If it's not in the Bible is it relevant to our lives or true?

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JFSurvivor

JFSurvivor

Senior Member
#1
Jan 20, 2015
1,184
25
0
#1
I was thinking and a question popped in to my head: if it's not in the Bible is it relevant to our lives or true? Here's a simple example: "The sky is blue." Is that relevant to our lives? and is it true? Well I look outside and the sky is blue. So I have to conclude that's truth, however it's not in the Bible. Do you see what I am getting at? The Bible also implies stuff about a woman's value and how smart they are but it's never said, "women are very smart." You would have to read Esther and Ruth to figure that out. What about "God wants us to take care of ourselves physically and mentally?" It's never said like that but it is shown (sorta) in the story of Elijah. And what about "God doesn't want us to be extremly burdened that it becomes unbearable." That is implied all throughout the new testament. I know there is suffering but I believe that comes from satan and human free will. God wanting us to suffer just doesn't line up with who He is. I understand discipline but discipline is NEVER used to harm. It is used to correct. So I wouldn't put discipline and suffering in the same category.

Another question: how literally should we take the Bible?

John 8:1-11- here is where Jesus saves a woman caught in adultery. Here is my question: Jesus is compassionate so I should be compassionate. It doesn't say "Jesus was compassionate towards this particular woman who was caught in adultery" but I can clearly see that he was. So if it doesn't SAY that he wasn't compassionate then is the fact that he was compassionate null?

Sorry it's a little rambily. I got a little confused at this one post where people were like "if it's not in scripture it can't be true" so I wanted to start this thread to see what happens. If it blows up...weeeeeell it's not like it hasn't happened before.

Anyway thoughts?

Oh and if this isn't clear, please ask me to clarify NICELY.
 
Utah

Utah

Banned
#2
Dec 1, 2014
9,701
251
0
#2
Understanding the importance of eating healthy is not in the Bible but eating healthy is relevant.

Auto mechanics is not in the Bible but knowing how to operate and maintain your vehicle is relevant.

World history is not in the Bible but if we do not educate ourselves on the atrocities of the past then we are doomed to repeat them and suffer as many did before us.
 
Blain

Blain

The Word Weaver
#3
Aug 28, 2012
19,213
2,549
113
#3
Very good Jf your asking the right questions. Yes one has to think about stuff like this, many will say when your talking about a subject in a debate show me in scripture where it says that and if you can't it's false. The word bible is not in the bible a t.v. is not in the bible, sometimes the answer to things are found simply by being with God. The bible is not the ultimate answer sometimes you will only get the true answer by simply spending lots of time with God. Just because it isn't in the bible doesn't mean it isn't relevant, and I do think some parts of the bible should be taken literally but if you take the entire bible as literally you will find many many contradictions
 
Joidevivre

Joidevivre

Senior Member
#4
Jul 15, 2014
3,838
271
83
#4
And I'm not sure the bible tells us to walk a lot for exercise to stay healthy. It didn't tell me how to change diapers, or how to cook a good pot roast.

"The sky is blue" might not seem relevant to some, but if you have ever had cataracts for years, then had surgery - you practically want to fly up and kiss that blue sky that you never noticed before.

Remember that as Christians, we have the Holy Spirit IN US, leading us into all the truths that we need for our spiritual growth and knowledge of Christ. I had to figure out the diaper thing myself.

The rest - well, he has given us many things to enjoy that aren't in the bible, yet are true. Like what is flung up, must come down.
 
S

Sirk

Guest
#5
#5
Everything that is in the bible is true... but not everything that is true is in the bible.
 
Utah

Utah

Banned
#6
Dec 1, 2014
9,701
251
0
#6
Joidevivre said:
And I'm not sure the bible tells us to walk a lot for exercise to stay healthy. It didn't tell me how to change diapers, or how to cook a good pot roast.

"The sky is blue" might not seem relevant to some, but if you have ever had cataracts for years, then had surgery - you practically want to fly up and kiss that blue sky that you never noticed before.

Remember that as Christians, we have the Holy Spirit IN US, leading us into all the truths that we need for our spiritual growth and knowledge of Christ. I had to figure out the diaper thing myself.

The rest - well, he has given us many things to enjoy that aren't in the bible, yet are true. Like what is flung up, must come down.
Click to expand...
I want some of your pot roast!

Mail it to:

Utah
New Brunswick, New Jersey
08901.

The postmaster knows me. I'll get it. :p
 
T

Tintin

Guest
#7
#7
Sirk said:
Everything that is in the bible is true... but not everything that is true is in the bible.
Click to expand...
Hear ye, hear ye! The Sirk has spoken! (No, really. That's really good/catchy)
 
Joidevivre

Joidevivre

Senior Member
#9
Jul 15, 2014
3,838
271
83
#9
Sirk said:
Everything that is in the bible is true... but not everything that is true is in the bible.
Click to expand...
I'm in awe! That has to be the most profound thing I've ever seen you post. Do you mind if I copy and repost?
 
