So many different views

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Bazman

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Hi all,

Sometimes I see so many different views on some subjects can be quite confusing. Do people find this similar? When Christians can interpret the same scripture with such different ways. I am sure this was never the original intention.. Is it misunderstandings or is it sometimes people pulling different things out of the same text?
 
It's unfortunate but some of it is due to "denominational teachings and views" that have been taught. I personally don't think scripture is that difficult, but there are some doctrinal issues that cause the problems. My advice? Study with the Holy Spirit, use many translations and commentaries and let the Lord guide you.
 
Thanks. People have made me so confused over some things makes me not sure whether I am coming or going...
 
Bazman said:
Thanks. People have made me so confused over some things makes me not sure whether I am coming or going...
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Its good to spend time here, to be challenged to read the Word, be encouraged, make friends but yes, it can be confusing! Rely on the Bible, rely on prayer, He will show you. CC is full of loving, genuine Christians, but it has also leaven in the mix....sadly apostasy is in CC, as it is everywhere. If we start down the slippery slope, we soon pick up speed :) You will find your way, He will lead & show you, guide your steps, His Word is your lamp. God Bless you, <><
 
Yes, it can be confusing. Not the Scriptures necessarily but all the other stuff that people add. Sometimes it's just worship style differences or denominational differences. It's good to study different views and then ask the Lord to lead you.

Prophecy (what people read in the Bible as foretelling future events) definitely has different views and I think we need to be very careful about thinking we have it all figured out. After all, a majority of the Jewish population missed their own Messiah because they had/have erroneous expectations.
 
intercessorginger said:
It's unfortunate but some of it is due to "denominational teachings and views" that have been taught. I personally don't think scripture is that difficult, but there are some doctrinal issues that cause the problems. My advice? Study with the Holy Spirit, use many translations and commentaries and let the Lord guide you.
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... and last but not least: learn how to read the Bible in its original languages. ;)

Scripture isn't that difficult? Ask 10 people to describe the same car accident they saw happen, and you will end up with 10 different stories. Same goes for our understanding of the Bible. We're not computers that process data for what it is, we're human beings that will always INTERPRET the date presented to us; to give our own 'twist' to the information at hand. So I wouldn't be so sure that everything in the Bible is perfectly clear to you too. People can be absolutely sure about the meaning of a passage, but that opinion is often enough the basis for yet another dogma and/or denomination. No church 'owns' the Truth, only God does. All denominations should know that THEIR truth is always relative to THEIR understanding of the Bible.

Funny enough it was the tendency of human beings to interpret God's Word that lead to the original sin. The message was clear enough: 'Don't eat from the Tree of Knowledge.' But Man just couldn't help himself, and HAD to interpret that commandment so he COULD eat from it. It's so easy to blame the Snake for it, but fact is Man could just have ignored him, and take God's Word for what it is. But clearly he couldn't.

Studying with the Holy Spirit is a good advice though, that will bring us the closest to the original meaning of scripture... for now...

(1 Cor. 13: 12)
 
intercessorginger said:
It's unfortunate but some of it is due to "denominational teachings and views" that have been taught. I personally don't think scripture is that difficult, but there are some doctrinal issues that cause the problems. My advice? Study with the Holy Spirit, use many translations and commentaries and let the Lord guide you.
Click to expand...

I agree and my only suggestion when hearing all the many different things is this...a very good pastor taught this....no matter what you hear, even from pastors/ministers, etc. you don't ever just take someones word for it or accept it as truth. Listen with an open heart and then go home, open your Bible and pray, asking the Lord to guide you, speak to your heart and show you His truth. Look up those passages and things that others tell you and see if they match Gods word. He will always guide your spirit and reveal His truth to you.

Everyone is taught something different, so not everyone is correct, we all still have a lot to learn and God reveals things at a different pace for us all. He knows when we as an individual are ready to understand the next thing He wants to show us.

What each of us needs to do, is remember to speak in love when we are challenged with something we may feel contradicts our beliefs and what we feel God has revealed to us. Some can get on the defensive, but we need to always respect each other and love one another. We can agree to disagree and still get a long.

Again, no matter what someone tells you, don't always accept it as truth. Open your Bible, pray for God to reveal His truth and look it up. Trust Gods word above anyone else.

One other thing I suggest besides getting different Bible translations, is to get a Study Bible, or one with the footnotes. Again everyone is different, but I prefer the New American Standard Bible the best, I have been told that is one of the best translations, and also the Living Bible is a good one to start out with. I am sure there are some that will disagree, which that is ok with me. I am just passing along what I know was good and helpful for me. Maybe they will be helpful to another.

Prayer is key and listening to God, that is most important.

God bless you :)
 
I was confused by a lot of the things I read in my parents Bibles. Mostly because my father was Catholic and my mother was a Pentecostal. Their Bibles were really different and I didn't understand a lot of what I was reading in either. But then my uncle John who had done a stint in prison gave me his "Free on the Inside" Bible from his time in jail. It was written in simple language anybody could understand. It really helped me understand what was being said. Like I mentioned once before, I'm not the smartest guy on the planet. But if you give me the right tools I can get to the same place as everyone else.
I don't really bother arguing interpretations or debate different points of view. I used to. But I never once saw it change anyone's mind about being right or the other person being wrong. I just read my Bible, trust in the Lord for divine revelation of the Word and believe the truths He reveals to me.
 
Since humans ALWAYS see everything differently, due to their own bias,
maybe we should be MORE SURPRISED that orhodox denominations all AGREE
on the fundamental issues of the faith.

Maybe we just need to look at this differently.
 
Bazman said:
Hi all,

Sometimes I see so many different views on some subjects can be quite confusing. Do people find this similar? When Christians can interpret the same scripture with such different ways. I am sure this was never the original intention.. Is it misunderstandings or is it sometimes people pulling different things out of the same text?
Click to expand...

I think some of the trouble comes from the differences in language and culture of the bible. Sometimes they have to pick the 'best' or 'closest' word, because the original text may have a meaning that doesn't translate clearly.
Like 'love'. Love is one word with many meanings in English, but in the original Greek they had multiple words for love, each with it's own meaning. So they may have 5 words, 5 meanings for love, that specified the intent, whereas we just have 'love' and it is up to us to find the intended meaning in that one word. At least i think that's part of the trouble.
 
MrsAsghar said:
I agree and my only suggestion when hearing all the many different things is this...a very good pastor taught this....no matter what you hear, even from pastors/ministers, etc. you don't ever just take someones word for it or accept it as truth. Listen with an open heart and then go home, open your Bible and pray, asking the Lord to guide you, speak to your heart and show you His truth. Look up those passages and things that others tell you and see if they match Gods word. He will always guide your spirit and reveal His truth to you.

:)
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My pastor said essentially the same thing, not to take his word for anything, but to delve into the Bible and ask questions and discern for ourselves. He has said it is not his job to give us the answers it is his job to guide us to where we can find them and help clarify but allow us to figure these things out for ourselves. But, having said that, my pastor has been a huge help, has answered questions when I've felt very lost or thought I went against God.

Studying the Bible is not a thing to do once, decide you have it figured out and close the book. Done. No, it is an ongoing life long process that just gets more incredible and intriguing the more you learn.
 
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