How can we tell what is from Satan or from God?

[thehayesman]

Say, in the case of scriptures...how do we know which are inspired?

In the case of people, how do we know what they "preach" is godly?

 

[TruthMiner]

Say, in the case of scriptures...how do we know which are inspired?

Whatever books happen to be in my Bible on my shelf - yessiree thems the inspired ones cuz thems the ones I gots. This is the usual mentality anyway.

In the case of people, how do we know what they "preach" is godly?

Whoever agrees with my interpretation of the Bible.
This is the usual mentality anyway.

 

[mutzrein]

Dare I say, if you are led by the Spirit you will know.

 

[Heidi]

Dare I say, if you are led by the Spirit you will know.

All are inspired! John 1:1-3 says the Word itself is God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. And that's because the Holy Spirit is what led people to write the bible. End of story.

 

[gingercat]

Say, in the case of scriptures...how do we know which are inspired?

In the case of people, how do we know what they "preach" is godly?

There are millions ways of satan's tricks and lies. The only way to protect yourself from his tricks are to follow Him and serve Him and seek Him with all your might!!!

 

[TruthMiner]

Its quite easy.

The sheep know his voice.

If you don't know who is who, you don't know his voice.

 

[gingercat]

Its quite easy.

The sheep know his voice.

If you don't know who is who, you don't know his voice.

Exactly!

 

[belovedwolfofgod]

some people find this a hard pill to swallow, but if you want to believe that the bible is the inspired word of God, then you have to trust that the Roman Catholic Church is and was guided by the Holy Spirit... cause they are the ones that put it together in 397AD. They are the ones (Athanasius specifically, because his list of books was the one adopted) who made the lists and debated the books and then decided and composed the Canon of the Bible.

As for the interpretation? I leave that for the Magisterium of the Church. Cause if their teaching agency was guided by the Holy Spirit back then, and God doesnt change, and He said the "gates of hell shall not prevail" then I would say that their guidance in the Holy Spirit is correct and others', as demonstrated by the blatant conflict of doctrines most esp. here, are in error.

 

[TruthMiner]

some people find this a hard pill to swallow, but if you want to believe that the bible is the inspired word of God, then you have to trust that the Roman Catholic Church is and was guided by the Holy Spirit... cause they are the ones that put it together in 397AD. They are the ones (Athanasius specifically, because his list of books was the one adopted) who made the lists and debated the books and then decided and composed the Canon of the Bible.

As for the interpretation? I leave that for the Magisterium of the Church. Cause if their teaching agency was guided by the Holy Spirit back then, and God doesnt change, and He said the "gates of hell shall not prevail" then I would say that their guidance in the Holy Spirit is correct and others', as demonstrated by the blatant conflict of doctrines most esp. here, are in error.

By the reasoning of the above, one could just as easily put faith in the Arian way. Would you want to do such a thing? Why not?

Your faith in such ideas does not validate them.

Perhaps, if you instead chose to follow the Lord who dwells in your heart and calls you by his voice, you wouldn't need to worry about this matter so much.

 

[Heidi]

Satan's interpretation of scripture always contradicts other scripture because Satan is the father of lies. So when people continue to hold beliefs that contradict any scripture, it is from Satan, period.

 

[thehayesman]

Satan's interpretation of scripture always contradicts other scripture because Satan is the father of lies. So when people continue to hold beliefs that contradict any scripture, it is from Satan, period.

Yes, but who gets to say what contradicts scripture? I guess we would all have to ask Heidi to answer that for us?

if you want to believe that the bible is the inspired word of God, then you have to trust that the Roman Catholic Church is and was guided by the Holy Spirit... cause they are the ones that put it together in 397AD

That's true. And I do.

All are inspired! John 1:1-3 says the Word itself is God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. And that's because the Holy Spirit is what led people to write the bible.

Not all are inspired. Revalation 22:18-19 states that those who add or subtract from that book are not inspired by God, though I'm sure they would tell you that they were.

Dare I say, if you are led by the Spirit you will know.

This begs the question. How do you know you are led by the Spirit?

Whatever books happen to be in my Bible on my shelf - yessiree thems the inspired ones cuz thems the ones I gots. This is the usual mentality anyway.

