is the christian bible truly God's word or is really his distorted message?

Question

since the bible has been translated and edited and books have been omitted from it by the catholic church, is it a reliable source of the word of GOD? since God's words were writen down by man, dont man's biases affect how the bible is writen?

there are books that were not included. go to this link and see. http://www.ecmarsh.com/crl/lost_books/index.htm

Answer 1

The "Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation" (Vat. 11, Ch. 3.11) of the Catholic Church says that "all that the inspired, or sacred writers, affirm should be regarded as affirmed by the Holy Spirit, we must acknowledge that the books of Scripture firmly, and without error, teach that truth which God, for the sake of our salvation, wished to be confided to the sacred Scriptures." This is the Church's teaching on the matter after twenty centuries of Christian discernment.

Biblical inerrancy, then, is the Bible's privilege of never teaching error. Does this mean that every statement in the Bible is divine teaching? Of course not. The Bible does not always teach. There are many statements in its various books that are there for historical, geographical, poetic or other reasons. However, whenever a biblical author intends to teach us something, then the Holy Spirit intends that too. Everything that the Bible teaches is without error, but everything in the Bible is not meant as teaching. Each author was left free by the Lord to express himself according to the ideas of his own day. It is the revelation contained in the Scriptures that is important.

There are many accounts in the Bible, which employ a literary device used by Jewish Old and New Testament writers called Midrash. Midrash is the substantive of the Hebrew word darash which means to search, to investigate, to study and, also, to expound on the fruits of the research. The aim of Midrash is to draw from Scripture a lesson for the present.

Midrash could also be defined as a "reflection on Scripture in the light of the actual situation of God's people and of the developments of God's action on its history." It proposes to explain the meaning of Scripture in the light of the later historical experience of God's people. This kind of interpretation often opened the door to embellishments of the sacred accounts, anachronisms, and a freedom in handling and maneuvering the data of tradition that were at times a little too candid and certainly very imaginative.

A good example is the Midrashic story of Noah and the flood. It is the divine message, which is important, (God saves his children from evil) not the literal account of the story.

Grace and peace!

Answer 2

Most of us believe the Bible is inspired by faith. Most of us also don't take the earliest parts literally, but still as inspired by faith. There is some history and some legend, and the history is more accurate the more recent it is. There is also worship, praise and even advice. That's only the Old Testament. The New Testament is a more refined, accurate and closer account, still inspired by God.

There have been needed changes in the Bible as time went on. Some Christians (and Mormons--there's a debate as to whether they should be considered Christian) blindly read the King James' version without even asking why there was a reason to create the Revised Standard version. The two most obvious reasons are that the English language has changed in 400 years, and what was clearly described then is not so clear to a modern reader. The poetry is quite good, and it is still a masterpiece. The RSV updates the clarity by 400 years of evolution of the English language and by more recent study that indicates that colloquial and not formal language was used in the original sources. It made a difference.

You have an odd position. I'm Christian and even I don't consider the Bible to have been literally dictated by God. It isn't like Joseph Smith who claimed to get a pair of magic spectacles with which to read the sacred golden plates. And yet you who are obviously not Christian questions whether man could write down accurately what God has dictated. If you're complaining about inaccuracy, you must believe that there could be an accurate version dictated by God. Even I don't believe that. Inspired, yes. Literally dictated, no.

Answer 3

read the Bible and forget about whats been added or taken away and then use a little common sense and don`t be narrow minded and forget about religions. Anyone can be religious but to be a God fearing Christian is another and you`ll find out how many friends you really have. The Catholics did`nt omit from The Bible, they have eleven (11) more books that the Protestant Bible does.

Answer 4

If God is truly in your heart, then God will lead you to His Word. God wants you to know the Truth. He will show you the Way to the Truth if you will allow Him.

Don't ask questions like that here as this is just another tool that Satan uses to confuse you. Not saying that there are not true Christians here as well for we know that there is a opposite to everything.

I go with the Hebrew and the Greek translations of the Scriptures. That means that I read the word of God in the King James 1611 Bible. I also use a Strong's Concordance to check it out for myself.

Hope you get the message and do the same.><>

Answer 5

Recent findings of Dead Sea Scrolls show just how accurate the current version truly is. Not to diss on my Catholic friends, but the Catholic Bible is not seen by most evangelicals as the true bible - mostly because there have been additions. Revelations 22:18-19 reads: 18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book." That alone gives evidence that anything added afterwards isn't the Word of God.

Answer 6

Since I have started reading the Bible, I have given up drinking, given up smoking, given up drugs, I don't engage in sexually immorality.
I already stopped lying and stealing and hating people because I had been born again according to John Chapter 3, one year before I started reading the Bible.
I am free from fear, free from anxiety, I have continual peace in my heart. I still sin at times, but confess my sin and experience God's immediate forgiveness. I have no fear of death, because I know that God has promised me eternal life. I have courage for anything I have to face in life. God provides for my health, finances, emotional and social needs, and He has taught me how to be kind and gentle and understanding and loving towards others like He has been towards me. I have no doubt the Bible is the word of God, and I have studied it for many years and find no inconsistencies or errors as so many allege. I am not in the least bit jealous over the supposed "blessed ones" on the earth - the movie stars, celebrities, the wealthy, the learned and respected people of the world - because I know I have something so much better than anything this sorry world has to offer.
I have peace with God and the promise of heaven.
I thank God the day I stopped leaning on my own understanding and started believing the Word of the Living God - the Bible.

Answer 7

this is the best question I have read. I do not think the bible is the word of god, or even his distorted message. I think it's a book edited and distorted to keep the ignorant masses under control. i could write a new bible and say that god told me to do it.

yes someone's beliefs and biases would shape the context of their writings.

after all, it's not like god has a typewriter and a printer

Answer 8

In Titus 1:14 it says to pay no attention to Jewish Myths or those that reject the Truth.

This is a direct allusion to Creationists and all the others who would put ancient dogma above commonsense community college science and logic 1A.

If you wouldn't reject everything your earthly father told you because he told you about Santa Claus when you were little why would you treat your father in heaven with the same disrespect?

Answer 9

You have something wrong there in your post. No books were omitted by the Catholic Church. They were omitted by the Protestant Church. Catholic bibles have 73 books ,Protestant bibles have 66.

Answer 10

It is unfortunately distorted and full of Chinese whispers so to speak. Story's that have grown bigger than Ben Hur. It was written back when people had little knowledge and times were with out a doubt very different. The bible should not change as its an old book, but peoples attitude should change with the times definitely. How can such an old book address issues of today..... It cant!!!!