What's new
By:
Filters
Christian Forums

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

I follow Jesus, not the Bible.

Classik said:
morgado4.jpg
Click to expand...
If not for the Scriptures, we would not know Jesus, salvation, grace and all things Holy. I think what the point is here is that many use the Bible to justify their own fleshy arguments as though they are religious (self willed worship) and making their own Jesus according to their flesh, using the Bible to justify their own beliefs by their own interpretation of Scripture. In that way they follow the Bible. The the Born again believer follows the Jesus of Scripture and Spirit, That is the difference. Both using the Bible
 
Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

Were not the Prophets and Apostles our teachers through the Spirit of God who were inspired of Him to write down what God wanted us to learn!
 
There's only One brand of Christian..

John 10:25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.

26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

30 I and my Father are one.

And it gives us goosebumps knowing that...:)
 
Well said Jethro

Isa 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

Shalom
 
This is what Jesus went through from trial to the cross:

ISAIAH 50:6 I HID NOT MY FACE FROM SHAME.

JOHN 18:22 FIRST TO HIT JESUS WITH AN OPEN PALM ON HIS FACE WAS A PAGAN ARMY OFFICER.

JOHN 18:23 JESUS ASKED THE OFFICER "WHY DID YOU HIT ME"?

ISAIAH 50:6 I ALSO HID NOT MY FACE FROM SPITTING.

MARK 15:19 A REED HIT HIM ON THE HEAD.

LUKE 22:63 THEY HIT HIS BODY WITH THEIR FISTS.

ISAIAH 53:5 HE WAS BRUISED FOR OUR INIQUITIES.

ISAIAH 50:6 I GAVE MY CHEEKS TO THEM THAT PLUCKED OFF MY BEARD.

JOHN 19:2 A CROWN OF THORNS WAS FORCED INTO THE FLESH OF HIS HEAD

MATTTHEW 27:28 STRIPPED NAKED.

ISAIAH 50:6 I GAVE MY BACK TO THE SMITERS.

PSALMS 22:17 I COUNT MY BONES: THEY LOOK AND STARE UPON ME

ISAIAH. 53:2 WHEN WE SEE HIM, THERE IS NO BEAUTY THAT WE SHOULD DESIRE HIM.

ISAIAH 52:14 MANY WERE ASTONISHED AT HIM. HIS FACE AND BODY WAS MARRED MORE THAN ANY MAN.

JOHN 19:23 SOLDIERS CRUCIFIED CHRIST JESUS.

JOHN 19:36, PSALMS 34:20, NOT A BONE OF HIS BODY COULD BE BROKEN.

JOHN 10:18 NO MAN TAKES MY LIFE FROM ME I LAY IT DOWN MYSELF.

JOHN 19:34 A SOLDIER WITH A SPEAR PIERCED HIS SIDE.
 
Douglas Summers said:
If not for the Scriptures, we would not know Jesus, salvation, grace and all things Holy. I think what the point is here is that many use the Bible to justify their own fleshy arguments as though they are religious (self willed worship) and making their own Jesus according to their flesh, using the Bible to justify their own beliefs by their own interpretation of Scripture. In that way they follow the Bible. The the Born again believer follows the Jesus of Scripture and Spirit, That is the difference. Both using the Bible
Click to expand...

There is lots of truth in what you say.

The fact that there are 41,000 ostensibly Christian denominations, some of which despise some of the others almost as much as they despise Islamic terrorists and New Atheists, is rather a large problem for the "I follow the Bible" mentality. Christianity has splintered into an embarrassing cesspool of denominations, sects and cults largely over differences as to what the Bible says and means.

I happen to be a fan of the many "multi-perspective" Christian books, such as Four Views of the Atonement and that sort of thing. The reader quickly discovers that, at the very highest levels of Christian scholarship and commitment, there are such diametrically opposed views as to what the Bible says and means in regard to key doctrines that we are really talking about many entirely different religions when we speak of "Christianity" - religions almost as different as Buddhism and Hinduism.

As this thread and this forum in general make clear, those who "follow the Bible" inevitably follow their particular interpretation of the Bible or their particular denomination's, sect's or cult's interpretation of the Bible. Those who strongly disagree with them about key doctrines or even the meaning of pet passages are "not following the Bible" in their view. So I might suggest that to say "I follow the Bible" is a near-meaningless statement. What you actually follow is "the Southern Baptists' interpretation of the Bible," or whatever the case may be.

