The Scripture is good for teaching and referral. Knowing the Scripture by heart is good but is not meaningful to God. Looking at the piece where Philip was send to the eunuch on the wagon there are a lot to learn from this piece.
1) The Lord after His crucifixion appeared unto Philip (ONE he taught) and instructed him to visit the eunuch on the wagon. It is clear that God from time to time make use of people HE TAUGHT to go and do work for HIM. Now then if you are not a taught of Christ how will he appear unto you?
2) The eunuch did read the Scripture but did not understand (hidden from). This again shows me if you are not taught by Christ himself or by one he directly taught and or they taught you will not understand the scripture. And therefor not one of HIS. As it is written in the scripture where Jesus told them who did not understand - you dont understand cause you not of my flock.
The story of Philip and the Ethiopian demonstrates why God gave the offices of pastor, teacher, evangelist, apostle to the church Jesus created and promised to preserve throughout the ages. The Scriptures are our teachers because the words were written by apostles, taught of God, Who gave them the inspiration as to what to write. The Words in Scripture are God's message to us.
We are to read the Scriptures repeatedly to get them deep into our minds and hearts:
*to be able to remember verses to share with others in their time of learning or need
*to bring to mind when we need comfort, correcting, and understanding in all situations in our lives
*to teach them to our children in the everyday moments when circumstance come up where a good word from Scripture is needed without opening up the Scriptures to search for a verse
There are many more reasons to be very familiar with ALL of the Bible, so frequent reading is important.
Then there is the study of the Scriptures that goes beyond just reading it. We do this to:
*learn correct doctrines taught by the apostles across the epistles
*to learn more and more of Jesus in the Gospels
*to mature in our understanding of what God has revealed in Scripture
*to share our thoughts with others as we interact with Scripture
*to learn from a pastors sermons, teachers who lead us, and those God has anointed to be wise in Scriptural truth.
There are many other reasons to study the Scriptures
We meditate on what we read in Scriptures to:
*allow the Holy Spirit to strengthen our faith
*to immerse ourselves in the thoughts of Gods instead of thoughts of the world
*to mindful of God's Presence in us and His prescribed way of coming to Him through prayer and His Word
*to help us as we pray with the help of the Holy Spirit
There are many other reasons to meditate on Scripture.
All these actions are important to employ in our lives regularly.
A person need to receive the Holy Ghost. And Christ gave the Holy Ghost unto his Apostles and they gave it unto those that were chosen by God. Jesus said unto his Apostles free you have received it free you shall give it. If he that claim he is a chosen of God because he paid for the education and has a certificate to prove it is a liar and had been lied to.
The New testament acknowledge Jesus and tel us things about him and the works he did and the things he said but it also tel us about the Apostles and the things they did and say and how God appeared unto them and have send them where He God needed them.
The Scripture by itself dont bring salvation. It may bring hope. Salvation is to know the true God and his Son Jesus Christ - the Church today off which Christ is the head.
What I learn from the new testament is that God - if (you are a chosen) may personally appear unto you, from time to time, with a special request which you SHOULD NOT go against.
The thing is - CAN "YOU - meaning anyone today" with authority claim he is a chosen one of God.
In my post I did not claim to be chosen of God due to education or certificate, so that comment does not apply to me.
Jesus said that His words are spirit and Life, so yes, the Scriptures bring us knowledge of Christ without Him appearing to us. We hear from those He inspired who WERE eyewitnesses of Him when He lived on earth (Paul being the exception having seen the risen and glorified Jesus).
Gerhardus, one thing I think every believer has is the Holy Spirit because Peter said that the Spirit is given to all who come to faith in Jesus Acts 2:38-39. When you ask those on this forum if we have received the Holy Ghost, it seems like you are posing a challenge to others as to the genuineness of their faith, which you cannot determine. And when you denigrate those who seek to learn from Scripture, you are showing a prejudice towards people who use their minds as well as their hearts to come to know our Lord and the Father.
We are to love the Lord with all of our hearts, soul, MINDS, and strength. We are to us our mind to access what God says in HIS Scriptures. It is with our minds that we hear the Scriptures spoken or with our minds that we read and understand what we read. This is as God has designed it to be.
Scriptures do not tell us to expect a "visit" from Jesus to be taught of Him, as you seem to state. He gave us Scriptures as a sure and stable revelation of Himself and how He saves us from our sin. How we are to live inn a godly way for His glory and how we are to treat one another with love, especially those who also believe.
Gerhardus, I am glad to have read your posts. I hope our conversations will be gracious and reflect the truth of God revealed in Scripture. I will be praying for you. I hope you will also lift me up in prayer. Thanks.
Jesus said - No one comes to the Father than by me and no one come to me if the Father have not chosen him. So even having the new testament to read dont help much.
It is written "and he will safe his people from their sin". So Jesus came for his people! - not every one followed Jesus cause they were not interested in the way of life Jesus Christ lived and promoted. Jesus is spirit as God is spirit who is the Father and both made their dwelling in them who is called of God. God has not rejected everyone - only those that hear Him and is not willing to become his Children and obey the Father in their words and deeds. God established his body "Christ" where in He dwells and he instructed them to go and preach the Gospel unto them which seeks to walk the way of Life set by him.
An example is where the disciples said to Jesus that they stopped the people on the other side of Jordan to heal the people in His "Jesus" name - and Jesus said they not to do that as they are doing good works. God also called his body away from those that prefer to do evil. God has not stopped requiting followers but they Can only come to God thru the ones anointed by Christ and whom Jesus Christ had given authority to do so. There are ONLY one connection to God (whether it is something I like to hear or not - the end is God had made it so and no man will change it) and you need to be actively part off the Body of Christ Gods Church.
Jesus even warned his followers saying their will be many that will come in my name and mislead many if possible.
