If you are a Christian, do you get to pick and choose which parts of the Bible to read and believe?

[Triumph1300]

Just wondering how many of you pick and choose.

Friend of mine crossed out scriptures with a big fat black pen.....

Do you get to rip out the pages that are confusing, or the parts that you don’t understand?

And yet to be we are called to believe, by faith. You do? Or not?

How would you as a Christian define the Bible?

 

[Windmillcharge]

Becoming a Christian is like becoming a cityzen of a country. One has to accept that countries past, the good bits and the bits one is ashamed of.

The Christian accepts that the Bible is the word of God, with bits one does not understand or like,only a fool seeks to remove those bits that are against one's views.

Have you asked this Bible defacer whether his views have ever changed so that he now accepts some bits he once sought to remove and also now seeks to remove other bits he once accepted?

 

[Enoch111]

Friend of mine crossed out scriptures with a big fat black pen.....

That is rather serious. Did you show this friend the consequences as revealed in the Bible?

 

[Charlie24]

Just wondering how many of you pick and choose.

Friend of mine crossed out scriptures with a big fat black pen.....

Do you get to rip out the pages that are confusing, or the parts that you don’t understand?

And yet to be we are called to believe, by faith. You do? Or not?

How would you as a Christian define the Bible?

You can get everything in scripture wrong, but if you get Jesus right, you will enter into the Kingdom of God!

We are called to believe in and on Christ and what He has done for us, not believing and understanding all of scripture.

As a believer matures in Christ, then comes understanding of scripture. It takes time!

 

[Josho]

Just wondering how many of you pick and choose.

Friend of mine crossed out scriptures with a big fat black pen.....

Do you get to rip out the pages that are confusing, or the parts that you don’t understand?

Doing that does not change what was originally written in the Bible, everything was written for a reason.

 

[Daniel Veler]

Just wondering how many of you pick and choose.

Friend of mine crossed out scriptures with a big fat black pen.....

Do you get to rip out the pages that are confusing, or the parts that you don’t understand?

And yet to be we are called to believe, by faith. You do? Or not?

How would you as a Christian define the Bible?

I had a sister who was of another denomination who didn’t believe in the Lake of Fire. I asked her if she believe the Bible was the word of God. She said she did. I took her to the scriptures concerning the Lake of Fire and asked her if you don’t believe in what is written you must be prepared to call God a liar. And if you rip everything out the makes reference to eternal damnation what are you left with.
To answer your question concerning the Bible it goes like this. In the beginning of the church the only thing available to the Apostles were Old Testament scriptures. As they would come to understand them they would write letters to the churches showing Christ in them. Latter these letter were compiled together to form what is called the New Testament. So the New is from the old. Some say we no longer oberserve the writings in the Old Testament and that we are under the New Testament. They haven’t understand where the New Testament scriptures came from. The book of revelation was also derived from Old Testament scriptures it is called the testimony of Christ. Everything you read in Revelation Christ spoke about here on earth or brought out of Old Testament scriptures. The revelation was given to give us an accurate account of Christ and what was to come. I hope this helps.

 

[Behold]

Do you get to rip out the pages that are confusing, or the parts that you don’t understand?

The bible isn't confusing, its enlightening.
But, you have to know the key to become enlightened by the word.

The bible is like a light switch.
A light switch turned off always has the capacity to turn on the Light.
The Power is always there, but the power is not released unless you turn on the Switch.
The bible is the power of Light, but you can't see it, know it, or understand it, unless you know how to turn on the Switch.

Knowing this, how to do this, is what separates the enlightened from the rest who pretend they are....

 

[Robert Gwin]

Just wondering how many of you pick and choose.

Friend of mine crossed out scriptures with a big fat black pen.....

Do you get to rip out the pages that are confusing, or the parts that you don’t understand?

And yet to be we are called to believe, by faith. You do? Or not?

How would you as a Christian define the Bible?

