The bible has been changed so many times by so many people, how do Christians really know who they following?

Question

What church was formed by Jesus?
a couple years back a gay church was formed that just excluded all parts of the bible that labled the practise as a sin. Isnt there anything that governs the formation of new churches and the altering of the bible? Im not bashing the religion im just trying to understand how it works. I appologise in advance to anyone who might take offence to this.

Answer 1

The scriptures are still intact the way God intended them to be. I like the King James Version simply because you just can't deny the fact that it has stood the test of time, but the difference between it and the NIV or NASV or any reliable translation is just splitting hairs. The same thought and truth is in all of them, an altered word here or there hasn't changed the truth. The foundation of Christ has not been shaken, anyone going outside the preaching of Christ doesn't have a leg to stand on, such as the gay group you mentioned. Of course there is no governing body here. But there is a governing Body in heaven and the Gates of HELL will not prevail against it. God knows them that are his and He will always lead and guide them in truth.

Answer 2

Because the Bible is a book, it was initially made up of manuscripts. Consequently a primary means for ascertaining its credibility today are the number of copies from those manuscripts which are currently in one's possession. The more copies we have the better we can compare between them and thus know if the document we now read corresponds with the original. It is much like a witness to an event. If we have only one witness to the event, there is the possibility that the witness's agenda or even an exaggeration of the event has crept in and we would never know the full truth. But if we have many witnesses, the probability that they all got it wrong becomes minute.

Because of time and wear many of the historical documents from the ancient world have few manuscripts to which we can refer. This is specially true when we consider the secular historians and philosophers. For instance, we only have eight copies of Herodotus's historical works, whose originals were written in 480-425 BC. Likewise, only 5 copies of Aristotle's writings have found their way to the 20th century, while only 10 copies of the writings of Caesar, along with another 20 copies of the historian Tacitus, and 7 copies from the historian Pliny, who all originally wrote in the first century, are available today. These are indeed very few.

When we consider the New Testament, however, we find a completely different scenario. We have today in our possession 5,300 known Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, another 10,000 Latin Vulgates, and 9,300 other early versions, giving us more than 24,000 manuscript copies of portions of the New Testament in existence today! Though we do not have any originals, with such a wealth of documentation at our disposal with which to compare, we can delineate quite closely what those originals contained.

As far as the formation of scripture-slandering churches goes, unfortunately there is nothing that can be done. The church that was formed by Christ was the Christian church. In the view of society as a whole (though not at all the same as God's view) this would include every group who labels themselves "Christian". No doubt, the followers you've mentioned above would also be included. In our country, Christian or not, anyone is allowed to put in place any doctrine that they choose, regardless of credibility. Much the same has happened through the Catholic, Mormon and Jehovah's Witness churches. Though, I do not condemn these believers, for it is not my place but God's. These are well-meaning sincere followers who have either misinterpreted the Bible or been misguided. There is no specific denomination that follows the Bible's teachings exactly as they were meant to be followed.

Hope that helps.

Be Blessed and Blessed Be

Answer 3

The first and only church formed by Jesus is the Catholic Church. (See Matt 16:18-19 where he made Peter the first Pope).
It was this Church that Christ promised would NOT be overcome by the gates of hell and last until he comes back at the end of time.
It is this one Church that has protected--and handed down-- the teachings taught by Christ to his apostles to their disciples and on and on, through an unbroken line of history till this very day.
It was the Catholic Church that chose the canon of the Bible (decided which books were inspired). And it was the Catholic Church that ensured the proper copying of the Word of God and the proper translation of the Word of God. I mean just look at all the other versions and printing of the Bible not approved by the Church.

Answer 4

I do not take offense. But the Bible has come down through the
ages like no other manuscript from antiquity. None other. There
is more archaeological and written evidence for the authenticity of
the Bible and anything else in ancient history.
I Cr 13;8a, Love never fails!!!!! Do the research for yourself.

10-4-6

Answer 5

Jesus did not form any church, his disciples did.
religion is what a person believes in, it is not essential to be based on some universal truth, but rather your personal preferences. any religion is good as the other, as long as it does not promote aggression, even self mutilation is acceptable in some religions, prostitution was sanctified in the old world religions.

Answer 6

Muslims claim that the Bible has been changed and corrupt because they failed to see the prophecy about muhammed in the book of Daniel , Revelations and Gospels.
They have been looking muhammed as a man of God in the Bible.But the Holy Bible clearly states about Muhammed as the false prophet.
They cant accept the truth and they believe false as truth and truth as false..

The bible is still changing in its appearance and style of text and old form of languages to new form.eg In KJV it is written Thou for You, Doeth for does, Hath for has etc.. these has been changed to present terminology.

This does not mean the meaning has changed.

Answer 7

The fact that they are having so many denominations, shows that their believes are not unique. Why god send the messages to human kind only before bible was written? Why he does not try to correct the others, who think themselves are good followers but contradict with each others?

I also have lots of questions, which lead to more confusion if argued logically. (Yes, if something is true, it should be able to be proved logically.)

Answer 8

The Bible has not been changed at all - people have brought out their own bibles out, such as the mormons and the jehovah witnesses, but the truth is God's Word the Bible, endures for ever.
If you wish to know more about God, go to
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/seeking_reality

Answer 9

Keep in mind that the 4 gospels were just the most popular interpretation of Jesus' message - it's what people wanted to believe and everything else (e.g. Nag Hammadhi scriptures) were dismissed and/or branded as heresy. Paul (Saul of Tarsus) took it upon himself to decide matters of theology (albeit, by also talking to the apostles) and his stuff made it in (with his letters to the early christian communities).

Answer 10

to your first question the christians are followers of christ. he is the one who governs and restricis the church. christ did not form a church but he formed a group called his disciples and they are the ones who formed the churches.and the disciples spread what was told to spread ( bout God and Christ ) and obviously this gay 'church' excluded everything that they practiced as a sin because they knew that it was wrong thogh they realise that what they do is wrong they try to hide it from eyes of God that's what i think.