Good Men Hate God

[Dor]

It comes down to who you trust and what you believe.

I believe that God can lead man to do things. Some men allow God to use them.
So God had a direct hand in what books and stories were included in his big book.
I refuse to limit God if he wanted the Gospel of Thomas(just an example) in the Bible he dang sure would have made sure it happened.
I also listen to the Spirit if I read a commentary or article I listen to what the Spirit says about it. I get much better reaction(not always exactly favorable from Barnes, Gill, Henry, Clark then I do from L.R. Smith, Russel, J. Smith).

So it all comes down to what you believe and trust in.
I personally believe God can make dang sure if he wants something in his book it will be there. And I trust that if he did not make sure it did then I can make it to him without it.

And above all I trust the Spirit to guide me in my study before any man. I also trust the Spirit to guide me to men that let the Spirit guide them like my awesome pastor.

 

[Dondi]

It comes down to who you trust and what you believe.

And above all I trust the Spirit to guide me in my study before any man. I also trust the Spirit to guide me to men that let the Spirit guide them like my awesome pastor.

Isn't that what the LDS church believe about the Book of Mormon, that the Spirit will give witness of it's truth?

 

[Dor]

Isn't that what the LDS church believe about the Book of Mormon, that the Spirit will give witness of it's truth?

I am forbiden by Q to express my thoughts about the LDS....so I will try to answer this short and tactfully. LDS church is a non christian orginization(trying here Q) so I can not answer for what Spirit leads them.

I was talking about the Holy Spirit that is from the Bible.

 

[moseslmpg]

It comes down to who you trust and what you believe.

I believe that God can lead man to do things. Some men allow God to use them.
So God had a direct hand in what books and stories were included in his big book.
I refuse to limit God if he wanted the Gospel of Thomas(just an example) in the Bible he dang sure would have made sure it happened.
I also listen to the Spirit if I read a commentary or article I listen to what the Spirit says about it. I get much better reaction(not always exactly favorable from Barnes, Gill, Henry, Clark then I do from L.R. Smith, Russel, J. Smith).

So it all comes down to what you believe and trust in.
I personally believe God can make dang sure if he wants something in his book it will be there. And I trust that if he did not make sure it did then I can make it to him without it.

And above all I trust the Spirit to guide me in my study before any man. I also trust the Spirit to guide me to men that let the Spirit guide them like my awesome pastor.

What say you about the extra books in the Ethiopian Orthodox Bible? Maybe we're the ones that got the abridged version and they got the full one.

That said, do you believe God directly meddles in human affairs? I can understand if he inspired the Bible, but not that he oversaw its compilation and made sure certain things happened. Where's the free will?

 

[Dor]

There is free will. You have the free will to worship cows, satan, money, the world, some false god you made up etc. I used my free will to give my life to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and his Son Jesus Christ. So if he used me to influence something that is not a lose of free will that is him doing what I asked him to do.

So of course I believe some of the people deciding on the Canon had probably given their life to Christ and allowed him to lead them when they put the book together.

Like I said I believe if it was needed for salvation it got included.

 

[moseslmpg]

Ok, it makes sense now. That is an interesting belief, though I suppose this isn't the place to discuss it.

 

[BlaznFattyz]

What say you about the extra books in the Ethiopian Orthodox Bible? Maybe we're the ones that got the abridged version and they got the full one.

the book of enoch was included in some bibles, and not in others, because of not being certain who wrote the discovered scrolls and because it speaks of angels taking on human form and having offspring with women that produced giants. of course some will see demons take on human form in the future as the false prophet and antichrist. many are certain that what enoch speaks of are the angels who did meddle with humans are bound in the abyss, and the offspring were killed and roam the earth as demon spirits, which later comes into play when jesus confronts legion and the whole pig incident, and later in revelations. personally i read the book of enoch as it prophecies about jesus christ and things to come and most of it is paralleled, even directly quoted in the bible we read. personally i think the book of enoch has been passed down and kept intact and is inspired and valid.

