Why is it that Christians are not called Biblists?

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  1. Ericdierker profile image47
    Ericdierkerposted 11 years ago

    We all understand that Christians are supposed to study the Bible. Nobody is here saying they are not supposed to do that. But many say we must do exactly what is in the Bible. But that would make a Christian someone who followed the Bible and not Christ. So the only way to make sense of it is to follow Christ in one's heart and then study the Bible. So the only interpretations we can have are consistent not with what is written but what Jesus relates to us personally.
    Or if not we are Biblists and not Christian.

    1. profile image0
      Beth37posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God...."
      Jn 1:1

      You cannot separate Christ and the Bible. They are the same.


      "1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.

      6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

      9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

      14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

      15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and[b] is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known."

      1. Ericdierker profile image47
        Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

        Very nice.

        Just for quoting purposes where did you get this line?: You cannot separate Christ and the Bible. They are the same.

        1. MsDora profile image92
          MsDoraposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          There are people who study the Bible and know it well but do not want to be called Christians, because they do not follow Christ.  They study and admire Him as an exemplary human being but do not worship Him as their Lord.

          1. Ericdierker profile image47
            Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            True that Miss Dora. I am kind of hoping someone will show me the writing that says we must read the Bible at all. Just interesting really.

            1. profile image0
              Beth37posted 11 years agoin reply to this

              2 Timothy 2:15
              "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

            2. A Troubled Man profile image59
              A Troubled Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

              But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4

              "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work."  2 Timothy 3:16-17

              "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."  Joshua 1:8

              But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God." Matthew 22:29


              Want more? smile

        2. profile image0
          Beth37posted 11 years agoin reply to this

          From my brain. lol
          From reading this very verse, I know this to be true.

          1. Ericdierker profile image47
            Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            I get ya. It is a personal thing. But there was no new testament when that was written by the author.
            I believe that the Bible cannot tell us to read the Bible. So it must be a personal connection.
            Maybe we can find something that tells us to read scripture.

            1. profile image0
              Beth37posted 11 years agoin reply to this

              There was scripture. The Torah, prophesy...

              Eric, I am confused as to why you would hold any other written material in higher esteem than the Bible when it comes to how to relate to God.

              1. Ericdierker profile image47
                Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                Sorry Beth37 I have many Bibles. I subscribe to myriad of sites giving me that Word. I love it. But I cannot hold a book in esteem. I have a Gutenberg second edition in German and a Latin Vulgate that I struggle with mightily given to me by my Jesuit father.
                But I could never hold them in higher esteem than Mark Knowles who is flesh and blood and my brother. I just cannot put a book above a human that is a miracle. Inspired YES! But a thing yes?

                1. profile image0
                  Beth37posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  It is inspired by God? So when the Bible says, " The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." do you believe that to be true?

                  1. Ericdierker profile image47
                    Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                    Now we are on the issue thank you much. I do not need the Bible or a Preacher man or a Religion to tell me that. Jesus walks right next to me every single millisecond of every day. Let our buddy Mark just call me schizophrenic. But to me Jesus is Love and I feel Love all day long and all night long. I do not need the Bible to tell me so. He is alive and in me.

                  2. wilderness profile image90
                    wildernessposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                    "Inspired by God".  A little (or a lot smile ) off the subject, but it occurs to me that this can have two very different meanings.

                    1.  It may be presumptious of me, but I assume that many of your own actions are inspired by the bible, by the words or actions of Jesus.  You look at these things and they inspire you to act in a certain manner.

                    Just as a painter might look at a landscape in front of them and be inspired to paint.  It won't be a photograph, though - any painting he does will be filtered through his own experiences, abilities and emotions.  Just as your actions, inspired by Jesus or not, will be filtered through your beliefs, interpretations, emotions and specific situations. 

                    If the people who penned the bible were inspired in this manner, their words will have been filtered through their cultural norms and beliefs, through their own thoughts and emotions.  It is not necessarily the word of God.

                    2.  The other meaning, and the one I have always ascribed to, is that God pretty much used the writers as tools.  Robots, writing exactly what He wanted written and recorded.  In no other way could we ever be sure that what we read in the bible is true or is what God wanted us to know.  No filtering through fallible humans, no human emotions or notions mixed in; just the pure word of God.


                    Your thoughts?

                2. profile image0
                  Rad Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  You've got my respect for that one.

                  1. Ericdierker profile image47
                    Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                    Rad Man you are part of our team, looking for answers and charging each other to try harder to make it work between thoughts. I know you. You are a good man to respect me for I have not earned it.

      2. A Troubled Man profile image59
        A Troubled Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

        You say that but you yourself do not follow it. Few, if any Christians actually do and the ones who do are called Fundamentalists, who are often dismissed by the vast majority of Christians.

        Contradict much?

    2. Mark Knowles profile image58
      Mark Knowlesposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Anything you think was related to you personally by a dead guy who never actually existed is simply your over active imagination. It does explain why there are so many different Christian cults and the wars and conflicts mind you.

    3. A Troubled Man profile image59
      A Troubled Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Sorry, but it doesn't work that way. In science, cranks and crackpots operate the same way, they come to a conclusion and then go around finding things to form-fit their conclusions.

      Confirmation bias.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias

      1. Ericdierker profile image47
        Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

        Yes but in love it does not work that way. You either get love or you do not. No theories.

        1. A Troubled Man profile image59
          A Troubled Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          Your post is meaningless, but I'm sure you knew that.

