If the only way to understand the Christian Bible and Christ is to become a believer in it, how can I do that if I don't understand it. What exactly would I be believing in if I didn't understand that which I am to believe?
2006-07-30 07:13:33 · 24 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
No one understands the bible, honey. Especially those who quote it the most.They just pretend to.Ever heard the story of the Emperor's New Clothes?
People who understand the most about it are called atheists.
And to answerer #1, Darwin did NOT convert on his deathbed or anywhere else.
2006-07-30 07:19:26 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Religion is a matter of faith or belief, not understanding. By definition, finite human minds cannot understand the infinite God.
As for understanding the Bible, there are two approaches: you can pick and choose the passages that you think you understand, and that is the Bible for you - and many others; or you can learn about the context of the Bible through history, archaeology and social sciences and come to understand why certain books and passages were written, apart from being the written account of what were many oral histories. There are many written oral histories in the Bible, and many that were not accepted by the early Christian church as "official." In some parts of the world, there are persisting oral histories of early Christendom, but Americans in particular do not accept anything but English versions of the Bible, which are all translations, some better than others, and certainly do not accept oral traditions from other cultures.
Even Mormons have a tough time with their "written in America" book of the Bible.
2006-07-30 07:29:33 · answer #2 · answered by thylawyer 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hello friend,
You ask a very valid and reasonable question.
God wants you to be His son. He absolutely wants a personal relationship with you. This is simple enough.
Now, the easy part first, as a believer or unbeliever, no one on this side of Eternity will ever fully understand God. And anyone who tells you they've got it all figured out has lied to you and will give an account to God for such.
But God made the main things the plain things in His Word. As I have said elsewhere, if you take the Word of God in hand and (even as an unbeliever) ask Him to show you the Way of Salvation, He will do it!
More commonly, God uses preachers and teachers of His Word who are seasoned in the Word and are able to explain it to anyone who has an open ear to hear the Truth.
If you have a sincere heart that desires to know God's truth and genuinely want to be saved, I am very glad to help you to understand God's Book. I am not smarter than you, nor am I more spiritual, but rather, I am just one beggar telling another beggar where I found Bread.
Blessings,
2 Tim. 2:7
2006-07-30 07:36:07 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
ok i am new at this too i just started reading the bible a couple days ago because i was led to god. (im a goth) I believe even though i don't understand it either. it takes time i mean you could be telling me something straight from the bible and i wouldn't have any idea about what you are talking about. but im sure in given time i will understand and if you believe and read the bible and soon you will understand. just have faith. im not a big fan for all of this but i know its the right thing to do!!!
2006-07-30 07:21:40 · answer #4 · answered by ~ goth ~ 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is the proverbial (yet very real) "Leap of Faith". You finally understand enough about the world to realize that God really is real, even though you don't completely understand Him.
God said that if you come to Him, all will be revealed.
Kinda like astrophysics. Do you completely understand astrophyics? Do you HAVE to completely understand astrophysics before you believe stars are real?
Even Christians don't completely understand God (understatement). Yet we are still believing Christians.
When you enter into a profession, are you required to master it before you can practice it? Are you expected to be a master musician before you pick up an instrument and practice? Nope. You won't be invited to play in the symphony, but you can still be called a musician. Just look at Snoop Dogg. Not the best, but still sells albums, doesn't he?
2006-07-30 07:27:50 · answer #5 · answered by Hyzakyt 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, it's kind of a vicious circle, isn't it? According to a lot of Christians, you can't understand the Bible unless you have the Holy Spirit, but if you don't believe the Bible in the first place, you'll never get the Holy Spirit so that you CAN understand the Bible. God gives you faith to believe in him, but you have to believe in him in order for him to give you more faith...or some such BS. This means that those of us who think the entire Bible is a load of hogwash, will never even have a chance at heaven, since God has decided to convey his message to mankind in a form that we find completely unbelievable. If he is all-knowing, then he would surely realize this and would have provided a more believable means of making himself known to us.
I wouldn't want to go to the Christian heaven, anyway. It sounds like a horrible place, where you are separated from your loved ones because they're all in hell for not believing in God.
