Scripture is Our Source of Truth???????????
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A lot of it is how the person was brought up. I have attended Baptist church most of my life but I know not everybody believes that way.
God's
Well, since we all disagree with each other as to Scripture's interpretation, it is obvious we don't know God's interpretation.
What good are Scriptures, the Bible to us if we can't agree on their interpretation? If you set 10 knowledgeable Christian people in the same room and have them read the same Scripture, Old or New Testament, chances are that there will be many disagreements. You can see this from the varying viewpoints on Scripture interpretation on this message board.
Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.
Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 1 Cor 13:12
The good is in knowing God, Who is Himself love. The problem is with ourselves.
"I saw the light."
"Many cannot fully grasp the significance of these words."
'An experience of such profoundness, there are no adequate words
to describe...believe it!"
Oddly, we probably agree more than we disagree. The Christian world pretty much all agree about things like the Nicene Creed and such.
Other than that, you have to decide whether a disagreement is based on something that would affect a person's salvation.
Lutheran's and Presbyterians have differences of opinion, for instance - but are the differences really that great? I don't think so...
So when it comes to Scriptural differences in our understanding, there are only a few areas that really come up that may actually affect a person's salvation.
And in the end we will know the truth of it, if we don't learn it in this life. Whether we find out we were right or we were wrong we have to ask ourselves if whether the way we treated one another brought honor to God.
The Holy Spirit is the "authoritative authority" of the meaning of Scripture.
The fact that men differ in their belief in the meaning of a particular Scripture in no way means they disagree that "SCRIPTURE/THE HOLY BIBLE" IS THE WORD OF GOD.
Assumptions such as the one you make in the OP are like.........well..........
If you spend time studying Scripture, you might discover that even the Apostles disagreed from time to time.....
Define "knowledgeable Christian people".
II Peter chapter 3
[15] And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
[16] As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
If the Holy Spirit is working on your conscience you will eventually know the correct interpretation when you hear/ read it..
So long as one's interpretation of scripture is consistent with scripture, I would propose that each person's interpretation is the most authoritative to that person.
Different answers might arise, like whether it is OK to baptize by partial immersion, eat pork, work on Saturdays, etc. And scripture addresses that when see a few lines in scripture that state "let every man be convinced in his own mind."
Some differences are OK specifically when they are all within the scope of possible interpretations of scripture.
What isn't OK is when people are ignoring scripture or proper logical process for scriptural exegesis. We should all be able to trace our beliefs back to scripture, as scripture is the common authority (ethos) within Christian communities.
Most Christians don't have that many differences when it comes down to it. Like living with siblings during childhood, you may feel that your brother or sister is the complete opposite to you, but when you leave your parents' house and start to experience how outsiders think and act, you'll start to see the contrast and appreciate how truly similar you and your siblings actually are. Christian sensibilities: not everyone in the world has them. We take them for granted a lot of the time.
Well, certainly not that of the Catholic "church".
The Holy Spirit's interpretation is authoritative. That of any man (or body of men) is not, unless it agrees with that of the Holy Spirit.
If you all could just agree with me, we would be united in doctrine!
i was fortunate, i was raised in a Church where the Pastor taught Hebrew in Bible Colleges and he threw out the Creeds [because 300 or 10,000 Catholics will see the Bible the same and WE ARE NOT CATHOLIC]
we began at Genesis 1:1 and read the entire Bible by Chapter and would discuss it. once we finished in Revelation, we would begin again at Genesis 1:1. each time we learned something new from the time before. we were fertile soil.
debating on this forum is like debating robots. i come from my background and those i debate i am not debating Scripture, but doctrines of creeds and man's idealism like Calvin and many others. had these people not been taught creeds and people's views, they would solely have had to rely upon the Bible. and trust me when i say, relying solely upon the WORD of GOD is always the truest way to live and see God's intent.
we began at Genesis 1:1 and read the entire Bible by Chapter and would discuss it. once we finished in Revelation, we would begin again at Genesis 1:1. each time we learned something new from the time before. we were fertile soil.
debating on this forum is like debating robots. i come from my background and those i debate i am not debating Scripture, but doctrines of creeds and man's idealism like Calvin and many others. had these people not been taught creeds and people's views, they would solely have had to rely upon the Bible. and trust me when i say, relying solely upon the WORD of GOD is always the truest way to live and see God's intent.
The Holy Spirit's interpretation through Christians indwelt by the Spirit. So why all those question marks? There is general agreement among all genuine Christians regarding the fundamentals of the faith. Even the creeds reflect this.
Gods interpretation
When we stand in front of God. We will be judged based on how WE interpret the word. Not on how someone else interpretaed the word.
Thats why we are to study to shew ourselves approved..
That is a debate that has been going on for two thousand years.
The letters of the apostles contain doctrine and correction for existing churches. And for very good reason. People see things differently to each other. That is why politics contains so many politicians, with varying opinions on every single policy.
Different churches down through church history have released their doctrine, in order, to stamp out heresy.
There is often debate within each church organizations over their doctrinal platform.
Schisms occur in every church movement, always have and always will.
A perfect example of a schism in church history. Would be the departure of both the Eastern Orthodox and the Greek Orthodox Church. From the Roman Catholic Church.
Nearly every church movement in the world was an earlier departure from pre-existing mainline church.
I could not count the number of individual church organizations that flowed from the original, Protestant churches.
Inquisitions existed to combat heresy, to eradicate different interpretations of the scripture.
Conflict between interpretations is ultimately a work of the flesh.
So you believe you have identified the primary doctrines of Christianity?
You are a very brave person.
How about you offer the first three most important doctrines in the Christian church.