Christianity Without the Bible

[BornAgain]

With all of the debating about interpreting scripture I was just thinking is it possible to have Church and Christianity without the Bible constantly thrown to the forefront?

Can a church set aside the Bible as God’s authoritative Word and still be a church?

Subjects such as “inerrancy†, “inspirationâ€, “form criticism."

Can we function as a society/church/world without the bible?

 

[farouk]

With all of the debating about interpreting scripture I was just thinking is it possible to have Church and Christianity without the Bible constantly thrown to the forefront?

Can a church set aside the Bible as God’s authoritative Word and still be a church?

Subjects such as “inerrancy” , “inspiration”, “form criticism."

Can we function as a society/church/world without the bible?

Leaving aside a society (from which born again Christians are meant to be separate anyway), a church without a Bible is like a ship without a rudder. The Lord Jesus said in John 17.17: 'Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy word is truth'.

Christianity without the Bible is merely 'churchianity'.

Blessings.

 

[BornAgain]

Leaving aside a society (from which born again Christians are meant to be separate anyway), a church without a Bible is like a ship without a rudder. The Lord Jesus said in John 17.17: 'Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy word is truth'.

Christianity without the Bible is merely 'churchianity'.

Blessings.

I agree, what would life be like without it? This was just a random thought and wanted to know how other members would feel how their life would be without the bible.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Can a church set aside the Bible as God’s authoritative Word and still be a church?

Subjects such as “inerrancy†, “inspirationâ€, “form criticism."

Can we function as a society/church/world without the bible?

No, because then everybody's opinion would become what we debate as being inerrant, inspired, and whatever the last thing is you listed.

 

[BornAgain]

No, because then everybody's opinion would become what we debate as being inerrant, inspired, and whatever the last thing is you listed.

Criticism :p. Isn't is everybody's opinion in a way? I see IMO, IMHO, etc. Not looking to argue or debate, just getting member's view of how the bible is important in their life.

 

[farouk]

Criticism :p. Isn't is everybody's opinion in a way? I see IMO, IMHO, etc. Not looking to argue or debate, just getting member's view of how the bible is important in their life.

BornAgain: Well, I'm sure we can all legitimately and Scripturally have opinions. Romans 14 says: 'Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind' (Romans 14.5). What shouldn't happen, however (but sometimes does) is for human opinions to be elevated to be supposedly on a par with Scripture.

'Hon, do you like my mascara thick or thin?' 'Do you prefer apples or oranges?' 'Is Miami or Vegas or the Grand Canyon a nicer vacation destination?' are all matters of opinion. But if I were to say: 'let's go gamble at Vegas!' then my opinions might start to get in the way of God's Word.

(Two cents'.)

 

[BornAgain]

BornAgain: Well, I'm sure we can all legitimately and Scripturally have opinions. Romans 14 says: 'Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind' (Romans 15.5). What shouldn't happen, however (but sometimes does) is for human opinions to be elevated to be supposedly on a par with Scripture.

That is the key, our thoughts are not God's thoughts. Let each be so conformed to Christ that all may be of one mind among yourselves. Harmony, patience, and comfort are needed.

Only the God of patience and comfort can produce these, but he produces them through the Scriptures. No comment here is the same to Paul's own words: "Make full my joy, that ye be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind, doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself, not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.

Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" Phil 2:2-5, when He humbled himself for us.

 

[farouk]

(Oops, for Romans 15.5, above, read Romans 14.5.)

 

[BornAgain]

(Oops, for Romans 15.5, above, read Romans 14.5.)

Noted...thanks.

 

[Sinthesis]

I can envision circumstances such as extreme persecution where a church and Christianity could exist and grow without a bible, but the bible is such an effective tool for Christianity that I don't see where it would be absent voluntarily. The strife we perceive over interpretation is the result of vanity. We all exibit it because we believe we have ample time to consider and debate the evidence that the bible presents. In times of immediate and overwhelming duress these contentions over evidence fade away to reveal our faith.

 

[farouk]

Noted...thanks.

BornAgain:

YW.

I think that among Fundamentalists it's regrettably the case that some cultural things are sometimes given an aura of authority on a par with Scripture, whereas there does need to be a clear distinction made.

Christian doctrine, particularly about the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus, as portrayed in Scripture, is unchanging and glorious. The end of Revelation has solemn things to say of those who try to alter what God has revealed.

But Paul (who is sometimes mistakenly charged with being severe) does make it clear that in so many matters, it's quite in order to cultivate personal opinions (though it is to be hoped that they will be within a Biblical framework); this is why Romans 14 is sometimes described as the great charter of Christian freedom. What color should I paint my house, my car, my nails, (etc.) is really no one else's business.

But who the Lord Jesus is, is not subject to negotiation.

 

[farouk]

I can envision circumstances such as extreme persecution where a church and Christianity could exist and grow without a bible, but the bible is such an effective tool for Christianity that I don't see where it would be absent voluntarily. The strife we perceive over interpretation is the result of vanity. We all exibit it because we believe we have ample time to consider and debate the evidence that the bible presents. In times of immediate and overwhelming duress these contentions over evidence fade away to reveal our faith.

S: You would probably find that in such extreme circumstances people would have memorized portions of the Bible in any case. The Psamist said: 'Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee' (Psalm 119.11).

