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How to interpret the christian Bible?

nPeace

Veteran Member
Sorry, but you are contradicting what you wrote on a previous post, plus one of your own fellow JW's admitted a while back that such charity work organized by and through the JW's is not emphasized. True Christian charity involves also helping even those outside your denomination as all people are of God's creation.

For example, if one goes to a Catholic hospital, it makes not one iota of difference what one's denomination or religion or neither may be. Here in the Detroit area, most of our charity money is spent on non-Catholics in need, especially in the inner-city.
Blowing a trumpet?
 

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
Jesus did not teach that we should judge others and then tell lie after lie after lie when dealing with what other denominations supposedly do. Dishonesty is not Truth.
Because God's judgement is already recorded in the Bible, then His judgement decision is what rules.
As far as personal judgement of another: Jesus does Not want us to impute a bad or wrong motive to others.
 

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
Sorry, but you are contradicting what you wrote on a previous post, plus one of your own fellow JW's admitted a while back that such charity work organized by and through the JW's is not emphasized. True Christian charity involves also helping even those outside your denomination as all people are of God's creation.
For example, if one goes to a Catholic hospital, it makes not one iota of difference what one's denomination or religion or neither may be. Here in the Detroit area, most of our charity money is spent on non-Catholics in need, especially in the inner-city.

In Jesus' story about the neighborly non-Jew good Samaritan, Jesus was Not teaching to build hospitals, etc.
Rather, Jesus was teaching his followers to help on a one-on-one basic as needed.
In other words, Jesus' followers were to widen out, broaden out in showing practical love on a one-on-one basis to anyone in trouble.
This can be shown about 'disaster relief ' being done as found at www.jw.org
 

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
My mistake, it should have been, those who do not recognize Jesus in another. What we do for/to another we do to Jesus. 'Lord, when did we see you.....
I find Jesus is specific at Matthew 25:40 that the 'sheep' do good to Jesus' brothers ' ( His spiritual brothers on Earth )
 

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
In Jesus' story about the neighborly non-Jew good Samaritan, Jesus was Not teaching to build hospitals, etc.
Rather, Jesus was teaching his followers to help on a one-on-one basic as needed.
In other words, Jesus' followers were to widen out, broaden out in showing practical love on a one-on-one basis to anyone in trouble.
This can be shown about 'disaster relief ' being done as found at www.jw.org
Absolutely false as the early Church well knew that both the individual and the Church had such responsibilities.

In Judaism, both the Temple authorities and the Great Sanhedrin were involved in helping the orphans, widows, and the poor, and numerous Jewish Commandments also related to that. Prior to the occupation of eretz Israel, the government also had that responsibility.

Even though the Church did not observe all of the Jewish Commandments, Jesus never negated what they were doing along this line, but he even took it further in the Sermon On the Mount and the Parable of the Widow's Mite.

If there were a doubt about this, then the actions of the early Church should be enough to convince anyone that the Church as a whole also had such responsibilities.
 

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
Because God's judgement is already recorded in the Bible, then His judgement decision is what rules.
As far as personal judgement of another: Jesus does Not want us to impute a bad or wrong motive to others.
First of all, Jesus did not tell us to judge others or to lie about what other people supposedly believe and do, which the JW's so often do. Lying is simply the polar opposite of Truth, such as their claims that Catholics worship statues and the sun and that our services are "pagan" and "secular".
 

sojourner

Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
In Jesus' story about the neighborly non-Jew good Samaritan, Jesus was Not teaching to build hospitals, etc.
Rather, Jesus was teaching his followers to help on a one-on-one basic as needed.
In other words, Jesus' followers were to widen out, broaden out in showing practical love on a one-on-one basis to anyone in trouble.
This can be shown about 'disaster relief ' being done as found at www.jw.org
Jesus was teaching that religious entitlement was no assurance of righteousness. He was teaching that true kinship in God’s kin-dom wasn’t based on the usual markers of race, religious disposition, and community standing, but upon who showed compassion and hospitality.
 

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
First of all, Jesus did not tell us to judge others or to lie about what other people supposedly believe and do, which the JW's so often do. Lying is simply the polar opposite of Truth, such as their claims that Catholics worship statues and the sun and that our services are "pagan" and "secular".
I have seen pictures of Catholics kissing statues, so that might lead some people to say they worship statues.
I think the point is: Not to even make religious images.
Kind of like 2nd Cor. 5:7 that Christians walk by faith and Not by sight ( sighted objects or items )
I find Jesus said at Matthew 6:7 when praying do Not say the same things over and over, so the model Our Father prayer (Luke 11:2-4) is Not meant to be repeated or recited word for word but as a model or sample to follow.
Not a prayer to memorize repeating the same words over and over as with reading out of a book.
I am Not saying this to cause any upset, and I am sorry if that caused upset, but I post what I find in Scripture.
 

Faithofchristian

Well-Known Member
You think. Maybe you are not hearing the holy spirit. In fact, I suggest you haven't.
Sorry @pearl I mistook you for Faithofchristian.
The Bible reveals that it is not the way you are thinking. I quoted the scriptures.
It's scripture that explains or interprets other scriptures. We do a lousy job of interpreting, thinking that it means what we think it does.
Then it becomes anyone's "bacon".
This is where humility comes in.


I'm not sure you answered my question, but let me take a closer look. Maybe the answer is there, amd I need to decode your response.

Okay you think everyone else but you has tried the spirit, and knows how to do so.
You think everyone else but you, understands the Bible.

