Is Bible sufficient enough to describe God?

[Suhar]

God first spoke to me audibly as a child growing up, I have a few growth years in Christ under my belt now and do not need to live for moments that you are describing because he is with me all the time. Young Christians hold on to those divine moments because they prove to them without a shadow of a doubt, that he is real...When we get older, we know he is real and his expectation of us is to move forward and grow in knowledge and understanding of him, to become more like him, to do the good works he has provided for us to do beforehand and to fulfill the plan he has for our lives. These things are written in his word.

[SIZE=medium]Nice snobbish attitude of all “grown up” Christian you got there. I better stay “young” then. I would not want to “grow up” and become like that.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]I know without shadow of a doubt that God is real and that is why I live for those times when he comes to visit. I do not want to “move forward” and abandon this relationship. There is nothing greater to “move on” to then being in presence of God. All “grown up” Christians should know that.[/SIZE]

 

[Dodo_David]

I should mention that the Christian Church did just fine for the first 400 years without an official canon of scripture. In the Church there is sufficiency, not in scripture, which is why even the Bible tells us the Church of God is the pillar and foundation of truth. Even the Bible itself is a product of authority, not an authority itself, and never was it thought that people needed scripture alone to find God.

... even the Bible tells us the Church of God is the pillar and foundation of truth.

Oh? Would you care to cite a Bible verse that supports such a claim?

 

[Angelina]

Nice snobbish attitude of all “grown up” Christian you got there. I better stay “young” then. I would not want to “grow up” and become like that.

[SIZE=medium]I know without shadow of a doubt that God is real and that is why I live for those times when he comes to visit. I do not want to “move forward” and abandon this relationship. There is nothing greater to “move on” to then being in presence of God. All “grown up” Christians should know that.[/SIZE]

Wow! I have never come across anyone who misinterprets everything I write. You must be from another country/culture. :unsure:
His relationship with us is in the doing of his will, not camping around experiences...God does not give us experiences so that we can make idols out of them...he gives them to us to encourage us and help us to grow. For some, it helps them to know that he is real. You may think that you are in the 1% bracket of divine encounters but you are not. Most saved people [but not all] have a testimonies of encounters...that is why they are saved... :huh:

Shalom!!!

 

[Suhar]

Wow! I have never come across anyone who misinterprets everything I write. You must be from another country/culture. :unsure:
His relationship with us is in the doing of his will, not camping around experiences...God does not give us experiences so that we can make idols out of them...he gives them to us to encourage us and help us to grow. For some, it helps them to know that he is real. You may think that you are in the 1% bracket of divine encounters but you are not. Most saved people [but not all] have a testimonies of encounters...that is why they are saved... :huh:

Shalom!!!

[SIZE=medium]I cannot even imagine how one can make an “idol” out of experience given by God. It is technically possible, overtime to become proud about it but it is such a humbling experience in itself! This is why I seek God’s presence again and again so that I do not loose right course. If God talked to you once it does not mean that you are somehow special. It only means that there is something wrong with you now because He is not speaking to you now.[/SIZE]

 

[lforrest]

Is it a greater testimony to obey God based on what you've learned from the Bible or from what he has revealed through personal experience?

It is better to obey God without needing the personal experience. John 20:29. Sometimes the calling is greater and so more direction is needed, this is also a blessing.

 

[Suhar]

Is it a greater testimony to obey God based on what you've learned from the Bible or from what he has revealed through personal experience?

It is better to obey God without needing the personal experience. John 20:29. Sometimes the calling is greater and so more direction is needed, this is also a blessing.

[SIZE=medium]John 20:29 does not say that one does not need personal experience or that it is better not to have it. It is only talking about belief. Easier to believe what you see then what somebody told you. Once you believe then you can have personal relationship with The One you believe in.[/SIZE]

 

[Angelina]

[SIZE=medium][/SIZE]

I cannot even imagine how one can make an “idol” out of experience given by God. It is technically possible, overtime to become proud about it but it is such a humbling experience in itself! This is why I seek God’s presence again and again so that I do not loose right course. If God talked to you once it does not mean that you are somehow special. It only means that there is something wrong with you now because He is not speaking to you now.

There you go again... he spoke to me FIRST, when I was a child, not the only time. I have a personal one on one relationship with my Lord and Savior and talk with him daily. God is not a respecter of persons...