 

[BornAgain]

I can envision circumstances such as extreme persecution where a church and Christianity could exist and grow without a bible, but the bible is such an effective tool for Christianity that I don't see where it would be absent voluntarily. The strife we perceive over interpretation is the result of vanity. We all exibit it because we believe we have ample time to consider and debate the evidence that the bible presents. In times of immediate and overwhelming duress these contentions over evidence fade away to reveal our faith.

I see what would happen with your envision of persecution.... those that would deny the Bible it’s place in the church would replace it with something else. You would find that the Bible is seen as more or less of a storybook. Some would try to disguise their contempt for God’s word by calling it a “good moral guide†or “ancient stories that we can learn from."

The next step that would happen is denying the deity of Christ. Once this occurs, then the virgin birth, the atonement, forgiveness for sin, and justification by faith, and the resurrection go out the window just to mention a few.

Following this, you then have to deal with what was it that Jesus died for? If he wasn’t God in the flesh then it was really meaningless. All that preaching Paul did was a bunch of lies.

But, you are right that the bible is effective. Look has what has been a gradual occurrence over the years by taking God out of schools, govt's, etc.

 

[Ryan]

Can we function as a society/church/world without the bible?

2 Chronicles 34:14-21 "14 When they were bringing out the money which had been brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of the Lord given by Moses. 15 Hilkiah responded and said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan. 16 Then Shaphan brought the book to the king and [d]reported further word to the king, saying, “Everything that was [e]entrusted to your servants they are doing. 17 They have also emptied out the money which was found in the house of the Lord, and have delivered it into the hands of the supervisors and the workmen.” 18 Moreover, Shaphan the scribe told the king saying, “Hilkiah the priest gave me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.

19 When the king heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes. 20 Then the king commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, [f]Abdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying, 21 “Go, inquire of the Lord for me and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book which has been found; for great is the wrath of the Lord which is poured out on us because our fathers have not observed the word of the Lord, to do according to all that is written in this book.”

If you read the chapters prior to and after chapter 34, it ain't pretty. So my answer would be idolatry, immorality, apostasy, anarchy would prevail within generations because our memory is so poor if we don't have the Word of God at our disposal. Flawed logic probably, but this is the best example I could give from the Bible.

 

[farouk]

Of course, it's good to distinguish between the relationship between Israel and the nations in the Old Testament, and the church and the nations in the New Testament.

 

[Ryan]

Of course, it's good to distinguish between the relationship between Israel and the nations in the Old Testament, and the church and the nations in the New Testament.

??? Not sure what this means. If you can elaborate, my dunce cap is on to tight to understand.

 

[farouk]

??? Not sure what this means. If you can elaborate, my dunce cap is on to tight to understand.

Put differently, Israel in the Bible is an earthly people, dispensationally speaking, while the church is a heavenly one, heading for the Rapture (1 Thess. 4). While it would be nice to see more politicians honoring the Bible, yet the idea of executing the righteousness of God on earth does not relate directly to the church now, strictly speaking.

 

[theLords]

With all of the debating about interpreting scripture I was just thinking is it possible to have Church and Christianity without the Bible constantly thrown to the forefront?

Can a church set aside the Bible as God’s authoritative Word and still be a church?

Subjects such as “inerrancy†, “inspirationâ€, “form criticism."

Can we function as a society/church/world without the bible?

I don't believe we can function as individuals without the Bible. For every contentious Christian, there's two more willing to lay differences aside and behave like Christ instead of just reading about him.

I've read many biographies of evangelists and they often report that if secret believers don't get their hands on a Bible they begin to teach errors and can become cult-ish (especially in closed Gospel countries like China, Korea, and Muslim countries).

 

[farouk]

TheLords: Hi there.

Reminds me of 1 Samuel 3.1: 'the word of God was precious'. In other words, it was scarce and highly needed. (We tend to think of 'precious' in the sense of a term of endearment, though in the context of 1 Samuel 3.1 it seems to mean that it was scarce in the circumstances of the time.

 

[BornAgain]

2 Chronicles 34:14-21 "14 When they were bringing out the money which had been brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of the Lord given by Moses. 15 Hilkiah responded and said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord.†And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan. 16 Then Shaphan brought the book to the king and [d]reported further word to the king, saying, “Everything that was [e]entrusted to your servants they are doing. 17 They have also emptied out the money which was found in the house of the Lord, and have delivered it into the hands of the supervisors and the workmen.†18 Moreover, Shaphan the scribe told the king saying, “Hilkiah the priest gave me a book.†And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.

19 When the king heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes. 20 Then the king commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, [f]Abdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying, 21 “Go, inquire of the Lord for me and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book which has been found; for great is the wrath of the Lord which is poured out on us because our fathers have not observed the word of the Lord, to do according to all that is written in this book.â€

If you read the chapters prior to and after chapter 34, it ain't pretty. So my answer would be idolatry, immorality, apostasy, anarchy would prevail within generations because our memory is so poor if we don't have the Word of God at our disposal. Flawed logic probably, but this is the best example I could give from the Bible.

Ryan,

That is a great example and I will read chapter 34, I am not really familiar with that. Can't you kind of see what that is happening today?