guitarplayerfx
Member
- Jun 4, 2013
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Is the bible an object of worship today in many protestant circles? Is the idea of inerrancy of the modern protestant canon of 66 books idolatry? Maybe like a spiritual crutch or security blanket? Did God really want lots of bibles printed? Was the printing press really God's will? I have this funny feeling that there was MORE faith before bibles became widely available in the world. Imagine having to turn to God regarding the simplest of things because you don't have a convenient book to turn to for every question. Nevermind that most so-called Christians probably don't understand the words they read in the modern bible. They formulate advanced highly sophisticated doctrines based upon the idea of biblical inerrancy of the modern protestant canon. I generally believe all of the old testament to be inspired scripture, and generally uncorrupted through history (preservation). With the new testament, however, at this point I believe the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Acts to be scripture and useful for doctrine. The rest (epistles) I view as theological viewpoints and doctrines formed from the old testament, containing various prophecies and godly wisdom, but I would not use the epistles to form doctrines myself. I myself at this point have disregarded the gospel of John, Revelation, 2nd Peter and Jude on the basis of modern scholarship and disputes throughout church history (anti-legomena), and for other reasons. I would like to hear some thoughts on this potential problem...could the bible be replacing a relationship with God in many cases? People often read a verse and say "the Lord spoke to me" -- isn't that kind of silly, as though God was a book? Or is the mediator between God and man not Jesus Christ, but rather, the bible? Is the bible often a convenient god that you can carry around in your pocket? Conservatives might say: "if you deviate from orthodoxy and church tradition (within protestantism) that the 66 books are the full final counsel of God to man, then you are inviting heretics to bring in strange teachings." But I would say: aren't there enough heretics already who also hold to inerrancy of the protestant canon? Ex. eternal securists/OSAS/perseverance of the saints followers? What about the "little Gods" teachers and the health, wealth, and prosperity teachers? They all hold to inerrancy of the canon. So my view is that inerrancy of the canon is merely the tradition of the modern church, and not a revelation from God. They say: the Holy Spirit led men to arrange to books perfectly in the bible. How convenient. Where do any of the prophets in the bible refer to God's table of contents for the bible? Did God command Isaiah to write chapter and verse numbers mid-thought? Some people might argue, "how can you know what is true then?" My answer would be that the truth is obvious, and shown throughout creation, revealed to man by the Spirit of God. Sin is obvious...adultery, theft, murder, homosexuality, all these are shown to be evil by the fruit they produce or the disorder they create. If you don't really know God, but you have a relationship with the bible, it might be hard to relate to what I am saying. Have you seen the power of God working in your life? Trusted God through the hardest times? Or did you just read some book and believe letters written on a page? You cannot understand anything that is of a spiritual nature, especially scriptures, without God opening your understanding. How many people become foolish by searching the bible for answers, and reason in vain, coming to faulty conclusions? I would be curious, if you really waited for God, to be led by the Spirit, how often He would actually tell a man to open the bible and read a particular passage or verse. How many people help themselves to the bible for answers without being told to or led by God? Arguments that are pro-inerrancy/infallibility regarding the modern canon only help thwart heresies/doctrines of demons in theory, not in practice, in my view. The devil simply twists the meaning of words, using the tradition of inerrancy against people. Satan is very real, and his demons are a very real threat, in my experience. Heaven and hell are very real places to me, not just things written in a book. I believe most people, almost everyone will end up in hell in the end, in spite of massive computer printouts/calculations from evangelism crusades/world missions organizations indicating where and how to save the lost. How many people in churches think they feel the presence or anointing of God but are only feeling the presence of a demon spirit masquerading as God? Do you think Satan has a hard time imitating the experience of the Holy Spirit coming with power, or the presence of God? He does healing miracles and signs and wonders no problem. So I believe bible idolatry, along with other errors in Christianity will send many, many people to hell. Who really obeys the #1 commandment to love God will all your heart? Who is really has the mindset of someone who is getting married very shortly? Or are they just memorizing bible verses and doing a lot of works, going through the motions? ========================================================= Here is a brief statement of my faith, just for reference: I believe in 1 all powerful, all knowing, omni-present God who is holy, righteous and just, and yet full of mercy, grace and love. To demonstrate this, He sent His son Jesus into the world. I believe Jesus was born of a virgin by the spirit of God about 2000 years ago, was fully God and fully man at the same time, never ever sinned, died as an unblemished sacrifice to pay the price for all sin for all time once and for all, and rose again as flesh and blood on the 3rd day, and then was taken up into heaven and glorified, where He now sits at the right hand of God waiting