Is The Bible A Failure?

[Grace Accepted]

It is a serious question. Here we have a book purported to be to be inspired by God who is said to be one and gave us the book so we could be one with Him and each other and yet we are as scattered and frayed rather than united as one against the enemy of our souls.

Now if we were one with God and each other it would extend well beyond shallow virtue signaling displays where we pretend that everyone's point of view is equal but are are actually rolling our eyes behind our flickering screens. God's singularity is one in thought and purpose, drawn to the pure light of absolute truth. That truth being revealed to us by the bible.

But instead we read texts that cut across our beliefs and, surprise, our beliefs trump scripture, but even that truth we obfuscate by rationalizing or dragging the text off into the tall weeds of Greek where we beat it to death with our toy sand shovels. Pretending to be Greek scholars is a favorite pass time here on the range. No, we can only take texts we approve of at face value, all others need to be processed at our internal re-education camp and made into some things else. The old "it is what it is and it is not something else" rue went out the window along time ago, after all what do biblical translators know anyway--they didn't ask me first!

I think that if we are all reading from the same book, we should be fairly close to being unified but, alas, the book had not changed us--we have changed it. Made it suite our needs. Of course even this is not the truth. The truth is, the book has not failed, we have.

Let us be broken n the Rock!

 

[razzelflabben]

It is a serious question. Here we have a book purported to be to be inspired by God who is said to be one and gave us the book so we could be one with Him and each other and yet we are as scattered and frayed rather than united as one against the enemy of our souls.

Now if we were one with God and each other it would extend well beyond shallow virtue signaling displays where we pretend that everyone's point of view is equal but are are actually rolling our eyes behind our flickering screens. God's singularity is one in thought and purpose, drawn to the pure light of absolute truth. That truth being revealed to us by the bible.

But instead we read texts that cut across our beliefs and, surprise, our beliefs trump scripture, but even that truth we obfuscate by rationalizing or dragging the text off into the tall weeds of Greek where we beat it to death with our toy sand shovels. Pretending to be Greek scholars is a favorite pass time here on the range. No, we can only take texts we approve of at face value, all others need to be processed at our internal re-education camp and made into some things else. The old "it is what it is and it is not something else" rue went out the window along time ago, after all what do biblical translators know anyway--they didn't ask me first!

I think that if we are all reading from the same book, we should be fairly close to being unified but, alas, the book had not changed us--we have changed it. Made it suite our needs. Of course even this is not the truth. The truth is, the book has not failed, we have.

Let us be broken n the Rock!

This quote struck me...."I think that if we are all reading from the same book, we should...." The key I think is how or by what authority we are reading the bible. We can read it with the glasses of justification, of disbelief, of the enemy, as self satisfying, etc. but it is when we read with the glasses of seeking the Living God no matter what or how we feel, we will find community and consensus

Just my two cents. Good post....just pointing out what I think the key is...allowing God to use scripture to transform us according to His will rather than any of the many other ways we try to read scripture.

 

[Arial]

It is a serious question. Here we have a book purported to be to be inspired by God who is said to be one and gave us the book so we could be one with Him and each other and yet we are as scattered and frayed rather than united as one against the enemy of our souls.

Now if we were one with God and each other it would extend well beyond shallow virtue signaling displays where we pretend that everyone's point of view is equal but are are actually rolling our eyes behind our flickering screens. God's singularity is one in thought and purpose, drawn to the pure light of absolute truth. That truth being revealed to us by the bible.

But instead we read texts that cut across our beliefs and, surprise, our beliefs trump scripture, but even that truth we obfuscate by rationalizing or dragging the text off into the tall weeds of Greek where we beat it to death with our toy sand shovels. Pretending to be Greek scholars is a favorite pass time here on the range. No, we can only take texts we approve of at face value, all others need to be processed at our internal re-education camp and made into some things else. The old "it is what it is and it is not something else" rue went out the window along time ago, after all what do biblical translators know anyway--they didn't ask me first!

I think that if we are all reading from the same book, we should be fairly close to being unified but, alas, the book had not changed us--we have changed it. Made it suite our needs. Of course even this is not the truth. The truth is, the book has not failed, we have.

Let us be broken n the Rock!

