Protestants, since you believe in a "personal interpretation" of the Bible, how can you tell me mine is wrong?

Answer 1

I knew someone would bring up 2 Peter 1:20. They just don't seem to realize the irony of that verse being used to justify their beliefs. Christians are a funny, if not entirely bright bunch of people.

Answer 2

The Holy Spirit will guide us into the truth. To believe that the Bible would say one thing to one person, and then something different to someone else is a crazy idea.
Often, mistakes in interpretation can occur and that with anyone. The more knowledge you gain, the less likely it could happen.
Read and listen to others with an open mind, but a discerning heart.

Answer 3

Depends on what we're "personally interpretting"....

if it's baptism by full immersion or sprinkling...or pre-destined versus free-will....pre-trib versus post-trib...yes...there's bound to be some areas that two committed believers can look and come to different conclussions.

That's what we call doctrinal differences...has nothing to do with the essentials, which are: who is Jesus, How do you get to Heaven.

Now...on the other hand...to say a person's personal interpretation shows God is in favor of adultry, pornography, child molestation, homosexuality or anything else He has told us is wicked and evil...well...that's when a person can be told......"Sorry...you're about as correct as that baseball player who said we should all run to 3rd base, 2nd base, 1st then home."

Sure..the diamond is there...and the two of us can say "no..you run this way" and I say "no..you gotta run this way." Point is...the rules say "run this way." Aint no alternate-playstyle in the World Series...aint no alternate lovelifestyle in heaven.

Answer 4

They cant

The fruits of Sola Scriptura...

"But when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will teach you all the truth. For He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He will hear he will speak, and the things that are to come He will declare to you." John 16:13

Most non-Catholic sects declare that the Holy Spirit is 'teaching' them the truth. However, there can be only one truth. Since the advent of Sola Scriptura and individual interpretation of Scripture, how can the Holy Spirit be in each of the thousands of sects, teaching all of them opposing viewpoints? It is to be noted that all of the following denominations teach from the same Bible, so why the differences in teaching?

1. How can the Holy Spirit tell the Lutherans the Eucharist is the true presence of Christ, and then tell the Baptists it is only a symbol?

2. How can the Holy Spirit tell the Methodists it is alright to have female ministers, and then tell the Baptists it is unbiblical?

3. How can the Holy Spirit tell the Seventh Day Adventists that Saturday is the day of worship, and then tell the Presbyterians the day of worship is Sunday and not Saturday?

4. How can the Holy Spirit tell the Lutherans that the Blessed Virgin Mary was and remains always virgin, and then tell the Baptists she had other children?

5. How can the Holy Spirit tell the Baptists, 'once saved always saved', and then tell the Church of Christ that Sola Fides is unscriptural?

6. How can the Holy Spirit tell Episcopalians to baptize infants and then tell Pentecostals infant baptism is invalid?

7. How can the Holy Spirit tell Mormons that the Holy Trinity is three separate persons, and then tell Methodists the Trinity is three persons in one GOD?

I could go on and on with the differences between non-Catholic sects, but I think you get the point. It takes only a minimum of common sense to realize that the Holy Spirit could not be speaking to each and everyone of those thousands of non-Catholic sects in the opposing ways of which I have sampled here. However, I was recently reminded that common sense is not so common anymore. It is easy to see that the 'fruits of Sola Scriptura' are not from GOD. There is no 'one fold and one shepherd' in Protestantism. Opposing teachings in these denominations is rampant, all caused by the false doctrine of Sola Scriptura and its accompanying 'individual interpretation' of Holy Scripture. Which, if any, of these sects is being taught all of the truth, as promised by Jesus Christ in John 16:13?

"And we are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom GOD has given to all who obey Him." Acts 5:32

Okay, GOD Himself has thrown down the gauntlet...TO ALL WHO OBEY HIM.
So who obeys the will of GOD? Is it the Lutherans who say the Holy Eucharist is the 'True Presence' of Jesus Christ incarnate, or is it the Baptists who say, 'It is only a symbol'?
Is it those who say we have to worship on Saturday or is it those who say worship on Sunday?
Is it those who say baptize infants or those who say not to?

Answer 5

Faulty premise:

2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

If you are wrong, then you are wrong, regardless of what you think about how others "interpret" Scripture.

.

Answer 6

If your interpretation or my interpretation goes against the original greek or hebrew then yes it is wrong.

Most people do not even check context or study things in depth...

Answer 7

I am not sure what you mean by 'personal' and I don't know what your bible is.

Answer 8

There is only one truth, and the Holy Spirit leads us into it, according to the Bible. There's no way the Holy Spirit would lead someone to the unending list of false doctrines and even the false gospel of the catholic cult.