2006-07-30 07:24:08 · answer #6 · answered by Antique Silver Buttons 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try this my friend a way of knowing God better:
1) Find a quite place were you will not be disturbed ideally, but this prayer can be done on a train etc. as people will just think you are sleeping.
2) Close your eyes and say the words "Speak Lord your servent is listening"
3) Then just listen in silence. When you get 'monkey mind' - basically the mind will get distracted and start thinking of food or a film you watched etc. When this happens say in mind "Jesus I trust in you!." Then try and listen in silence again. Don't get mad with yourself if you can't concentrate etc. What is important is that you spend an hour every day doing this.
4) People often will go on about saying this prayer and reading this part from the bible etc. Now this is indeed important - but it is more important to know you are LOVED by JESUS. To do that you have to quite prayer. The great prophet Elijah when he was despairing and wanted to die knew God spoke to him when he heard the gentle whisper of God.
5)Just try this every day make time to spend an hour every day trying to listen to him. I promise you he will bless you. Over time you will notice that you have more joy and peace in your life. Don't be hard on yourself if all you think of is pizza that hour. If you practice the listening prayer every day then God will transform you in his love.
2006-07-30 07:35:08 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
What does God call it? Preach love too you? Lets see what God says, to do with you.
You have unbeliever's. Chaff, Scoffers.
An Atheist is a scoffer. The WORD of God, clearly tells you the filhty rags they are, and to stay away from them, and avoid them. We are NOT to plant seeds. God knows it is useless and that is why he tells us, "You stand firm against them" ( Jer.17:8 14:1 Iah 44:4) You disassociate them completely. Any Believer that does not abide in God's own Word, does not know God, according too God Himself. Atheists are "chaff" A simile of the wretchedness of the wicked. Chaff is carried away by the lightest wind, and it's removal brings about cleansing by extracting what is utterly useless. (Ruth 1:22). They will NOT stand in the judgment. They will NOT be able to withstand God's wrath when He judges.( Paslams 76:7 Exra 9:15). This is not my opinion, this is God's very own Words, in the Bible. You know, the BIble? The same Bible atheist scholars quote. There is a reason God, said this. Psalms.1.1-3 Jer. 17:8 14:1 12. 1-2 18:9-10 Prov1.10-19 (vs 5) scoffers:(atheists) those who ridicule God and definatley reject His Law. Prov 1.:22 Ruth 1:22 Jer 18:7 (pull down-destroy) 1:10 (evil-calamity) 18:11
Pslams 1:
godly wisdom here, declare the final outcome of the two "ways". The paths of "sinners" (unbelievers) and the "way of the righteous. he speaks progressively of assoociation with the ungodly and participation in they're ungodly ways.
God said it. End of Story. Jesus Himself said "Let the dead bury they're dead".
Use all the Internet and Dictionaries they want to and call themselves anything they wish. God "defined" what they are by His own words.
They can hang a dog tag* around they're neck in the pits if hell itself and separate each other by name categorically.
God's Word said it. By God's definition. There is NO opinion.
Hate? Where do you get hate? If God's TRUTH is hate too you, then, so be it. You and God, can and will discuss the means of your sciptural interpretation, consisting with a man-made defacto on a motion of plea bargin I guess. I dunno.
2006-07-31 09:03:12 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Who says you have to be a believer to understand the Bible? I suggest you begin there. Get a study Bible that explains certain words and scriptures. If you need further support, you can ask someone who is a Christian to explain things to you. Ultimately you will need to decide what to believe, but you have to begin somewhere.
2006-07-30 07:24:53 · answer #9 · answered by Taffi 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, you wouldn't be any better off. The reason that one needs to believe is so that they recieve God's Spirit. Without His Spirit, the Bible is just a book. But, I mean, you can't fake this with God. So, you could keep reading it as a hobby, or you could put it away. The result may be the same.
2006-07-30 19:31:05 · answer #10 · answered by 1K 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Simple: Repent of Sin; 2.ask Christ to forgive you.; and 3.ask for the free gift of the Holy Spirit.
He will open your understanding and teach you the Bible.
2006-07-30 07:19:46 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