"Just Me and My Bible" = Narcissism?

[HammerStone]

When we say “just me and my Bible” we are not Christians but narcissists.

Whenever we read the Scriptures, we do not read them alone. They do not belong to us as a personal possession but to the body of Christ, even as they are meant to speak to all persons.

We cannot escape the community of interpretation. None of us reads the Bible without a community of interpreters.

Read more: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/imagochristi/2015/03/just-me-and-my-bible/#ixzz3UkkgP6w7

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/imagochristi/2015/03/just-me-and-my-bible/

Obviously being a Baptist and running a Christian forum, I see this a lot. I've been guilty of this at times, as well. I tend to agree with the author that even though some maintain, no one reads the Bible without the input of some community, person or camp. This article does not address the "Holy Spirit told me _________" argument, but I have found that when the Holy Spirit speaks, it is very often through others or confirmed in some measure by the Bible and/or other believers. We are in a living faith, with a living God, after all.

 

[lforrest]

Many errors in interpretation and false teachings could be avoided if only we consider the question: Has this been confirmed by two or three witnesses?

And what you want isn't a valid witness.

 

[rockytopva]

The Two Trumpets - The Spirit and the Word

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGg0LLD17Fo

If someone is truly filled with the Spirit he will have a love for the word of God and his life will be in harmony with the word of God. I knew of a teenage girl who got drunk in the Holy Spirit during a revival in our Pentecostal Holiness Church. We could get nothing out of her but a sweet laugh. Well the next night I was awaiting the testimony. She said she did not sleep that night for reading the bible. This is the kind of spiritual experience that I approve of, when interest is kindled in the word of God along with the Spirit.

If someones life is out of harmony with the word of God I am very much worried about their so called spiritual experience.

 

[StanJ]

What analogy did Jesus give about the Pharisee and the publican? Luke 18:9-14

We are NOT justified by our righteousness, because Jesus is our righteousness, we are justified by our acknowledgement of our sinful nature. David was a man after God's heart because he acknowledged his sins and sinful nature. He sure didn't live a very sin free lifestyle.

 

[KingJ]

What analogy did Jesus give about the Pharisee and the publican? Luke 18:9-14

We are NOT justified by our righteousness, because Jesus is our righteousness, we are justified by our acknowledgement of our sinful nature. David was a man after God's heart because he acknowledged his sins and sinful nature. He sure didn't live a very sin free lifestyle.

I agree with you Stan. But I would replace acknowledge with hate. When we hate what God hates we are after His heart Rom 12:9.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/imagochristi/2015/03/just-me-and-my-bible/

Excellant read! Thanks for sharing. It seems you giving us a lot to read of late .

'Me and my bible' was never Jesus's intention. Jesus left us with the Holy Spirit, 11 disciples and Paul. Paul ensured we were left with qualified elders to oversee all teaching.

 

[Webers_Home]

-
According to Eph 4:11-16 and 1Cor 12:4-18 it is not Christ's wishes that his
followers be their own theologians.

Peter makes mention at 2Pet 3:16 of people who are "unlearned" no doubt
referring to self-taught folk neglecting to take advantage of the instruction
that Christ, in his generosity, has gone to the trouble of supplying his own
for their unity and their edification.

==================================

 

[StanJ]

I would replace acknowledge with hate. When we hate what God hates we are after His heart Rom 12:9.

Only if we actually KNOW what the Bible means when it uses HATE, as it does not convey the same meaning most of us understand. It is not a human emotion that God has. ABHOR is a good alternative in many translations.

 

[DanielGarneau]

Peter in his second epsitle encourages Christians to keep on growing in their knowledge of Jesus Christ, through growing in faith, knowledge, love, etc.

But there were within the Church some teachers that said Christ would not return as expected (2 Pet 3) and that it was OK to sleep around (2 Pet 2).

These false teachers were taking advantage of the lack of knowledge of some believers and twisted Paul's writings as they did for the rest of Scriptures (2 Pet 3:15-16).

So, Peter in his second epistle makes a strong appeal to trust what the apostles of Jesus Christ and what the prophets of the Old Testament did write (2 Pet 1:12-21; 3:1-2; 3:15-16).

Any accusation like the one identified by HammerStone in his opening post must be rejected. Quite to the contrary, the Bible everywhere encourages us to dwell in the Word to our heart's content. But the Bible also teaches that believers should gather together and take part in Church life to learn from gifted teachers and to serve with the gifts that each one has.

 

[KingJ]

Only if we actually KNOW what the Bible means when it uses HATE, as it does not convey the same meaning most of us understand. It is not a human emotion that God has. ABHOR is a good alternative in many translations.

Yes, agreed again. God hates sin. Many think God hates wicked people.

 

[[email protected]]

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/imagochristi/2015/03/just-me-and-my-bible/

Obviously being a Baptist and running a Christian forum, I see this a lot. I've been guilty of this at times, as well. I tend to agree with the author that even though some maintain, no one reads the Bible without the input of some community, person or camp. This article does not address the "Holy Spirit told me _________" argument, but I have found that when the Holy Spirit speaks, it is very often through others or confirmed in some measure by the Bible and/or other believers. We are in a living faith, with a living God, after all.

Narcissism might be a strong word to use with regard to individual claims of theological superiority. Each man must live his life responsible to himself and to God, but interpretation of scripture is not his alone to make.

The Holy Spirit is indeed a teacher, but discernment of spirits is NOT generally taught in churches. How does one know which spirit is speaking to him? Not all will submit to a simple test. Many great men have been led into error by attending to the wrong spirit. Mohammad of the Islamic religion is one. He wrestled with the idea that he was being led by a demon, but by the time he realized what was going on it was too late. So it may be with Christians who think they are being led by their own resolute subjective opinion coupled with spiritual authority. They may be walking into a trap of their own making.

Interpretations of scripture abound and should be consulted regularly. "Study to show thyself approved." (2 Tim 2:15) isn't limited to memorization. It isn't limited to one's opinion either. One of the reasons the Bible cautions against abandoning fellowship is the abandonment of good counsel. There is no such thing as a wise hermit.

Unfortunately, there are far too many in the church who raise the false totem of doctrine and support it with scripture. Error masked by holy words does not make truth. Throughout the history of the church it has been necessary for men of good conscience to assemble together and examine such dogma to determine whether it be true or not. Following the reformation, these assemblies halted and error flourished like weeds in a summer garden. Today the weeds are tall and choking out God's honest truth.

No man is an island and if anyone thinks he's got a special lock on it he is dreaming. A consensus must be consulted - and respected - else Christianity will dissolve into a meaningless mass of slogans and bywords.

and that's me, hollering from the choir loft...

 

[JimParker]

Many errors in interpretation and false teachings could be avoided if only we consider the question: Has this been confirmed by two or three witnesses?

And what you want isn't a valid witness.

Many errors in interpretation and false teachings could be avoided if only we consider the question: Is this what the church has always taught?

 

[aspen]

Great article

 

[mjrhealth]

Sometimes less is more

1Jn 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
1Jn 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

In all His Love