In Whom You Believed vs What You Believe

[soul man]

What is so powerful about the message of God (the gospel) Galatians 1:11-12; is you can start as a child learning, or I should say this message is so simple a child can know and understand it. Many times easier than maybe an adult because they do not have all the beliefs systems to weed through. Do you know what can cause so many of the problems we get into as believers? what we believe. We will make a gospel out of what we believe like the Lord is going to work all around what I believe over what someone else believes. More than that we think what I believe is the gospel. What you believe is not the gospel, it may have some flashes of the gospel but no one has the gospel belief to themselves. The gospel "is of no private Interpretation," the scripture says.

I'll believe everything but that, I treat my understanding like it is a lock on the gospel. Where the mistake is made is thinking the gospel is (an inanimate object) something other than someone or a person. Why do we preach Christ? Because Christ is the gospel, Galatians 1:11-12. We do not just preach about him, because we preach him who is life. There is no other way to life, no belief will give you life only Christ is life. So always working at getting your believing right is going to be a weight that is hard to carry.

Believers are believers based on "whom they believed" or who they believed in. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior you are a believer. What you believe after you have been born again holds very little stock with your father. Now he may use it and lead me by my understanding and believing but it is not the gospel. Why does what I believe hold so little stock with the father? Because he already has a message he does not need me to come up with one, he needs me to see his message (the gospel) which is Christ in you the hope of glory! And bring his message to a world without Christ, not what I believe.

It's nice to have a belief system and to read and study. Those are the things that will absultely take us into the things of God, but to make a gospel out of what I believe is foolish. Remember to much study can make you weary and set you back.

 

[amadeus]

...
It's nice to have a belief system and to read and study. Those are the things that will absolutely take us into the things of God, but to make a gospel out of what I believe is foolish. Remember to much study can make you weary and set you back.

Oh, I believe that reading and studying is more than nice. Paul did write this:

"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." II Tim 2:15

The problem is when people presume that by Bible study alone they will come to or increase our understanding of the Truth. That verse tells us what needs to be done, a commandment to study if you will, but not the way to come to or increase Truth. All of that study alone brings us to the reference to which you alluded: "can make you weary".

"And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh." Ecc 12:12

Some may say that verse does not mean the Bible, but I certainly disagree with that. A person reading or studying the Bible without the Holy Spirit quickening it within is taking in dead words. Consider the dedicated atheist studying only to prepare himself to win a debate against a believer. Consider the believer simply reading/studying to fulfill a promise to himself with no concern or effort to really get in touch with God.

The Truth, to receive it or increase our understanding of it requires the input or quickening of the Spirit:

"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." II Cor 3:5-6

The "letter" is what is written as men were inspired to write it by the Holy Spirit. When a person reads those same words without the Holy Spirit to quicken it [bring it to Life] it will be as that flaming sword standing watch the entrance to Eden killing anyone attempting to enter without consent. God opened the Way there through Jesus thereby giving His consent, but to enter all the way inside and to partake of the Tree of Life does require proper attire, a correct garment worn, so as not to cast out into outer darkness...

Of course when a person studies the scripture out of obedience as he is led by the [Holy] Spirit, then the study may indeed be a fruitful one. But always we should remember that God is the One, who should always be leading, not your minister, or you or me!

 

[soul man]

Oh, I believe that reading and studying is more than nice. Paul did write this:

"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." II Tim 2:15

The problem is when people presume that by Bible study alone they will come to or increase our understanding of the Truth. That verse tells us what needs to be done, a commandment to study if you will, but not the way to come to or increase Truth. All of that study alone brings us to the reference to which you alluded: "can make you weary".

"And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh." Ecc 12:12

Some may say that verse does not mean the Bible, but I certainly disagree with that. A person reading or studying the Bible with the Holy Spirit quickening it within is taking in dead words. Consider the dedicated atheist studying only to prepare himself to win a debate against a believer. Consider the believer simply reading/studying to fulfill a promise to himself with no concern or effort to really get in touch with God.

The Truth, to receive it or increase our understanding of it requires the input or quickening of the Spirit:

"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." II Cor 3:5-6

The "letter" is what is written as men were inspired to write it by the Holy Spirit. When a person reads those same words without the Holy Spirit to quicken it [bring it to Life] it will be as that flaming sword standing watch the entrance to Eden killing anyone attempting to enter without consent. God opened the Way there through Jesus thereby giving His consent, but to enter all the way inside and to partake of the Tree of Life does require proper attire, a correct garment worn, so as not to cast out into outer darkness...

Of course when a person studies the scripture out of obedience as he is led by the [Holy] Spirit, then the study may indeed be a fruitful one. But always we should remember that God is the One, who should always be leading, not your minister, or you or me!

Well put my dear brother.