Is the written bible God's word?

[thefightinglamb]

I do believe the Bible is, but some spiritual truths are starting to confuse me...

So, if the written Bible is God's word, what is the difference between the law being carved in stone and written on paper? I would think that if the original Bible was written on stone, than at least we would have had a no-nonesense source to go back to instead of pulling on soooo many different sources as 'early texts'. It would have made the Bible sooo clear...

But instead we have the Bible engraved on our hearts and placed in our minds...which is where trouble comes in...

The problem is subjectivism...Everyone that says they have it within them don't necessarily have it; what is to stop the wolves from trying to pervert the original text? I do believe there is only one truth that the Bible always shows--though there are different meanings all leading to this one truth...

Well, thats not the direction I was meaning to go with this...

Okay, reading scripture a lot...and I am being confounded as I said before...by things like "you search the scriptures in order to find me, but refuse to turn to me in order to find life; these very scriptures speak of me." And the famous verse that the law is not like the law of our ancestors written on stone, but it is engraved in our hearts...

So why do we force down people's throats that the Bible is 100% God's word? It seems that the true Lord writes the law in our hearts...and it is confusing to insist on something outside the heart, in experience, being God's new law...(I really don't know if it matters that Paul's greetings to his friends are on my heart or not...)

What's to stop the new testament from being the same stumbling block as the old testament?

What I mean is that both display the faults of Paul that they are both of being of "the written code".

The problem I am seeing is both the new and old testament, and insisting on them being God's word completely, forces the soul to try to regulate itself by an outside commandment and not one that is 'of the heart' as the new testament itself states.

I really don't care how many times you read the scriptures, if the Lord doesn't plant them in you heart it is futile...so why do we continually insist on using the physical Bible to reach the spiritual? And even after we have found the spiritual law and Lord, do we go back to the physical Bible, of the written code? It seems like Paul complaining against the Corinthians? (I am almost 100% sure I am wrong on which letter this is) that after finding the spiritual , why are we submitting to the slavery of a written fleshly code?

I honestly in a way feel right now that a lot of preachers use the new testament the same way pharisees and scribes used the old testament...and instead of setting people free and opening them up, they are laying more and more burdens on people after they are reborn...

Look at Paul...After he was converted, there was no new written law (gospel or letter)for him to read probably...On the confidence of his own experience he goes out to follow the Lord (true someone did cure his blindness through the Lord and baptize him), but afterwards he is not regulated by a church or any written code, but INSTEAD HE RECOGNIZES THE LORD AND FOLLOWS...

I know some would say complete madness would arrive in Christianity if any Christian followed God completely and forgot about the written code ( the physical Bible) chaos and complete madness would result...But it doesn't seem that way in scripture, people completely give themselves to Christ--and rely on the spiritual without going back to the written code...

Just think on On what basis did Paul refute Cephas for drawing back from the Gentiles when he saw the Jews? No where in the Bible does he draw from; he has Jesus and his Spirit telling him it is contrary to the new law, so he refutes him based on the certainty that he was with God and God showed him it was wrong...

So as I said before confounded...

May God's word bring light, love, and life to us all

tony

 

[MahogonySnail]

Yes the bible can be considered to be God's written Word. But I wouldn't say the bible is perfect. But that doesn't mean God's Word is not perfect. It just means the perfect Word of God was penned and translated by humans who are imperfect. But the use of translators makes it no less the Word of God.


But I think you are absolutely correct re:

I honestly in a way feel right now that a lot of preachers use the new testament the same way pharisees and scribes used the old testament...and instead of setting people free and opening them up, they are laying more and more burdens on people after they are reborn...

I believe that is a result of most preachers being trained at theological colleges which are really educational centres for learning and mostly about head knowledge. Some who come out of these colleges and have a piece of paper which says they can lead a church don't even have a relationship with Christ!

Most bible studies I've been in are usually about factual head knowledge rather than opening up our eyes to spiritual truths which meditation and listening to God speak in our heart is needed for that.

