How We Know the Bible is God's Inspired Word

[waitasec]

Actually, I should re-word my statement and say much of the Bible is confusing, but not all of it because certain information is very clear. Yes, I do know the reason for this because it is explained in the scriptures. I also had personal experience going from a state of confusion when reading the Bible to a place of understanding, although there is still much more I don't understand.

explained by whom?
and how would they know the reason?

and so on...

 

[InChrist]

explained by whom?
and how would they know the reason?

and so on...

Explained by Jesus Christ who knows because the scriptures are His word and revelation to humanity. Also by Paul who had it explained to him by Jesus.


At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Matthew 11:25-27

These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:13-14




As I said previously the scriptures are interactive and God desires to relate personally with each person through His word. But if someone refuses to believe in God in the first place or accept the most simple and clear truths of the scriptures God is not going to reveal the meaning of the more complicated or deeper aspects of His word.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

It is not that the Bible is confusing. In fact, it is written in a way people of all educational levels, cultures, and time periods can grasp it's message.

The Bible is confusing and God designed it to be that way for a reason.

Hmm.

Just a thought: before you folks go around making claims about the Bible to non-Christians, maybe all you believers should sort out between yourselves what you think it is and what you think it says.

 

[Pegg]

Hmm.

Just a thought: before you folks go around making claims about the Bible to non-Christians, maybe all you believers should sort out between yourselves what you think it is and what you think it says.

dont worry what anyone says about the bible, examine the bible itself to see what it says:
1Chronicals 22:12 Only may Jehovah give you discretion and understanding

Proverbs 2:3 if, moreover, you call out for understanding itself and you give forth your voice for discernment itself, 4 if you keep seeking for it as for silver, and as for hid treasures you keep searching for it, 5 in that case you will understand the fear of Jehovah, and you will find the very knowledge of God

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

dont worry what anyone says about the bible, examine the bible itself to see what it says:

I have. I examined it myself and found it lacking. If it's just a matter of me and the Bible, then the matter's pretty much settled in my mind: I don't believe that the Bible comes from any god. Not only that, I don't see any way to convince myself that this prospect is even plausible.

This thread suggested a fresh perspective, so it interested me... though so far, that perspective hasn't turned out to be as fruitful as it was made out to be.

 

[Pegg]

I have. I examined it myself and found it lacking. If it's just a matter of me and the Bible, then the matter's pretty much settled in my mind: I don't believe that the Bible comes from any god. Not only that, I don't see any way to convince myself that this prospect is even plausible.

This thread suggested a fresh perspective, so it interested me... though so far, that perspective hasn't turned out to be as fruitful as it was made out to be.

yep, the bible certainly is not for everyone.

 

[waitasec]

Explained by Jesus Christ who knows because the scriptures are His word and revelation to humanity. Also by Paul who had it explained to him by Jesus.


At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Matthew 11:25-27

These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:13-14




As I said previously the scriptures are interactive and God desires to relate personally with each person through His word. But if someone refuses to believe in God in the first place or accept the most simple and clear truths of the scriptures God is not going to reveal the meaning of the more complicated or deeper aspects of His word.

i cannot reason with circular logic.
:sorry1:

 

[LegionOnomaMoi]

What does all this mean?

That's twice in a a brief time period you've asked this question. Why? You already give your answer by your headings. It doesn't seem like you are actually interested in asking about meaning, but rather are interested in pointing out what you believe to be immoral/unethical/unacceptable/whatever messages in the bible. In which case why phrase the post as a question?

 

[Pegg]

What does all this mean?


Kill People Who Don't Listen to Priests
Anyone arrogant enough to reject the verdict of the judge or of the priest who represents the LORD your God must be put to death. Such evil must be purged from Israel. (Deuteronomy 17:12 NLT)

Kill Witches
You should not let a sorceress live. (Exodus 22:17 NAB)

Kill Homosexuals
"If a man lies with a male as with a women, both of them shall be put to death for their abominable deed; they have forfeited their lives." (Leviticus 20:13 NAB)

Kill Fortunetellers
A man or a woman who acts as a medium or fortuneteller shall be put to death by stoning; they have no one but themselves to blame for their death. (Leviticus 20:27 NAB)

Death for Hitting Dad
Whoever strikes his father or mother shall be put to death. (Exodus 21:15 NAB)

Death for Cursing Parents
1) If one curses his father or mother, his lamp will go out at the coming of darkness. (Proverbs 20:20 NAB)
2) All who curse their father or mother must be put to death. They are guilty of a capital offense. (Leviticus 20:9 NLT)

these laws were given to one nation who entered into a covenant with God which required that they uphold his laws.... those are the laws of God expressed in the Mosaic Law covenant as they would have applied to everyday occurrences or situations. (probably situations that already existed among the isrealites)

They did not apply to all nations of people, they only applied to Isrealites for a specific purpose. They were to show the world of mankind exactly what Gods standards were. They were to show the world of mankind the things the God condemns and the outcome for those who practice them. They were to teach mankind the reasons why we die, and they were to show that mankind have fallen far from Gods righteous moral standards.
They were also to show that God blesses obedience and righteousness and justice.

