Bible Discussion Thread

Part 2

So the revelation of God's Truth to the saints is primarily done through the church, through the ministries given to the church for exactly this reason. But many believers, and mainly those who want to stay alone and do not wish to be members of any christian congregation, refuse that idea and try to become pastors and teachers ... to themselves, and feel OK with that, because they wrongly think God is ready to deal with then on a personal basis. Of course God reveals some elements or a deeper understanding of His Word specifically to somebody (we all have that experience) but the main teaching is done through the church. It is the churche's task to put right doctrines in the right order and explain the scriptures. Commentaries are also very helpful and it may be also a way that God responds to our search. Isn't it a series of commentaries that a pastor does when he is preaching in the church? What he is a preaching is explanations of scriptures of the Gospel. It is an oral commentary, isn't it? And if one is willing to hear a preaching, why aren't they willing to read a commentary?

People who refuse to listen to others and rely on their own understanding of the Bible, wrongly believing that God will lead them to His truth, sometimes come out with horrible beliefs. A virtue in the character of a christian, demanded by God, is one being humble. Humble means that I don't place myself above all the others but listen to others as well, and if they are not right, OK then I can reject their beliefs. But I have to have an open mind and use the written Word of God as a ruler. Acts 17:11 "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so

And often we have to wait, some things take time to be understood. It's like Maths. One can not do diferentiation or intergration if not learning to add and subtract numbers first.

Have a nice and blessed weekend.

Wow!!!!!

I love what you did there 'quench not the spirit ' you tied Numbers 11 V 24-29 with Mark 9 v 38-40 and Luke 9 v 49+50 but I'm guessing you already knew that !

Hey Giannis,

I have been to many different denominations of churches, and the ones that are close to me now since I am old are more concerned with entertainment and attendance than the truth of God's word. There are 6 different denominations of churches within 1 mile of me and for 18 years there has been no knock on my door from any. All of my family are gone and the people I meet in places I shop and a site like this is my gathering place.

I have not given much of my testimony about my life and what I have gone through and what the Lord has brought me through and what I have seen, I have no doubt the Holy Spirit abides in me. I have had discussions on this site, even with you and I have always tried not ever to imply I am right, and you are wrong. I have always written in love and tried to inspire one to study for their understanding, not mine.

There are Godly teachers out there but there are also many that are not and if we do not study, that is what we have been told to do and try the spirits. I may not agree with someone's understanding, I know some have disagreed with mine, but if someone presents something different than our understanding and if we do not with an open mind study it to try the spirit and just say theirs is wrong and mine is right and if we do not let the Holy Spirit show us the truth, we fall short.

It is not, my Church is better than your Church, it is one body, and that body is not in a building. If we disagree, may we communicate in respect and love for each other as brothers and sisters in Jesus the Christ our Savior and study for the truth even if we find we were wrong we should praise God we were shown the truth.

If the Holy Spirit shows us the truth, it is up to us to accept it even if it is different from what we have been taught. He who has ears to hear let him hear. A closed mind has no ears and cannot hear. The search for Truth is a wonderful journey that starts with humbling ourselves.

God bless,

RLW

Yes RLW , we must be open to growth , spiritual growth through understanding the scriptures . It is the Bible , the Word of God in our hearts and minds on a daily basis that brings us closer to our God and His Son . It's when God's Words become a part of us , lodged in us as a living thing and anyone can facilitate our growth by opening up the scriptures to us .This can also happen to us in our daily life , through our day to day experiences . We must be open and must not close off ourselves . These little moments of revelation , little gems , can come at any time and from anyone and when we are not expecting them but only if we are open . We should try to see and hear God every day and everywhere but we can't do this of we don't think that it's possible for God to be teaching us something through this person or that person because we have an aversion to them for whatever reason . God's voice is God's voice , always , no matter where it's coming from , it's not about where it's coming from it's about what He is trying to tell you . This might sound a bit irrelevant but I'm so glad that I don't drive , I either walk everywhere or if it's too far I use public transport , this means that every day I'm coming into contact with people I don't know and in my journeys random things can happen to me and they do . I love to be out and about on my feet seeing and hearing what's going on around me , meeting all kinds of people from all walks of life . You can't do that very much in a car . I see God at work all over the place and it's wonderful , He is wonderful . May Christ come back soon and may God make all things new very soon . When it is Your Will Dear Heavenly Father . Amen .

Thanks dear Ronald, well said.

Please read and apply these verses to your post Giannis . Numbers Ch 11 V 24-29 . 1st Sam Ch 10 V 1-12 and Ch 25 v 1-35 . 1st Kings Ch 22 V 1-28 . Prov Ch 1 V 20-23 . Isaiah Ch 48 v 12-16 and Ch 59 v 9-21 : As for me , this is my covenant with them , saith the LORD ; my Spirit that is upon thee , and my words which I have put in thy mouth , shall not depart out of thy mouth , nor out of the mouth of thy seed , nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed , saith the LORD , from henceforth and forever . John Ch 14 V 16-20 and in particular v 26 . John Ch 15 V 26 and John Ch 16 v 13 . Finally 1st Thessalonians Ch 5 V 19+ 20 , I could go on . God uses whomever He sees fit to use to get His message across . I don't know anything about anyone on here and don't wish to know , I only know if their words are in line with the Bible . I don't care who anyone is how rich or clever or even how long they have been reading the Bible . I only go by their words and their heart . If those are in line with Christ , who once said to his disciples who were complaining about someone who they didn't know who was going around doing miracles , Let him alone . It's not for us to judge people , if their words are in line with the Bible , which doesn't mean a church , it means God's Words , that's fine by me .

