How do preachers or teachers explain this?

[Godsgood]

If the Bible is God's word, why should we be satisfied with reading only parts of what He has revealed?

I cannot prove that to anybody. All I can say again is that as the whole Bible is God's word, it is wrong to neglect parts of it.

Who are the "us" whop don't partake in Bible studies? It seems strange that you almost boast that you have only read a small part of the Bible, that you don't attend Bible studies, yet here on Christian Chat you proclaim what you believe based on what is in the Bible. You write a lot about God revealing things, yet you have not read most of what He has revealed in His word!

If the Bible is God's word, why should we be satisfied with reading only parts of what He has revealed?

Those of us who have come to know the one true God are content, even with the little that we have read. For even in that little, we are certain that the Lord God is guiding us. Because even through what we have read so far, the one true God has already revealed Himself to us. And through this, our sins have been forgiven. Is that not enough for us to be content?
JEREMIAH 31:34
34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

 

[DavidLamb]

The Lord Jesus Himself said that He spoke in parables (Mark 4:34 and Matthew 13:13).
Therefore, it is the Lord who will reveal why He said these things.
It is not for you to decide and say that not everything is a parable

No it is not for me to decide it. But Jesus did not always speak in parables. The Beatitudes are not a parable. When people tested Him by asking Him whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, He did not answer by teling them a parable. When Herod, and later Pontius Pilate, questioned Him, He did not reply by telling them parables.

 

[Godsgood]

You keep talking about "o those of us who have come to know the one true God." It sounds as though you are telling the rest of us that we don't know God. If it is not written in God's word, how do you know?

So do you really believe that believers' names are written in the Bible? Where?

But if as you seem to believe, the Bible cannot be taken literally, Then the very words you have just quote (Matthew 13:14) cannot, according to you, be literal either, so (again according to your idea that none of the Bible is literal, ) Jesus did not really mean that Isaiah's prophecy was fulfilled, and anyway, the prophecy itself would not be literal. You get into a dreadful muddle by saying that none of the Bible is literal. Anyway, you keep telling us that you have read less than a quarter of it, so how do you know?

So do you really believe that believers' names are written in the Bible? Where?

Isn’t what the Lord Jesus said to those who have come to know the one true God enough for you? This is what He said to them
MATTHEW 13:11
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

If God permits, I will tell you where.

 

[Godsgood]

No it is not for me to decide it. But Jesus did not always speak in parables. The Beatitudes are not a parable. When people tested Him by asking Him whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, He did not answer by teling them a parable. When Herod, and later Pontius Pilate, questioned Him, He did not reply by telling them parables.

What the Lord wants is for us to ask Him questions. When He speaks, we should not immediately interpret His words according to our own understanding. Isn’t He called the Teacher? We are only His students.

Therefore, we should ask Him what His words mean rather than immediately assuming that we understand them.

 

[Godsgood]

So when the Bible tells us that God is almighty, or that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life, or that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, we are not to take such things literally, according to you. Certainly parts of the bible are in figurative language, as for instance when Jesus said, "I am the door." He didn't mean that He was a literal door with handles, hinges, and a knocker or doorbell. But that doesn't mean that nothing in the Bible is literally true.

Jesus said, ‘I am the way.’ If this is clear to you, what is your understanding of it?

 

[DavidLamb]

So do you really believe that believers' names are written in the Bible? Where?

Isn’t what the Lord Jesus said to those who have come to know the one true God enough for you? This is what He said to them
MATTHEW 13:11
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

If God permits, I will tell you where.

I look forward to that. I have read the whole Bible several times over my years as a Christian. I know that my first name is in it, because that is David, the same as the psalmist, and my surname, Lamb, is often mentioned, but those mentions do not refer to me. I have never seen the name of a 21st century person in the Bible. So as I said, I look forward to you telling me where such names can be found.

 

[DavidLamb]

Jesus said, ‘I am the way.’ If this is clear to you, what is your understanding of it?

Jesus explained what He meant:

NKJV Jhn 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

So He is the way to God the Father. A lot of people say that there are many ways to God. Jesus says He is the only way.

 

[DavidLamb]

What the Lord wants is for us to ask Him questions. When He speaks, we should not immediately interpret His words according to our own understanding. Isn’t He called the Teacher? We are only His students.

Therefore, we should ask Him what His words mean rather than immediately assuming that we understand them.

That, I agree with. But that is quite different to saying that everything He said was a parable.

 

[Godsgood]

That, I agree with. But that is quite different to saying that everything He said was a parable.

If you truly agreed, you would not have said this.

But that is quite different to saying that everything He said was a parable.

 

[Godsgood]

Jesus explained what He meant:

NKJV Jhn 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

So He is the way to God the Father. A lot of people say that there are many ways to God. Jesus says He is the only way.

How?

