Using Reason to interpret the bible.
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Of course we are to use reason. God gave us brains to think and reason with. He wants us to understand Him.
Acts 17:2) And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Acts 18:4) And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.
Acts 18:19) And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.
Acts 17:2) And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Acts 18:4) And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.
Acts 18:19) And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.
G
I worded my post wrong sorry. I meant to say that no matter how much you study the bible and memorize a bunch of scripture, you can't really understand unless you have revelation from on high. It's like the message will still be hidden in plain sight. Kind of like those people who have read the bible cover to cover (or so they say) like 3 times and they still come up to you with simple questions. To use reason to read verses and explain them within context is a different thing.
How's this for evidence of truth of statement?
Faith alone? Why. Here's what Martin Luther said, "It is so. And I will have it so. And my own will is reason enough. It is so because I, Herr Doctor Martin Luther, say it is so." That is what the founder of your religion, Rachel, said. Wycliffe Hus Luther and Calvin are the founders of the Protestant religion, along with Zwingli, Beza, Knox, Melanchthon, and a few other Reformers. They all believe in faith alone "because Martin Luther said so". Talk about blind faith! If the blind lead the blind, they shall all fall down into the same blind "Lutheran" ditch!
Faith alone? Why. Here's what Martin Luther said, "It is so. And I will have it so. And my own will is reason enough. It is so because I, Herr Doctor Martin Luther, say it is so." That is what the founder of your religion, Rachel, said. Wycliffe Hus Luther and Calvin are the founders of the Protestant religion, along with Zwingli, Beza, Knox, Melanchthon, and a few other Reformers. They all believe in faith alone "because Martin Luther said so". Talk about blind faith! If the blind lead the blind, they shall all fall down into the same blind "Lutheran" ditch!
R
wycliff and hus and luther and melanchthon and zwingli and calvin and beza and knox believe we are saved by faith alone because the bible said so...
what luther and the other reformers did was to make salvation by faith alone known to the world after so many years of the gospel being obscured by corrupt clergy who only always wanted to lord over others
what luther and the other reformers did was to make salvation by faith alone known to the world after so many years of the gospel being obscured by corrupt clergy who only always wanted to lord over others
How then could Jesus Christ call St. Peter blessed among men, in one case, and then in another case say to St Peter, "Get thee behind Me, Satan" (?) Truly, the Church is infallible, but Peter was fallible. There is no contradiction. What you are implying that once a person fails, he can not ever succeed. Forgiveness is possible with God; fallible people can make up an infallible Church: the Church is infallible, because Jesus is infallible. Perhaps you don't believe Ephesians chapter 4, though.
Salvation is not by faith alone, because James 2:24 says it is "not by faith only". Luther didn't believe the Bible! He didn't believe James!
That's his problem, not the Bible's!
Luther was a great heretic who brought great chaos to the West. The pope of Rome was a great heretic in 1014 AD who brought great chaos to the West.
Fides quaerens intellectum....Anselm
We have faith, (not a blind faith but one which understands the weight of the evidence), which then seeks understanding through reason.
Credo ut intelligam...Augustine, made popular by Anselm in tenth century.
Augustine said, "I don't understand so that I might believe, but I believe so that I might understand".
The idea is that one cannot truly and fully understand spiritual matters, unless he or she first believes them to be true.
How are Christians distinguished from other peoples and other religions? Is it experience? Is it our spirituality? No! It is our beliefs!!! In the book of Acts, which is the history of the beginnings of the Church, Christians are referred to 42 times as "believers".
How then does one believe? Is it spiritual or is it rational?
Does one believe because he reasons certain things to be true because of the weight of the evidence, or does one believe because of their experiences in the faith? Our experiences and our spirituality in our walk with Christ are important, and they add deeper understanding and build faith, but if that is ALL we have, then what do we have that the Muslims and Hindu's don't have, or for that matter, atheists? Muslims will tell you that their faith and experiences are just as valid as ours, and that you don't have anything to offer them that they don't already have.
IT IS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN A CHRISTIAN'S LIFE. BUT IN ORDER TO HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP, WE MUST FIRST BELIEVE.
Does God not appeal to reason and provide evidence?
When God first appeared to Moses in the burning bush, what did Moses do? He began to ask questions. Who are you? Why me?
When God told Moses to go to the Israelites and lead them out of Egypt Moses asked God, why will they believe that you have sent me?