Buen observación.

The only way to protect yourself from his tricks are to follow Him and serve Him and seek Him with all your might!!!

This of all the answers has potential. Through the process of seeking Him unfearful of obeying what you discover, we may assume God will always lead us to the truth and not lead us astray...at least in ever-closer approximations. Thanks.

 

[Imagican]

Say, in the case of scriptures...how do we know which are inspired?

In the case of people, how do we know what they "preach" is godly?

Actually, this question begs a MUCH deeper study than what I mostly see offered here.

Yes, Satan IS the 'father of lies'. BUT, we must not forget that in 'being' thus, he is also capable of offering 99.999999999.......... percent 'truth', mixed with just that most infinitesimal stroke of 'falsity' in order to sway those that are not capable of defending themselves through discernment.

The answer to this is that which is paramount to understanding true 'truth'.

We are warned to put on the 'entire' armour of God on order to defend ourselves. And this must be done EVERY SECOND of our walk. Not an easy task to accomplish for most. I can only answer for myself and this answer would be that I have found it to be harder than the offering of love that we have been commanded to offer.

So, with these points in mind, my question would then become: UPON WHO would satan MOST concentrate his efforts to deceive? Would he choose to waste his time with those that live for the world to start with, or would his efforts be directed towards those most closely in-tuned with the will of the Father?

Now, with this in mind, it becomes even more likely that those that have the MOST influence upon others would be the most likely targets of satans influence. And through his subtlety, these would be the ones most likely to fall for his wiles. Why? These are the ones most likely to be followed and therefore lead others astray.

Scarry stuff I know, so much so that many will simply say that I am completely lost. So be it. But, we were warned that satan would be so 'slick' that, at times, 'even the VERY elect would be swayed by his deceptions'.

 

[Imagican]

Sorry, double post, iss naht my fault mane. Don't know what's up with the forum lately.

 

[gingercat]

But, we were warned that satan would be so 'slick' that, at times, 'even the VERY elect would be swayed by his deceptions'.

That's right. If we are not willing to devote to Him wholeheartedly we will never grow into Him and we will go the other way instead, as days and years go by. We cannot mock God. There is not such thing as just enough to get by to go into His kingdom. Either we are for Him or against Him, no in between.

 

[mutzrein]

some people find this a hard pill to swallow, but if you want to believe that the bible is the inspired word of God, then you have to trust that the Roman Catholic Church is and was guided by the Holy Spirit... cause they are the ones that put it together in 397AD. They are the ones (Athanasius specifically, because his list of books was the one adopted) who made the lists and debated the books and then decided and composed the Canon of the Bible.

As for the interpretation? I leave that for the Magisterium of the Church. Cause if their teaching agency was guided by the Holy Spirit back then, and God doesnt change, and He said the "gates of hell shall not prevail" then I would say that their guidance in the Holy Spirit is correct and others', as demonstrated by the blatant conflict of doctrines most esp. here, are in error.

I guess it is just as well I don't have to even taste that pill - although those who have, and have found it bitter, have probably take a liberal dose of something else to mask it.

 

[Hyfrydol]

Man, the early church would have been a mess if people had believed in sola scriptura back then…

Christian A says, “I know! We’ll see what scripture has to say about what books belong in the Bible! [pause] Oh crap! We don’t have New Testament Scripture yet! How can I decide what to put in Scripture if I don’t yet have Scripture? Or, how can I at least reasonably ignore this conundrum? Any one got some sand with a head-sized hole handy?â€Â

Christian B says, “Perhaps you should use the oral teachings you have been given and investigate which of those writings are true to the church’s tradition.â€Â

Christian A says, “Ew, the T word!â€Â

Luckily, Christian A had not yet been born (or born again, for what it’s worth), and so the early church very reasonably decided that Tradition and a nice helping of Holy Spirit was the best way to go. And thus, the Bible was born.

(According to the Christian As of the world, however, the Holy Spirit apparently had a change of mind and decided to take out a couple of books 1200 years later. That Holy Spirit. Such a prankster.)

You’ve got to give Catholicism credit for the Bible.