● Scripture Pickers ●

[LordKnows]

I think we have all done it... Heard or read something & found a scripture that says differently but nowhere in the Bible does it contradict itself so why do we keep doing this from time to time. I think that many times we start & stop reading scripture without reading above & below said scripture to prove points, look wise or just flat out have someone seem incorrect.

Since the Bible doesn't contradict itself & we KNOW this what can we do to avoid scripture picking?

We've got to see Christianity as a whole. Same rules, same regulations with the same destination.

Love in the Lord in Love!

 

[JohnP]

Taking scripture out of context is pretty prevalent. I know I've been guilty of it before. It's exactly what you said - not reading the scripture verses above and below the one you are referring to.

Scripture picking - I like that! I hadn't heard that term before.

 

[Christ4Ever]

Too often as you have said the Word of God is taken out of context to not only the verses preceding and the subsequent ones, but may I add, Chapter, Book, Testament as well.

I heard it said that if you want context of the Bible. Hold the Bible in your hand and you have it. That is the Greatest Context of them all and only through the Revelation by the Holy Spirit can we truly hope to have an understanding of the treasures it contains.
YBIC
C4E
<><

 

[Bendito]

I think we have all done it... Heard or read something & found a scripture that says differently but nowhere in the Bible does it contradict itself so why do we keep doing this from time to time. I think that many times we start & stop reading scripture without reading above & below said scripture to prove points, look wise or just flat out have someone seem incorrect.

Since the Bible doesn't contradict itself & we KNOW this what can we do to avoid scripture picking?

We've got to see Christianity as a whole. Same rules, same regulations with the same destination.

Love in the Lord in Love!

Often it takes reading the chapter before and the chapter after to get the whole context..Who he is talking to, what he is talking about etc.....Good post LK

 

[rag4aCrown]

Trust God and began renewing our mind by washing of water by the Word; submit to Him whole hearted and allow the Holy Ghost to lift the dark veil. He minister's to us God's wisdom and understanding by revelation knowledge of Jesus Christ. Amen

 

[Curtis]

While context is important, but, we can not use the the tools of this world that is taught in schools and universities to interpret scriptures. The Lord God does not always think in a sequential order as man does. God can be talking about something that is happening on the earth at a specif time, and then all of sudden he talking about something that happened in the spiritual world were Lucifer ruled and was cast down. The Lords thoughts are eternal and are not always connected to a series of events that happened one after another.The Bible is not you normal kind of literature that you start reading at the beginning, and then wind up at the end. God calls the end from the beginning.

 

[amadeus2]

We are to eat the whole loaf... that is all of the flesh of Jesus... that is all of the scriptures that God gave to men. Then, all of them must be quickened (brought to Life) within us. That's whole lot, isn't it, as the Bible is not a short little pamphlet? Some of us have short attention spans and think, "I cannot do this". But that may be correct, the only limits on God are those that WE PUT ON HIM. Nothing is impossible for God. Who is it that is working in us to bring it all to Life if not God in us?

All we have to do learn to lean on Him instead on our own understanding. This is so even if we happen to have a photographic memory or the IQ of an Einstein.

Contradictions seems to be there, but for every one of them there is an explanation. Read what men say about it, but listen to what God puts in your heart for that is the answer you really need.

 

[Wired 4 Fishen]

I think we have all done it... Heard or read something & found a scripture that says differently but nowhere in the Bible does it contradict itself so why do we keep doing this from time to time. I think that many times we start & stop reading scripture without reading above & below said scripture to prove points, look wise or just flat out have someone seem incorrect.

Since the Bible doesn't contradict itself & we KNOW this what can we do to avoid scripture picking?

We've got to see Christianity as a whole. Same rules, same regulations with the same destination.

Love in the Lord in Love!

Once we grasp that the word of God was NOT written in verse and chapter and learn to not read and study it with verse and chapter, well taking scripture out of context becomes a little harder.

Also once we grasp that the word of God NEVER changes but our own English Language changes generation after generation and christians tend to take words from His written word and place our modern day definition to them.
example....
If some one told my grandma she was gay - well it would have been a good thing but call some one gay today and you might just insult them
when I was a kid if some one said man david is sick - well we would have told him to eat chicken soup and asked his mom if we could do anything to help and today if one says hey man david is sick it means cool awesome rad and so forth.

it is the same with Gods written word - if you apply human understanding or reasoning to the words well you can and do make His word say things it does not and miss out all together what it does say.........
Just Sayen
James

 

[KingJ]

One thing is for certain. When you expose someone holding onto contrived / pet beliefs, they get upset pretty quickly.

If you visit the faith sections (dominated by Christian discussions) on atheist sites you will read nothing but brain dead selective citing / half truths. Example: to insinuate God is evil requires one to completely remove all scripture on the cross. Now all scripture points to / rotates around the cross. So it is such clear nonsense. This just not among atheists but also Calvinists who seem to believe God's nature is fully described in Rom 9.

I believe all who have brains to read and preach from scripture know they are manipulating scripture to the young and naive masses. A false teacher is not one who teaches tripe. It is one who teaches tripe when knowing the truth / after being corrected.

We have many false teachers in Christianity today. It is absolutely shocking. I takes skill to know who is a false teacher from the devil and who is still innocent.

 

[rag4aCrown]

One thing is for certain. When you expose someone holding onto contrived / pet beliefs, they get upset pretty quickly.

If you visit the faith sections (dominated by Christian discussions) on atheist sites you will read nothing but brain dead selective citing / half truths. Example: to insinuate God is evil requires one to completely remove all scripture on the cross. Now all scripture points to / rotates around the cross. So it is such clear nonsense. This just not among atheists but also Calvinists who seem to believe God's nature is fully described in Rom 9.

