Unfortunately this all comes from a lack of knowledge of and relationship with the Holy Spirit. As was mentioned, the Holy Spirit is the dividing line between faith and religion.
2 Corinthians 5:5-7
Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God,
who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
6Therefore we are always confident and know that
as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7For we live by faith, not by sight.
Those who have the Holy Spirit are given understanding in all things, including scripture. They believe the understanding they have to be true because of their faith, and therefore do not debate about it but simply speak the message God gives them and go on their way. It is not through self study that they receive understanding but through a seeking after and belief of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 11:25-26
At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.
26Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.
So who are the little children? Those who have childlike faith, and walk with the Lord and put trust in him because of their complete belief in who He is, for these are His children who know Him. Those who strive to live and learn by their own understanding and not by revelation from the Holy Spirit are those who have religious spirits and will debate and corrupt scripture to fit their own ends and beliefs. Scripture was already perfect and did not need to be tampered with by men, yet that is exactly what happened, which is why there are so many different denominations and versions of the bible.
2 Timothy 3
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. [SUP]2 [/SUP]People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, [SUP]3 [/SUP]without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal,
not lovers of the good, [SUP]4 [/SUP]treacherous, rash, conceited,
lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— [SUP]5 [/SUP]having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. [SUP]6 [/SUP]They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, [SUP]7 [/SUP]
always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. [SUP]8 [/SUP]Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses,
so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. [SUP]9 [/SUP]But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.
[h=3]A Final Charge to Timothy[/h][SUP]10 [/SUP]You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, [SUP]11 [/SUP]persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. [SUP]12 [/SUP]In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, [SUP]13 [/SUP]while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. [SUP]14 [/SUP]But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, [SUP]15 [/SUP]and how from infancy you have known
the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. [SUP]16 [/SUP]All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, [SUP]17 [/SUP]so that the servant of God[SUP][a][/SUP] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
It very clearly explains in this passage of those who will combat, debate, and fight the scripture, twist it to suit their own ends. Notice that it says scripture will make you wise for salvation THROUGH FAITH, not that it is necessary for salvation, but should make you wise for it. Scriptures are for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness to prepare God's servants for His work. Nowhere does it say they are for debate, mockery, to make others feel less for having less knowledge of them, etc. It is better to know the Word of God than to know the scriptures. I'm sure that confused you a bit. What is the Word of God? Rather than what we should be asking who? That is Jesus Christ. I'm sure the following scripture should make clear to you the question of salvation as well.
John 1:1-18
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[SUP]a[/SUP] it.
6There was a man sent from God whose name was John.
7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.
8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.
11H
e came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15(John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”)
16Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.
17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and[SUP]
b[/SUP] is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
This passage is speaking of Jesus. The Word became flesh, the Word was God and was with God. If you are familiar with the trinity you would realize why it is that the Word can both be God and with God. Jesus is the Word, He is
the way, the truth, and the life. It says "to those who believed in His name"-that means that to receive salvation you simply must receive Jesus and believe that He is the Word of God, the Son of God, the Messiah, the Redeemer of all sin. That is salvation.
Let's turn for a moment back to Timothy.
2 Timothy 4:1-5
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: [SUP]2 [/SUP]Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. [SUP]3 [/SUP]
For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. [SUP]4 [/SUP]They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. [SUP]5 [/SUP]But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
This clearly explains why there is so much debate, so many different doctrines and religions. They twist the truth to suit their own ends. I believe this verse needs no explanation.
Some question, due to both my gender and age, what authority I have to speak on the things of God. The only authority I have is that given by the One who sent me. I am His messenger, and I do not claim these words or understandings as my own but they are God's alone. I am qualified to speak not through religious education or bible college, but through my belief in Jesus and therefore equality in Him.
Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