 

[moseslmpg]

Likewise, I believe it is valid. I think it would have been nice to have it in our Bible. There are also some apocryphal books that are referenced in the Bible that should have been included, if only to prevent confusion.

 

[Faithfulservant]

Who provided commentary to the prophets of the bible?.. Moses..Daniel..Ezekiel...Jeremiah..Soloman..David...I dont agree with the idea that you need anything from man..I dont agree that God needs anyone to make Himself heard and understood.

 

[China Cat Sunflower]

I wonder though how many people would come up with the idea of the rapture and tribulation ala Hayes on their own if they were not previously introduced to that idea.

Oh, and just to even it out, how many would come up with the doctrine of the Trinity all on their own, just reading the Bible?

luna

That's an excellent point!

Imagine, hypothetically of course, a person with absolutely no preconceptions about the Bible. They're completely isolated, on a desert island or something, and this Bible drops out of the sky. What do you think they would conclude from studying it? Would it look anything like mainstream Christian theology? I wonder...

Chris

 

[Faithfulservant]

That's an excellent point!

Imagine, hypothetically of course, a person with absolutely no preconceptions about the Bible. They're completely isolated, on a desert island or something, and this Bible drops out of the sky. What do you think they would conclude from studying it? Would it look anything like mainstream Christian theology? I wonder...

Chris

LOL depends... on whether God chooses to reveal Himself to the person through His Word..

 

[China Cat Sunflower]

One can pray for guidance, then read the Bible and let the Holy Spirit provide the commentary.

O.K., but what if it's Satan trying to mess you up? And why is it that the Holy Spirit inspires different people to embrace completely contradictory ideas? Look at all the different variations in Christianity, each denomination or sect thinking they've got the Truth.

Chris

 

[Prober]

Would God be able to make himself known to that island person?

Would it matter what God taught him about his word?

Maybe it's not so much about what the Bible writers really meant and their life and times but more about what God wants to show us from study.

Maybe that's why there are so many different kinds of flowers, etc.

(Think blind men of Hindustan...)

And who cares if it turns out to be a "Christian thing" or not.

Many sheep have I.

 

[Quahom1]

I am forbiden by Q to express my thoughts about the LDS....so I will try to answer this short and tactfully. LDS church is a non christian orginization(trying here Q) so I can not answer for what Spirit leads them.

I was talking about the Holy Spirit that is from the Bible.

No you aren't forbidden Dor. And I know you don't attack anyone with your ideas.

 

[Prober]

O.K., but what if it's Satan trying to mess you up? And why is it that the Holy Spirit inspires different people to embrace completely contradictory ideas? Look at all the different variations in Christianity, each denomination or sect thinking they've got the Truth.

Chris

Who knows what the Holy Spirit inspires?

On the highway to heaven, we have to quit rubber-necking at all the accidents and look ahead to our goal. That way we won't cause traffic jams and we can all get home! (sounds kinda mushy, but true)

 

[lunamoth]

LOL depends... on whether God chooses to reveal Himself to the person through His Word..

That's a good point Faithful. I'm betting that minimally that person would come to know that God is love.

luna

 

[Dor]

That's a good point Faithful. I'm betting that minimally that person would come to know that God is love.

luna

Yes along with the facts God is righteous, good, fair, holy, wrathful and angry at times.

Oh yeah and that he has a strong dislike toward sin.

 

[China Cat Sunflower]

In one sense I agree that the Bible is inspired by God. But so is all great literature. I see the Bible as an artifact which contains a number of different perspectives on a variety of topics including the essential nature of God. I suppose a person could intuit knowlege about what it means, but to me that seems a bit like sleeping with a chemistry textbook under your pillow expecting to directly intuit it's contents without having to study. Perhaps the Holy Spirit would inspire you as to the nature of chemistry, but I kinda doubt it.

I'm uncomfortable with this idea that God is micro managing human affairs. I don't see a valid biblical basis for it. Maybe that's just my cynical nature.

Chris