Honest question about the Bible?

Question

I would just like to know why people want to say they follow the word of God (the Bible), but pick and choose what they want to follow and acknowledge. Everyone knows the "don't steal", don't murder", "don't covet thy neighbor's wife", however the Bible states other things that don't go with today's society, such as women will not teach and that they will do their husband's will. What about all of those? I just want to know if you take it as strictly what God says and you choose not to follow or if you think that some of the things God meant got miscontrued?

MAN! I love this question. I'm getting a lot of good answers. This is the problem that I had with the Bible. I never sat down to study it and you guys are making a lot of sense. Since havnig my son, I've been battleling with this issue for awhile and thought I'd ask the question here. No Magi2000 I'm not a feminist and actually my husband does have the final say in a lot of things, so don't make an assumption because of a question. It really is an honest question and just want some guidance. Thank you everyone else!

Answer 1

If you think that "Don't covet thy neighbor's wife" goes with today's society, I want to know where you live so I can move there, too. But, back to your question.

Almost no Christians believe that all of the Bible applies now. Otherwise, we'd be giving back the land every 50 years to its original owner and sacrificing cows on an altar. We believe that the coming of Jesus changed the rules, that the rules had served their purpose and were dissolved.

Many, maybe most, Christians don't believe that even all of the New Testament applies to us--not because times have changed, but because we disbelieve in certain sections of it. For example, some "letters of Paul" weren't written by him. If the person claimed to be Paul in the letter, that was a lie, and those teachings do not have the same weight as other teachings. We also see verses that were spoken to one person or a group of people and do not know whether they were meant for everyone who came after. "Come out of the boat" was said to Peter and he walked on water to Jesus. No Christian thinks that the command applies to us. "Sell all you have and give it to the poor" was said to a rich young man, and Christians are still arguing about the role of wealth and material goods in our lives.

BTW, Bible doesn't say women aren't to teach. AAMOF, widows like me are supposed to teach young wives how to have godly homes, and parents--moms and dads, are to teach their children the faith.

The young woman above is wrong about allowing oral sex. The Bible says not to uncover the nakedness of another. I've never heard of oral with clothes on.

Answer 2

Because you're not reading these scriptures in context. Some laws strictly belonged to just the old covenant like the laws of cleanliness and the laws of eating clean and not eating unclean animals, the laws on sacrificing animals, etc. Those don't apply to us today who are under the new covenant. Jesus himself said in the parable of the wineskins, "You can't put new wine into old wineskins or the wineskins will burst and both will be ruined." That means you can't lay the new covenant on top of the old. The new covenant has freed you from the levitical laws and has it's own set of laws. That is one reason we "pick and choose". And we who study the bible know that some of the scriptures are meant for a certain group of people back in the time they were written such as the other example you quoted about the women having to wear a covering on their heads and not being able to speak at church. If you look alittle deeper, you see that Paul was addressing a certain group of people, the Corinthians and you would know that Corinth had a certain problem back in his day. The women dominated the men. So Paul was addressing that certain problem amongst those people in order to give the men back their place in the church. That scripture wasn't creating another law that women are never to speak at church and must always wear a covering on their heads. Do you understand why it looks to others like we pick and choose?

Answer 3

I appreciate the honest question and I will try to give an honest answer.

No! God did not get anything wrong. He is sovereign and makes no mistakes.

It is fine for women teach children, just not men in a spiritual of pulpit environment. My wife taught our children all 13 grades at home, but she would not venture to teach men at church or ever from the pulpit unless to women only.

My wife does do as I say if I have to or need to SAY! However, the responsibility is to know what is best for my family in accordance with God's will. If I tell her the wrong thing then I am responsible. I am to love her as Christ loved the church and died for it...wow, that is an awesome task! I have failed but she has alwasy done her part...submitting to me when it is called for...and I have failed, and our family has suffered some, but have never led us into sin. That helps.

Many people who claim the name of Chirst do not follow the bible as they should. I would be the first to line up in the having missed the mark group. I claim Christ so I do the best I can to live it, despite my fallen nature and sinful bent. Staying close to God thorugh His Word and my local church helps me to be more real with living my life. It is a real chore at times but I strive for the higher calling of what God has ask of me and my family. I have seen the success of my way and His way. I will take His any day!

Answer 4

Jesus said, if you love me, keep my laws.

He did not say to keep the expanded upon laws of Moses that the leaders of the temples had insisted on "clarifying".

Jesus' laws were simple and still are. THe ten commandments are as true today as they were when first given to the people. Jesus said that if we love one another, we will have already kept the entire 10 commandments. If we do not love one another, we will have broken them.

