Thinking out of the box but within the Word of God

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Mar 6, 2018
27
12
3
#21
Im going to just lay this out there.

2 Peter 1:20 King James Version (KJV)
20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#22
Im going to just lay this out there.

2 Peter 1:20 King James Version (KJV)
20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
that goes not only for any man, but any church whoever that church may be (including the catholic church and the pope)

all that passage is saying is that there is one interpretation, and you will be held accountable to how YOU TRANSLATE IT,

if you listen to some man in some huge church organization, and that man is wrong, you will not be let off the hook because you followed a man you THOUGHT spoke from God, you will be held accountable because you failed to TEST ALL SPIRITS TO SEE IF THEY ARE FROM GOD. and that you failed to STUDY TO SHEW YOURSELF APPROVED RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH.
 
Mar 6, 2018
27
12
3
#23
What does it mean to study, to show yourself approved?
And how do you test the Spirits?

What are you studying, and what Sprits are you testing?
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#24
What does it mean to study, to show yourself approved?
And how do you test the Spirits?

What are you studying, and what Spirits are you testing?
What did paul say? Did he say study the word, or listen to men who claim to be your pastors or leaders?

We study the word, and we test the spirit of the doctrines men are trying to teach us. to make sure they come from God.

If someone is teaching that everyone will get to heaven no matter what, You test the spirit, and by using the word, you knock down the
our weapons are not of the flesh, but of the spirit, The word of God.. which is alive an and able to make the man of God complete in him.

who do you think we should listen to? what church or pastor do you think is infallible?
 

maxwel

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2013
9,526
2,608
113
#25
What does it mean to study, to show yourself approved?
And how do you test the Spirits?

What are you studying, and what Sprits are you testing?

These questions are not paradoxes, and they are not mysteries.

People often come to these kinds of verses, "imagine" they are unknowable through simple study of the text, and pretend that gives them a license to make up answers.

But these are simple questions with simple answers.

And we don't find the answers by pretending they're paradoxes, walking away, and "guessing" at the answer...
we get the answer by studying the scripture, thoroughly, and finding what it says on these topics.


----------
 
Mar 6, 2018
27
12
3
#26
Paul said to do as he said, and we listen to him. Just because it is in the Bible, doesn't mean it wasnt man teaching man, but if we believe their truth by the Spirit, why shouldn't we be able to trust in each other by the same spirit? Is it because we are not in one accord believing the same way, like the rest of the followers, that were in the days of the first church? Those people would have died for one another. I still believe in the same Jesus that laid His own life down for the world. I believe in the Gift of the Holy Spirit, and the gifts that the Holy Spirit gives to each of us as it wishes for its testimony of Christ. I believe that if we continue turning the bible into a form of law as the Jewish Law, which hid the heart of Christ, God will shake us down until the wheat is separated from the tares. I do not take the Lord of Lords and His promises to me lightly.
 
Jan 6, 2018
1,796
154
63
#27
Is this a paradox within the Church? Has anyone here thought out of the box and didn't share it for established ideologies kept you from speaking out?
I would like to see others point of view even as it is backed up with Scripture. Remember the Word is alive.
You are NAR. There is nothing new and undiscovered for 2,000 years of church history.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#29
Paul said to do as he said, and we listen to him. Just because it is in the Bible, doesn't mean it wasnt man teaching man, but if we believe their truth by the Spirit, why shouldn't we be able to trust in each other by the same spirit? Is it because we are not in one accord believing the same way, like the rest of the followers, that were in the days of the first church? Those people would have died for one another. I still believe in the same Jesus that laid His own life down for the world. I believe in the Gift of the Holy Spirit, and the gifts that the Holy Spirit gives to each of us as it wishes for its testimony of Christ. I believe that if we continue turning the bible into a form of law as the Jewish Law, which hid the heart of Christ, God will shake us down until the wheat is separated from the tares. I do not take the Lord of Lords and His promises to me lightly.
Paul wrote inspired words of God (All Scripture is God breathed) he did not just write what he thinks.

Trying to equate scripture writtings with other words of men is a dangerous things is it not?
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,429
6,707
113
#30
What does it mean to study, to show yourself approved?
And how do you test the Spirits?

What are you studying, and what Sprits are you testing?
My own manner has been to read the Bible from beginning to the final amen of Revelation over and over, mainly to do exactly what is said to do in the scripture quoted, but I do pray and meditate, never attempting to seize revelation rather waiting for it to be imparted by the HOly Spirit.

I like to concentrate on what our Savior teaches us of the Good News, and I look for it in the Old Testament as well as in the New. After all our spiritual ancestor, Abraham, is the first to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ, though many overlook this truth.

Now, I know just because I have read the Word cover to cover over the years I am no expert on what all of it means, but like all who believe Jesus, I know He is my Savior and His words are true and pure.
 

maxwel

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2013
9,526
2,608
113
#31
Paul said to do as he said, and we listen to him. Just because it is in the Bible, doesn't mean it wasnt man teaching man, but if we believe their truth by the Spirit, why shouldn't we be able to trust in each other by the same spirit? Is it because we are not in one accord believing the same way, like the rest of the followers, that were in the days of the first church? Those people would have died for one another. I still believe in the same Jesus that laid His own life down for the world. I believe in the Gift of the Holy Spirit, and the gifts that the Holy Spirit gives to each of us as it wishes for its testimony of Christ. I believe that if we continue turning the bible into a form of law as the Jewish Law, which hid the heart of Christ, God will shake us down until the wheat is separated from the tares. I do not take the Lord of Lords and His promises to me lightly.


Your two statements may be getting very close to becoming a contradiction.