No doubt if the Bible is inspired of God, then all of it is valuable for a follower of Jesus.

 

[VictoryinJesus]

Just wondering how many of you pick and choose.

Friend of mine crossed out scriptures with a big fat black pen.....

Do you get to rip out the pages that are confusing, or the parts that you don’t understand?

And yet to be we are called to believe, by faith. You do? Or not?

How would you as a Christian define the Bible?

that is a good question. Do we all do it? Do we all cherry pick? My husband and I were watching a panel of pastors taking questions from viewers and answering. John macarthur is pretty well know yeah? Answering questions of the Bible says this and the Bible says that. Then he told a story about his going up against clergy in the courts. how it went all the way to the Supreme Court and how he was being blamed for doing harm. how it wasn’t true what was being said about his harming. He explained that is wasn’t true and he took it as high in the court system as it would go to prove it as wrong. It made me think of 1 Corinthians 6:1-7 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? [2] Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? [3] Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? [4] If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. [5] I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? [6] But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. [7] Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?

if I could ask, I would ask: why did you not instead suffer yourself to be defrauded and take the wrong? Surely there is a loop hole in: those clergy are not brothers. So yeah, why are all other verses said to be so necessary and vital but then that one ...not so much? Are we contradicting in: a passage We like, another passage don’t even bring that one up.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Friend of mine crossed out scriptures with a big fat black pen.....

Do you get to rip out the pages that are confusing, or the parts that you don’t understand?

I was recently arguing with someone who does this, but if you do not honor the entire book but only honor the parts that agree with your theology, you can turn the scriptures into absolutely anything you want. You can make them support Islam (the Muslims do this), you can make them support Gnosticism (people on the forum are doing this), you could make them support absolutely anything under the sun, from pedophilia to polygamy to slavery to mass genocide to infanticide... the list goes on and on.

NO, we do not get to take out parts we do not like. It is only the Devil who likes to twist God's words, question them, and leave out the parts that don't serve his evil purposes but expose them.

 

[Hidden In Him]

that is a good question. Do we all do it? Do we all cherry pick? My husband and I were watching a panel of pastors taking questions from viewers and answering. John macarthur is pretty well know yeah? Answering questions of the Bible says this and the Bible says that. Then he told a story about his going up against clergy in the courts. how it went all the way to the Supreme Court and how he was being blamed for doing harm. how it wasn’t true what was being said about his harming. He explained that is wasn’t true and he took it as high in the court system as it would go to prove it as wrong. It made me think of 1 Corinthians 6:1-7 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? [2] Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? [3] Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? [4] If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. [5] I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? [6] But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. [7] Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?

if I could ask, I would ask: why did you not instead suffer yourself to be defrauded and take the wrong? Surely there is a loop hole in: those clergy are not brothers. So yeah, why are all other verses said to be so necessary and vital but then that one ...not so much? Are we contradicting in: a passage We like, another passage don’t even bring that one up.

This doesn't surprise me at all about John MacCarthur. He is worth something like 15 million dollars when scripture states plainly not to put one's treasures in this world. And yet we are supposed to trust this man as a true expounder of the word of God.

I'm not that gullible, and he's not that good.

 

[VictoryinJesus]

This doesn't surprise me at all about John MacCarthur. He is worth something like 15 million dollars when scripture states plainly not to put one's treasures in this world. And yet we are supposed to trust this man as a true expounder of the word of God.

I'm not that gullible, and he's not that good.

I like John and meant no disrespect. Only wished at that point I could have asked him about that passage. My husband voiced I probably would have been ignored. To me that fits with the OP of striking through a passage in ignoring that passage. You spoke of status and money ...question then is what would this have done to image in suffering the wrong and allowing yourself to be defrauded? A loss of some of that image? As you brought up to store treasure in Heaven ...also mentions the spoiling of your goods and taking it joyfully knowing you have a better enduring substance. Again, not meaning disrespect to a pastor but it does make me consider the lesson.

 

[Pearl]

Just wondering how many of you pick and choose.

