The Bible is complicated! The Bible is confusing and mystifying! I don't understand what I read in the Bible! The Bible is too old and not current; the old and new seems to contradict and sometimes I think it does not apply to today's world as a christian!

These are a few of what we feel when we study the Bible.

Many of us cannot make sense of what we read in the Bible- we tend to believe there are special sects of people who have been bestowed with spiritual powers to understand the Bible. As a result false teachers hijack the ministry.

Everyone seem to have their interpretation to the Bible. Is God not our father? Are we not all members of the body of Christ? If we can respond to this in the affirmative, will God be telling his children different things? The answer will be a resounding NO, because God is not a God of confusion and His word should not be a tool by which the Church will be divided.

We overlook the simplicity of the word of God thinking there is an underlying meaning to what we have read or expecting it to minister to our earthly situation.

A MUST KNOW FOR EVERY BIBLE READER:

Every reader must rightly divide the word of God- The Bible consists of a catalogue of events that occurred over a long period of time and over various dispensations, time and administrations. To this end, during each period, a message was for and to a particular audience of people, race and culture. The audience could either be;

. The Jews (Isrealites)
. The Gentiles (anyone that is not Jew)
. The Church (the followers of the gospel of Christ)

Having identified that the whole of the Bible was written to these three groups. (If you believe in the death and resurection of Christ/have faith/ and have hope towards the coming of Christ, that makes you part of the church) We must know what the Bible says to us and the part that is not for us.

For example, the laws of Moses and the Ten Commandments were given to the Jews and to the Jews alone. If you are not a Jew, you are not under that law. Christ's response to the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:26 which says "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs" NKJV. He was referring to the Jews as children and the Gentiles as the dogs.

The books that are not for the church are there for us to know the character of God. These books were also written for our learning (Romans 15:4). Hence, when we pick up our Bibles to study, we must be able to identify the writer, the audience and the reason for the passage. Likewise, when hearing the Word of God, we must be able to discern who is qualified to teach and who isn't.

s ikpeme

^ I wish I can give you 1 Trillion Likes. I said this not because I teach the same truth you've said in your opening post but because yours is an insightful truth. You see, the Church of God is confused today because we don't even know our left from our right. Many of the problems were caused by preachers who themselves are not fit to hold the pulpit - I do not say this to judge any man.

It is NOT that the audience 'could' either be; the truth is the audience in general (Genesis to Revelation) ARE
. The Jews (Isrealites)
. The Gentiles (anyone that is not Jew)
. The Church (the followers of the gospel of Christ) - This includes the Jews and the Gentiles as the Church of God.

The Bible is very clear BUT many preachers confuse people and mix what was written to the Jews at a particular period and dispensation and apply it to the Gentile Christians or the Church of God in the New Testament. This is the real problem we have in the body of Christ. When some of us take the pain to study and see this errors and try to correct it, the same church folk will accuse us that we're trying to prove 'too know'.

I have many things to share as per this thread but lemme take it one step at a time. Thank you OP for this wonderful thread. I thank God that God's people are beginning to realize the old lies being taught to us for long.

NO. JESUS CAME IN THE NEW TST,IN THE OLD TST THERE ARE WRONG SOME WRONG THINGS PEOPLE ARE DOIYING, THAT IS WHY GOD SANT JESUS TO TEACH US THE GOOD ONES AND LIVE THE ONE THAT IS NOT GOOD. ASK FOR WISDOM BEFOR YOU READ BIBLE AND TRY READ IT WERE NO BODY WILL SE YOU SO YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE READING THANK'S I LOVE THE BIBLE EVERY THING YOU NEED IN LIFE IS THERE .IS ALL ABOUT KEEPING THE LAW&DOYING THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS AND ALL THINGS WILL BE YOURS. READ ABOUT ONETENT &SE WT JESUS TEACH THERE.

Hmmm...

