When did the Bible become the guideline for Christianity? How do we know that the Bible isn't just a scam, and that it hasn't been manipulated by man?
I do believe in God, but I'm just not so sure about the Bible. Was it really God, or just man trying to get people to behave? And aren't the guidelines in the Bible just common sense?
2007-09-27 12:17:08 · 17 answers · asked by Mo 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Jeremiah, how do u know that the Bible is the Word of God?
2007-09-27 12:29:02 · update #1
Hello,
This is a good question.
I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses & have proved to myself that the Bible is indeed God's Word. I wasn't raised a JW but after studying the scriptures I can only come to the conclusion that they are 'inspired of God'
2 Timothy 3:16,17
A lot of people will tell you negative things about it but most people that mock the Bible usually haven't actually studied it or even read it in some cases which is narrow-minded.
There are several lines of reasoning that proves the authenticity of the Bible.
Briefly:- Archaeology confirms the Bible, it's historically accurate. The laws given to the Israelites were for the benefit of them. Sanitation & health laws were given at a time when people didn't know about such health issues. Though it doesn't claim to be a science book, where it does touch on scientific issues it is totally accurate in every detail. It contains prophecy that happened in accurate detail sometimes hundreds of years after being told. It foretells events that we're experiencing right now & contains prophecy for our future.
This is a brief overview of some of what the Bible contains. If you'd like me to elaborate on any of these subjects (or any other) don't hesitate to email me.
The fact that you ask such a good question shows that you're conscious of your spiritual need. Jesus said in Matthew 5:3 that being conscious of this need brings happiness. It's how you fill this need that's important and proving the Bible to yourself is an excellent start.
If what I'm saying could be true, surely it's worth at least examining isn't it?
Best regards
2007-10-01 00:59:50 · answer #1 · answered by New ♥ System ♥ Lady 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Bible became the guideline for Christianity when it was formed the first Pentecost after the death of Jesus. The apostle Paul said it was useful to furnish every good work and make one complete.
If the Bible were to be proven to be a scam, it would have been written by psychics hundreds and thousands of years before scientists found some of the things it speaks about. The book of Job told things that scientists have recently found and Job was one of the first books written down. For all those years scientists had said the Bible was untrue only to have to say they were mistaken after these things were a proven fact.
I could go on and on............ I place my future and my hope in the Bible. If I am wrong, I have had a happy life living the Christian life so I will not feel I failed. If I am right, what do you think I will think then? Excellence Supreme will be mine.
2007-09-27 12:29:34 · answer #2 · answered by mesquiteskeetr 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
How do we know that the Bible isn't just a scam, and that it hasn't been manipulated by man?
That's the point. It is just a scam and has been manipulated by man. You're on the right track, keep thinking along those lines and you'll loose all delusion.
2007-09-27 12:22:20 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
the Bible was written by 40 different men over a period of about 1,600 years. these 40 different men didn't all know each other or did they read each others writings but everything agrees in the bible. if 40 people that knew each other today wrote about a event that happened on the news I'm pretty shore that not everyone would agree and probably they would contradict each other. the only way that a book can be written that is the size of the bible that doesn't contradict it self can only be written by one author God.
2007-09-27 12:30:38 · answer #4 · answered by 777 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The Bible is the word of God in the words of men.
The Bible was written by many, many different human authors over a period of approximately 1500 years. These human authors were inspired by God, that is, God breathed ideas into them, which He wanted expressed, and they expressed these ideas in their own way. It was not their intention to write a book that would be entered into "The Bible," as we know it. The whole thrust was to preserve the traditions of how God dealt with His people.
Since the Bible is not one book, but a library of books, there are many different kinds of writing in these books, e.g., prose, proverbs, parables, prophecy, prayers, poetry, (narrative hymns), legends, legal documents, letters, sermons, songs, stories, etc. This is called Literary Form.
In order to be able to understand a passage of the Bible one must be aware of:
1. In what form it was written, e.g., prose, poetry, history, etc. (Literary Form)
2. Why it was written.
3. When it was written.
4. What is the whole book about?
5. What is the meaning of each word?
How does it fit in with other parts of the Bible on the same subject?
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.
Exegesis (interpretation) is the science whereby scholars determine the correct interpretation of the text. The Bible is unique, for it is the word of God coming to us in the words of men. Therefore, biblical exegesis demands that we find out what both the human author and the Holy Spirit are trying to say.
True exegesis is Fides quaerens intellectum, which means that faith seeks understanding. So the seeker must approach the Word from the point of faith and love, for the inspired writers communicated the Word in the language of faith and love. To refuse to do this is to have the Bible remain closed to us, even if we can write a literary analysis of every book in it.
The advantages of the Catholic approach are two: First, the inspiration is really proved, not just "felt." Second, the main fact behind the proof—the reality of an infallible, teaching Church—leads one naturally to an answer to the problem that troubled the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:30-31): How is one to know which interpretations are correct? The same Church that authenticates the Bible, that attests to its inspiration, is the authority established by Christ to interpret his word.
Sources:
scborromeo.org
.
Catechism of the Catholic Church
Frances Hogan
Can you trust the Bible?
catholic.com/library
2007-09-27 12:21:45 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
the Holy Spirit is the guideline for Christianity not only the Bible because there are other books in the church do guideline.
2007-09-27 12:37:57 · answer #6 · answered by Mosa A 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I do not necessarily believe in the Bible either. I am not even very familiar with it, but I believe in God. To me, one has nothing to do with the other. God is a higher power, I do not need a book to tell me he is there and what he believes.
2007-09-27 12:23:56 · answer #7 · answered by mrr86 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure that all of it is completely legit as it stands, but the part about the ministry and sacrifice of Jesus is essential, even crucial, to Christianity. The other stuff before it (I'm fond of Genesis, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Isaiah) was important for historical context and to tell what people knew about Jesus prior to His coming.
2007-09-27 12:23:19 · answer #8 · answered by Lacey 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you don't believe in the Bible (the word of God) then how do you know God?
2007-09-27 12:20:56 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
I kinda agree with you. I feel like man did change some stuff around in there. I believe in God also. The bible... sort of. Not sure though.
2007-09-27 12:20:46 · answer #10 · answered by SearchingLife 3 · 1⤊ 3⤋