 

[MahogonySnail]

Generally it is easier to consider the whole bible to be the Word of God. But strictly, I guess not all of it is the Word of God. Depends how you define "Word of God". Obviously a copyright notice on the front cover didn't come from God. Or any words added by translators to aid the meaning.
If we limit that definition to only words which came out of God's mouth, so to speak, that includes the prophets, Jesus ( as He was God in the flesh), and the inspired teachings of the apostles etc who spoke by the Holy Spirit. But simple instructional or practical commands written by Paul for example I don't believe are God's Word. They are Paul's words. We may get inspiration from them, but I don't think we should say that God said this when it was only Paul speaking.

 

[childofgod99]

Paul was an apostle appointed by Jesus Himself. In John 16v 13 Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit coming to show us all thngs and Paul knew the law and yet God called him to the apostleship ministry. He spoke under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and each time he says his own words he woukd say it like i Paul and not the Lord. The word of grace is what i think Jesus meant that the desciples would not bear and was entrusted to Paul. As a chrstian the power of God is greatly revealed in the life of Paul. in 1cor11v23 when he taught about the Lord's supper having received it from the Lord so he was constantly walking by the spirit of God.
I personally it will be desasterous if we start to question the reality of the bible. This is God's power to salvation and as a child of God i choose toclose my eyes from questioning the bible.
before the law Abraham walked by faith having the promise of God and as the bble says in galatians 3v8 the gospel was first preached to abraham. There was no law at hand and they walked by faith. When Joseph faced the temptation with Potifah's wife in Genesis 39v9 he said how can i do this great wickedness and sin against my God. Notice this was way before the law was given and he knew it from his heart that it was a sin. there was no thou shall not commit adultery.at that time the law was written in their hearts and it is the same law that even right now is written in our hearts under grace.
Going back then they were passing on the knowledge of faith from one generation to the other notice they will pray like the God of Abraham,Iscaac and Jacob. i think the bible right now is playing that role of passing knowledge of grace from one generation to the other.It is by no means the Law engraved on paper.In the old testament their faith was based on their works as they had to obey all the laws to attain righteousness but with us i thank God our faith is based on the finished work of Jesus Christ.
yes both the old and the new testament are God's word and the law in the testament wasnt the promise which God promised Abraham. it came for a time and again if you read exodus The children of isreal told God that they can do whatever He commands them to do and they did not ask for grace so the law was given to them and their success was based on their obedience to the law,thus how lwa was given to them and yet it wasnt the promise.
the letter you meant for Paul was written to the Galatians and its because after Paul preached the gospel of grace to them the jews came and preached law and because us human we have that sense of wanting to work and attain a reward they accepted the wrong doctrine and thats why Paul called them o foolish galatians who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth....The promise had come and it was time to do away with the law which was our tutor and be under grace.
Paul listed people who had faith in the past when you read hebrews 11 so he knew and understood the living by faith so he was fully equiped to rebuke anyone he sees being drwn to the law. if you read the book of Peter, even him (peter) having walked with Jesus he admitted that the message of grace was so abound in Paul and it was diffucult to understand.Its not about what we do but what He(Jesus) did on the cross.hallelluyah!
John 1v17 says for the law was given by Moses but grace and truth came through Jesus. Notice truth is on the side of grace. Then Acts 13v37-41 talks of the sermon by Paul.
you know i love talking about grace.
if you read the psalms, and most of the prophetic books in the old testament you will find Jesus being spoken of like in the book of isiah. The bible is not the book of law and the bible is the Word of God.All scripture is inspired by God.

childofgod99

 

[Cup-of-Ruin]

Greetings,

God has said that His laws would be written upon our hearts and put in our minds, and this is in Jeremiah 31-31-37 and Hebrews 8:8-12, this is the New Covenant, this new covenant is also prophecised by God in Leviticus. Now to whom is God speaking? God in each case is specifically speaking to the House of Israel and the House of Judah, who all became Christians as they were saved by God and recieved His new Name under the new blood covenant. God has made this covenant with the Israelites and it is an everlasting covenant and it was enacted when Jesus was bodily ressurrcted and ascended into heaven - with the precious divine sinless blood, this is very important - 'touch me not! for I am not yet ascended to My Father', That blood was required in Heaven to enable the new covenat to take place, no blood, no new covenant! As God says "Not without Blood" and not just any blood, no it needed to be perfect divine blood.