The eunoch didn't understand because he had been living in Ethiopia and didn't have the new testament as we now do . Ethiopians are very significant in the Bible , individuals are mentioned a few times in the old testament , playing very important roles . No doubt the Ethiopian went back to Ethiopia and told his friends and family all about the great things that had happened in Israel .
1) The Lord after His crucifixion appeared unto Philip (ONE he taught) and instructed him to visit the eunuch on the wagon. It is clear that God from time to time make use of people HE TAUGHT to go and do work for HIM. Now then if you are not a taught of Christ how will he appear unto you?
2) The eunuch did read the Scripture but did not understand (hidden from). This again shows me if you are not taught by Christ himself or by one he directly taught and or they taught you will not understand the scripture. And therefor not one of HIS. As it is written in the scripture where Jesus told them who did not understand - you dont understand cause you not of my flock.
The story of Philip and the Ethiopian demonstrates why God gave the offices of pastor, teacher, evangelist, apostle to the church Jesus created and promised to preserve throughout the ages. The Scriptures are our teachers because the words were written by apostles, taught of God, Who gave them the inspiration as to what to write. The Words in Scripture are God's message to us.
We are to read the Scriptures repeatedly to get them deep into our minds and hearts:
*to be able to remember verses to share with others in their time of learning or need
*to bring to mind when we need comfort, correcting, and understanding in all situations in our lives
*to teach them to our children in the everyday moments when circumstance come up where a good word from Scripture is needed without opening up the Scriptures to search for a verse
There are many more reasons to be very familiar with ALL of the Bible, so frequent reading is important.
Then there is the study of the Scriptures that goes beyond just reading it. We do this to:
*learn correct doctrines taught by the apostles across the epistles
*to learn more and more of Jesus in the Gospels
*to mature in our understanding of what God has revealed in Scripture
*to share our thoughts with others as we interact with Scripture
*to learn from a pastors sermons, teachers who lead us, and those God has anointed to be wise in Scriptural truth.
There are many other reasons to study the Scriptures
We meditate on what we read in Scriptures to:
*allow the Holy Spirit to strengthen our faith
*to immerse ourselves in the thoughts of Gods instead of thoughts of the world
*to mindful of God's Presence in us and His prescribed way of coming to Him through prayer and His Word
*to help us as we pray with the help of the Holy Spirit
There are many other reasons to meditate on Scripture.
All these actions are important to employ in our lives regularly.
Jesus said, "My words are Spirit and Live"
The New testament acknowledge Jesus and tel us things about him and the works he did and the things he said but it also tel us about the Apostles and the things they did and say and how God appeared unto them and have send them where He God needed them.
The Scripture by itself dont bring salvation. It may bring hope. Salvation is to know the true God and his Son Jesus Christ - the Church today off which Christ is the head.
What I learn from the new testament is that God - if (you are a chosen) may personally appear unto you, from time to time, with a special request which you SHOULD NOT go against.
The thing is - CAN "YOU - meaning anyone today" with authority claim he is a chosen one of God.
In my post I did not claim to be chosen of God due to education or certificate, so that comment does not apply to me.
Jesus said that His words are spirit and Life, so yes, the Scriptures bring us knowledge of Christ without Him appearing to us. We hear from those He inspired who WERE eyewitnesses of Him when He lived on earth (Paul being the exception having seen the risen and glorified Jesus).
Gerhardus, one thing I think every believer has is the Holy Spirit because Peter said that the Spirit is given to all who come to faith in Jesus Acts 2:38-39. When you ask those on this forum if we have received the Holy Ghost, it seems like you are posing a challenge to others as to the genuineness of their faith, which you cannot determine. And when you denigrate those who seek to learn from Scripture, you are showing a prejudice towards people who use their minds as well as their hearts to come to know our Lord and the Father.
We are to love the Lord with all of our hearts, soul, MINDS, and strength. We are to us our mind to access what God says in HIS Scriptures. It is with our minds that we hear the Scriptures spoken or with our minds that we read and understand what we read. This is as God has designed it to be.
Scriptures do not tell us to expect a "visit" from Jesus to be taught of Him, as you seem to state. He gave us Scriptures as a sure and stable revelation of Himself and how He saves us from our sin. How we are to live inn a godly way for His glory and how we are to treat one another with love, especially those who also believe.
Gerhardus, I am glad to have read your posts. I hope our conversations will be gracious and reflect the truth of God revealed in Scripture. I will be praying for you. I hope you will also lift me up in prayer. Thanks.
I have named no names and purely made a statement.
I am under the impression God is a live and his Son Jesus is still on earth.
Matthew 4:4 | Read whole chapter
But he answered, and said, It is written, Man shall not liue by bread alone, but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Iesus saith vnto him, I am the Way, the Trueth, and the Life: no man commeth vnto the Father but by mee.
An example is where the disciples said to Jesus that they stopped the people on the other side of Jordan to heal the people in His "Jesus" name - and Jesus said they not to do that as they are doing good works. God also called his body away from those that prefer to do evil. God has not stopped requiting followers but they Can only come to God thru the ones anointed by Christ and whom Jesus Christ had given authority to do so. There are ONLY one connection to God (whether it is something I like to hear or not - the end is God had made it so and no man will change it) and you need to be actively part off the Body of Christ Gods Church.
Jesus even warned his followers saying their will be many that will come in my name and mislead many if possible.
[Comment Removed]
[Comment Removed]
This comment thread is locked. Please enter a new comment below to start a new comment thread.
Note: Comment threads older than 2 months are automatically locked.
Do you have a Bible comment or question?
Posting comments is currently unavailable due to high demand on the server.
Please check back in an hour or more. Thank you for your patience!
Report Comment
Which best represents the problem with the comment?