Interpretation of the Bible through the Demonstration of God

[stunnedbygrace]

Amen! And you know the people that rail so much against the "foolish" Galatians are usually Galatians themselves...just like they who condemn the rich young ruler would never consider forsaking all to follow Christ either. I think people would rather condemn the same traits they have but in others rather than take a good look at themselves. Rather, we all need to take responsibility for our own actions and motivations and go easy on others...knowing how easy it is to fall into the carnal traps and the snares of the devil. That would be the oft neglected way of love, however. Never very popular.

I saw a pretty funny example of this (condemning in others what you do yourself)recently in a young woman who was greatly distressed at her family members chewing with their mouths open. After she spoke of how much it disturbed her, she then proceeded to chew, openmouthed and smacking her lips quite loudly as she talked And chewed. And because everyone else, having listened to her, were very carefully chewing closemouthed, it was much louder and noticeable what she was doing. We all began to dart furtive looks at each other and then it reached a tipping point and everyone began laughing uproariously at her. No one would have taken any note of her and how she chewed. She was the one who drew all of that attention to herself!

 

[stunnedbygrace]

my father, before he died, had a second wife who, after years of marriage, refused to let him eat potato chips, peanuts, or any crunchy foods, unless he ate them in a separate room from her with the door closed. The sound of his chewing was abhorrent to her. She also used to get mad at him for breathing too loudly! She actually hated him, while professing to love him. She even began complaining of how he smelled and was very militant about what soaps or lotions or aftershave he could or could not use.
And...now I've solidly derailed your thread...

 

[prism]

So then a human interpretation robs the words of God of their benefit and subverts what is meant to give life...bringing them down to hell's door.

This after you gave two posts of 'your' interpretation?

But how can we teach the things of God without having known His ways...or have seen Him operate in our midst?

God's Word is powerful and not dependent on the personality of the one who is teaching it.

Only faith brings God to us in the form of the demonstration towards actual knowledge of God. Not just the knowledge ABOUT God...but a first hand experience of God.

Actually it is when God comes to us in His Word and power that faith is born...as faith comes by hearing and hearing by God's Word. (Rom 10)

How many times do we hear that Christianity is based on a relationship...yet few indeed even believe an actual encounter is even possible with God? Can you say...lip service?

Yes, it would be lip service, because Christianity is based on a Sacrifice, a Death and a Resurrection of the sinless Son of God...not on a relationship. (1Cor 15:1-4) The relationship ought to proceed from there, but it is not the basis of Christianity. (Jn 15:4)

People demonstrate their lack of faith and experience of God by their actions.

I hope we are all included in that statement.

But we can turn to God with faith in His ability to back up His words with the demonstration of His ways as instruction INTO His ways. I think that this is the way the church is meant to grow into Him. And freely we have received...free;y we give. So then His demonstration of the gospel gives us the grace to pass that on to the world by the continuing demonstration of His life and power that are now IN US.

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18 (KJV)

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16

Doesn't that beat speculation?

I find both your opinion and speculation indistinguishable.

 

[Marymog]

[QUOTE="Episkopos, post: 640217, member: 3944
Jesus said that the Spirit would teach us all things...that we would have no need that men should teach us.[/QUOTE]
What man gave you the table of context for your bible you teach from?

 

[Marymog]

Some would say we need the historical context....but no one can go back in history to see the true reality of those times. People endlessly speculate. But even going back in history would only be worthwhile if we could experience first hand what we read about in the bible.

Completely and utterly NOT TRUE.

We have MULTIPLE Christian writing from the 1st century. Have you ever heard of the Apostolic Fathers? The Didache?

Who taught you this theory?

Curious Mary

 

[epostle]

Completely and utterly NOT TRUE.

We have MULTIPLE Christian writing from the 1st century. Have you ever heard of the Apostolic Fathers? The Didache?

Who taught you this theory?

Curious Mary

Completely and utterly NOT TRUE.
We have MULTIPLE Christian writing from the 1st century. Have you ever heard of the Apostolic Fathers? The Didache?

The problem, I think, is trying to construct early church history from the Bible Alone. Since that is impossible, anti-authority Christians are forced to make up a history of their own, which is partly why they reject the Apostolic Fathers and the Didache. It's historical censorship.

I will not be muzzled by their man made rules.

“Accordingly, elect for yourselves bishops and deacons, men who are an honor to the Lord, of gentle disposition, not attached to money, honest and well-tried; for they, too, render you the sacred service of the prophets and teachers.”
The Didache (c. A.D. 90).

“Peter, who is called ‘the rock on which the church should be built,’ who also obtained ‘the keys of the kingdom of heaven…’”
Tertullian, On the Prescription Against the Heretics, 22 (c. A.D. 200).

“And Peter, on whom the Church of Christ is built, against which the gates of hell shall not prevail…”
Origen, Commentary on John, 5:3 (A.D. 232).

“By this Spirit Peter spake that blessed word, ‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ By this Spirit the rock of the Church was established.”
Hippolytus, Discourse on the Holy Theophany, 9 (ante A.D. 235).