 

[Suhar]

There you go again... he spoke to me FIRST, when I was a child, not the only time. I have a personal one on one relationship with my Lord and Savior and talk with him daily. God is not a respecter of persons...

[SIZE=medium]Good for you sister. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]All I was trying to say from the beginning of the topic that God is greater then any text in any human language that tried to “write Him down”.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]I have met some very sincere, very committed Christians that reject outright any possibility of communicating with God Himself and NOW, yet they fight endlessly about translations and interpretations. Just like bunch of people fighting endlessly over treasure map meaning without getting out and finding The Treasure.[/SIZE]

 

[mjrhealth]

Hi Suhar, I am not suprised that so few christians believe they can hear from God, if we where all led by the spirit and taught by God, we would all be in one accord and no end of trouble to the enemy, so the enemy gave man religion , keeps man divided. As for the bible, well there are over 40 different ones so you can pick which god you want to worship and read the bible that agrees with you. The bible says that God never changes, so if the words that He supposedly wrote change from one bible to another, we either have many gods or He is a liar. And since God doesnt lie and there is only one true God, that means the bible cant be His word, though it does have much to teach us if we have eyes to see and ears to hear.

In all His Love

 

[Suhar]

Hi Suhar, I am not suprised that so few christians believe they can hear from God, if we where all led by the spirit and taught by God, we would all be in one accord and no end of trouble to the enemy, so the enemy gave man religion , keeps man divided. As for the bible, well there are over 40 different ones so you can pick which god you want to worship and read the bible that agrees with you. The bible says that God never changes, so if the words that He supposedly wrote change from one bible to another, we either have many gods or He is a liar. And since God doesnt lie and there is only one true God, that means the bible cant be His word, though it does have much to teach us if we have eyes to see and ears to hear.

In all His Love

[SIZE=medium]That is so wrong![/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Bible is His word but because it is written in human languages it is not sufficient enough to describe God.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]There are no 40 bibles. There is only one but because of failing nature of human languages there maybe 40 different interpretations.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Christianity is not a religion. Religion is a set of rules and rituals which, when followed supposed to save you. Christianity is only a guide to personal Savior and so is the bible.[/SIZE]

 

[This Vale Of Tears]

Oh? Would you care to cite a Bible verse that supports such a claim?

You'll have to pardon me. Quite often I assume that people here are as familiar with scripture as I am and so I draw scriptural references without citing its location. I forget that there are new Christians who are somewhat new to the Bible. So here goes:

1 Timothy 3:15
if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

 

[justaname]

In terms of salvation, the Bible is sufficient. In terms of theology God is incomprehensible.

"The God who has revealed Himself in Scripture tells us that He is going to be “incomprehensible” to us. But does this mean that God is going to be irrational or illogical? No. It means that God is beyond man’s capacity to understand or explain exhaustively. In this sense, God is beyond human reason and logic because He is infinite and we are finite."
http://www.faithdefenders.com/articles/apologetics/incomphrehensibility_ap.html

In respect to the second question, this teaching comes from the idea that man has a completed cannon thereby prophesy has ceased. (1 Corinthians 13:8)

The logic proceeds that in an era when the cannon was not complete, prophets were needed in respect to the church in maintaining unity and sound doctrine. This role of prophet is no longer needed as all things needed for salvation is revealed in scripture.

I do not hold to the idea that God no longer speaks to us.

 

[lforrest]

I hope everyone knows that some degree of personal revelation is required to even become a believer. The Holy Spirit must first give you eyes to see before you can be convinced of the gospel.

Without the nudging of The Spirit you will not accept the things of God, which includes scripture.
1 Corinthians 2:14 "14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit."

 

[horsecamp]

IM JUST GOING TO SAY WHAT HAMMER STONE SAID IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

YOU ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT To God as any body else. so why on earth would you think some preacher would have a more in with God?
AND HAVE PRIVATE AUDIANCES WITH HIM .. God invites every one to sit at Jesus feet and listen to what he has to say .. in fact if some one says God told them different from WHAT THE bible SAYS ;; THEY ARE LYING TO YOU

ONE PREACHER CLAIMED GOD TOLD HIM TO TELL HIS CONGREGATION TO GIVE HIM A LOT OF MONEY .. AND THAT GOFFY CONGREGATION NOT GROUNDED IN GODS WORD FELL FOR IT AND GAVE HIM A LOT OF MONEY..

there is good reason God talks to every one by means of the bible.. so some cant hold you ransome--------------- to what they say God said.

so some cant spirtualy be your terrorist------------ because of your sins which Christ fully and freely paid with his own lifes blood

AND SO SOME CANT TRY TO MAKE YOU think Your SECOND CLASS CITIZENS IN THE KINGDOM OF God..

