Does it concern you that gospels were written so many years after Jesus died?

[saintiaint]

Without faith you cannot please God

Doubt is not the opposite of faith.

 

[saintiaint]

No, the alternative is to believe that God is incapable and incompetent to have written what He wants for us to read and live by.

In your opinion

 

[Wrangler]

Doubt is not a dirty word.
Dogmatism is.

Without faith you cannot please God

Doubt ≠ Denial. Doubt means you have faith. Denial means you don't. See Augustine's Confessions.

 

[saintiaint]

So you doubt the Bible. How can you believe any of it? By your wisdom?

Spiritual truths are more important.

 

[Wrangler]

In your opinion

What is the alternative in your opinion?

 

[Grunt Hemlock]

On the other end of the spectrum from Theide is John Dominic Crossan, Former Catholic Priest of the Jesus Seminar - he has dates way late for New Testament books. But I have seen basketball games more spiritual than Crossan.

 

[saintiaint]

Doubt ≠ Denial. Doubt means you have faith. Denial means you don't. See Augustine's Confessions.

Thanks. Good book that. Only read some of it though.

 

[saintiaint]

What is the alternative in your opinion?

Might be a good question. I'm not sure ..

 

[saintiaint]

Spiritual truths are more important.

The Bible is not a History book. It's only part history. But the wisdom is vital for us. And of course Jesus saves us / the world from our sinful selves. Of course I believe Jesus is the son of God. But I can't prove it.

 

[Grunt Hemlock]

Biblical scholarship changes over time regarding dates of writing for the books. John Wesley in the 1700's thought that the Gospel of Mark was written after Matthew as a deliberate shortening of it. That idea has since fallen out of favor, and now Mark is looked on as earlier.

 

[kcnalp]

Spiritual truths are more important.

Ok, you're saying you're not a Bible believer. But you already made that clear in your first post.

 

[friend of]

Your doubt is tantamount to unbelief in both God and His revealed word. It is absolutely the opposite of faith.

 

[saintiaint]

Ok, you're saying you're not a Bible believer. But you already made that clear in your first post.

I'm not a literal Bible believer.
My first post merely outlined my concerns over the authenticity of historical facts in the Bible, due to the long interval from Jesus death to when they were written.
I'm not a fundamentalist. That's not to say that the Bible isn't full of sacred theology.

 

[Triumph1300]

John was written about 70 years after Jesus death?
It bothers me. How can the events described in the gospel be totally accurate.

I only read the first post, so I don't know what others contributed.
But here's my take:

Since the bible was written with guidance from the Holy Spirit it must be accurate.
No other way around it. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Michiah-Imla]

So you doubt the Bible. How can you believe any of it? By your wisdom?

Spiritual truths are more important.

What a statement.

The Bible is spiritual truth!

Without the word of God how would you know spiritual truth from doctrines of devils?

Don’t you know that Satan and his ministers can do this:

2 Corinthians 11:14-15
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness

 

[kcnalp]

I'm not a literal Bible believer.
My first post merely outlined my concerns over the authenticity of historical facts in the Bible, due to the long interval from Jesus death to when they were written.
I'm not a fundamentalist. That's not to say that the Bible isn't full of sacred theology.

Honestly you sound like you're just a religious unbeliever, not a Christian.

 

[saintiaint]

So say if I were asked to write about the second world war. Over 70 years ago.
Fortunately I have plenty of books and videos to look at, to reference. But I still wasn't there. And there are hardly any survivors to interview that are alive.
But back in 100 AD or thereabouts. What resources do I have ? Any witnesses left who knew Jesus? Any books to reference? I think I might be depending on stories passed on orally. How accurate would those stories be?

 

[saintiaint]

Honestly you sound like you're just a religious unbeliever, not a Christian.

You can insult me for expressing my doubts I guess. If that makes you feel better.

 

[kcnalp]

You can insult me for expressing my doubts I guess. If that makes you feel better.

No insult intended. Just being honest.

 

[saintiaint]

The Bible is spiritual truth!

I agree. But how much of it is historical truth?