I AGREE WITH YOU, THE BIBLE IS A VERY COMPLEX DOCUMENT TO UNDERSTAND. YOU CANT JUST PICK IT UP AND READ IT LIKE A NOVEL. AND NO PASTOR IS GOING TO HELP YOU BECAUSE THEY DONT UNDERSTAND IT EITHER. LETS JUST SAY IF THE LORD WANTS YOU TO UNDERSTAND IT, YOU WILL. IF NOT, YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND IT. UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE IS NOT A CAPABILITY ISSUE. ITS A PRIVILEGE

ihedioramma: NO. JESUS CAME IN THE NEW TST,IN THE OLD TST THERE ARE WRONG SOME WRONG THINGS PEOPLE ARE DOIYING, THAT IS WHY GOD SANT JESUS TO TEACH US THE GOOD ONES AND LIVE THE ONE THAT IS NOT GOOD. ASK FOR WISDOM BEFOR YOU READ BIBLE AND TRY READ IT WERE NO BODY WILL SE YOU SO YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE READING THANK'S I LOVE THE BIBLE EVERY THING YOU NEED IN LIFE IS THERE .IS ALL ABOUT KEEPING THE LAW&DOYING THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS AND ALL THINGS WILL BE YOURS. READ ABOUT ONETENT &SE WT JESUS TEACH THERE.

You are very wrong sir! First, Jesus did NOT come IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, he came in the OLD TESTAMENT. Let us take this thread systematically please. Jesus could NOT have come in the NEW TESTAMENT if the NEW TESTAMENT is already in force. The life of Jesus Christ was still under the OLD TESTAMENT and UNDER THE LAW. Jesus had to died in order to enforce the New Testament.

Two, Christians have no business obeying the laws of Moses because it was NOT written to Christians BUT to the Jews LIKE the OP said. We obey the law of Christ and the teaching of Christ as you right said.

New International Version (©1984)
(Indeed, when [size=15pt]Gentiles[/size], who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law,

New Living Translation (©2007)
Even [size=15pt]Gentiles,[/size] who do not have God's [size=20pt]written law[/size], show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. - Romans 2:14

obadiah777: I AGREE WITH YOU, THE BIBLE IS A VERY COMPLEX DOCUMENT TO UNDERSTAND. YOU CANT JUST PICK IT UP AND READ IT LIKE A NOVEL. AND NO PASTOR IS GOING TO HELP YOU BECAUSE THEY DONT UNDERSTAND IT EITHER. LETS JUST SAY IF THE LORD WANTS YOU TO UNDERSTAND IT, YOU WILL. IF NOT, YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND IT. UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE IS NOT A CAPABILITY ISSUE. ITS A PRIVILEGE

I 100% agree with most things said. Many of the problems in the body of Christ had been caused by those pastors. The day I realized they have fed me with mixtures of Old and New wine, that was the day I sat myself down to start searching the truth and examining scriptures by myself.

However, scriptures says, if any man lack wisdom let him ask...God sees our heart and gives us wisdom to understand his word in our quest for truth. I believe we shouldn't be lazy at God's word. That's the problem with many of us Christians - we're lazy and can't sit down for just one/two hour(s) to study the word but we can watch football or some non edifying shows for 2 hours. STUDY to show yourself approved UNTO GOD.....That's scriptures for us!

Goshen360:

I 100% agree with most things said. Many of the problem in the body of Christ had been caused by those pastors. The day I realized they have fed me with mixtures of Old and New wine, that was the day I sat myself down to start searching the truth and examining scriptures by myself.

However, scriptures says, if any man lack wisdom let him ask...God sees our heart and gives us wisdom to understand his word in our quest for truth. I believe we shouldn't be lazy at God's word. That's the problem with many of us Christians - we're lazy and can't sit down for just one/two hour(s) to study the word but we can watch football or some non edifying shows for 2 hours. STUDY to show yourself approved UNTO GOD.....That's scriptures for us!