GA,
I am dropping in to respond to this because it fits with a lot of what I have come to, not recognize, I always did that, but to finally accept as a truth that is insurmountable on a forum. And that is, on a forum such as this, that addresses theology as well as many other subjects; that attempts to be Christian in nature; desires at the same time to be peaceful; it sets up a rats nest for the Christian. We find ourselves being joined with non Christians in war, in a useless unending parade of continuing and repeating battles in which no one changes their position. Scripture tells us to not be joined together with the unbeliever, and that applies to all of life, not just marriage. On Christian only forums, the fighting with no movement goes on over different issues, quarrels over words, predestination and freewill, OSAS, those things that do not pertain to salvation. I think we come with the perhaps unrecognized, sense of pride, that we have something that others do not. And even if our motive of fellowship and learning is pure, we walk into that trap of pride and arrogance. And we can also reach the conclusion that Christ's church is in even worse shape than it is.

The Bible is not failing. It is spiritually discerned and by those who have the Holy Spirit---not those who simply say they have it and then denounce almost every aspect of Biblical, apostolic Christianity. The Holy Spirit is given to those who have been born again, to those who have been joined to Jesus by grace through faith. And that faith has specific content. The virgin birth, the deity and humanity of Jesus, His sinlessness, His death and resurrection and ascension, the atonement, propitiation, substitution, justification. Without this a person can read the Bible and come up with their very own religion. They can make it say anything. In doing so they can harden their heart through pride to a place where truth will not penetrate. But nothing is impossible to God. The stubborn refusal to hear and only talk, when the gospel is presented is however, astounding. My conclusion, and sadly, it is not a place where God is working, and if He isn't working in and through something, there is no point for a Christian. So for my own spiritual and emotional well being, I choose to spend time in communion with God, Him and me, and in His word, asking for those spiritual and sanctifying things I need, asking for wisdom and understanding and knowledge, but most of all for Him to give me a love for bringing Him praise and glory through my life, the life that He has given me; and with the covenant community in the local church, one I trust, and one that expounds on scripture, line by line, learning, not about me. but about Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

May the peace of God that surpasses all understanding be with you.

 

[Grace Accepted]

This quote struck me...."I think that if we are all reading from the same book, we should...." The key I think is how or by what authority we are reading the bible. We can read it with the glasses of justification, of disbelief, of the enemy, as self satisfying, etc. but it is when we read with the glasses of seeking the Living God no matter what or how we feel, we will find community and consensus

Just my two cents. Good post....just pointing out what I think the key is...allowing God to use scripture to transform us according to His will rather than any of the many other ways we try to read scripture.

I think in all the fog of war there is the Body of Christ which understands these pillars of absolute truth.

1. Jesus took our sins up in his body and suffered the full penalty of sin for all mankind and is therefore not counting our sins against us. (1 Peter 2:24; 2 Cor 5:19)
2. By His resurrection, we are raised onto a newness of life perfected forever while still being made perfect. (Heb 10:14; Romans 6:4)
3. We can partake in this newness of life by heeding His offer and repenting, and believing (Adhering, trusting, and depending) on Him. (Acts 16:30)
4. By abiding in Him we will learn of him who is lowly of heart and we will produce fruit. (John 15:7-8)
5. All of the work of Salvation is His and we are saved by grace and not of any kind of works. Our striving is to abide and believe.

 

[1Mind1Spirit]

Our striving is to abide and believe.

Present ourselves as one ready to receive.

 

[Mr G Lee]

My two cents. . I would suggest actual study on how we are instructed to rightly divide according to the loving commandment so we can seek the approval of God not seen and not men seen ..defining words as we do add to the rightly divide the prescriptions

From my experience how we see or hear the understanding as hermeneutics divides . Like for instance, without parable Christ spoke not hiding the spiritual understanding from the lost There are many ways mankind understand some disregard any parable that is not mentioned as a parable others say parable are not prophecy but simply good bed time stories .How can we understand the law. . without parables Christ spoke not?

 

[popsthebuilder]

Dogmatic beliefs should be very few in my opinion. Thinking we have some knowledge that some others do not isn't bad in itself as long as we know that someone else has been gifted with other things by the grace of GOD that we do not have.

When the very understandings of the words "Jesus" and ", Christ" have different meanings and/ or more or less breadth in meaning, then dogmatic beliefs can be very dangerous. We should all be very careful not to declare any an unbeliever who doesn't claim such of themselves. Perspectives and knowledge vary; but to think that any group makes up the boC in and of itself seems a little off from some understandings of some verses of scripture. I think the multiple flocks will come together as one. And also that we should be careful not work contrarily to what what is taught in the bible regarding the division of the wheat from the tares and judgement. In due time there will be a coming together. Each member of the body has a distinct significant function.