 

[Godsgood]

I look forward to that. I have read the whole Bible several times over my years as a Christian. I know that my first name is in it, because that is David, the same as the psalmist, and my surname, Lamb, is often mentioned, but those mentions do not refer to me. I have never seen the name of a 21st century person in the Bible. So as I said, I look forward to you telling me where such names can be found.

If you still remember what you said, you encourage people to read the entire Holy Book.
But those of us who have come to know the one true God encourage people who read the Holy Book to read it with humility in their hearts, so that God may guide them and give them understanding that comes from Him.

What is the point of reading the entire Holy Book if, in the end, you simply say that God is mysterious?

For example, you have already read the entire Holy Book.
But why is it that you still do not know how to determine whether your name is written in it or not?

Whereas we can see our names written there, according to God’s revelation.

 

[DavidLamb]

If you truly agreed, you would not have said this.

But that is quite different to saying that everything He said was a parable.

When I said I agreed, I meant I agreed with what you wrote about the need to ask God/Jesus to help us understand the Bible.

 

[DavidLamb]

If you still remember what you said, you encourage people to read the entire Holy Book.
But those of us who have come to know the one true God encourage people who read the Holy Book to read it with humility in their hearts, so that God may guide them and give them understanding that comes from Him.

I would encourage people to read the whole Bible because all of it is God's word. Yes, we need His help to understand Hs word.

What is the point of reading the entire Holy Book if, in the end, you simply say that God is mysterious?

When have I ever said that God is mysterious? Certainly, because He is God and we are not, there are things about Him that we cannot fully understand. But that doesn't mean that He is a complete mystery. He has told us many things about Himself in His word, including the fact that He is eternal, unchanging, holy, almighty, gracious, merciful, and much more.

For example, you have already read the entire Holy Book.
But why is it that you still do not know how to determine whether your name is written in it or not?

My name is written in the book of life because the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross to save me and to grant me eternal life. I cannot actually read my name in the book of life, because, as the Bible tells us, the book of life will only be opened at the time of the great white throne judgement.

Whereas we can see our names written there, according to God’s revelation.

How? The Bible tells us that the book of life is closed at the moment:

NKJV Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

It's not open for you or me to read now.

 

[DavidLamb]

How?

Do you mean how does a sinner come to God? As the apostles said to the jailer in Acts 16:31, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." And Jesus Himself said:

Jhn 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
NKJV Jhn 3:15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
Jhn 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

 

[Dino246]

The Lord Jesus who said and not me that His words are spiritual and life.
If you are now saying that this truth is foolish, isn’t it clear that the one you are calling a fool is the Lord Jesus Himself?

That's not what I said. Perhaps you should read more carefully.

 

[Dino246]

The ones who truly lose out are those who read the Word of God and interpret it literally.
As a result, they fail to recognize the one true God.”

More empty blather. At least you're consistent in that.

 

[Dino246]

I understand you. What you are looking for is something that is stated directly in the Scriptures. However, to those of us who have come to know the one true God, its meaning is clear.

The Book of Life is the Holy Book in which God reveals the truth through His words, and His words give life. Therefore, it is clear to us that the Holy Book containing God’s revelation of truth in His words is the Book of Life.

When you claim God has revealed something to you privately that directly contradicts what His word says, it tells us that whatever entity is "revealing" information to you is not God.

 

[Dino246]

So do you really believe that believers' names are written in the Bible? Where?

If God permits, I will tell you where.

Another dodge. Put up or shut up.

 

[Godsgood]

I would encourage people to read the whole Bible because all of it is God's word. Yes, we need His help to understand Hs word.

When have I ever said that God is mysterious? Certainly, because He is God and we are not, there are things about Him that we cannot fully understand. But that doesn't mean that He is a complete mystery. He has told us many things about Himself in His word, including the fact that He is eternal, unchanging, holy, almighty, gracious, merciful, and much more.

My name is written in the book of life because the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross to save me and to grant me eternal life. I cannot actually read my name in the book of life, because, as the Bible tells us, the book of life will only be opened at the time of the great white throne judgement.

How? The Bible tells us that the book of life is closed at the moment:

NKJV Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

It's not open for you or me to read now.

When have I ever said that God is mysterious? Certainly, because He is God and we are not, there are things about Him that we cannot fully understand. But that doesn't mean that He is a complete mystery. He has told us many things about Himself in His word, including the fact that He is eternal, unchanging, holy, almighty, gracious, merciful, and much more.

You may not say directly that God is mysterious.
However, the fact that you do not see your spiritual name, which is not written in the Book of Life, is already an example of how God continues to remain mysterious in your life.

 

[Godsgood]

When I said I agreed, I meant I agreed with what you wrote about the need to ask God/Jesus to help us understand the Bible.

If that is the case, are you ready to refrain from relying on your own understanding of God’s Word written in the Holy Book, even when it seems clear to you?

For example, if what you see is white, but God says it is black and not white, are you willing to accept that it is black even though you clearly see it as white?