VERY TRUE, HOWEVER THERE ARE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO STUDY THE BIBLE 10 HOURS EVERYDAY BUT STILL DO NOT UNDERSTAND IT. IN ORDER FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURES THE WAY IT HAS TO BE UNDERSTOOD, ALL THE INIQUITY INSIDE OF YOU HAS TO BE SEARCHED OUT AND RECOMPENSED. UNTIL YOUR INIQUITIES ARE RECOMPENSED, YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND THE BIBLE. YOU WILL BE PUT IN A DELUSION OF OTHER RELIGIONS OR 'FALSE INTERPRETATION OF THE BIBLE'. THE WORDS IN THE BIBLE IS LIFE. IT IS THE COMFORTER. THE STRONGHOLD. THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST. YOU DONT GET INTO THAT STRONGHOLD UNTIL YOU HAVE A CLEAN SLATE WITH THE LORD. SO IT IS NOT BY WORKS BUT BY HIM THAT CALLETH.

^^^ Hey Whatz up son (of God). ^^^ It's like your words are heavy tonight in fellowship with one another. It's being a long time you and I had this kind of fellowship in the past. I love those words of yours. In addition to your "Iniquity had to be wiped out completely...". I agree and in addition, we need the Spirit of God....he is he that shall TEACH us ALL truth.

Goshen360: ^^^ Hey Whatz up son (of God). ^^^ It's like your words are heavy tonight in fellowship with one another. It's being a long time you and I had this kind of fellowship in the past. I love those words of yours. In addition to your "Iniquity had to be wiped out completely...". I agree and in addition, we need the Spirit of God....he is he that shall TEACH us ALL truth.

MY WORDS ARE ALWAYS HEAVY AT LEAST I HOPE THEY ARE. YEAH ITS BEEN A WHILE. YOU ARE RIGHT. I KINDA DRIFTED SLOWLY AWAY FROM THIS SECTION TO FRONTPAGE AND THEN I DID NOT SHOW UP ON NAIRALAND FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS ETC ETC. ITS A SEASONAL THING. SOMETIMES YOU ARE FIRED UP FOR NAIRALAND DEBATES AND SOMETIMES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE SAID IT ALL AND YOU NEED TO RECHARGE. SO YEAH. I AM ALWAYS IN AND OUT

@GOSHEN360,PLS TEACH ME WERE IN THE OLD TST JESUS WAS BORN? WHAT SOME PEOPLE WANT IS THE WAY TO MAKE MONEY E.T.C AND NOT THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS BECOS THEY THINK IS STRONG TO OBEY, WERE A MAN WILL MARRY A WIFE? PRAY FOR SOME ONE THAT WANT U TO DIE E.T.C ,THAT IS WHY PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT PASTORS TELL THEM THEY ARE AND USE THEM TO MAKE MONEY. THINK OF THIS THERE IS WERE I READ IN THE BIBLE THAT SAYS MAN DONT WERE WOMAN KLOTS THE SAME TO WOMAN SO TELL ME THIS PASTORS HAVT, THEY SE IT IN THE BIBLE?

^ Sure me too. Well, let's go into the thread a little bit. But I don't have much time anymore tonight. I have many thing we should discuss as per the this thread but I don't think I have too much time for now. It's 8:15PM here and I might be doing other things for now. But If I speak to this thread, I'll talk slowly.

Goshen360: ^ Sure me too. Well, let's go into the thread a little bit. But I don't have much time anymore tonight. I have many thing we should discuss as per the this thread but I don't think I have too much time for now. It's 8:15PM here and I might be doing other things for now. But If I speak to this thread, I'll talk slowly.

IN WHAT COUNTRY ARE U IS 2:22 AM HERE?

Goshen360: ^ Sure me too. Well, let's go into the thread a little bit. But I don't have much time anymore tonight. I have many thing we should discuss as per the this thread but I don't think I have too much time for now. It's 8:15PM here and I might be doing other things for now. But If I speak to this thread, I'll talk slowly.