Now God did not say that He would write the Bible on a Christian's new heart, no, and He did not say He would write scripture, or his word, no He did not say that - He said laws...

But consider this, He does not say, I will write the law on your heart and not in the Bible, or that He will take it out of scripture, or that it should not be written, does not say that, because the only way that I can say this to you now is because what I have read in scripture - "truth shall be established in the mouths of two witnesses" that's scripture, it tells me that the law of God is now in force in the heart of the Christian believer and the Word, the written word of God, see we must have two witnesses.

A Christian will know the difference between righteous and wicked, between truth and lies, between sinner and saint, why? because we have a conscious, there is right and wrong for a christian that exists above themselves, but for a non-Christian who has not the law of God in their minds and hearts, their is no right or wrong there is only what they desire to have. A Christian who sins will feel guilt, will feel not only that he or she has let themselves down but has let God down, and this pain of letting the Father down of betraying His trust and love will lead the Christian to repentence, to repent of that sin and be changed, this is because the heart and mind have the law already inside of them, but, but, how do we know, the heart can be decietful and wicked, I cannot trust my heart or my mind alone, therefore we have the witness of the word of God, search the scripture to see that it is true, do not trust in yourself alone but put your faith in the written word of God, His sure word, wisdom and council...

Is the written Bible God's word?

The answer is YES IT IS!

Psalms 33:4

"For the word of the LORD is right; and all His works are done in truth."

2 Timothy 3:16-17

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly finished unto all good works."

 

[loveschild]

The word is God. When you speak the words of God out of your mouth that is God. When you write the words down the words are God. The bible says if everything God did was written down it wouldn't fit on earth. Talk to the holy spirit and ask him to help you. He's more than a book. He talks. Get close to him and he will help you. God bless Loves

 

[doubleedge]

The Bible is a code through which Gods Word is prophecied! The translations carry the codes & the codes are the prophecies.

 

[pickles]

I thought Id share this. Several years ago several friends in my social group turned to a new age religion. They stated that the bible had been corrupted by man thus unreliable. I pondered this for a few days and next time we gathered I said that I was staying with his word. As they began to argue I told them it was my insurance policy. Then I explained why. You see God will not hold me accountible for any possible wrongs in his word, but he will hold me accountible for the wrongs I choose outside his word. Not only will I be accountible for those wrongs but for any I mislead with my wrongs. When you think about the repercusions of misleading and the responcibuility of it you are humbled in a way that makes sure you want to get it right. So as far as I was concerned the word was my ins. policy. Godbless, pickles

 

[christiankid1]

The written word is good, but we see that everyone interprets it differently today. So many different doctrines are being taught. God has a prophet and a quorum of 12 apostles leading his church today, continually receiving direct revelation from Him. The words of prophets in the past are good, and they spoke the truth, but we must rely more upon God's current word. For example, When god commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son, he went and prepared to obey. Later, God sent the message that he did not have to kill his son. If Abraham had only listened to God's 1st statement he would have killed his son.

God continues to speak today...not only to each of us personally but to the world as a whole through prophets and apostles of God.

 

[Baptistrw]

The written word is good, but we see that everyone interprets it differently today. So many different doctrines are being taught. God has a prophet and a quorum of 12 apostles leading his church today, continually receiving direct revelation from Him. The words of prophets in the past are good, and they spoke the truth, but we must rely more upon God's current word. For example, When god commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son, he went and prepared to obey. Later, God sent the message that he did not have to kill his son. If Abraham had only listened to God's 1st statement he would have killed his son.

God continues to speak today...not only to each of us personally but to the world as a whole through prophets and apostles of God.

That was a test, God never intended for Abraham to kill Isaac. The great thing about the Bible is it never contradicts itself, when man-made religion is constantly contradicting itself. I'm guessing you're Mormon, if you want to discuss Mormon doctrine start another thread.

 

[doubleedge]

The heart is the soil... & The Word of God is the seed(Matthew 13:1-23)!