It is true that we would not know about Jesus at all or about God's plan for salvation without the Bible. But is obsessively looking to the Bible for guidance really a Christian essential, particularly when what the Bible says can be interpreted in 41,000 or more ways? Jesus' core message was extremely simple, capable of being understood by even the most dull and simple of humans. I daresay the gist of the Bible message could be summarized in three typewritten pages, double-spaced with large type. The key is putting Jesus' message into practice, and for that we need (IMHO) a day-to-day relationship with the Holy Spirit more than we need the Bible.

I personally have found Bible idolaters to exhibit less fruit of the Spirit than any other segment of Christendom. (How much fruit of the Spirit do you see in this thread or on forums such as this in general?) Both within Christianity and in the relationships between Christians and non-Christians, "following the Bible" can and has led to consequences pretty much the opposite of what Jesus was teaching.

I don't see "following Jesus" and "following the Bible" as mutually exclusive alternatives by any means, but I am sympathetic to those who have seen the divisiveness that flows from "following the Bible" and choose to de-emphasize the Bible and place their emphasis on their day-to-day relationship with the Holy Spirit.
 
Runner said:
There is lots of truth in what you say.

.
I don't see "following Jesus" and "following the Bible" as mutually exclusive alternatives by any means, but I am sympathetic to those who have seen the divisiveness that flows from "following the Bible" and choose to de-emphasize the Bible and place their emphasis on their day-to-day relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Yes, That is my observation also. A good example of following the Bible without following The Lord are the Pharisees and Sadducee. They followed the Law of Moses (Torah), But never followed The Lord. They used the Torah to even condemn the citizens of Israel, adding even more of their own interpretation to the Law. They even condemned the Lord to death by using the Law of Moses. My life is a constant fellowship with the Lord, through the day, every day. It was not always that way, but I have walked closely by His Spirit, knowing His will, directing my path and answering prayer, for the last 40 years. We are not suppose to be anxious, But I'am anxious for His return. Amen
Click to expand...
 
I think its also important to note the cultural context. In the US (and I would imagine in other comparably developed, affluent nations in the 21st century), individualism+relativism reign supreme. With weak community+family bonds, its harder and harder to "do church" on a long term, meaningful basis. People are encouraged to "think for themselves," "do their own thing," "follow their heart," etc...with mixed results, of course.

I think we're at a point now where people not only church shop, they/we also construct our own faith with input from a variety of belief systems, taking from each what we/they find appealing. From the few Barna Group surveys I've seen, this is true of faithful church goers as well as the un-churched.

This is 1 reason I find Catholicism appealing, honestly.
 
Christ_empowered said:
I think its also important to note the cultural context. In the US (and I would imagine in other comparably developed, affluent nations in the 21st century), individualism+relativism reign supreme. With weak community+family bonds, its harder and harder to "do church" on a long term, meaningful basis. People are encouraged to "think for themselves," "do their own thing," "follow their heart," etc...with mixed results, of course.

I think we're at a point now where people not only church shop, they/we also construct our own faith with input from a variety of belief systems, taking from each what we/they find appealing. From the few Barna Group surveys I've seen, this is true of faithful church goers as well as the un-churched.

This is 1 reason I find Catholicism appealing, honestly.
Click to expand...

I've never even been inside a Catholic church, but I likewise find it and the Eastern Orthodox church appealing for some of the reasons you're suggesting. On the other hand, I think it's almost inevitable that we each do construct our own faith to some extent. If you don't "construct" a faith in the sense of educating yourself and deciding what you really do believe is true, but instead just accept the teachings of a particular denomination, it seems to me that you're going to end up with a house of cards. After doing my own constructing (including consideration of non-Christian belief systems), I found that what seemed true to me was absolutely Christian but didn't fit comfortably within any denomination (or at least any that I was aware of). So I just live with it; I find it absolutely absurd to think that God really cares whether we have the precisely "correct" view regarding predestination, the atonement, the rapture or almost any other doctrine that Christians waste 75% of their time obsessing over and fighting about. So in some ways, I think the trend toward individualistic belief systems is a good thing so long as people are really trying to discover the truth. On the other hand, it becomes a bad thing if people don't try to discover the truth (which requires a great deal of hard work), but instead construct their belief systems around what they want to believe is true or would prefer to believe is true. This happens too often and is unlikely to lead to Christianity because doctrines such as original sin, the need for repentance, and the damnation of the unsaved are not what most people would prefer to believe is true. New Age religions and Buddhism may have more superficial appeal than does Christianity - but the question must be, Which is true?
 