ONLY 8. 15 ? ITS 1 .22 AM HERE LOL. HOWEVER IT IS FRIDAY. I AM TRYING TO LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST LOL. ON FRIDAYS I GO TO BED REAL LATE. I AM MULTITASKING MYSELF. BUT IF YOU ARE ON TOMORROW WE CAN SMASH OUT A FEW TOPICS. WOULD BE A PLEASURE. GOOD NIGHT BRUV. SPEAK SOON

ihedioramma: @GOSHEN360,PLS TEACH ME WERE IN THE OLD TST JESUS WAS BORN?

I don't have too much time for tonight but I'll try. I've been on the computer since morning - that's too bad sometimes. Now, to your question. Obadiah777 and I had taught on this question before. You see, Matthew to John that records the history and life of Jesus Christ were ONLY written AFTER his death BUT the EVENTS while he was walking were STILL under the law of Moses. Christ is the MEDIATOR of the testament (Hebrews 9:15; 12:24) and for a testament to take effect, the mediator MUST first die (Hebrews 9:16-20).

That's why you read Jesus still observing the Jews regulations during his life on earth. He will tell people after healing the to go show themselves or give offerings of Moses etc etc.

New International Version (©1984)
But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law,

New Living Translation (©2007)
But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. - Galatians 4:4

Since we understand that it will take the death of a TESTATOR to effect a testament and we see in Galatians 4:4 that Christ was born or subject to the law (of Moses), then the law was still in operation then. Then Christ had to die to effect the new testament by shedding his blood.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. - Matthew 26:28

Put everything together, Christ is the mediator of the new testament. He had to die for the new testament to take effect. While living, he was born and subject to the law......WHICH IS PART OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.

ihedioramma: @GOSHEN360, WHAT SOME PEOPLE WANT IS THE WAY TO MAKE MONEY E.T.C AND NOT THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS BECOS THEY THINK IS STRONG TO OBEY,

The teachings of Christ WERE FOUNDATIONAL to the NEW TESTAMENT that will take effect AFTER his death. So while Christ was living under the law, he was also establishing NEW TESTAMENT teachings such as.....

"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. - Matthew 5:38-39

"You have heard...." is written to the Jews in Exodus 21:24. The new teachings of Jesus is to take effect in the New Testament that will effect AFTER his death among Christians. We don't pray that our human enemies should die or call fire on them. Those pastors who does such practices are not Christ-like. Christ and his New Testament teachings don't permit such practices. And Christ's teachings are not hard neither contradictory to Apostle Paul's teachings. Apostle Paul taught by Christ's revelation to him to teach the Church what he taught.

New Living Translation (©2007)
I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ. - Galatians 1:12

ihedioramma: @GOSHEN360,THINK OF THIS THERE IS WERE I READ IN THE BIBLE THAT SAYS MAN DONT WERE WOMAN KLOTS THE SAME TO WOMAN SO TELL ME THIS PASTORS HAVT, THEY SE IT IN THE BIBLE?

The issue of woman wearing trouser is just the same as ALL the laws of Moses WERE WRITTEN TO THE JEWS, not to the Church. That was Old Testament. There're many things (laws, ordinances, commandments and regulations) in the same place where not wearing things to men are mentioned BUT we don't do ANY of those things today, why do we pick ONLY women not wear things to men and click on that ONLY. We cannot pick 'some' parts of the law and say that's what we want to obey while we discard the other. To keep the law, you must either keep ALL or NONE. Here's the scripture for that,

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: - Deuteronomy 17:19

When Apostle Paul came, being taught by Christ through revelation according to Galatians 1:12, he taught the Church of God (Christians) are NOT under obligation to keep the laws of Moses because the laws were ONLY shadows pointing to Christ and since Christ had come to fulfill the law, there's no more need keeping the law BUT if anyone MUST keep the law, he must keep ALL or guilty of ALL if such person BREAK one of the 613 laws. Here is the words of James, 2:10

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

So, Christians have no business in keeping ANY part of the laws of Moses. We have the laws of Christ to follow.