They do not apply to us today just as they did not apply to the any other nation even in ancient times. They have served their purpose and now we are all told to live by the law of love.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

yep, the bible certainly is not for everyone.

Hrm. Another claim where, IMO, Christians need to get on the same page if they want to be seen as communiating a coherent message.

We've been told in this thread that the Bible is both confusing and not confusing. Now, you're suggesting that the Bible's not for everyone, but previously I've had Christians tell me the exact opposite.

Why would any non-Christian think that Christianity has "the truth" when you can't even decide what you have in the first place, to say nothing of whether it's true?

 

[Skeptisch]

That's twice in a a brief time period you've asked this question. Why? You already give your answer by your headings. It doesn't seem like you are actually interested in asking about meaning, but rather are interested in pointing out what you believe to be immoral/unethical/unacceptable/whatever messages in the bible. In which case why phrase the post as a question?

You are very observant. Maybe I am asking because I don’t understand, and your answers are, to me, unreasonable. And you got this right: “...but rather are interested in pointing out what you believe to be immoral/unethical/unacceptable/whatever messages in the bible”.

From the God delusion:
“The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.”

 

[Pegg]

Hrm. Another claim where, IMO, Christians need to get on the same page if they want to be seen as communiating a coherent message.

We've been told in this thread that the Bible is both confusing and not confusing. Now, you're suggesting that the Bible's not for everyone, but previously I've had Christians tell me the exact opposite.

Why would any non-Christian think that Christianity has "the truth" when you can't even decide what you have in the first place, to say nothing of whether it's true?

because not everybody is willing to accept it... so in that way, it is not for everyone.

You said yourself that you read the bible and didnt find it appealing to you. It wont appeal to everyone.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

because not everybody is willing to accept it... so in that way, it is not for everyone.

You said yourself that you read the bible and didnt find it appealing to you. It wont appeal to everyone.

It's not that I found it unappealing; it's that I found it unbelievable. When I say that I found it lacking, I mean that it was lacking in reasons for me to think it might be anything other than a human creation.

 

[Pegg]

It's not that I found it unappealing; it's that I found it unbelievable. When I say that I found it lacking, I mean that it was lacking in reasons for me to think it might be anything other than a human creation.

and a lot of people feel the same way about it which is why they dont put too much stock in what it says.

but others of us do believe that what is written in there is possible and did happen as it is stated. I generally know that miracles are impossible under normal circumstances, but the nature of miracles in the bible are not that they occurred under normal circumstances...so for me, that changes things entirely.

 

[Skeptisch]

because not everybody is willing to accept it... so in that way, it is not for everyone.
You said yourself that you read the bible and didnt find it appealing to you. It wont appeal to everyone.

Why would it appeal to anyone?

Drunk With Blood: God's killings in the Bible
“Did you know, for example, that God: *Forced friends and family to kill each other for dancing naked around Aaron's golden calf? *Burned complainers to death, forced the survivors to eat quail until it literally came out their noses, sent "fiery serpents" to bite people for complaining about the lack of food and water, and killed 14,700 for complaining about his killings?”

Maybe RD is not too far off when he says:

Faith is the great cop-out, the great excuse to evade the need to think and evaluate evidence. Faith is belief in spite of, even perhaps because of, the lack of evidence.
-- Richard Dawkins, Untitled Lecture, Edinburgh Science Festival (1992)

Faith is powerful enough to immunize people against all appeals to pity, to forgiveness, to decent human feelings. It even immunizes them against fear, if they honestly believe that a martyr's death will send them straight to heaven.
-- Richard Dawkins, The Selfish Gene

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

and a lot of people feel the same way about it which is why they dont put too much stock in what it says.

but others of us do believe that what is written in there is possible and did happen as it is stated.

Wait - are you talking about the initial attitudes we approach the Bible with, or the conclusions we draw from it?

Because in the first case, I don't think I approached the Bible with the attitude that it was necessarily false. At the very least, I tried to come at it open to having my mind changed.

In the second case, I think that the more we discuss why we all came to the conclusions we did, the closer each of us will get to an understanding of what's actually true... IOW, I disagree with your implication that some people can never "get it" (if it's true, anyhow).

I generally know that miracles are impossible under normal circumstances, but the nature of miracles in the bible are not that they occurred under normal circumstances...so for me, that changes things entirely.

I don't think I see your point here.

Also, I don't see how opening onesself to the possibility of miracles points toward the truth of the Bible more than any other religion's miracle claims.

 

[rusra02]

As another contributor has pointed out, what you've written above is self-contradictory. The Bible cannot both be, and not be, written in a way that all people can understand.

