On 1/7/2017 1:16 PM, T wrote:
On 01/06/2017 08:12 PM, Muggles wrote:
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to
be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
We're supposed to study the word ourselves and be able to "rightly
dividing the word of truth" ourselves, not be dependent on someone else
to understand what it means.
It does not mean "sola scriptura", especially since the "words"
(we don't know what they were, possible the Teachings of the
Apostles) spoken of here were not the Bible, which wasn't
compiled for another 200 years. It doesn't mean to go off on
your own. It means to study the writings and traditions
given to them.
Sola scriptura is not biblical. This is what the Bible itself
teaches:
We will still disagree on this, but that's ok if we do.
And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority
under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge
of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship,
was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading
Isaiah the prophet. Then the Spirit said to Philip, €œGo
near and overtake this chariot.€
So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet
Isaiah, and said, €œDo you understand what you are reading?€
And he said, €œHow can I, unless someone guides me?€ And he
asked Philip to come up and sit with him.
--Acts 27-31
The phrase I want you to especially listen to is "How can I,
unless someone guides me?€
"How can I, unless someone guides me?€ would not have been placed
the bible by the First Ecumenical Council if no "guidance"
was required when reading the Bible.
One man needed guidance because he wasn't familiar with what had been
read to him. When we study the scriptures ourselves we can understand
them. Sure, it's a good idea to use multiple sources, including people
who teach, but we don't have to depend on someone to guide us when we do
our own due diligence to study. We will also know if those teachers are
relaying the information correctly, too.
Now I will give you that there are a lot of charlatans out there.
The Teaching of the Apostles (Didache) spend a lot of time talking
about how to tell the difference, so it is not something
unique to our time and age.
I've come across many people who thought they were good teachers, but
they were only teaching what they accepted via their personal
denomination. No denomination I've come across wasn't guilty of putting
their own slant on what the Bible says.
But going off on your own can and does lead to wild misinterpretations,
such as in "call no man father".
Sorry, but that's not a wild misinterpretation. It flat out says it.
Matthew 23:9
New International Version
And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and
he is in heaven.
Strongs uses the same word for father/Father:
(
https://www.blueletterbible.org/nasb.../t_conc_952009)
(
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang...s=G3962&t=NASB)
The entire 23rd chapter of Matthew speaks to the issue because the
Scribes and Pharisees would put themselves in positions of authority
where the people would have to show them honor. Jesus couldn't stand
them because of their behavior. According to the Matthew 23:1, Jesus
himself told us to "not call anyone on Earth 'father' for you have one
Father, and he is in heaven."
Btw, the blueletterbible site is one of the better research sites I've
seen to study the Bible.
Very true. That is why we need a trusted authority. The councils
are a good start.
They are fallible.
Absolutely! That is why the body of the church has to accept what
they come up with. The body accepted the Bible, the Creed, and the
Trinity.
We don't have to accept what people teach if it doesn't line up with
what is in the Bible.
Just out of curiosity, why are you trusting the council on the
Bible, especially since you do not accept their authority?
They may have goofed.
Millions of people accept that the Bible is the word of God put together
by divine inspiration.
No authority, no Bible. It should matter a great deal to you.
Authority comes from God - not councils.
There was *** A LOT *** of praying going on when the Council
compiled the Bible. Without the Authority that came from
God and worked through the Councils and the people, we
would have no Bible.
You must give you pastor a hard time. He has to research,
pray, fast, and work his tail to tech every Sunday. That
is his job as a "spiritual advisor". What need do you have
for him if all you have to do is read it yourself and
interpret everything yourself?
"How can I, unless someone guides me?€
I've studied the Bible for 42 years, and that includes in church bible
studies, home bible groups, and on my own. When a christian is a baby
christian, they need someone to guide them, and often times they never
grow up and stand on their own 2 feet "rightly dividing the word"
because they've studied it. They allow people to feed them baby food
and they never grow up and mature. One should grow up in the word and
mature and then be able to teach others for themselves. That's how it's
supposed to work - all of us are supposed to study, learn, and then go
into the world and preach the gospel... not just a select few who see
themselves as having some mystical authority over the rest.
[...]
--
Maggie