I have to be honest , you do sound a bit like the pharisees Gianni's , I'm sure that not your intention but look at what you seem to be saying : don't listen to him/ her over there , that person is uneducated , that person is just a..... carpenter ? How does he know what he's talking about ? We are God's priests , God will tell us first if He wants to say anything , God wouldn't tell him/ her anything ! Don't take any notice of that unkept loner , we are the educated knowledgeable ones , why would God reveal anything to him / her . Your post does come across a bit like that I'm sorry to say . God uses whomever He chooses . I'm certain He has and hopefully will continue to use us on here . And not just the well educated who think that because they are so , that they are closer to God . Please don't be offended by my rebuke , I usually enjoy your posts and I have genuine affection for you and I'm certain you did not mean to offend , but you kind of destroyed the whole purpose of this site .

Part 1

Hello Delilah.

I am sorry to make you sad (also others) but I think that my post has been misunderstood.

I don't mean that somebody has to be a scholar to teach or explain the Word of God. Most of the 12 were uneducated people. God selects all sort of people for His purpose, educated and uneducated. Even if somebody on this site has a university degree, I think there are only few that have studied in Bible Schools of have a University Degree in Theological Studies. Many here are educated but in fields foreign to the Word of God, so their education (like mine) is completely useless when studying the Bible.

There are churches that demand a Degree from people to select them as pastors or elders. I know some. Not my church. The pastor in my church repairs cars for a living and many elders are just simple workers in factories.

Any person can be selected by God to become a minister. But be careful, A MINISTER. If it was adequate for a believer to stay and study only on their own, why did God place ministries in the church? The answer is so clear in Ephesians 4:11-15. Please read those verses carefully. They say that the work to teach and explain the Word of God is given by God to the church, to the ministers. Of course God reveals to everybody His Word to a various extent, but those revelations are to be worked inside the church, not individualy outside the church. God has placed an order, an hierarchy. A Body.

What I wanted to point out is the wrong attitude many christians have that they think the church can be substituted by a one- person-church. So they go like this. Me "PLease God what does that mean...?" God "Well child, that means..". This is a wrong attitude, it doesn't work like this. Or it works to an extent, the main preaching is through the church. It is not good for us to stay alone, we must inegrate ourselves in a congregation we choose we 'd like to be members of.

Part 2

Of course this site is very useful, I've taken many things from here, also I have rejected many. I read what people believe and I get explanations of verses I wanted to know what they mean. Sometimes I stick to my own beliefs, but sometimes I change my mind, it depends. I read experiences, testimonies that are so unimaginable that sometimes I am wondering if they are really true or some make fun of us. But at the same time I read things that are over the top. And I understand that usually the most strange beliefs come from people that never go to a church or even if they go they still stick to their own strange beliefs.

I understand many brothers and sisters here on this site are old or are far away from a church and have no means of transportation, or for any other practical reason, so I take back my older post as far as they are concerned.

Sorry to offend you and other people here, I am no better than you are. I am not a pastor, or elder, or a minister, just a simple deacon in my church, and probably not for long. My church demands, according to the Word of God, that the pastror's, elders' and deaconschildren to be always in faith, otherwise they have to resign, and my son is out for the time being. I hope not for long.

God Bless You.

Thank you brother Giannis, I agree with what you've shared here & elsewhere. God is not limited in how His Word is brought to people. Whether in the Faith or not, His Word will get through. Many Muslims testify of having received visions or dreams of God's intervening with the Word.

And for us also, receiving whether from the Word, by the Spirit & from others, so that we might hear what our Father has to say to us. But the greater responsibility rests on how & what we share with others. Hence, much of the epistles devoted to exposing false teachers & their doctrines.

I also wonder what the literacy level of those early believers were & how much of the Scriptures (OT) they knew & understood. Hence, the greater need for teachers & their gathering together to listen to God's Word. Today, we have so much more to expand our knowledge but need wisdom & discernment as to what is received. And even here, the Spirit will graciously assist us in our hunger & aspirations. And I pray your son will soon be restored into the love & service of the Lord. Every blessing brother.

Thanks Chris, but to make it clearer I myself will soon have to resign, not my son. He's been out for sometime now anyway. It is a rule in my church that the church servants can stay in service as long as their family are in faith, otherwise they have to resign their ministry God Blessings. Have a blessed week.

Good Morning Giannis,

I so agree with what you are saying here. Jude 20 says that we are to build ourselves up in our most holy faith. I think that this is indeed a corporate action. We are to cooperate together to encourage one another and instruct one another from the teachings from the Scriptures. Those who think they can "do it alone" run a great risk of bit by bit falling into grave error.

We do receive the Holy Spirit individually, for we are saved individually. Yet, the Holy Spirit works to unify the believers in faith and doctrine as well as in Christ. This is done, as you say, by systematic and ongoing instruction from those God appoints as overseers of us who will preach and teach from the Scriptures the vital tenets of our faith so that we can have our understanding of God and His will for us built up "stone upon stone" being founded upon Christ and the teachings of the apostles and prophets. Upon this foundation, we grow in understanding and application of Scripture.

Thank you for you good explanation. We all need to be teachable and humble, willing to learn from one another and to utilize the wisdom God has given to those who write commentaries on Scripture as well as other tools provided over time.

Well said, GiGi. Thanks. GBU