A. You say we shouldn't turn the bible into a form of law
B. Then you say you take God's promises very seriously... as if God's promises are laws.
C. These promises of God, which you take so seriously, like laws... where do these promises come from?
D. These promises that you take so seriously... as if they are laws... they come from the Bible.
E. If you are treating some parts of the Bible ( God's promises) like law... it would seem like YOU may be turning the Bible into a form of law.


F. It almost seems as if you want to raise "some" parts of the Bible to the status of law, then lower "other" parts of the bible to the status of "unimportant."

g. This may not be your intent, but it certainly gives that impression.


Maybe it would be a good idea to reassess what you really believe, and then state your beliefs more carefully.


----------------
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
26,074
13,774
113
#33
Is this a paradox within the Church?
It all depends on what you mean by "thinking outside the box". If it means examining every teaching and practice -- "established ideologies" -- in the light of Scripture, then that is perfectly fine. But if it means introducing heresies for the sake of novelty, then that is something else altogether. That would be simply asking for trouble.

The Bible itself is full of paradoxes. A paradox is defined as "a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true."

For example, the Bible teaches us that in order to live the life which Christ has for us we must die. Die to self and to our flesh, not suicide. Now if we interpret that as refusing to be self-centered but always seeking to do God's will, as well as the propagation of the Gospel and the Kingdom, then that is perfectly fine.

But if we interpret that as God telling us to become monks and ascetics, and favoring celibacy over marriage, then that is false doctrine. The Catholic and Orthodox churches promote these ideas, but the Bible condemns them.
 
Apr 1, 2018
69
15
8
#34
Is this a paradox within the Church? Has anyone here thought out of the box and didn't share it for established ideologies kept you from speaking out?
I would like to see others point of view even as it is backed up with Scripture. Remember the Word is alive.
Yes of course.
The bible verifies that there is more that will be revealed to us but at an appointed time.
However It seems like if anyone sees anything "out of the box" they are ridiculed or cut off which is interesting because the bible tells us more will be revealed which means we dont know everything yet, but how can it be revealed if it is always rejected
 
Jan 6, 2018
1,796
154
63
#35
Yes of course.
The bible verifies that there is more that will be revealed to us but at an appointed time.
However It seems like if anyone sees anything "out of the box" they are ridiculed or cut off which is interesting because the bible tells us more will be revealed which means we dont know everything yet, but how can it be revealed if it is always rejected
Give an example of what has always been rejected revelation?
 

Zmouth

Senior Member
Nov 21, 2012
3,391
134
63
#36
What does it mean to study, to show yourself approved?
And how do you test the Spirits?

What are you studying, and what Sprits are you testing?
It is not so much studying but learning to hear the LORD. Since it is written not to believe every spirit, since it is written to believe all things, then if one has rightly divided the word of truth then they should understand the difference between the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
 

NayborBear

Banned Serpent Seed Heresy
#37
I have studied both Word of God and other biblical studies that back up the Word. I came up with a saying, "There is truth in all things but not everything is the Truth".
....And God said: "Let there be LIGHT!" IMO, you are correct! There IS "truth" in all things! (yet) Without LIGHT, and Wisdom (judgement/s) in "placing" these "truths" in their proper places, and contexts? Ye may as well, be a blind man describing an elephant.

From some of the responses, I've read, and from my own personal spiritual grafting into the "True Vine", which Is Jesus Christ crucified, and raised from the dead, by the SPIRIT of GOD, (which, in its way, is growing TOWARDS the Father, IN Christ, of course, yet ALSO in "serving the Father!). There ARE "levels OF access, AND authority" involved, in the keeping and maintaining the "grafting" successful, and yielding even MORE fruit! :)
 
Jan 6, 2018
1,796
154
63
#38
....And God said: "Let there be LIGHT!" IMO, you are correct! There IS "truth" in all things! (yet) Without LIGHT, and Wisdom (judgement/s) in "placing" these "truths" in their proper places, and contexts? Ye may as well, be a blind man describing an elephant.

From some of the responses, I've read, and from my own personal spiritual grafting into the "True Vine", which Is Jesus Christ crucified, and raised from the dead, by the SPIRIT of GOD, (which, in its way, is growing TOWARDS the Father, IN Christ, of course, yet ALSO in "serving the Father!). There ARE "levels OF access, AND authority" involved, in the keeping and maintaining the "grafting" successful, and yielding even MORE fruit! :)
Explain what are "levels of access and authority"?
 

RickyZ

Senior Member
Sep 20, 2012
9,635
787
113
#39
What does it mean to study, to show yourself approved?
And how do you test the Spirits?

What are you studying, and what Sprits are you testing?
1. Whatever it is, is must agree with scripture
2. It must give the glory to God
3. God says He will establish His word by 2 or three witnesses, so whatever it is must be confirmed.

Those are a good place to start
 

NayborBear

Banned Serpent Seed Heresy
#40
Explain what are "levels of access and authority"?

I'll try! It's kind of like an "aura", or internal "presence" that "emanates" from one, that, is like that guy Diogenes the Cynic walking through the night (the world), with his lantern, "looking for an honest man." That when it comes into contact with someone, usually, evokes a response. Sometimes? A look and a smile! Sometimes, a head down and spitting on the ground! Which one are you?

And? Sometimes, like in line at someplace as common as a "check out" line at a store? You engage somone in front of you, or behind you, in something such as a sports game, or even weather, and, as your engaging in conversation, the person will comment something like "I KNOW you from someplace!", or, "Haven't I seen YOU somewheres before?" And you know you don't know this person from Adam, or Eve!

Kind of like that! :)