Can individuals read and understand the Bible alone, or do they need an organization?

Answer 1

Oh, no... definitely... you need an organized bunch of liars... or at least, someone who was formerly victimized by those liars... to 'understand' the bible. If you read it yourself, with a rational mind, you will recognize it for what it actually is... the myths, superstitions, fairy tales and fantastical delusions of a gaggle of ignorant Bronze Age fishermen and wandering, marauding goat-herders.

"Those of you who think that the bible means exactly what it says are OBVIOUSLY misinterpreting it, since you are not possessed of the 'Secret Magical Decoder Ring'... or... scratch that... I mean you are not possessed of the 'Holy Spirit'." ~ DuckPhup

Answer 2

Some parts of the Bible are a little intimidating, so it's usually easier to start reading in the New Testament. Some people have a better understanding than others. Some times you just need to stop and think about what you're reading for awhile The Bible is kind of like Shakespeare with secret meanings and messages. If you still don't understand find someone that does, like a pastor or friend.

Answer 3

I love to read Psalms and Proverbs and Romans a lot. These I get strength From and Much Wisdom, that I pray for. >> For the Stories in the Bible, I Love to study from a Group Of Bible Scholars who "know' the Bible and Back up what they are teaching By Scripture Verses. I Like to remember that God Left Us the Bible for A ROAD MAP. What would we ever do without It? He wrote it in Such A way, We Can Understand It "alone", * Because He Speaks to us Through out the Entire Book. (smile)

Answer 4

If you think it is bad now you should try bible school, college, or seminary. The issues are mind boggling and the arguements and disagreements endless. After taking a course in Inductive bible study I learned to be really good at spotting proof-texting. this means twisting the scriptures to make them fit a pre-determined doctrine. the next thing I noticed was that every single preacher, pastor, minister, or evangelist does it. Believe me, it is evil. My salvation from this masochistic nightmare was to learn to tell the difference between thoughts inspired by an unholy spirit from The Holy Spirit. Not the path most people choose, but the results were well worth it.

Answer 5

Yes, with your heart and God's help.

Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart

Sara, you can read the entire Bible and even memorize parts of it, but if you don't pray and ask for God's help in understanding his word, and search for him with all your heart, its just ink on a page. If you are sincere with your question, I would suggest buying a Bible Version that is in modern english and easy for you to read and understand.

Our church (and I'm sure many other churches) give away FREE Gospels of John in shirt pocket sized booklets. Why? Because John is simple, straightforward and profound; and a lot of new Christians consider it relatively easy to understand.

Answer 6

People can understand it on their own, but an organization such as church isn't only for learning the Bible. It's for worship and fellowship with other Christians to help and encourage in your walk. Satan's greatest attack is making us think we're alone. Organizations and fellowship with other Christians helps knock out that lie and see that we're not alone and other know what we're going through and be a great support.

Answer 7

No. They need the Holy Ghost.

2 Peter 1:20
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2 Peter 1:19-21 (in Context) 2 Peter 1 (Whole Chapter)

2 Peter 1:19-27 (King James Version)
King James Version (KJV)

19We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

20Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

21For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Answer 8

well, individuals can read and understand the bible alone, but there r some things not every body understands, like the revelation... many preachers dont preach it because either it is confuseing (to them) or they just dont want to preach it because it is rather long this is called the preaching of the (three angles message) it is a very important message and many preachers dont preach it!!!! it has a lot of symbolism in it and the only way u could understand it is if u read (and understand ) the book of James, mathew, Romans...etc an some others because it refers back to those books....my dad preches it and also so does my paster (dad is a preacher but not paster of the church)......but other that that yes...depending on the person...

Answer 9

The idea that all revealed truth is to be found in "66 books" is not only not in Scripture, it is contradicted by Scripture (1 Corinthians 11:2, 2 Thessalonians 2:15, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 1 Timothy 3:15, 2 Peter 1:20-21, 2 Peter 3:16). It is a concept unheard of in the Old Testament, where the authority of those who sat on the Chair of Moses (Matthew 23:2-3) existed. In addition to this, for 400 years, there was no defined canon of "Sacred Scripture" aside from the Old Testament; there was no "New Testament"; there was only Tradition and non-canonical books and letters. Once Scripture was defined from the many competing books, Bibles were hand-copied and decorated by monks, were rare and precious, so precious they had to be chained down in the churches so that they would not be stolen.

In the 16th c., Luther, reacting to serious abuses and clerical corruption in the Latin Church, to his own heretical theological vision (see articles on sola scriptura and sola fide), and, frankly, to his own inner demons, removed those books from the canon that lent support to orthodox doctrine, relegating them to an appendix. Removed in this way were books that supported such things as prayers for the dead (Tobit 12:12; 2 Maccabees 12:39-45), Purgatory (Wisdom 3:1-7), intercession of dead saints (2 Maccabees 15:14), and intercession of angels as intermediaries (Tobit 12:12-15).


Protestants claim the Bible is the only rule of faith, meaning that it contains all of the material one needs for theology and that this material is sufficiently clear that one does not need apostolic tradition or the Church’s magisterium (teaching authority) to help one understand it. In the Protestant view, the whole of Christian truth is found within the Bible’s pages. Anything extraneous to the Bible is simply non-authoritative, unnecessary, or wrong—and may well hinder one in coming to God.

Catholics, on the other hand, recognize that the Bible does not endorse this view and that, in fact, it is repudiated in Scripture. The true "rule of faith"—as expressed in the Bible itself—is Scripture plus apostolic tradition, as manifested in the living teaching authority of the Catholic Church, to which were entrusted the oral teachings of Jesus and the apostles, along with the authority to interpret Scripture correctly

Answer 10

It is better to read the Bible in quiet by yourself.with God Everyone sees the bibles words differently,What one sentence means to one the Holy Spirit shows you in your heart what it means for you.No one can understand the Bible and no one can understand God because they are two awesome to comprehend with our minds.Baby steps is your answer.Jesus said unless you become like this little child you can not enter the Kingdom of heaven

Answer 11

Different organizations put their own spin on the bible. And the bible is a collection of works that contradict each other in many ways.

Don't do onto others what you don't want done onto you. Everything else is commentary.