S

Sirk

Guest
#10
#10
Joidevivre said:
I'm in awe! That has to be the most profound thing I've ever seen you post. Do you mind if I copy and repost?
Click to expand...
No problem....someone way smarter than me said it to me. :)
 
PeterJens

PeterJens

Banned
#11
Feb 24, 2015
13,204
168
0
#11
JFSurvivor said:
if it's not in the Bible is it relevant to our lives or true?
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Truth is found everywhere, in God, in Satan, in love, in hate, in joy, in sorrow. The bible is a guide to attitude, it is not the ultimate answer to everything. It was written so that we might be transformed, but it is in what we become that matters.

God made us to become children of the Living God, that is our goal.

We are commanded to be in the world but not of it. The problem in the world is hidden shut off love with bitterness, cynism and hatred driving people. This road leads to death.

Jesus came to unlock love, to heal the hurt and set us free, so love puts things in their proper place, finds appropriateness and the right things to do, so people do not have to be told from a set of rules, they know because of who they are.

If the bible does not put emphasis on something, then so should you, and what it holds most dear, so should you.

Jesus commanded us to keep his words in our hearts, to make them real, because they are eternal. literally. So few seem to have taken this seriously, and at the first problem, they just through them off. I have found this in my life, but now I see with great clarity than I have ever seen before. But it is hard, very, very hard. But that is what Jesus warned us about, it is not that he was not 100% open about the difficulty, it is all there.
 
Z

zoii

Banned
#12
Apr 8, 2015
895
18
0
#12
This falls apart a bit when we reverse this. The touchy subject of is Adam n eve the father/mother of all humanity is an example. We all now take that DNA is the blueprint of life - this is well accepted. We also know that DNA is highly specific to each of us - we use it as evidence in court cases. You only get one type of DNA per person - so the maths of how we can have such much DNA diversity just doesn't seem to add up - and...well DNA wasn't written about in the bible. Now I don't want to derail lovely JFs thread. So my summary is - just because its written in even the most vague fashion; does that make it true..... is their room to move with new evidence.
 
S

sealabeag

Guest
#13
#13
zoii said:
This falls apart a bit when we reverse this. The touchy subject of is Adam n eve the father/mother of all humanity is an example. We all now take that DNA is the blueprint of life - this is well accepted. We also know that DNA is highly specific to each of us - we use it as evidence in court cases. You only get one type of DNA per person - so the maths of how we can have such much DNA diversity just doesn't seem to add up - and...well DNA wasn't written about in the bible. Now I don't want to derail lovely JFs thread. So my summary is - just because its written in even the most vague fashion; does that make it true..... is their room to move with new evidence.
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Just to clarify your question; Are you asking how it is possible to have such diversity with only two human ancestors, i.e. Adam and Eve? If so, it is already known by the scientific community that every human being on earth descends from one woman, whom they have called (whether they did it ironically or not), Eve.
Don't be so quick to throw the baby out with the bathwater when it comes to Genesis either. :) Just because our modern minds tend to look at things in terms of facts, we need to look deeper into the text to find the truth.
 
V

valiant

Senior Member
#14
Mar 22, 2015
8,025
124
63
#14
JFSurvivor said:
I was thinking and a question popped in to my head: if it's not in the Bible is it relevant to our lives or true? Here's a simple example: "The sky is blue." Is that relevant to our lives? and is it true? Well I look outside and the sky is blue. So I have to conclude that's truth, however it's not in the Bible. Do you see what I am getting at? The Bible also implies stuff about a woman's value and how smart they are but it's never said, "women are very smart." You would have to read Esther and Ruth to figure that out. What about "God wants us to take care of ourselves physically and mentally?" It's never said like that but it is shown (sorta) in the story of Elijah. And what about "God doesn't want us to be extremly burdened that it becomes unbearable." That is implied all throughout the new testament. I know there is suffering but I believe that comes from satan and human free will. God wanting us to suffer just doesn't line up with who He is. I understand discipline but discipline is NEVER used to harm. It is used to correct. So I wouldn't put discipline and suffering in the same category.

Another question: how literally should we take the Bible?

John 8:1-11- here is where Jesus saves a woman caught in adultery. Here is my question: Jesus is compassionate so I should be compassionate. It doesn't say "Jesus was compassionate towards this particular woman who was caught in adultery" but I can clearly see that he was. So if it doesn't SAY that he wasn't compassionate then is the fact that he was compassionate null?

Sorry it's a little rambily. I got a little confused at this one post where people were like "if it's not in scripture it can't be true" so I wanted to start this thread to see what happens. If it blows up...weeeeeell it's not like it hasn't happened before.

Anyway thoughts?

Oh and if this isn't clear, please ask me to clarify NICELY.
Click to expand...
It would be more correct to say that anything that we say about God and spirituality is not true unless it can be corroberated from the Bible. What is in the natural world can be corroberated from the senses.

