remnant were affrighted , and gave glory to the God of heaven."

The gospel of salvation is not about numbers! "And they that worship Him MUST WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH". Jesus' words.....John 4:24


precept
 

robtex

Veteran Member
precept said:
The gospel of salvation is not about numbers! "And they that worship Him MUST WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH". Jesus' words.....John 4:24precept


there is a dent in your theory. Christians recruit so it is about numbers.
 

precept

Member
robtex said:
there is a dent in your theory. Christians recruit so it is about numbers.
The fact that "devils also believe and tremble." James 2:19 doesn't make a devil as believing in God as in serving God.
Jesus Himself said "many will say in that day Lord! Lord! we have prophesied in thy name and in thy name have done marvelous works." Jesus said that He Himself will say to those false Christians..." I never knew you; Depart from me ye that work iniquity."

That said! "Not every one that says unto me Lord1 Lord! will enter the kingdom of heaven; only he who "does God's will" only he who "worships God in Spirit and in truth." is going to enter God's kingdom of heaven. Matthew 7:21`

The "recruiters for God" can only recruit on the basis that God outlines.
In as much as God does not desire that "any be lost; but that all should come to repentance" 2 Peter 3:9; yet He knows that the lost will be as "sand on the seashore."
Any Christian who believes he/she "worships God in Spirit and in truth" will when "asked to give a reason for his/her beliefs; do so with "meekness and fear" 1 Peter 3:15 Such is the extent of the "recruiting for God" of any Christian. And this, the Christian does because like His Saviour He/she is unwilling to see his brother perish.

Those who set up shop[churches recruiting for Jesus] and in the name of Christ "win people for his kingdom" from other churches or from paganism or other religions; but who do not worship Him in spirit and in truth are referred to in scripture as "wolves dressed-up like sheep". Jesus refers to these "wolves"...Mark 7:7..."In vain do they worship me; preaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

The gospel of salvation is reserved only for those whose all comsuming desire is to repent of their sins because they sorrow over the fact that it was their sins that caused the death of their Saviour. They then walk as their Saviour walked; forsaking the habit of sinning and asking His forgiveness if and when they sin against their Saviour God...And only a few, even of those who call themselves Christians, are willing to so worship God.


precept
 

cardero

Citizen Mod
Linus writes: Do you believe that we should follow the Bible only? Or are there other texts/documents that would validate our religious practices? What do you all think?
I believe that everything that everyone writes is a sacred scripture that is inspired by GOD and beneficial for teaching. I have learned many things from many books. Even fiction books that I have read seem to arrive to my conscious in a timely matter.

As far as reading a book to follow GOD I would have to say no. GOD cannot BE contained to one book. It is good to check in with GOD personally every once and awhile to see what he/she has been up to.

“Beware, the man of one book.” – St. Thomas Aquinas
 

Ellie_A

Member
chuck010342 said:
The bible is directly inspired by God so therefore we should only trust the bible.
From what I have learned from your other thread to Muslims only:
Qur'an 3:7

7. He it is Who has sent down to you the Book: In it are verses fundamental (of established meaning); they are the foundation of the Book: others are allegorical. But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is allegorical, seeking discord, and searching for its hidden meanings, but no one knows its hidden meanings except Allah. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in the Book; the whole of it is from our Lord:" and none will grasp the Message except men of understanding.


Quote from Booboo

It looks to me like the Qur'an was also inspired by God.
 

cardero

Citizen Mod
chuck010342 writes:The bible is directly inspired by God so therefore we should only trust the bible.
I believe different authors who like to create different worlds, different settings for their characters to inhabit or for author's to document their situations through prose can BE attributed to BEing inspired by GOD who is believed to have done much creating in his existence.
 

Ronald

Well-Known Member
Read, Read, Read! Inspired writings! There are much inspired writings in the world. BUT! One must have a FOUNDATION. You and I are told to PROVE ALL THINGS, by the FIRST TESTAMENT.
Writings that say God Changed are inspired, but by WHOM? The First Testament says and the second says, God never changed.
 

Linus

Well-Known Member
SOGFPP, what other writings do you follow? As a christian, how do you justify using writings outside the Bible as a basis for serving God?
 

Scott1

Well-Known Member
In addition to the Bible.... which I believe is sufficient (I'll try to explain later) I read the teachings of the Church.

To me, the 1000's of Christian faiths that are "bible only" and have drasticly different views of what scripture means is evidence enough of the bankruptcy of the sola scriptura theory. God is not the author of confusion and to me, there is only one way to ensure that we are interpreting the Bible correctly.... the Church says so. One voice... one unified faith.... one interpretation. Period. That sounds like the Church Christ founded to me.

But, I could be wrong!

Scott
 

Linus

Well-Known Member
SOGFPP said:
the Church says so. One voice... one unified faith.... one interpretation. Period. That sounds like the Church Christ founded to me.
Do you ever disagree with the Church's teachings? If you do, how do you go about dealing with it?
 

precept

Member
SOGFPP said:
In addition to the Bible.... which I believe is sufficient (I'll try to explain later) I read the teachings of the Church.

To me, the 1000's of Christian faiths that are "bible only" and have drasticly different views of what scripture means is evidence enough of the bankruptcy of the sola scriptura theory. God is not the author of confusion and to me, there is only one way to ensure that we are interpreting the Bible correctly.... the Church says so. One voice... one unified faith.... one interpretation. Period. That sounds like the Church Christ founded to me.

But, I could be wrong!

Scott
Assume that the teachings of the church is right. But you must also allow that because "God is not the Author of confusion", that if the church teaches different from the teachigs of God...that then the church is therefore Not of God. And again you are right! Any church that does not teach the word of God as God would have His word taught, cannot be of God! Hence the "confusion" that is evangelical Christianity cannot be of God!


precept
 

cardero

Citizen Mod
Some of the questions that I have had to explore throughout my life were:

Why does GOD require a book?

Why does GOD require that we follow THE BIBLE?

Is THE BIBLE complete?

Can we actually K(NOW) GOD in the NOW from reading THE BIBLE?

Why did people stop writing about their relationships with GOD?

Why did people stop going directly to GOD for their concerns and questions?

What if the answers to their questions were different from THE BIBLE’s? Who are we to believe?
 

huajiro

Well-Known Member
Maize said:
Truth is truth, wisdom is wisdom. Why should it matter where it comes from? And why would you ignore it if it were not from a particular source?
I agree wholeheartedly
 
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