 

[Grace Accepted]

My two cents. . I would suggest actual study on how we are instructed to rightly divide according to the loving commandment so we can seek the approval of God not seen and not men seen ..defining words as we do add to the rightly divide the prescriptions

From my experience how we see or hear the understanding as hermeneutics divides . Like for instance, without parable Christ spoke not hiding the spiritual understanding from the lost There are many ways mankind understand some disregard any parable that is not mentioned as a parable others say parable are not prophecy but simply good bed time stories .How can we understand the law. . without parables Christ spoke not?

We can't. His parables are some of the deepest expressions known to mankind.

 

[Grace Accepted]

Dogmatic beliefs should be very few in my opinion. Thinking we have some knowledge that some others do not isn't bad in itself as long as we know that someone else has been gifted with other things by the grace of GOD that we do not have.

When the very understandings of the words "Jesus" and ", Christ" have different meanings and/ or more or less breadth in meaning, then dogmatic beliefs can be very dangerous. We should all be very careful not to declare any an unbeliever who doesn't claim such of themselves. Perspectives and knowledge vary; but to think that any group makes up the boC in and of itself seems a little off from some understandings of some verses of scripture. I think the multiple flocks will come together as one. And also that we should be careful not work contrarily to what what is taught in the bible regarding the division of the wheat from the tares and judgement. In due time there will be a coming together. Each member of the body has a distinct significant function.

The coming together will also be accompanied by a significant falling away. (2 Thess 2:3) The actual point of this post is to point out that not all "truths" are equal and that a great sign that you are hearing false teaching is the amount of effort the teacher has to put in to change the obvious meaning of the text. Another tell is when the teacher claims that bible translators all got it wrong but that they have the actual real meaning of the text.

 

[popsthebuilder]

The coming together will also be accompanied by a significant falling away. (2 Thess 2:3) The actual point of this post is to point out that not all "truths" are equal and that a great sign that you are hearing false teaching is the amount of effort the teacher has to put in to change the obvious meaning of the text. Another tell is when the teacher claims that bible translators all got it wrong but that they have the actual real meaning of the text.

I agree that if one considers all transactions wrong then they could be the one wrong. If someone insists that a word means something other than what is regarded as possible meanings given in lexicons then there may be a problem. One changing the meaning of the text is a red flag. However; if one isn't in agreement with historical dogma but is in line with the simple reading and spiritual understanding of the text, as a whole, then there could be merit to their view. Traditionally, those who relied on traditional understandings have been mislead. There is scripture that speaks both for and against tradition. The metric given is the fruit of the Spirit. If what is being taught is contrary to what is good then obviously something is amis.

 

[popsthebuilder]

The coming together will also be accompanied by a significant falling away. (2 Thess 2:3) The actual point of this post is to point out that not all "truths" are equal and that a great sign that you are hearing false teaching is the amount of effort the teacher has to put in to change the obvious meaning of the text. Another tell is when the teacher claims that bible translators all got it wrong but that they have the actual real meaning of the text.

There is a large falling away that has been taking place for some time.

 

[Sissy]

It is a serious question. Here we have a book purported to be to be inspired by God who is said to be one and gave us the book so we could be one with Him and each other and yet we are as scattered and frayed rather than united as one against the enemy of our souls.

Now if we were one with God and each other it would extend well beyond shallow virtue signaling displays where we pretend that everyone's point of view is equal but are are actually rolling our eyes behind our flickering screens. God's singularity is one in thought and purpose, drawn to the pure light of absolute truth. That truth being revealed to us by the bible.

But instead we read texts that cut across our beliefs and, surprise, our beliefs trump scripture, but even that truth we obfuscate by rationalizing or dragging the text off into the tall weeds of Greek where we beat it to death with our toy sand shovels. Pretending to be Greek scholars is a favorite pass time here on the range. No, we can only take texts we approve of at face value, all others need to be processed at our internal re-education camp and made into some things else. The old "it is what it is and it is not something else" rue went out the window along time ago, after all what do biblical translators know anyway--they didn't ask me first!

I think that if we are all reading from the same book, we should be fairly close to being unified but, alas, the book had not changed us--we have changed it. Made it suite our needs. Of course even this is not the truth. The truth is, the book has not failed, we have.

Let us be broken n the Rock!

Right away, "inspired" will mean different things to different people.
So their approach to the book will start with a different premise and will skew their perceptions to fit their premise.

The book places a heavy emphasis on the faith of Abraham being foundational for all of any nation, and yet Abraham didn't have the book at all to go by.