Runner said:
I don't see "following Jesus" and "following the Bible" as mutually exclusive alternatives by any means,
Click to expand...
Correct. Following Jesus means following the Bible and vice versa. Indeed, without the Bible we would not really know what it means to follow Jesus. BTW, what most Christians seem to forget is that it is no longer just "Jesus" but "the Lord Jesus Christ".
 
Runner: you said: "Christian denominations, some of which despise some of the others almost as much as they despise Islamic terrorists and New Atheists" Please make a note: those that despise aren't of the body of Christ.. just so there's no misunderstanding..
 
There is lots of truth in what you say.

.
I don't see "following Jesus" and "following the Bible" as mutually exclusive alternatives by any means, but I am sympathetic to those who have seen the divisiveness that flows from "following the Bible" and choose to de-emphasize the Bible and place their emphasis on their day-to-day relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Yes, That is my observation also. A good example of following the Bible without following The Lord are the Pharisees and Sadducee. They followed the Law of Moses (Torah), But never followed The Lord. They used the Torah to even condemn the citizens of Israel, adding even more of their own interpretation to the Law. They even condemned the Lord to death by using the Law of Moses. My life is a constant fellowship with the Lord, through the day, every day. It was not always that way, but I have walked closely by His Spirit, knowing His will, directing my path and answering prayer, for the last 40 years. We are not suppose to be anxious, But I'am anxious for His return. Amen
 
Douglas Summers said:
There is lots of truth in what you say.

.
I don't see "following Jesus" and "following the Bible" as mutually exclusive alternatives by any means, but I am sympathetic to those who have seen the divisiveness that flows from "following the Bible" and choose to de-emphasize the Bible and place their emphasis on their day-to-day relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Yes, That is my observation also. A good example of following the Bible without following The Lord are the Pharisees and Sadducee. They followed the Law of Moses (Torah), But never followed The Lord. They used the Torah to even condemn the citizens of Israel, adding even more of their own interpretation to the Law. They even condemned the Lord to death by using the Law of Moses. My life is a constant fellowship with the Lord, through the day, every day. It was not always that way, but I have walked closely by His Spirit, knowing His will, directing my path and answering prayer, for the last 40 years. We are not suppose to be anxious, But I'am anxious for His return. Amen
Click to expand...
But Doug,
If they keep the division between them, they are not saved! Bold statement but the fact is we must judge the fruit. (Matt. 7) I have Catholic Friends, Pentecostal friends and as a man saved in a Missionary Baptist Church I have American and Independant Baptist Friends and I sure some of them and may Iḿ even saved! We, together are the Church.
 
th1b.taylor said:
But Doug,
If they keep the division between them, they are not saved! Bold statement but the fact is we must judge the fruit. (Matt. 7) I have Catholic Friends, Pentecostal friends and as a man saved in a Missionary Baptist Church I have American and Independant Baptist Friends and I sure some of them and may Iḿ even saved! We, together are the Church.
Click to expand...
Yes, That is the visible Church, tares among the wheat. The Lord said that we are to judge sin "in the body" (Church), and He tells how to accomplish that. (1 Cor. 5:1-13) (1 Cor. 6:1-12) And it is not through the flesh, but by Spiritual rebirth. (2 Cor. 2: 6:-11). 2 Cor. 2:6-11 is the hard part. For man in the flesh has a tendency to condemn a person with no forgiveness. As long as we stay true to correct doctrine, and do not think that because everyone of our friends believe in God that they are saved, we must contend for the faith and God will separate the Tares at the harvest. By the Spirit I'am driven to preach the Truth, but not given to condemn any man, nor are we judged by any man...but by the Lord. We must not get the two mixed up. We are to judge sin in the Church, but we are not to condemn men in the Church. This may confuse those who walk in the flesh, but it is clear to the believer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top