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  • Are you taking the time to pray? Christ is the answer in times of need

    https://christianforums.net/threads/psalm-70-1-save-me-o-god-lord-help-me-now.108509/

  • The Gospel of Jesus Christ

    Heard of "The Gospel"? Want to know more?

    There is salvation in no other, for there is not another name under heaven having been given among men, by which it behooves us to be saved."

  • Depending upon the Holy Spirit for all you do?

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    https://christianforums.net/threads/without-the-holy-spirit-we-can-do-nothing.109419/

  • Focus on the Family

    Strengthening families through biblical principles.

    Focus on the Family addresses the use of biblical principles in parenting and marriage to strengthen the family.

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  • How are famous preachers sometimes effected by sin?

    Join Sola Scriptura for a discussion on the subject

    https://christianforums.net/threads/anointed-preaching-teaching.109331/#post-1912042

Bible Study Why were the gospels written many years after Jesus died?

It's not so important when each one wrote, but that of what they wrote in order to teach the churches in their eras after the day of Pentecost when they were indwelled and anointed with the Holy Spirit before they were sent out. Each book has been compiled on their witness and testimony of Christ as they walked with Him as Jesus taught them. Reading all the Gospels is what we hear that leads us to faith as faith comes by hearing the word of God.

Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
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?
Romans 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Romans 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are actually supplements of each other as they all give an account of Christ in his birth, life, death and resurrection. The four gospels are that of what Christ actually spoke in his teachings, works and preparation of his disciples. The rest of the books, except Revelation which is warnings to the Church of conduct and things which must come to be before Christ returns for his bride, are more about moral standings and our conduct in obedience to the faith which is Christ Jesus as we choose to believe his teachings and that of his work that he instructed all of us to continue in as he prepares all of us before sending us out as he did his disciples. Acts brings us into that of Christ's resurrection and ascending as now Jesus has fulfilled his purpose of God and now sends down the Holy Spirit to teach us and send us out into the world according to Gods commission at the end of Matthews writing.

Matthew - In the first verse announces the fulfillment of Israel hope in the coming of Christ. The book of Matthew is a natural bridge between the OT and NT as it describes the person and the works of Israel's Messianic King. Matthew's structure is revealed in the phrase "It is finished" which is used to conclude the five key discourses of the book IE: the Sermon on the Mount, instruction of the disciples, parables of the Kingdom, terms of discipleship and the Olivet Discourse. Mathew can be outlined as, the presentation of the Christ, the proclamation of the Christ, the power of the Christ, the progressive rejection of the Christ, the preparation of the Christ's Disciples, the presentation and rejection of the Christ and the proof of the Christ. At the cross all is finished for that of the purpose of the Christ.

Mark - In the first verse it centers on the purpose and mission of the Son of God as Jesus being a servant and redeemer of men. Mark directed his words to a more Gentile audience that knew little about OT theology. Mark wrote as a topical narrative of Christ's teachings and works. Mark passes over the birth and early years of Christ and begins with the events that immediately precede that of the fulfillment of Gods Spirit in Christ as he was baptized by John for the purpose of Gods ministry through him up unto the time of the cross as Christ prepared his Disciples within all his teachings so they would be prepared to take what Christ taught them out into the world even though they did lack certain understanding. Mark is outlined in the presentation of the servant, the opposition of the servant, the instruction of the servant, and the resurrection of the servant.

Luke - Luke clearly states his purpose in verse one "to write unto thee in order, that thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed". Luke wanted to create an accurate chronological and comprehensive account of the unique life of Christ to strengthen the faith of the Gentile believers and stimulate saving faith among the non-believers. Luke also had another purpose in his writings and that was to show that Christ was not only divine, but also human. Luke portrays Christ in his fullest humanity by devoting more of his writing to Christ's feelings and humanity than any other Gospel. Luke chronologically: the introduction of the Son of man, the ministry of the Son of man, the rejection of the Son of man and the Crucifixion and Resurrection of the Son of man.

John - The key to John's gospel is to believe that Christ is the Son of God. John writes his gospel for the specific purpose of bringing people to a spiritual life through belief in the person and the works of Christ. John selected the signs he used for the specific purpose of creating intellectual, "that you might believe", and spiritual "that believing ye might have life", conviction about the Son of God. The key verb in John is "believe" and requires knowledge and capability to choose. John's gospel serves as a supplement to the other three gospels. The five basic sections of this gospel are, the incarnation of the Son of God, the presentation of the Son of God, the opposition to the Son of God and the Crucifixion and Resurrection of the Son of God.
I agree with all that and I know when they werre written is not important. I was just interested in the scrolls. Sorry I didn't mean to be disruptive.
 
I agree with all that and I know when they werre written is not important. I was just interested in the scrolls. Sorry I didn't mean to be disruptive.
I never saw you being disruptive. I use to have a book on how to read the Dead Sea scrolls, but just couldn't get my head wrapped around them so I gave that book to a friend who was into that.
 