Did God say, just go to them, and if they have faith, they will follow you? No! He said, throw your staff on the ground, and it turned into a serpent. He then picked it up, and it became a staff again. He then put his hand into his cloak, and it became leprous. After taking it out, it became whole again. Then God said, if they don't believe these signs, then they have no faith, leave them. No!! He didn't say that!! He said, if they still don't believe, then turn water into blood.
God was appealing to their reason. They were given faith by Holy Spirit, (Pharoah did not believe in spite of the miracles), but it was reason that allowed them to believe because of their faith.
Why did Jesus remain on the earth for 40 days after the resurrection?
Why did he appear to many, including 500 at one time?
Because he knew that they would not believe if they were not given evidence of His resurrection, in spite of the faith that they were given. Are we to believe that the apostles had no faith? Why then the appeal to reason by providing evidence of the resurrection?
Consider Thomas. Did Jesus say, He has no faith? NO! Jesus provided the evidence that Thomas needed to BELIEVE.
WE HAVE FAITH, BUT IT IS NOT BLIND FAITH, AND NO WHERE IN THE BIBLE ARE WE REQUIRED TO HAVE BLIND FAITH.
Moses provided proof and evidence that he was sent by God and spoke for Him. What evidence does your church leaders have that they speak for God?
I have much evidence that the Holy Scriptures speaks for God, and the witness of Holy Spirit, who appeals to reason to allow me an ever deeper understanding of God's will and purpose for my life.
Your church leaders have nothing to offer me but their own pride and arrogance.
We have faith, (not a blind faith but one which understands the weight of the evidence), which then seeks understanding through reason.
Credo ut intelligam...Augustine, made popular by Anselm in tenth century.
Augustine said, "I don't understand so that I might believe, but I believe so that I might understand".
The idea is that one cannot truly and fully understand spiritual matters, unless he or she first believes them to be true.
How are Christians distinguished from other peoples and other religions? Is it experience? Is it our spirituality? No! It is our beliefs!!! In the book of Acts, which is the history of the beginnings of the Church, Christians are referred to 42 times as "believers".
How then does one believe? Is it spiritual or is it rational?
Does one believe because he reasons certain things to be true because of the weight of the evidence, or does one believe because of their experiences in the faith? Our experiences and our spirituality in our walk with Christ are important, and they add deeper understanding and build faith, but if that is ALL we have, then what do we have that the Muslims and Hindu's don't have, or for that matter, atheists? Muslims will tell you that their faith and experiences are just as valid as ours, and that you don't have anything to offer them that they don't already have.
IT IS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN A CHRISTIAN'S LIFE. BUT IN ORDER TO HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP, WE MUST FIRST BELIEVE.
Does God not appeal to reason and provide evidence?
When God first appeared to Moses in the burning bush, what did Moses do? He began to ask questions. Who are you? Why me?
When God told Moses to go to the Israelites and lead them out of Egypt Moses asked God, why will they believe that you have sent me?
Did God say, just go to them, and if they have faith, they will follow you? No! He said, throw your staff on the ground, and it turned into a serpent. He then picked it up, and it became a staff again. He then put his hand into his cloak, and it became leprous. After taking it out, it became whole again. Then God said, if they don't believe these signs, then they have no faith, leave them. No!! He didn't say that!! He said, if they still don't believe, then turn water into blood.
God was appealing to their reason. They were given faith by Holy Spirit, (Pharoah did not believe in spite of the miracles), but it was reason that allowed them to believe because of their faith.
Why did Jesus remain on the earth for 40 days after the resurrection?
Why did he appear to many, including 500 at one time?
Because he knew that they would not believe if they were not given evidence of His resurrection, in spite of the faith that they were given. Are we to believe that the apostles had no faith? Why then the appeal to reason by providing evidence of the resurrection?
Consider Thomas. Did Jesus say, He has no faith? NO! Jesus provided the evidence that Thomas needed to BELIEVE.
WE HAVE FAITH, BUT IT IS NOT BLIND FAITH, AND NO WHERE IN THE BIBLE ARE WE REQUIRED TO HAVE BLIND FAITH.
Moses provided proof and evidence that he was sent by God and spoke for Him. What evidence does your church leaders have that they speak for God?
I have much evidence that the Holy Scriptures speaks for God, and the witness of Holy Spirit, who appeals to reason to allow me an ever deeper understanding of God's will and purpose for my life.
Your church leaders have nothing to offer me but their own pride and arrogance.