I THINK I BUY THIS IDEA. WHAT DO U SAY TO DIS?


Since my family recently moved to the Portland area, we’ve been looking for churches to attend. Besides visiting a church, the best way to gain a feel for a church is to visit their website. Specifically, their About Us page.

Since examining church websites, I’ve noticed some pretty strange beliefs out there. Many churches have a list of beliefs that are important to them. What is the first belief on many church websites? The Bible.

On one church begins its list of beliefs like this:

The Authority of Scripture
The Nature of God
Jesus, God’s Son
The Holy Spirit
Salvation
Nature of Man (Sorry, women. You apparently don’t have nature … but if you read the description, you might decide that’s a good thing.)
The Role of the Church

Now, those are all important aspects of Christianity, and I don’t mean to pick on fellow Christians, but the order tells us what’s wrong with American Christianity.

We have elevated the Bible above God. It’s time we stop that form of idolatry. Bibliolatry has no place in Christianity. But, unfortunately, the Bible has become another god, above the Trinity, above Jesus, above the Holy Spirit.

I appreciate the passion that many “Bible believing” churches have. That passion is a good thing, but it’s misdirected. Christians shouldn’t “believe” in the Bible. We are not Biblians. We are Christians.

Don’t get me wrong. I love the Bible. It’s an important book. But it’s not a member of the Trinity. It deserves to be respected, but it shouldn’t be elevated above God.

“Bible believing churches” tend to think that “the Bible is the very Word of God – supernaturally inspired in every word and absolutely free from error in the original documents. God’s word is the final authority in all that it says. Therefore, it must be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises.”

But the Bible doesn’t work that way. It contains within itself many disagreements about the nature of God and how events unfolded. For example, did Noah take two of every animal onboard his ship, as Genesis 6 claims, or did he take seven of every animal, as Genesis 7 claims? Does God require sacrifice, as Leviticus suggests, or does God require mercy and not sacrifice, as the prophet Hosea claims? Does God punish children for their parents’ mistakes, as Exodus claims, or is each generation responsible for itself, as the prophets Ezekiel and Jeremiah state? Did Jesus overturn the tables in the Temple at the end of his ministry, as the synoptic Gospels claim, or did he do it at the beginning of his ministry, as the Gospel of John claims?

Those who believe in the Bible’s inerrancy will do all kinds of interpretive gymnastics to put the round peg of the Bible into the square hole of inerrancy, but it just doesn’t fit. That’s because it’s not meant to fit.

The Bible is a document written by human beings who tried to recognize what God was doing in their lives. But it’s not inerrant. Interestingly, if the Bible were inerrant you would think it would tell us. It simply doesn’t use those terms. The Bible never says, “Hi! I’m the Bible. I’m the inerrant Word of God. Believe in me!”

There are disagreements that run throughout the Bible. Those disagreements are one of the things that I love about the Bible! The Bible models for us how to wrestle with God and ask questions about faith.

The Bible contains human testimony about how God works in the world, but it is not God’s inerrant Word. The Bible points beyond itself to God, and in the New Testament, to the God revealed in Jesus. The Bible even claims that Jesus is the Word of God, not the Bible itself.

Jesus warned people about elevating the Bible above himself. “You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”

Jesus claimed that the scriptures are limited. You cannot have eternal life by believing in the Bible. In fact, when we elevate the Bible above God, it blocks us from our only access to eternal life.

The Bible is important, but we are not Biblians. We are Christians, called to come to Jesus.

That’s why you should run from “Bible believing churches.” Churches aren’t meant to believe in the Bible. They are meant to believe in the God revealed through Jesus.

Confused people full this world gahn!!!

Tallesty1:
Confused people full this world gahn!!!

I dey tell u


Really confused people

Tallesty1:
Confused people full this world gahn!!!

Sorry to say, you are the one confused!
I quote you...

We have elevated the Bible above God.

The scripture says... In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God
and the word was God John 1vs1

Where did you dropped that?



You just created an avenue for some unbelievers to pick on you.
If you are confused, kindly ask a pastor or priest then get it right!

donTbone:

Sorry to say, you are the one confused!
I quote you...

We have elevated the Bible above God.

The scripture says... In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God
and the word was God John 1vs1

Where did you dropped that?



You just created an avenue for some unbelievers to pick on you.
If you are confused, kindly ask a pastor or priest then get it right!

Assumptions and premature conclusions wan just kill you...........



Who do you think I was referring to when I said confused people just full everywhere?

Why copy and paste tho?

Tallesty1:
Assumptions and premature conclusions wan just kill you...........



Who do you think I was referring to when I said confused people just full everywhere?

If its wah am thinking is wah you referring to as confused people...
1. your topic aint right
2. your write up gat no clarity.
3. everything is directed towards your fellow believer

except you wanna prove me wrong with this

We have elevated the Bible above God. It’s time we stop that form of idolatry. Bibliolatry has no place in Christianity. But, unfortunately, the Bible has become another god, above the Trinity, above Jesus, above the Holy Spirit.