Good job you do here GOSHEN360. A quick question for you to enlighten ourselves- WHAT THEN IS THE MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH? In other words, what are the most important parts of the Bible to a Christian?

Oh my brother, I almost neglect this thread. I will answer this question intensively this week. By the Grace of God, many things to teach with this thread, I don't wanna open another but will rather teach here. Give me time to put the teachings to the church together - they're messages of GRACE, not of the laws of Moses.

shdemidemi: Good job you do here GOSHEN360. A quick question for you to enlighten ourselves- WHAT THEN IS THE MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH? In other words, what are the most important parts of the Bible to a Christian?

The message to the Church of the Living God under this dispensation of Grace are numerous but I will point first that, it is the message of the Cross - The message of LOVE! It is a message of LOVE is what is being demonstrated at Calvary on the cross in that a sinless man laid down his life for the redemption of mankind. Hence, before the cross, He gave this commandment - to love (God and one another).

The message of love (not hatred) is what dismisses the 'consciousness' of the law of Moses in our heart and set us free from the consciousness of death hereby fulfilling the law of Moses, setting us free and launches us INTO the law of Christ. Then, it is no longer fulfilling the law of Moses BUT fulfilling the law of the Spirit of life which is found IN Christ Jesus. Folks, don't get it confused - when you're walking in love, you already fulfilled the law of Moses. It's no longer the law of Moses operating in you but the law of Christ which operated by the Spirit of life.

An expert in the law of Moses came to Jesus asking,

New Living Translation (©2007)
"Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?" Jesus replied, "'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments." - Matthew 22:36-40

What Jesus did here is to sum up ALL THE ENTIRE LAW OF MOSES. Remember the question asked was, "which is the most important COMMANDMENT...". In other word, the 'commandment(s)' is CONTAINED in the law of Moses. Now, Jesus summed the entire law and later used this summary as a bedrock and foundation for the New Testament that will take effect AFTER his death. He gave it a NEW COMMANDMENT. In other words, when you walk in love, being the summary of the law of Moses; you're no longer operating under the law of Moses BUT under the NEW COMMANDMENT CHRIST GAVE NEAR HIS DEATH.

New Living Translation (©2007)
Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can't come where I am going. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." - John 13:33-35

This is the message to the church. When we love ourselves, we'll not kill ourselves. We'll not steal from one another etc etc. Remember, I said Christ's teaching were foundational to the New Testament but He taught those teachings under the Old Testament because the New Testament had not begun until AFTER the death and resurrection of Christ. So, Christ was establishing these teachings for the Apostles that would carry on into the New Testament. This are the teachings that was carried into the New Testament and also revealed to Apostle Paul and the rest of the Apostles. Take a look,

New International Version (©1984)
Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. - Romans 13:7-11

You see, the message to the church (the Apostles first) was consistent. It is the message of love. Christians who do not walk in love are murderers, thieves, adulterers, covetous etc etc because love is the fulfillment of the law of Moses BEING OPERATED AS THE NEW COMMANDMENT OF CHRIST which NOW becomes the law of Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.

New Living Translation (©2007)
Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment--to love one another--is the same message you heard before. Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining. - 1 John 2:7-8

New Living Translation (©2007)
I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning. - 2 John 1:5

I wish to stop here for a while. God bless you all.

Well said..to add to what u just wrote- The gospel to the church is the good news...the news of SALVATION. I believe love is just a bedrock of the gospel. Apostle Paul thought love in Ephesians and in Corinth cos they were still babies in the spirit. He went to the next level to teach faith to the saints in Rome (rOMANS), He moved on to teach the most important message of HOPE at Thessoalonia.