Does the Bible prove anything?

[aspen]

Why did God give us the Bible?

What is the purpose of this important book?

Is knowledge of the Bible necessary for salvation? If so, how much?

Dos the Bible prove anything? What is 'prooftexting' why is it intellectually unsatisfying?

 

[Prentis]

Well, if the natural man can't understand the bible out of his own reasoning, it can actually do nothing without the work of the Spirit.

The Bible is simply a tool for the Lord to teach us. We don't 'know' things by reading, we know them by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

That's my understanding of it.

 

[aspen]

I agree Prentis! I tend to believe that our false self or ego understands the Bible only on an intellectual level, which happens to fuel our self-esteem. The intellect is important, but it is limited to theory, not application. The holy Spirit takes the Word to the next level - He ministers to the True Self., teaching us how to fulfill or destiny - applying the Bible to assist us on our journey to love perfectly. The true self mind knows, feels, and does - we need to learn to shed the defenses of our false self and live in our true self, which is selfless. The fig leaves in the Garden represent the false self.

If we remain in our false self, the Bible will remain simply intellectual and when we face judgment, Christ will not recognize us. He only knows the True self.

 

[FHII]

Wow.... Another thread meant to question the Bible's authority. I'll sit this one out and let you folks "walk in the spirit"... (notice the lower case "s")....

 

[aspen]

Wow.... Another thread meant to question the Bible's authority. I'll sit this one out and let you folks "walk in the spirit"... (notice the lower case "s")....

The Bible is authoritative. How is this thread questioning the authority of the Bible?

 

[Prentis]

I agree Prentis! I tend to believe that our false self or ego understands the Bible only on an intellectual level, which happens to fuel our self-esteem. The intellect is important, but it is limited to theory, not application. The holy Spirit takes the Word to the next level - He ministers to the True Self., teaching us how to fulfill or destiny - applying the Bible to assist us on our journey to love perfectly. The true self mind knows, feels, and does - we need to learn to shed the defenses of our false self and live in our true self, which is selfless. The fig leaves in the Garden represent the false self.

If we remain in our false self, the Bible will remain simply intellectual and when we face judgment, Christ will not recognize us. He only knows the True self.

I see what you're saying. I would only switch 'false self' with 'old man', and 'true self' with 'new man'. The old nature is at war with the new.

There is one point you made that I think is huge (because it is so neglected):

We can use the Bible to puff ourselves up (the old man), and think this is the will of God. The Bible speaks both death, and life; death to our old man, our self, and life to our new man. Only we have many times, to our own peril, taken what speaks life and justification and applied it to our old man, therefore reinforcing the very thing God wishes to destroy.

 

[aspen]

I see what you're saying. I would only switch 'false self' with 'old man', and 'true self' with 'new man'. The old nature is at war with the new.

There is one point you made that I think is huge (because it is so neglected):

We can use the Bible to puff ourselves up (the old man), and think this is the will of God. The Bible speaks both death, and life; death to our old man, our self, and life to our new man. Only we have many times, to our own peril, taken what speaks life and justification and applied it to our old man, therefore reinforcing the very thing God wishes to destroy.

Yep - Paul was speaking of this truth and used different terms.

 

[Prentis]

Yes.

To know God, we must know him in Spirit. We fool ourselves into thinking that we can please him carnally. This is impossible!

 

[aspen]

Yes.

To know God, we must know him in Spirit. We fool ourselves into thinking that we can please him carnally. This is impossible!

Point for you!!

 

[Prentis]

Point for you!!

Haha! Spreading the love, aren't you? :lol:

 

[jiggyfly]

Yes.

To know God, we must know him in Spirit. We fool ourselves into thinking that we can please him carnally. This is impossible!

Very true Prentis.
The letter kills but the Spirit brings life (notice the upper case S).

I think the scriptures prove and explain a lot of things concerning earth and human history and also about the God. But knowledge of the scriptures is very much like knowledge of world sociology yet never leaving your own country and experiencing the other cultures,it is not experiential and thus just virtual.

To know and obey the scriptures is not the same as to know and obey HolySpirit. One is carnal the other is spiritual, one is virtual the other is real. Knowing and obeying the scriptures does not make one spiritual nor does it produce spiritual growth. The pharisees knew and obeyed the scriptures yet Jesus said they were blind and misguided. Paul knew the scriptures and lived by them. He said he did it so well that no one could find any fault with him yet he said it was all worthless.

Those who's knowledge of God is dependent on the scriptures is the same as one who knows George Bush by reading his biography, the relationship is virtual and lacks intimacy.

 

[Duckybill]

I guess it's imminent that anyone who believes in Universalism would compare the Scriptures with a heathen's biography.

 

[jiggyfly]

I guess it's imminent that anyone who believes in Universalism would compare the Scriptures with a heathen's biography.

Case and point.

 

[Duckybill]

Ah the Bible, the continual subject of attack by Satan and his.

 

[jiggyfly]

Ah the Bible, the continual subject of attack by Satan and his.

Do you know what "bible" means Ducky?

 

[Duckybill]

Do you know what "bible" means Ducky?

Yes I do. Genesis through Revelation.

 

[jiggyfly]

Yes I do. Genesis through Revelation.

You make me laugh, is this really your definition of the English word "bible"?

 

[Duckybill]

You make me laugh, is this really your definition of the English word "bible"?

That's the definition of the Christian Bible.

 

[jiggyfly]

That's the definition of the Christian Bible.

But that's not what I asked.

 

[Duckybill]

But that's not what I asked.

That's the Christian's answer.