...this
But the Bible doesn’t work that way. It contains within itself many disagreements about the nature of God and how events unfolded. For example, did Noah take two of every animal onboard his ship, as Genesis 6 claims, or did he take seven of every animal, as Genesis 7 claims?
...and this
The Bible contains human testimony about how God works in the world, but it is not God’s inerrant Word. The Bible points beyond itself to God, and in the New Testament, to the God revealed in Jesus. The Bible even claims that Jesus is the Word of God, not the Bible itself.


Bro, try clarifying your points!

all u wrote is like writing ur own biography....seems ur really confuse


psm 138 vs 2

If u r not a Christian, please dis post may not be for u cos u will get urslf more confused from ur already confused state.

Ah. People with their understanding sha.

Joshua 1:8. Let the book of this law (Bible) not depart out of ur mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night...
If the word or Bible is not before our eyes everyday, how do we know to meditate on it day and night? If u don't read ur Bible how do u fight back when satan attacks mind using ur thoughts and imaginations against U?
How do even know what christ says?
What's wrong with U?
Okay, I get it. The bible tells u how to live but u'wld rather live ur way, so get rid of the Bible right?
Just last night, a girl slit her wrist because the devil has been wispering to her head that nobody loves her. Her father says she's a mistake. Her mother only cares for the money she brings home. And in order to gain her mothers attention, she tries to bring in more money. Last night, she thought to end it all. And this was the third time she has attempted taking her own life. She feels so worthless.
If she knew what the Bible says about her, she'd know that she's worth a lot. She would ve known that the love of all the humans on earth put together, cannot equate the love Christ has for her.
So pls carryon ur life without the Bible as a christian.
Shalom.

PSOUL, I fully agree with you. Thank you for the edification. However, I'm afraid it is too much for the religious minded christianity of today. I think I'm going to save this writing of yours.

LoJ

So how are we supposed to believe in God without putting the Bible first?

How does one know God without the scriptures?

Some people need therapy. Spiritual one.

LoJ:
PSOUL, I fully agree with you. Thank you for the edification. However, I'm afraid it is too much for the religious minded christianity of today. I think I'm going to save this writing of yours.

LoJ

Thanks 4 reading wt an unbiased mind. U r going higher places

I guess what you want us to know is you moved to the Portland area.

Thank you OP for this write-up. Obviously this is a big crack for religious Christians to swallow. In fact greater number of believers don't have a clue what Christianity entails or it requirements. It's so sad many are so gullible and unwilling to accept solid food rather they prefer milk or lies.
What the writer is simply saying is you are to believe the bible but the bible is not the final word of God neither does it have final authority. The bible is a letter and letter kills but the Spirit gives life who is the person of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, the Holy Spirit is the final authority who search the mind of God and lead us to perfect will of God in every given circumstances. We have to believe the bible as the written word of God to guide us how to live right in this evil world. Those who elevate the bible above the instructions of the Holy Spirit does so at their perils and unknowingly rejected Christ leading. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of prophecy that we must believe and obey His words..Rev 19:10. He is everything to Christians whom we must follow His leading and without Him in your life you are not one of God's own.
Many churches intentionally omitted the relevance of the Holy Spirit in the church because it is easier to control people when they have no recourse to anyone but their pastors. Some even advocated that Holy Spirit no longer speak to anyone that when demons speaks people thinks it is the Holy Spirit. You can see how warped their minds are. So Holy Spirit is muted while demons can talk to people of God at will while He resides in them. What a confused thesis.
l counsel you to read your bible for guidance to know how to live by the LAW OF LIFE and then follow the leading of the Holy Spirit to know and do the WILL OF GOD for your life and in every situation.. Rom 8:14; Gal 5:25-26.

God bless.

Confused bunch

what the op is actually saying is that not everything in the bible is correct or true. The bible contains the word of God but not everything in the bible is the word of God. Look at how it works: The bible contain a record of words from a whole lots of people. The problem then is that many of them were spoken out of ignorance and error and are not inspired by the Holy Ghost. For instance Job when he was attacked by the devil out of ignorance thought it was God that was responsible for his problem and made the comment that God gave and has taken. Whereas it wasn't God that took Jobs blessing and health.

The point therefore is that many sayings in the bible were not divinely inspired and are therefore not the word of God. Gods word include 1) the words spoken by Jesus Christ, 2) words spoken by the apostles, 3) words spoken by the prophets. These are group of people that their words represent the word of God because they were inspired by the Holy Ghost. Words spoken by other people who were neither apostles nor prophets came from their own minds and not from God. It is therefore very wrong for Christians to take them as the word of God because they are not. However God allowed them to be recorded for a purpose. One of the major purposes is to give man the right to be wrong in what he/she believes. At the end only God is right.