Did I get it right.
...but that does not answer the question.
All you have done is repeat what you believe.
My question was, why do you think that people in the Church do not allow God's spirit to guide them, but only the single individuals that claim that they are different to those in the Church, are guided by God's spirit?

In other words why do you think that people in the church have not tried the spirit, but only the single individual - namely you?

By all means do tell how you try the spirits to know whether or not if they be of God..

As written in 1 John 4:1--"Beloved believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God, because many false prophets are gone out into the world"

Therefore have you, yourself tried the spirit to see if it really be from God????
 

Muffled

Jesus in me
Gifted by the spirit?
You make it sound like something being dished out to selected individuals.
Was it not those who put faith in Christ, and accepted his teachings, that received holy spirit?

I believe anyone who receives Jesus as Lord and Savior has the Holy Spirit. I also believe it does not work equally in all people at all times. When I was a young Christian I relied more on the Bible than the Holy Spirit and revelation was rare. After receiving the gift of tongues I became much more spiritually attuned and at present when ministering I am at one with God.
 

Muffled

Jesus in me
I find Jehovah's Witnesses teach what Jesus taught at Luke 10:29-37 which is ' walk the walk '.
For that matter, I find Micah 4:5 informs us that each will ' walk ' in the name of their God.
Jehovah's Witnesses 'walk ' by faith - 2 Corinthians 5:7 - just as Jesus 'walked' by faith - Luke 4:43.
- www.jw.org

I believe JW's walk by the Watchtower and what they are taught no matter how little sense it makes.
 

1213

Well-Known Member
How to interpret the christian Bible?

I believe the Best way to interpret the Bible is to interpret it in a loving and kind way. ...

I think that is not a bad way, but why interpret at all, why not allow Bible to explain what it means, without making own meanings?
 

nPeace

Veteran Member
I believe anyone who receives Jesus as Lord and Savior has the Holy Spirit. I also believe it does not work equally in all people at all times. When I was a young Christian I relied more on the Bible than the Holy Spirit and revelation was rare. After receiving the gift of tongues I became much more spiritually attuned and at present when ministering I am at one with God.
What convinces you that you are one with God, and gifted with holy spirit?
 

oldbadger

Skanky Old Mongrel!
How to interpret the christian Bible?

I believe the Best way to interpret the Bible is to interpret it in a loving and kind way. Why?
Because it is written in the Bible that God is goodness, love, justice

And in the Bible the greatest commandment of God is:

Matthew 22:36-40
6 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Therefore I believe the logical conclusion is to is to interpret the Bible in a loving and kind way. And a loving and kind God care most about peoples heart and our actions, not which religion we follow

What do you think about this? Any thoughts?
So why do so many Christians insist that most humans will be thrown down in to everlasting torturous fire?
Jesus returning, the sword flicking from his mouth on vengeance.

Nah...... Not for me.
 

nPeace

Veteran Member
By all means do tell how you try the spirits to know whether or not if they be of God..

As written in 1 John 4:1--"Beloved believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God, because many false prophets are gone out into the world"

Therefore have you, yourself tried the spirit to see if it really be from God????
Good question.
I go by what's written.
(Galatians 1:8) However, even if we or an angel out of heaven were to declare to you as good news something beyond the good news we declared to you, let him be accursed.

The disciples would have tested the spirit, by considering what was said, against what they were taught by their master, whom they realized without a doubt, fulfilled the prophets, and Psalms.

Those who listened to the apostles tested the spirit, by considering what the scriptures said, against what the disciples said. If they lined up, then they were good to go.
(Acts 17:11) Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they accepted the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

Today, we have both the writings of the Tanakh, and the Gospels, and letters of the apostles, and early followers of Christ.
If what we hear lines up with those, we are good to go.

So that when people like @Muffled :p tells us something, whether a revelation, or a message from an angel, or something else, we test the sprit, by using God's word.

It was so serious, that Paul said....
However, even if we or an angel out of heaven were to declare to you as good news something beyond the good news we declared to you, let him be accursed.

Oh, @Faithofchristian how do you try the spirit?
 
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nPeace

Veteran Member
I have seen pictures of Catholics kissing statues, so that might lead some people to say they worship statues.
I think the point is: Not to even make religious images.
Kind of like 2nd Cor. 5:7 that Christians walk by faith and Not by sight ( sighted objects or items )
I find Jesus said at Matthew 6:7 when praying do Not say the same things over and over, so the model Our Father prayer (Luke 11:2-4) is Not meant to be repeated or recited word for word but as a model or sample to follow.
Not a prayer to memorize repeating the same words over and over as with reading out of a book.
I am Not saying this to cause any upset, and I am sorry if that caused upset, but I post what I find in Scripture.
Hey, thanks for that reminder URAVIP2ME. Let me go check on @metis. I asked for an explanation on that, and never got one.
Maybe I should look for another Catholic to answer the question.
Though, I really though he was eager to explain. :(
 

idea

Question Everything
In Jesus' story about the neighborly non-Jew good Samaritan,

I think all of the parables that were taught are a great way to teach.

par·a·ble
/ˈperəb(ə)l/
noun
a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson

It is just a story - no need to debate if it actually happened or not, no need to debate if it is true or not - it is just a thought-provoking story with a moral. The morals - the point of the entire thing is lost when anyone tries to claim it is "true" or claim "it really happened", starts debating evidence. Leave everything as a parable - with room for multiple interpretations of it (because it is just a parable, no right or wrong interpretation of it - each person will find what they need from it)...

Parables. → The best way to "interpret the Christian Bible" is to see it all as parables.
 
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