No my friends YOUR BROTHER GOD AND KING IS CHRIST AND HE LOVES YOU WITH A EVERLASTING LOVE.

 

[Dodo_David]

You'll have to pardon me. Quite often I assume that people here are as familiar with scripture as I am and so I draw scriptural references without citing its location. I forget that there are new Christians who are somewhat new to the Bible. So here goes:

1 Timothy 3:15
if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

From 1 Timothy 3:15:

.

. . . if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

Now, assuming that "the pillar and foundation of the truth" refers to "God’s household", what, then, was God's household at the time that Paul wrote?

Was it the universal Church, consisting of the Apostles, congregational elders and the rest of the believers in Christ, or was it a particular religious institution that didn't have its beginning until the year 1054 CE?

Was "God's household" the universal Body of Christ consisting of all believers, or was it a particular group of believers who became a separate unit later in time, a unit headquartered in Rome?

Answer: It was the universal Body of Christ consisting of all believer.
Today, the universal Body of Christ consists of believers in the Messiah who are messianic Jews, Protestants, Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox and Coptic.

 

[horsecamp]

The bible can teach us about God but that is not the same as knowing Him.

The bible Gos word says some thing way dfferent
romans 10;17

 

[jiggyfly]

The bible Gos word says some thing way dfferent
romans 10;17

Care to elaborate?

 

[horsecamp]

The bible can teach us about God but that is not the same as knowing Him.

so you think God just zaps knowing him into some one .. you cannot show us that in the bible.. it simply not there

the fact is the only reason you may know christ is because some one knew the bible that was even able to make you wise for salvation in jesus Christ.. And they told you about it..

Because the bible teaches in several places knowlege of God comes from it --the bible is the word of Christ. according to John 1:1

and bible verses say---------------- the bible Gods word ------ gives us knowlege of who God realy is

2Timothy 3:15 /// Romans 10:17 //// 1Thessalonians 2:13-14 /// John17:17

 

[Dodo_David]

I'd like to quote some that the Apostle Paul said about what knowledge that we have.

1 Corinthians 13:9-12 :

For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

 

[This Vale Of Tears]

From 1 Timothy 3:15:

.(if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.)

Now, assuming that "the pillar and foundation of the truth" refers to "God’s household", what, then, was God's household at the time that Paul wrote?

Actually, a pragmatic reading of the verse makes synonymous all three items, God's household, the church of the living God, and the pillar and foundation of truth. They can't be extracted one from another.

Was it the universal Church, consisting of the Apostles, congregational elders and the rest of the believers in Christ, or was it a particular religious institution that didn't have its beginning until the year 1054 CE?

You're confused. It was the Eastern Orthodox Church that began in 1054, not the Catholic Church. The Holy See was, in all previous centuries going back to 200 A.D. the Synod of Rome. It wasn't until 1054 that the Synod of Constantinople broke union with the rest of the church.



Was "God's household" the universal Body of Christ consisting of all believers, or was it a particular group of believers who became a separate unit later in time, a unit headquartered in Rome?


The Church cannot be separated from its leadership, the 12 apostles ("did I not choose you twelve?") who were directly commissioned by Christ and the bishops and presbyters they appointed starting a long line of apostolic succession. The Church is the whole body of Christians not excluding the authority structure in place right from the beginning.


Answer: It was the universal Body of Christ consisting of all believer.
Today, the universal Body of Christ consists of believers in the Messiah who are messianic Jews, Protestants, Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox and Coptic.

Incorrect. The Catholic Church is not one of many denominations, it is the original apostolic church that Jesus started, of whom he prophesied, "the gates of hell shall not prevail against". The Eastern Orthodox Church also lays a valid claim to apostolic succession, having bishops that directly descend from the original apostles like the Roman Catholic church. All others outside the apostolic church are separated brethren of Christian like leanings, but not in full fellowship with the original, enduring, universal church that Jesus himself established.