Shalom

just4now:
Thank you OP for this write-up. Obviously this is a big crack for religious Christians to swallow. In fact greater number of believers don't have a clue what Christianity entails or it requirements. It's so sad many are so gullible and unwilling to accept solid food rather they prefer milk or lies.
What the writer is simply saying is you are to believe the bible but the bible is not the final word of God neither does it have final authority. The bible is a letter and letter kills but the Spirit gives life who is the person of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, the Holy Spirit is the final authority who search the mind of God and lead us to perfect will of God in every given circumstances. We have to believe the bible as the written word of God to guide us how to live right in this evil world. Those who elevate the bible above the instructions of the Holy Spirit does so at their perils and unknowingly rejected Christ leading. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of prophecy that we must believe and obey His words..Rev 19:10. He is everything to Christians whom we must follow His leading and without Him in your life you are not one of God's own.
Many churches intentionally omitted the relevance of the Holy Spirit in the church because it is easier to control people when they have no recourse to anyone but their pastors. Some even advocated that Holy Spirit no longer speak to anyone that when demons speaks people thinks it is the Holy Spirit. You can see how warped their minds are. So Holy Spirit is muted while demons can talk to people of God at will while He resides in them. What a confused thesis.
l counsel you to read your bible for guidance to know how to live by the LAW OF LIFE and then follow the leading of the Holy Spirit to know and do the WILL OF GOD for your life and in every situation.. Rom 8:14; Gal 5:25-26.

God bless.

Thank you so immensely for letting the Holy Spirit guide ur thinking. May God bless u more.

If your answer to the following fundamental questions are yes then the following statements are for you (Psoul, manchesterboy & just4now):

Question 1: Do you believe the bible is GOD's word or the Word of GOD?
Question 2: Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Word of GOD?

In response to your comments manchesterboy: "The bible contains the word of God but not everything in the bible is the word of God. Look at how it works: The bible contain a record of words from a whole lots of people. The problem then is that many of them were spoken out of ignorance and error and are not inspired by the Holy Ghost. For instance Job when he was attacked by the devil out of ignorance thought it was God that was responsible for his problem and made the comment that God gave and has taken. Whereas it wasn't God that took Jobs blessing and health"

Job 1:22 KJV
[22] In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

Job 42:7-8 KJV
[7] And it was so , that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath . [8] Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.

Ezekiel 14:12-14 KJV
[12] The word of the Lord came again to me, saying, [13] Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it: [14] Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God .

GOD refers to Job as righteous. Manchesterboy please where do you get your account from?

@machesterboy 2 Timothy 3:16 KJV
[16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:


@ Just4now how does one know when the Holy Spirit is truly speaking to one unless what He says is consistent with GOD's word - in 1 John 4:1-3 we are told to try all spirits if they are of God, please tell us what are we to use in trying these spirits?
@psoul please let us know how one knows GOD's will without His word
Or explain these portions of scripture to us

2 Peter 1:19-21
Matthew 5: 17-19, 24: 34-35
John 1:1,7,9. 14:15,21-24 (please explain verse 26 to us for it is written there all things shall be brought to our remembrance)
2 Timothy 2:15
1 John 1, 2:1-6
Psalm 119:130-133, 12:6-7
Or as someone mentioned earlier Joshua 1:8
Or on the road to Emmaus please expound what Christ meant in Luke 24:27
Apostle Paul in Romans 10:13-17
Explain 1 John 5:3,7
And most importantly Moses and Christ said in Deuteronomy 8:3 & Matthew 4:4: that man shall not live by bread alone. but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God..

And everything that has been said here would not be complete without these passages: James 1:21-23 KJV
[21] Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. [22] But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. [23] For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass.


Please I look forward to hearing from you..

Psoul do you believe in Jesus Christ?

This is rather complicated!

Crooks:
Psoul do you believe in Jesus Christ?

Yes i am strong believer in Christ Jesus. Am from a good christian family. I ve never doubted God/Christ, but u need to understand what am saying.

Most believers don't really know about their church doctrine. I've been a member of a few and if anybody asked me their stand on some issues I'd be blank. Mostly because I really don't care. And it wouldn't change my understanding.

I don't think we as Christians have to agree with every teaching in our churches anyway. Some areas of the bible can be allowed to have different interpretations within the same group. So long as it's done in good faith.

Very beautiful write up. Kudos.

Good Teachers always need good "Text Books" to buttress their Teachings. Jesus read from the Book of Isaiah to declare Himself the Scripture(Word of God) fulfilled.

OP I personally love this write up of yours,so therefore thank you for the effort you placed on this write up.
For some years now,I have had this argument with myself about the bible and we christians. I have come to belive that christians no longer take the bible as a manual which is suppose to guide our eveyday life, but most of we christians now take the bible as an oracle instead of God's words.
The jeovah witness is an example of this,(sorry to say). Because of this great affiliation with the bible,we christians tend to confuse ourselves. That is why whenever arguments occurs concerning our faith,and different sects of christians go out there to preach the word of God they mostly don't succeed in converting the unbelivers because we are too attached with the bible and belive the bible is God himself.
ThankGOd today,I bumped on your topic,and the question tha I have been asking myself for over 3yrs now as been thrown more light on.

Why copy and paste tho?

Lol the guy copy sef. Chai Nigerian Christians ohhhh. You didn't even acknowledge the source. Kingebukasblog come see your people. ;DD