Title: Are We Truly Walking With God, or Are We Only Talking About Him?

[Bradcatania]

I would love to start a meaningful Bible study discussion with everyone here.


Sometimes, we become so occupied with attending church, quoting Scriptures, and talking about our faith that we forget to examine our actual relationship with God.


Jesus said in Matthew 7:21:


“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”


This raises an important question:


How do we know that we are truly growing spiritually and not simply becoming familiar with religious activities?


A few questions I’d love us to reflect on:

1. Can someone know the Bible very well but still be far from God?
2. How do we maintain our faith when prayers seem unanswered?
3. Is obedience to God more important than simply knowing Scripture?
4. What is one Bible verse that completely changed the way you live?

I believe Bible study should go beyond reading words. It should transform our hearts, our decisions, our character, and how we treat other people.


Let’s share our thoughts respectfully, learn from one another, and grow together in Christ.


May our lives reflect the Word we profess. God bless everyone.

 

[KingJ]

1. Can someone know the Bible very well but still be far from God?
2. How do we maintain our faith when prayers seem unanswered?
3. Is obedience to God more important than simply knowing Scripture?
4. What is one Bible verse that completely changed the way you live?

God thoughts to consider.

1. No.

To properly grasp scripture you have to know God / be close to Him and have the Holy Spirit leading you. In order to grasp many truths in Scripture, it requires a level of A. interest, B. honesty, and C. Spirit-led guidance that we, in our flesh, simply do not have.

When you 'fall in love' with your Creator because you read that He is good (Psalm 136:1), loving and righteous in all His ways (Psalm 145:17), you may develop a tremendous interest in studying the Bible. However, you will still need the Holy Spirit to help you grasp the context and the message behind the words you are reading.

Many think they know Scripture well, and we too may 'think' they do. There are very simple 'acid tests' that reveal they don't.

2. Two spaces for comment.

A. Non-Christians who think they are Christians.

They mostly see God at work from afar and assume Him answering another's prayer is their answer, when it is really only an overlap. Unless we are Christians or in the process of becoming one, God's hands are completely tied from helping us John 9:31. IE there is no God given Rom 12:3 faith to maintain as there was never any real James 4:8 (stop doing evil), Psalm 51:17 (true repentance), James 1:27 (true servitude) or Rev 2:10 (martyrdom) type pursuit toward God.

B. Christians who know they are Christians per 2 Cor 13:5 and Rom 10:9.

Saving faith to believe Jesus is Lord and was raised from the dead is only gifted to those who pass God's judgement of heart and mind. For this a person needs a 'real' encounter with God per 1 Cor 12:3 and Matt 16:16-17.

These 'real' Christians do not care if God does or does not answer prayers. They understand the wisdom from God in a statement like 'my grace is sufficient for you' 2 Cor 12:9.

Continuing to trust God when the answer is not what we hoped for, or when no answer comes, is a particularly clear demonstration of faith.

3. The two go hand in hand. If love God you will want to obey His commandments and read more and more about Him.

4. Psalm 145:17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works

When I first properly grasped that God is truly righteous in all His ways, my love and respect for Him increased to the maximum. Even more so then grasping His love. As, what is love if it can be 'partial'. But when you grasp that He is righteous and therefore perfectly impartial, well now His love hits harder.

Most atheists (disgruntled ex Christians) and people in differing religions have this idea of a God that is evil or a mix of good and evil. This is why they feel justified in mocking Him and or not properly serving Him. But were they too properly grasp that He is only good. As good as He is great. Well, that is life changing.

Example:

Lie = My child dies. God took him before he had a chance to grow up. God is evil. Let me now spend 2 hours a day mocking God on atheist forums and telling everyone around me that God does not exist and, if He does, who should care about serving Him? Christians are all 'suck-ups'.

Truth = My child dies. God, who completely and utterly hates what is evil, allows space for it to take place in His universe because He wants us, His highly intelligent creations (Hebrews 2:7), to have true free will. Children go straight to heaven (2 Samuel 12:22-23), to be tested by the devil another day (Rev 20:3). God truly loves children and each one of us. Imagine a world with no true free will.

 

[NBTT]

we forget to examine our actual relationship with God.

Welcome brother. Like relationships with people, spending quality time with God and His word deepens the bond.

Bible study should go beyond reading words. It should transform our hearts, our decisions, our character, and how we treat other people.

I've been on many christian forums over the years and how we treat each other is ironically often not reflective of Christ. This site is one of the best in that regard.

I've been sick/disabled since Obama was the brand new president so my favorite verse is: 2 Corinthians 12:9

We tend to over complicate things. A humble heartfelt thank you is a great prayer as God knows your heart.

 

[Gothedral]

1. Can someone know the Bible very well but still be far from God?
2. How do we maintain our faith when prayers seem unanswered?
3. Is obedience to God more important than simply knowing Scripture?
4. What is one Bible verse that completely changed the way you live?

Good morning Brad!
#0) My dossier: Former cultist turned Protestant currently in his sixth OCIA (Roman Catholic flavored Christian newbie) class later today. Mark 9:38-41

1) Yes, but only humans have a lifetime to repent, and Jesus who is Truth hears His sheep. James 2:19

2) By maintaining thankful prayers. For me, the current Church I attend provides a lot of helps throughout the day, so one can effectively "pray without ceasing". 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

3) Yes. Thank God the Holy Bible is full of examples of men and women and children who persevered in doing good despite the odds. And they didn't have eidetic nor computerized memory of scripture then.

4) James 1:5-6 ... And this one is like it, Isaiah 59:1-2 (written 538 BC or so). If you pray, you know your own voice, so we must expect Our Holy, Holy, Holy Father in Heaven to answer in a personal way.

 

[Curtis]

John 14:21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."

 

[Dave M]

How do we know that we are truly growing spiritually and not simply becoming familiar with religious activities?

Such a rich and good question, I would say examine your thoughts. Are you constantly thanking God, praising God, praying to God. Just how grateful am I to God. Do you look forward to church, reading the word. Do you get excited being around other strong believers and talking about God. This last one I find more and more of a litmus test, I am the point I do not like being around people who are not sold out for Christ. I have friends that claim to be believers but when you bring up God they change the subject rather quickly and I can tell they just are not that interested. The majority of my friends are sold out for Christ and I love being around them speaking about God and serving him. Serving God is another good indicator, does it fill your spirit do you get much joy out of it, or is more of a obligation?

1. Can someone know the Bible very well but still be far from God?
2. How do we maintain our faith when prayers seem unanswered?
3. Is obedience to God more important than simply knowing Scripture?
4. What is one Bible verse that completely changed the way you live?

1. off course the pharisees are a prime example

2. Faith is Faith circumstances should not deter a person faith, but what does the bible say faith comes from the word of God, so in order to maintain faith you must be in the word of God you must eat you spiritual food.

Romans 10:17​

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

3. Well you have to know scripture first to be obedient to God, for example I grew up in the catholic church and never new sex outside of marriage was a sin until I was about 35 and started reading the bible.

4. This verse scared me to death, as I was guilty of all of them, and practicing some of them, talk about conviction ! This is what I call a healthy fear of God doing what it is supposed to do,

1 Corinthians 6:9-10​

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

 

[Curtis]

2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. (KJV)

2Co 13:5 Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves [N1not Christ]. Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you--unless you are [counterfeits] disapproved on trial and rejected? (AMP)