“See that ye all follow the bishop, even as Christ Jesus does the Father, and the presbytery as ye would the apostles. Do ye also reverence the deacons, as those that carry out the appointment of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude also be; by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.”
Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle to the Smyrneans, 8:2 (c. A.D. 110).

“All the people wondered that there should be such a difference between the unbelievers and the elect, of whom this most admirable Polycarp was one, having in our own times been an apostolic and prophetic teacher, and bishop of the Catholic Church which is in Smyrna. For every word that went out of his mouth either has been or shall yet be accomplished.”
Martyrdom of Polycarp, 16:2 (A.D. 155).

“But [it has, on the other hand, been shown], that the preaching of the Church is everywhere consistent, and continues in an even course, and receives testimony from the prophets, the apostles, and all the disciples…For in the Church,” it is said, “God hath set apostles, prophets, teachers,’ and all the other means through which the Spirit works; of which all those are not partakers who do not join themselves to the Church, but defraud themselves of life through their perverse opinions and infamous behaviour. (that no MAN should teach US) For where the Church is, there is the Spirit of God; and where the Spirit of God is, there is the Church, and every kind of grace; but the Spirit is truth.”
Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 3:24 (A.D. 180).

“Are they not then committing a crime, in their very thought to gainsay so great and ecumenical a Council? Are they not in transgression, when they dare to confront that good definition against Arianism, acknowledged, as it is, by those who had in the first instance taught them irreligion? ”
Athanasius, Defence of the Nicene Definition, 2 (A.D. 351).

a satire:
​

 

[The wind]

With all the methods that people can come up with in order to properly understand the bible...you never hear the method described in the bible itself.

1 Corinthians 2:11-12 King James Version (KJV)
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.


But the earthly man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually recognized.

 

[epostle]

1 Corinthians 2:11-12 King James Version (KJV) It does not say: paraphrased by me:

11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the written Word alone knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the written Word alone; that we might know the written Word alone that are freely given to us of God.

But the earthly man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually recognized.

Nowhere does scripture give a systematic method of interpreting the Bible. That's the point Episkopos was trying to make. The "ME, the Bible and the Holy Spirit" mentality is individualism that seriously undermines Christian unity.

 

[The wind]

Nowhere does scripture give a systematic method of interpreting the Bible. That's the point Episkopos was trying to make. The "ME, the Bible and the Holy Spirit" mentality is individualism that seriously undermines Christian unity.

Whether it be written or spoken if it is from the Spirit, it is from God.

John 5:47 King James Version (KJV)
47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

Which is to say, if you believe not God through Mose's writings how shall you believe God through my words: when it's the same God speaking by both.

 

[Episkopos]

Nowhere does scripture give a systematic method of interpreting the Bible. That's the point Episkopos was trying to make. The "ME, the Bible and the Holy Spirit" mentality is individualism that seriously undermines Christian unity.

Amen! We are to strive together for the faith of the gospel. The faith OF Christ...not our version of human beliefs about Christ.

God reveals His ways to us through unique expressions of His grace on individuals...but WE need to put things together to see and understand His ways.

 

[The wind]

As itiis written, Whosoever sins, and keeps not the Commandments of Christ, hath not the Spirit of God. He that keeps the Commandments of Christ, he has the Spirit of Jesus.

If there come any unto you, and bring not the commandments of Jesus, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:

For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of The works of man.


To the Commandments of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, if any speak not according to this word, it is because they have not the Spirit of life in them.

 

[BARNEY BRIGHT]

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for one day: teach a man to fish and you will feed him for a lifetime." Old Proverb

1 Cor. 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

With all the methods that people can come up with in order to properly understand the bible...you never hear the method described in the bible itself. And that method is by the demonstration of God.

The apostles of Jesus saw Jesus act long before they understood what Jesus was really doing. Jesus demonstrated to His disciples the things He set out to teach them...in word but also in power.

Paul was knocked off his horse and struck blind as a demonstration of God's power and immediacy. And Paul himself says that he preached the gospel in power and not just in word. Paul taught by demonstration of God's power...just like Jesus did and His disciples followed suit.

1 Thess. 1:5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.

Jesus said that the Spirit would teach us all things...that we would have no need that men should teach us. Now, the Spirit's words can only mean something to us if we know the context of those words. Some would say we need the historical context....but no one can go back in history to see the true reality of those times. People endlessly speculate. But even going back in history would only be worthwhile if we could experience first hand what we read about in the bible.

Is God still the same today as back then? Can He not do for us as He did for others? So then God still instructs us through demonstration...IF...and big if...we come to God with faith believing He can teach us as He taught the people we read about. Of course most people prefer the safety of keeping God at a safe distance in order to speculate ABOUT God and the bible while remaining fully ignorant that He is looking to show us His ways through the demonstration of His presence and power.

2Timothy 3:14-17 isn't a lie, it's true. Jesus said there would be those who would misinterpret the scriptures, look at the Pharisees of Jesus day. Just because there will be those who will misinterpret the scriptures doesn't mean you ignore the scriptures. As I said, 2Timothy 3:14-17 isn't a lie.