    4. Paul K Francis profile image86
      Paul K Francisposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Christ in my life has always been more important than the written word, and I imagine that the writers of the gospels must have felt the power of Christ through the acts and teachings of the apostles before they wrote their narratives. It is a personal thing as you say. I have a high regard for those who know scripture well, and a deep respect for the faith of others. Have a nice day.

      1. profile image0
        Rad Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

        Well, at least you acknowledge that you imagine it.

        1. Ericdierker profile image47
          Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          Rad Man you make a great point. I do not really know what our modern Apostle John was saying but it is of Biblical proportions.

          WHAT the HECK?  Einstein said it well, maybe he was just a dreamer. He came up with no idea without first imagining it. Imagine no Religion. Maybe I am just a dreamer. Maybe they will take me out back and shoot me. But I can imagine and I can love.

          Brother John is at least a saint:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLgYAHHkPFs

          1. profile image0
            Rad Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            "It's easy if you try..."

          2. A Troubled Man profile image59
            A Troubled Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Einstein didn't just pull ideas out of thin air, his ideas came from facts and evidence, not from invisible, magical super beings.

            1. Ericdierker profile image47
              Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

              "Magical Super Being"  ------- the trouble with that is "being". God is not a being.

              1. wilderness profile image90
                wildernessposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                Interesting observation.  Just what is He then, other than a mere concept dreamed up by an ignorant savage trying to explain what he saw?

                Certainly the god of Christianity is from another universe, but that doesn't make him not a "being".  It might or might not be composed of matter or even energy as we know it, but it is still a "being".

            2. Ericdierker profile image47
              Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

              Einstein most assuredly did pull crap out of thin air. His "ideas" were just that . And thank goodness. Edison, Voltaire, Franklin, Jobs, Dr. Livingston are real and their thoughts are real to this day along with Darwin and Descartes and Obama.
              These greats along with Mark and Rad Man and wilderness. Do not exist. But there ideas do.

              1. A Troubled Man profile image59
                A Troubled Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                Once again, it is unfortunate believers are compelled to fabricate lies in order to defend their faith. How very sad.

      2. Mark Knowles profile image58
        Mark Knowlesposted 11 years agoin reply to this

        Why do you have such a high regard for these people and why on earth do you respect "faith."?

        1. Ericdierker profile image47
          Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          Faith is an understanding and belief in what is not real to our senses. That is the juice of life. We love and we die. I do not know of the die part. But I really do like the love part. Life without both would be meaningless I reckon. But I have faith that I will die.

          1. Mark Knowles profile image58
            Mark Knowlesposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            I know what faith is Eric. And your definition is not it. Loving and dying has absolutely nothing to do with it. I have no respect for believing nonsense with no evidence. Why should I? I know with complete certainty that you will die. Faith has absolutely nothing to do with it. wink

            1. Ericdierker profile image47
              Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

              By your great logic Mark -- the sun will rise tomorrow.
              That is totally not supported by logic or science. The Sun could just as logically explode/implode. You have a savings account. That makes no sense whatsoever. It is based on the notion that the world will be here tomorrow and there is no logical explanation or proof that that will be so.
              Black holes, super novas and just plain "the inherent randomness of nature" means that one must have faith that tomorrow comes for there is no good REASON to believe that it does.

              1. A Troubled Man profile image59
                A Troubled Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                The Sun rising tomorrow is indeed based on logic and science. The Sun exploding/imploding tomorrow is not.

              2. Mark Knowles profile image58
                Mark Knowlesposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                What does that have to do with me being certain that you will die? I never mentioned the Sun. I think you might want to check your probabilities as well. big_smile

                1. Ericdierker profile image47
                  Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  You understand what I am saying. Probabilities. Require chance. Ask a gambler. Of course the sun is/was not the issue. Your faith is. You have faith. Just not in God. So take faith out of your argument. All who plan for the future have faith in something. Stop denying you have faith. If you bought gas for your car, you have faith that you will drive it somewhere in the future. That is just plain old faith.

                  1. Mark Knowles profile image58
                    Mark Knowlesposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                    Ah - so what are the chances of you not dying? I don't have faith.I don't really understand this dishonest approach you are now taking. The "faith" I have that my car will run because I put fuel in it is not as you described faith earlier. So which is it? Is faith logical deductions based on observations or believing things that are not real to our senses?

          2. A Troubled Man profile image59
            A Troubled Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Yes, it's called 'delusion' and is related to indoctrination and mental disorders.

            1. Ericdierker profile image47
              Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

              Really Dr. ATM? Delusion, indoctrination and mental illness?

              So half the world ,,, oops make that - most the world is insane but ATM is normal???  Wait a second. That would be backwards. If most people believe in God and you do not...... Well that would make you insane by definition. A mental disease is abnormal thoughts and ideation. I guess you are crazy by your logic which is scientific.
              But I would rather be called crazy thank you very much. So let us make the 10 per cent Atheist population the norm. Hmmm very confusing.

              1. A Troubled Man profile image59
                A Troubled Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                No, many are indoctrinated and others have mental disorders, like those who claim Satan is controlling us.



                If you say so, but of course, the insanity of not believing in gods is growing exponentially and those who continue to cling to the sanity of gods are being left behind.



                If you insist. smile

                1. Ericdierker profile image47
                  Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  Well it is all crazy. I would really like to have a sit down logical discussion about money with my wife. But it is emotional to her.
                  I would also like to sit down and explain to her what a Metaphor is. But she is linear in thought patterns.
                  I imagine she would like my car cleaner and not have to remind me to zip my fly. So we just keep plugging along.  I am just a little bit crazy but it keeps me from going insane. Or maybe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnHKbvad9KI

 
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