You can do what you please. But Biblical FAITH (that has "Substance", and is an "Evidence" of what you don't see) will never come through "Reasoning".
So God gave us a brain for other things? Not our faith.
By the way, don't you use reason to understand the Bible? I would think reason does have some part to play in our faith. Otherwise our faith is just blind faith .
 
We have to look at some facts here... We have the earliest manuscripts discovered, but that doesn't mean that there aren't earlier ones. In fact, it's certain that we do not have the "originals", so the dates are estimates only. Secondly, ancient documents such as the epistles were dictated to scribes, not because the writers were illiterate, but because it was the custom to dictate to those skilled in writing. Therefore, the gospels were edited, with the possible exception of Luke.

Most information, including the Gospels, was transmitted orally so they varied on different occasions. We can look at the written gospels as being later versions of the original, verbal stories. Regardless, their content is now as accurate as possible, but that could change as 1) more documents are discovered and/or 2) the art/science of translation continues to improve.

And yes, I think that modern scholarship has given us the best versions of the Bible, much better than the King James version and other dated Bibles.

What is this statement supposed to imply? "We have the earliest manuscripts discovered, but that doesn't mean there aren't earlier ones"

No, the Gospels were not 'edited'.

The Gospels are accurate because they are inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Any change to them will be the result of adding to or taking away from the Word of God. And so called 'modern scholarship' has done just that.

Sorry your 'facts' give you a bible is so untrustworthy.

Quantrill
 
So God gave us a brain for other things? Not our faith.
By the way, don't you use reason to understand the Bible? I would think reason does have some part to play in our faith. Otherwise our faith is just blind faith .

Understanding the Bible comes after faith. Our reason comes after faith.

To say 'our faith is just blind faith' is an oxymoron. Our faith is the result of our eyes being opened and we see.

Quantrill
 
So God gave us a brain for other things? Not our faith.
By the way, don't you use reason to understand the Bible? I would think reason does have some part to play in our faith. Otherwise our faith is just blind faith .
Or.....faith like a child, right? A child trusts it's parents completely. Long before it has learned how to apply reason.
 
So God gave us a brain for other things? Not our faith.
By the way, don't you use reason to understand the Bible? I would think reason does have some part to play in our faith. Otherwise our faith is just blind faith .
And most of what is "Called Faith" is "blind faith" - I.E. not "FAITH" at all. Biblical FAITH isn't BLIND because it's based on God's WORD to us. Eph 2: 8,9. Faith is always revelatory. The best we can do is nothing more that "Intellectual assent", which has no "Substance", and is "Evidence" of nothing at all.
 
Or.....faith like a child, right? A child trusts it's parents completely. Long before it has learned how to apply reason.
I think the answer is ...
" Have faith first, just believe, then gradually apply reason"...
The problem being that my reasoning is starting the question the whole package.
The rot started with the anti gay verses in the Bible. My reasoning started to question" but God loves everyone doesn't he?". Seems pretty tough on homosexuals.
 
We are all tempted in different ways, that is because satan knows all our weaknesses. Sin is don, no matter what ot is. Being tempted is not a sin, acting on temptation is sin. We have to fight it no matter what the temptation is.
God is against active homosexuals not against those who are tempted but do not act on it.
The same goes for any sin.
 
I think the answer is ...
" Have faith first, just believe, then gradually apply reason"...
The problem being that my reasoning is starting the question the whole package.
The rot started with the anti gay verses in the Bible. My reasoning started to question" but God loves everyone doesn't he?". Seems pretty tough on homosexuals.
God does love everyone. But that's one of those duh, have you seen the girls that I made for you moments...who could get that wrong?!
 
And I think this is our conundrum. We begin to question too much and rely on God less.
But we shouldn't fear thinking either. Yes I respect the pov that we need to maintain a holy spirit inspired outlook. But nevertheless......
 
I don't wish to accept unconvincing answers from Christians any more. Such as " love the sinner not the sin". It's obvious that gays, by being gay are automatically on the outer in the Bible.
 
We are all different and one difference is the importance of reasoning. Many people value reasoning and use it for life changing dissisions.
Lee Strobel is one famous example of someone who was confronted by the Vicente and had to come to faith because of the evidence.


Reason will always strengthen ones faith.
 
I don't wish to accept unconvincing answers from Christians any more. Such as " love the sinner not the sin". It's obvious that gays, by being gay are automatically on the outer in the Bible.

What does "by being gay are automatically on the outer in the Bible" mean?
 
What does "by being gay are automatically on the outer in the Bible" mean?
Imagine you are gay and reading the Bible. Would you feel included or ostracised?
Jesus spent time with tax collectors and prostitutes. How about gays?
If I were gay, Buddhism would be more attractive. But then perhaps there is a more compassionate God that is bigger than the Bible. In that case, I might stay Christian.
 
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