until the time to come back to earth to establish an everlasting glorified kingdom here on the earth. I believe He will come back suddenly, without warning, and will kill all the wicked, and at the same time will raise the dead by His power, so that all those who have died since the beginning of creation can be judged once and for all and sentenced either to eternal life or eternal hellfire. The righteous will live forever on a regenerated, renewed earth that will be sparkling brilliant and glorious. The saints will be given immortal bodies that are glorified and shine brighter than the sun, and they will dwell on the new earth forever. But the wicked will be thrown into everlasting hellfire, forever tormented. I believe in a literal 7 24-hr day creation period, which I believe happened around 6000 years ago (according to the general chronology of the Masoretic text). Some have used the Septuagint to date creation, but I prefer the Masoretic. I believe God's spirit helps mankind to obey God, fear God, love God, demonstrate godly character, and helps us grow in our godly wisdom and understanding.  I believe God by His spirit empowers the saints to minister, prophesy, and do mighty works and miracles, even today. I do not believe that the gifts of the Spirit have ceased. I do not believe that prophecy has ceased. I do not believe we have a complete bible at this point. I believe that if Israel becomes a God-fearing nation again that there will be many more holy scriptures written. Sadly, I believe many people worship the bible that we have today, treating like a kind of god. However I believe God can use the bible to teach us things, if that is His will. I do not believe inerrancy/infallibility of the modern protestant bible with it's 66 books. I think there are a few spurious garbage books in the new testament, but I think the old testament is pretty much ok. However, there may be various scribal/copyist errors in Hebrew/Greek manuscripts that are available now, and only God knows where these errors are. God wants His laws and wisdom written in our hearts/minds, not in a book, and He will cause those who try to become wise through their own efforts to fail, and they will become fools in His sight. God's gift to man was Jesus Christ, not the bible. I believe in Satan and demons, and I believe that Satan keeps most of mankind under a thick black cloud of sin and deception.  There are a few pinpricks of light in the earth, which are the saints. I believe that since the original sin in the garden, men are born sinful and are children of Satan, and only through repentance (which is a gift from God) can anyone escape the eternal flames of Hell and go to heaven. However I believe people have a free will and can reject the gift of repentance that God offers, even after being saved (repenting = turning away from sin). I believe you can lose your salvation after being saved and if you die without repenting you will go to hell. So it is absolutely critical to keep the faith and resist temptation until the day you die. If you choose to follow Satan, God will let you go and you will die spiritually. In anger, God will harden your heart, plug your ears, and blind your eyes so you cannot perceive the truth anymore, and you will become a spiritually blind and deaf evil-doer, a clay vessel reshaped for the fire by the Master Potter who is God. So don't wander away from the Good Shepherd and resist the Spirit of God. There might be chastening before God lets you go, I don't personally know at this point in my walk. In the story of the prodigal son, there was no chastening until after God had handed him fully over to Satan. So, basically, this journey of faith is a scary one, and not for the faint of heart, but is well worth the pain and suffering. I believe the saints are guaranteed fiery trials, sent by God to test us and perfect our faith and character. I believe the world is a dangerous place for a follower of Christ, with temptations everywhere. There are false brethren (tares), false gospels, false prophets, false anointings that feel like the real Holy Spirit, false feelings of security that come from Satan, ad nauseum. So I believe it is critical to learn from God, to gain godly wisdom and understanding so you can discern truth from error, and navigate these treacherous waters. If you trust your feelings you will fail, but if you trust the wisdom from God you will make it. Also the Spirit of God, if you can confirm that is really is the genuine Spirit of God, can speak to you directly with voices or thoughts. But Satan loves to fake the Holy Spirit and trick people, so watch out. As far as my end-times beliefs, I think I gave a brief outline before, but I have changed my mind several times regarding what is going to happen. I think lots of people spend way too much time thinking about end times stuff (eschatology) and not enough time sitting at the feet of the Master and quietly listening. At this point, I believe it will be about 2000 years or more from now until the 2nd coming of Christ, and like I said, I don't believe He is coming in flesh and blood, or that He will give any warnings, or spare any of the wicked. I believe the 2nd coming will mark the end of the earth as we know it and mark the beginning of the new heavens/earth. I do not embrace the book of revelation at this point when it comes to end times theology. Jesus is coming back like a thief in the night, it will be like it was for Sodom and Gomorrah. I don't believe in any kind of popular "rapture" concept, except that those who are alive when Jesus comes back will be caught up with Him in the clouds, moments before He rids the earth of the wicked with flaming fire. After all the wicked are killed and sent to hell forever, I believe the earth will be "renewed/regenerated/glorified" and this will be the new heavens/earth where only the saints will dwell. This will be the eternal home of the righteous.