Incidentally the sky is not blue. It just looks blue from our angle. So even our senses deceive us.
 
Last edited:
nowyouseem033

nowyouseem033

Senior Member
#15
Jul 17, 2014
535
30
28
#15
Good question.

Well because we hold that Jesus Christ created everything and all things then every precious truth that is in the world wether it be revealed through sacred scripture or science is a witness to the one ultimate truth, namely Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ has a monopoly on truth and all truth comes from him.
again wether it be revealed in scripture or science or whatever they only serve to point us to the one who is TRUTH MANIFESTED.

hope that helps.

answer. Yes there are truths which we can discover without Gods Word, but without Gods word theyre ultimately wouldn't be any truths AT ALL.
 
Z

zoii

Banned
#16
Apr 8, 2015
895
18
0
#16
sealabeag said:
Just to clarify your question; Are you asking how it is possible to have such diversity with only two human ancestors, i.e. Adam and Eve? If so, it is already known by the scientific community that every human being on earth descends from one woman, whom they have called (whether they did it ironically or not), Eve.
Don't be so quick to throw the baby out with the bathwater when it comes to Genesis either. :) Just because our modern minds tend to look at things in terms of facts, we need to look deeper into the text to find the truth.
Click to expand...
OH - well first ty for replying. The adam n eve thing was an example n not the point. But I have to correct you that no indeed DNA mapping has NOT been traced back to a single person. I can give you multiple references' but I don't want to side track JFs thread with an evolution discussion. Really the summary point was my question. As new facts emerge from theories, that aren't written into the bible but may be at odds with some interpretations of the bible, are we able to bend the bible to meet the evidence
 
S

sealabeag

Guest
#17
#17
zoii said:
OH - well first ty for replying. The adam n eve thing was an example n not the point. But I have to correct you that no indeed DNA mapping has NOT been traced back to a single person. I can give you multiple references' but I don't want to side track JFs thread with an evolution discussion. Really the summary point was my question. As new facts emerge from theories, that aren't written into the bible but may be at odds with some interpretations of the bible, are we able to bend the bible to meet the evidence
Click to expand...
Look up "Mitochondrial Eve". Your second question is one of the largest causes of debate and division among Christians, and in many ways unresolved so I won't attempt to answer at any length (I'm far from being a Bible scholar or anything near it). All I will say is that firstly the "Bible", as we refer to it, is not a book. It is a collection of books, books from all varieties of literary genres; poetry, historical, prophetic, fictional, etc. Therefore not all parts of it are in any way intended to be scientifically or historically accurate, but simply speaking of a deeper spiritual truth.
We also need to approach the Bible with the eyes of faith, not with eyes of criticism. For me, one of the greatest ways to read the Bible is in light of the Gospel, i.e. to see the foreshadowing of Christ in the Old Testament. Not seen through the lens of Christ, the OT can certainly be a minefield of confusion. So before anything else, I would encourage the person to pray; to pray for faith and to pray for a real experience of Christ. "Ask and you shall receive". :)
With Christ in our hearts and the Spirit guiding us, the Bible takes on a new life, speaking not just of past events, but speaking into our own lives with real meaning and power.
We also need to read it with an awareness of the context; Who wrote what we are reading? Why? What was the world/circumstances they were living in at the time of writing? For whom were these things written?

Can we bend the Bible to meet the evidence? In some ways, we can, actually. For example, the seven days of creation. Most Christians would accept that God did not literally make the universe and everything in it in seven literal earth-days as we know them. It is just given as a relatable period of time. You could say "In the first period of time God created......". How far this can be taken however, is up for debate.
 
P

Pumicestone

Banned
#18
Mar 21, 2015
643
4
0
#18
sealabeag said:
..... Most Christians would accept that God did not literally make the universe and everything in it in seven literal earth-days as we know them....... .
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Most thinking Christians, Seal.
A century ago 'most' would probably have accepted the literal view.
But, as scientific evidence has exploded and as mass literacy and education have improved dramatically,
the reality has become inescapable.
 
Utah

Utah

Banned
#19
Dec 1, 2014
9,701
251
0
#19
Peter, in post 11 you stated truth can be found in satan. How so?
 
Utah

Utah

Banned
#20
Dec 1, 2014
9,701
251
0
#20
sealabeag said:
Most Christians would accept that God did not literally make the universe and everything in it in seven literal earth-days as we know them. It is just given as a relatable period of time. You could say "In the first period of time God created......". How far this can be taken however, is up for debate.
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I like what you share here, but I would argue most Christians do embrace the reality of God creating the Universe in six days. It can also be argued that God "thought" the Universe into existence, and so it is.

One thing I do know, Jesus is Lord of all and Savior to those who put their trust in Him.

Everything else is a distant second regarding relevance and importance. :)
 
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