I believe all who have brains to read and preach from scripture know they are manipulating scripture to the young and naive masses. A false teacher is not one who teaches tripe. It is one who teaches tripe when knowing the truth / after being corrected.

We have many false teachers in Christianity today. It is absolutely shocking. I takes skill to know who is a false teacher from the devil and who is still innocent.

Lets make no mistake now, it is not skill that it takes, but the Holy Ghost. He is the SWORD of the SPIRIT that does cut quite deep; through the messenger first, and then through anyone that receives and those who will not receive, the messenger. Ye shall know them by their fruits.
All praise, glory and honor be unto God.

 

[Ophel]

Lets make no mistake now, it is not skill that it takes, but the Holy Ghost. He is the SWORD of the SPIRIT that does cut quite deep; through the messenger first, and then through anyone that receives and those who will not receive, the messenger. Ye shall know them by their fruits.
All praise, glory and honor be unto God.

Amen. Far too many people read the text of the bible and think with their minds about what their intellect perceives it to mean, when there is a spiritual truth that needs to be assimilated spiritually, the truth of it permeating the whole person, and that can only happen through the submission of one's mind to the Holy Spirit, who is our Teacher.

The truth of the word first is grasped in the spirit, then it is conveyed to the mind...not the other way around.


.

 

[RJ]

It is all the living word of Jesus Christ and will contextually manifest itself to you as a part of God's complete purpose by way of the Holy Spirit, as revealed through out the entire Bible. God's plan to me is always leading up to and about Jesus from the beginning, the middle and the end of scripture and your quotes should support God's contract with us from the Old Covenant to the now New Covenant.

 

[KingJ]

Lets make no mistake now, it is not skill that it takes, but the Holy Ghost. He is the SWORD of the SPIRIT that does cut quite deep; through the messenger first, and then through anyone that receives and those who will not receive, the messenger. Ye shall know them by their fruits.
All praise, glory and honor be unto God.

Agreed. But we don't need the Holy Spirit to know someone by their fruits. We need a working brain. All of mankind has one. This is why mankind is accountable for sin. This is why Jesus had to die for all of mankind.

 

[KingJ]

Amen. Far too many people read the text of the bible and think with their minds about what their intellect perceives it to mean, when there is a spiritual truth that needs to be assimilated spiritually, the truth of it permeating the whole person, and that can only happen through the submission of one's mind to the Holy Spirit, who is our Teacher.

The truth of the word first is grasped in the spirit, then it is conveyed to the mind...not the other way around..

Disagree. God gave us our above average intellect and cognitive abilities to be used. Scripture is quite detailed and clear for everyone to read. The Holy Spirit can take us into deeper truths and we certainly need Him to fully believe a man who walked the earth 2000 years ago is God of the universe. The Holy Spirit must be seen as our helper. Any person that does not have the Holy Spirit, still has no excuse for false teaching.

If we take your approach we would all think we are right if we 'feel' right.

 

[Ophel]

Disagree. God gave us our above average intellect and cognitive abilities to be used. Scripture is quite detailed and clear for everyone to read. The Holy Spirit can take us into deeper truths and we certainly need Him to fully believe a man who walked the earth 2000 years ago is God of the universe. The Holy Spirit must be seen as our helper. Any person that does not have the Holy Spirit, still has no excuse for false teaching.

If we take your approach we would all think we are right if we 'feel' right.

Actually, it's people who laud the human intellect like you seem to do who deny the Holy Spirit's discerning and decide for themselves what is true and right.

 

[Ophel]

Agreed. But we don't need the Holy Spirit to know someone by their fruits. We need a working brain. All of mankind has one. This is why mankind is accountable for sin. This is why Jesus had to die for all of mankind.

A working brain is necessary to what? Sorry, KingJ, but you miss the truth that without the Holy Spirit indwelling the believer, we just don't have the understanding about spiritual fruit.

You cannot perceive the truth apart from Him. He is our teacher.

 

[KingJ]

A working brain is necessary to what? Sorry, KingJ, but you miss the truth that without the Holy Spirit indwelling the believer, we just don't have the understanding about spiritual fruit.

You cannot perceive the truth apart from Him. He is our teacher.

Fruits such as in James 1:27 & Matt 7:22 can be discerned by all. Just ask the orphan receiving food or the person having a demon cast out when he actually just needs attention / a friend.

 

[KingJ]

Actually, it's people who laud the human intellect like you seem to do who deny the Holy Spirit's discerning and decide for themselves what is true and right.

The Holy Spirit assists / increases our human intellect / ability to discern. This makes Christians more accountable for their actions. Every person will only be held to account for what they knew. According to the light they have received.

Every belief of mine can be substantiated with much scripture. It has survived scrutiny from Christians and atheists. I have been corrected on matters many times and still do get corrected. I like to think I live in fear of disobeying God and scripture / am constantly open to correction. This is how we are to arrive at our beliefs. Not ''the Holy Spirit told me, it must be right''.

According to Paul we are able to use our intellect alone to escape judgment. No need of the Holy Spirit.

1 Cor 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

Now please try understand I am not espousing ''too heavenly minded, no earthly good''. It is only when we arrive at disagreements in belief.

You can't believe the Holy Spirit only talks to you and not those who disagree with you. Scripture says we must work out our salvation in fear and trembling Phil 2:12. It says, avoid all appearance of evil.

I don't want to get into your beliefs here, but can you honestly say you pass the above tests when applying them to them? Have fully considered all the arguments from scripture against your beliefs?

 

[rag4aCrown]

Wow, and those who deny the Holy Spirit, and depend on their own intellect, is the Antichrist.

 

[Curtis]

Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.