Not at all. The language of the Bible is simple and easy to translate. It's message resonates with the uneducated and highly educated alike. It uses simple words and expressions, and it's historical record can be understood in any language.
At the same time, as 2 Peter 3:16 confirms, in the Bible "are some things hard to understand." Some concepts are not as easy to grasp as others, but all can be understood by sincere searchers for truth. Those not interested in the truth are kept from understanding "the deep things of God." (1 Corinthians 2:6-10)

 

[cottage]

Not at all. The language of the Bible is simple and easy to translate. It's message resonates with the uneducated and highly educated alike. It uses simple words and expressions, and it's historical record can be understood in any language.
At the same time, as 2 Peter 3:16 confirms, in the Bible "are some things hard to understand." Some concepts are not as easy to grasp as others, but all can be understood by sincere searchers for truth. Those not interested in the truth are kept from understanding "the deep things of God." (1 Corinthians 2:6-10)

I'm sorry but you're not really making sense. The fact still remains that the Bible cannot both be and not be written in a way 'that all people can understand', and as we've seen there are numerous contradictory instances. Also there are many profoundly committed theists, including some who frequent this board, who have never claimed to understand the 'deep things of God', despite their diligent searching. But from what you say it would seem that you have a special insight and are privy to these 'deep things of God'? Therefore it would be expedient if you were to inform us of what those things are and how they are the 'truth', ie true because they cannot be false.

 

[filthy tugboat]

Not at all. The language of the Bible is simple and easy to translate.

What? You're kidding right, you need a bloody good education in English, Hebrew, Latin and Greek to translate the Bible accurately. I'm talking 10 years of study here at least. Good luck with this easy comment, that's absolute rubbish.

It's message resonates with the uneducated and highly educated alike.

Laughable, the educated and the uneducated have massively different views on the Bible. Most educated people realize that the popular notion's of God are illogical and cannot be taken seriously. There are logical notions of God but most are unknown by the uneducated or cannot be understood by the uneducated. The Bible cannot be understood by both in the same way. It takes education and a certain logical frame of thought to understand the proposed Bible God in a logical way and comparing that to popular views is unrecognizable.

It uses simple words and expressions, and it's historical record can be understood in any language.

Patently false, if you don't know the languages it was written in fluently you cannot understand the Bible. You can read translations by other people but the original Bible requires you to understand at least 4 languages fluently, including the dialects that differ between the authors of many of the individual books.

At the same time, as 2 Peter 3:16 confirms, in the Bible "are some things hard to understand." Some concepts are not as easy to grasp as others

Indeed, and some are straight up nonsense.

but all can be understood by sincere searchers for truth.

Doubtful, if there is no truth to be found, searchers of truth will not find truth. The Bible offers little truth so searches of truth will find little truth.

Those not interested in the truth are kept from understanding "the deep things of God." (1 Corinthians 2:6-10)

Oh, so the truth the Bible does offer is not available to all because God willingly prevents them from having it? Such counter productive measures. Some might even call this evil. Why prevent people from understanding truth? I don't understand what this God character plans to gain from keeping people from understanding the truth, whether they search for it or not.

 

[filthy tugboat]

Explained by Jesus Christ who knows because the scriptures are His word and revelation to humanity.

Actually, if you didn't know, the New Testament scriptures are not penned by Jesus, none of them, they were penned by anonymous people and were eventually associated with some of what these authors proposed were the twelve disciples.

Also by Paul who had it explained to him by Jesus.

Paul never met Jesus though....

At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Matthew 11:25-27

What? Why was the truth hidden from anyone? Why specifically the wise? None of this makes any sense, if God wanted people to know the truth why did he intentionally keep people from finding it? This looks like a ploy from the uneducated cult that this book took to in the beginning. It told the stupid people that believed it's nonsense that the reason the smart people didn't believe it was because magic forced them not to. It's quotes like this that show me the Bible and any religion flowing from it is nonsense, in just about every conceivable way.

These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:13-14

I think this supports what I said earlier, the Bible was written by stupid people for stupid people, the wise and the smart are intentionally kept from seeing the truth in the Bible, as the Bible itself suggests. This isn't only my view, whoever quotes these passages is saying that the smart do not believe in the Bible because magic keeps them from seeing it's truth. They are also suggesting that magic helps the stupid to believe it.

As I said previously the scriptures are interactive and God desires to relate personally with each person through His word.

Except, apparently, the wise. God does not desire to relate to them as he keeps them from the truth. So he only desires the people that aren't wise, a.k.a the stupid.

But if someone refuses to believe in God in the first place or accept the most simple and clear truths of the scriptures God is not going to reveal the meaning of the more complicated or deeper aspects of His word.

Because he doesn't want those people to believe at all? What??? This is absolute nonsense, people don't believe in the words that are apparently God's... Therefore God does not want them to believe in the words that are apparently God's? This doesn't make sense. Can you show that God wants anyone to believe in the Bible? Can you simultaneously show that God doesn't want people that do not want to believe in the Bible to believe in the Bible?

I'm sorry but I am completely dissatisfied with the Biblical understanding of the people I've engaged on this site, it is completely chaotic, this understanding is outdated, it is no longer accepted by people that take theology, education or even logic seriously.