Friend of mine crossed out scriptures with a big fat black pen.....

Do you get to rip out the pages that are confusing, or the parts that you don’t understand?

And yet to be we are called to believe, by faith. You do? Or not?

How would you as a Christian define the Bible?

I choose what to read as there is no real guidelines about this. Some people read the bible from front to back. I never have. I follow a daily devotional plan with a daily reading and sometimes if I need answers to specific questions I will search until I find them. If I don't understand something I ask the Holy Spirit to show me. And even what we read seems to be open to different interpretation but I prefer to let the Holy Spirit guide me.

 

[Hidden In Him]

I like John and meant no disrespect. Only wished at that point I could have asked him about that passage. My husband voiced I probably would have been ignored. To me that fits with the OP of striking through a passage in ignoring that passage. You spoke of status and money ...question then is what would this have done to image in suffering the wrong and allowing yourself to be defrauded? A loss of some of that image? As you brought up to store treasure in Heaven ...also mentions the spoiling of your goods and taking it joyfully knowing you have a better enduring substance. Again, not meaning disrespect to a pastor but it does make me consider the lesson.

Status, money, image, pride. He is not a bad man per se I don't think, nor an inaccurate teacher in all respects. But he has not allowed the Sword of the Spirit to pierce his heart fully yet, not by a long shot, and thus disobeys the very word of God he teaches before men.

You might like this post. It is written about the same thing:
What is the importance of this prophecy

 

[marks]

How would you as a Christian define the Bible?

All one thing, the Word of God.

I don't have issues with any of it, though there are parts I don't understand.

Much love!

 

[marks]

if I could ask, I would ask: why did you not instead suffer yourself to be defrauded and take the wrong? Surely there is a loop hole in: those clergy are not brothers. So yeah, why are all other verses said to be so necessary and vital but then that one ...not so much? Are we contradicting in: a passage We like, another passage don’t even bring that one up.

I'd have to know more about what happened.

Paul wrote that there needs to be some division so it is known who is approved.

Much love!

 

[marks]

This doesn't surprise me at all about John MacCarthur. He is worth something like 15 million dollars when scripture states plainly not to put one's treasures in this world. And yet we are supposed to trust this man as a true expounder of the word of God.

I'm not that gullible, and he's not that good.

I listen to his teaching, I believe he is a gifted teacher, myself. I even think he's given about the best teaching I've heard on election from a Calvinist view.

I don't judge his wealth. That's for Jesus to do. Don't trust man, trust God.

Much love!

 

[Triumph1300]

Kings 2:23

Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up the road, some youths came from the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, you bald head! Go up, you bald head!” So he turned around and looked at them, and pronounced a curse on them in the name of the Lord. And two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.

Any comment?

 

[marks]

I like John and meant no disrespect. Only wished at that point I could have asked him about that passage. My husband voiced I probably would have been ignored.

Actually, John MacArthur routinely invites questions, and I'd be surprised if you were not able to email him, and receive back an answer. And he might even answer on his radio broadcast, he does that sometimes.

I listen to him at 6 pm on Family Radio (West Coast).

I'm expecting there was a matter of principle involved, that to back away would be equal to saying what he believed was wrong, but I don't know the details of the case, so I'm just guessing here. But that would be the John MacArthur I "know".

Much love!

 

[marks]

I choose what to read as there is no real guidelines about this. Some people read the bible from front to back. I never have. I follow a daily devotional plan with a daily reading and sometimes if I need answers to specific questions I will search until I find them. If I don't understand something I ask the Holy Spirit to show me. And even what we read seems to be open to different interpretation but I prefer to let the Holy Spirit guide me.

People can spend a day deconstructing a passage, examining orginal language, cultural context, commentators and translations, and arrive at the same truth the Holy Spirit can give to someone in a 5 minute reading.

At the end of the day, I think that the Bible is intended to provide us with relationship with our Creater, and not with the Bible itself.

Much love!