As for the women will not teach or speak in church etc.
Paul is writing those letters to specific chruches with specific questions. You first need to know the questions asked, before you can truely understand the answer given.

I wish I had the time and room to explain the cultural influences of both the former pagens and the former Jewish believers. They both came from very different backgrounds and Paul had the huge job of bringing them together to worship and fellowship together under one set of rules.

Paul also wrote that we were not to separate ourselves into different groups whom follow the teachings of a man, such as Paul himself, Apollos, Peter etc. But we have still done it, and continue to do so.

I am very thankful that God judges my heart, it is the only thing about me that is pure and acceptable to him. My flesh and the desires of that flesh make me filthy as rags.

Answer 5

Good post! I also like the no sex before marriage deal - and how oral is allowed! How funny is that? I often find a lot of 'religious' people breaking every commandment, then going to church on Sunday, asking God for forgiveness, only to go out and live another week in sin, and return to church on Sunday and start the ritual all over again. Religion today, is a mass mind washing society that wants all your money to give to the church to support the pastors, and their wives luxuries, like big huge homes, and exotic cars. It's a shame, and I'm sure God didn't say anything about taking more than what you actually need.

Answer 6

Who says those things don't apply today?

such as women will not teach
Women are not to teach in churches. This means that women are not to be pastors. There is a very specific reason for this, Men are the head of the species. It really is that simple, thought the feminist in you probably wants to ignore it.


and that they will do their husband's will.
Men have the final say in the descisions of marriage, yes. However, God also commanded, "husbands love your wives just as Christ has loved the church and gave his life for it."; wives are also to be the chief advisor to the husband.
The Bible gives husbands a higher rank, but also requires more from them.


What about all of those? I just want to know if you take it as strictly what God says and you choose not to follow or if you think that some of the things God meant got miscontrued?

Look at our society. Families where the wife follows the Biblical standards (and is subserviant to her husband) have far less, conflict and have a much better chance of surviving over the years.

God's word has been misconstrued over the years, mostly by people like yourself who take small areas out of context.

Answer 7

The society does not negate the truths of Scripture.

1Ti 2:12 And I do not allow a woman to teach nor to exercise authority over a man, but to be in silence.

These passages are speaking of teaching men in an assembly, or being a Pastor. That is the order God prescribed, men are to be the teachers and pastors. Women may teach other women or children, but they may not exercise that kind of authority of men.
I know this is not pc in our society, but God is not pc. He states the way things ought to be within the believing community.

Are you also aware of these verse?

Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly and gave Himself up on its behalf,

Eph 5:28 So, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies, (he loving his wife loves himself),
Eph 5:29 for then no one hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, even as also the Lord the assembly.

Col 3:19 Husbands, love the wives and do not be bitter against them.

1Pe 3:7 Likewise, husbands, dwelling together according to knowledge, as with a weaker vessel, the female, bestowing honor, as truly being co-heirs of the grace of life, not cutting off your prayers.

Gal 3:28 There cannot be Jew nor Greek, there is no slave nor freeman, there is no male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Answer 8

I take the word of God to heart and try not to take it out of context. That's what alot of people do.
Example: Obey your husband...
taken out of context you would think that a woman was her husband's slave, not. We (wifes) are to honor our husbands because they are the head of the house, but, the husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. Now if a man loves his wife in that manner, the wife honors him.
So many things are taken out of context. A piece of advice...read the whole bible not just pieces. Ask questions and listen. But most of all pray for the guidance.

Answer 9

One thing you must realize is today's society does not follow God's Word. Lip service barely. 1John 5:19 points out "the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.(Satan)" Most of the so-called "Christian" religions are false. Therefore they pick and choose what they use and deny the rest, trying to fit pagan beliefs in with Christian concepts making the result useless. They "have a form of devotion but prove false to its power and from these turn away." (2Tim. 3:5)

True Christians know God is organized in everything including Christian teachings. As a Navy wife, you understand organization especially with kids. The husband is away for months and you must handle everything. The kids must be in subjection to you as head of the family in your husbands absence. This is following the Bible counsel.

In the Christian congregation, all are ministers. There are elders who take the lead. Helping them are ministerial servants. (Their responsibilities are listed in 1Tim. ch. 3) They all work to guide the congregation in the way Jesus directed. The congregation is made up of families.

The family is headed by husbands with wives helping them and children in subjection to both.

The Bible says "all scripture is inspired from God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight." (2Tim. 3:16) We are told to not "fight about words, a thing useless....Do your utmost to present yourselves approved by God...handling the word of the truth aright." (2Tim. 2:14-15)

Answer 10

man wrote the Bible not God himself.end of story.