A few days ago, while sitting in the Laundry Mat parking lot, I was reading 1st Corinthians, Chapter 12, and a thought came to mind.
Now, this Thread is not about 1st Corinthians, Chapter 12, it can be about any Scripture anyone happens to be reading, just saying.
Anyway, after I read it, I thought........We all seek to gain understand of a Scripture when we read it......I like to say a short prayer before reading Scripture to ask the Holy Spirit to give me understanding of what I am reading. Some here may do the same thing.......or not.
I began to think, is believing/understanding what the Scripture says the same as "accepting" what it says?
Now, I believe that people can read the same Scripture and have very different understanding/beliefs as to what the Scripture says, and this is shown by the teachings of the Apostle Paul regarding "carnal" and "spiritual" believers. I think that the Holy Spirit imparts unto us the understanding that He knows we need at the time we are reading the Scripture. I think this because I have read a Scripture and came to an understanding of it...........and some time later, days, weeks, years. read the same Scripture again, and have a totally different understanding of it. Some here may have had the same experience.
Not that either understanding is wrong, just that the Holy Spirit knows what we need and when we need it, and He imparts unto us the understanding we need at that time.
I ended up reading that Chapter three times. And I thought, ok. I understand what it is saying, and I believe what it is saying. BUT do I ACCEPT it? See, some times what is revealed to us is different than what we believed before. So, if this happens, am I, are we able to ACCEPT what understanding we receive and adjust our beliefs accordingly?
That is why I ask.........Is believing the same as accepting?
Does one have to accept what a Scripture says in order to believe/understand it? Or can one understand what it is saying and not accept it?
Anyway, this was the thought that I had while reading my Bible that day........
Thanks for listening to me...........
Now, this Thread is not about 1st Corinthians, Chapter 12, it can be about any Scripture anyone happens to be reading, just saying.
Anyway, after I read it, I thought........We all seek to gain understand of a Scripture when we read it......I like to say a short prayer before reading Scripture to ask the Holy Spirit to give me understanding of what I am reading. Some here may do the same thing.......or not.
I began to think, is believing/understanding what the Scripture says the same as "accepting" what it says?
Now, I believe that people can read the same Scripture and have very different understanding/beliefs as to what the Scripture says, and this is shown by the teachings of the Apostle Paul regarding "carnal" and "spiritual" believers. I think that the Holy Spirit imparts unto us the understanding that He knows we need at the time we are reading the Scripture. I think this because I have read a Scripture and came to an understanding of it...........and some time later, days, weeks, years. read the same Scripture again, and have a totally different understanding of it. Some here may have had the same experience.
Not that either understanding is wrong, just that the Holy Spirit knows what we need and when we need it, and He imparts unto us the understanding we need at that time.
I ended up reading that Chapter three times. And I thought, ok. I understand what it is saying, and I believe what it is saying. BUT do I ACCEPT it? See, some times what is revealed to us is different than what we believed before. So, if this happens, am I, are we able to ACCEPT what understanding we receive and adjust our beliefs accordingly?
That is why I ask.........Is believing the same as accepting?
Does one have to accept what a Scripture says in order to believe/understand it? Or can one understand what it is saying and not accept it?
Anyway, this was the thought that I had while reading my Bible that day........
Thanks for listening to me...........