How do you think the word of God functioned before the Bible?

Question

I see questions over and over again by christians asking people of other sects how they can do what they are doing if the bible didnt say to do it. How do you guys think people believed and worshiped God during Biblical times when there was no Bible? Do you think only the people in the Biblical areas ever had the ability to follow the church of God? I just dont get why you think if it isnt in the Bible there is no possible way it can be right when the Bible isnt as old as the earth and most people couldnt read and write to see other prophetic teachings of those times.

Plus, isnt it possible that your interpretation of the Bible can be wrong? How does quoting the Bible really prove your point if I can turn around with my own interpretation for whatever scripture you are quoting me?

Answer 1

What people do best is rationalize. Whatever a person wants to believe they will rationalize it to suit their desire. What people most desire is purpose, order, security and identity.
The Bible, to me, is used as a tool to achieve the desire. But I could be wrong. Just my rationalization.

Answer 2

If you believe that God is The perfect Supreme Being. Then you must accept that His word could only be preserved the way He intended it to. Otherwise God would have made a mistake by trusting the wrong people to interprate His word. The the whole concepte of a flawless God is inaccurate.

So it can't be. The Bible is exactly the way God intended it to be. Now modern translations need to be challenged and scrutinized for the true meaning. This is why we have over 300 different brands of Christianity.

My advice is; if you attend a church that practices things contrary to the teachings in the Bible or doesn't practice things that are set forth to practice, find another church that does. There isn't ONE church that is 100% compliant, but there are a lot of churches that are just plain wrong. If you seek the Truth you will find it. If you seek the Holy Spirit, He will find you.

Answer 3

As someone has already said it was propagated by word of mouth.

As time passed the memories began to fail and the word started to get diluted, just like an event that occurs today and after sometime there are many versions of the same event. That is when God decided to have it in writing.

There are really few instances where Bible may be difficult to interpret but if one follows the principle of comparing one text with another that difficulty is easily taken care of.

Answer 4

God spoke directly to the people. He came down from Heaven and walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the garden. He spoke directly to moses, noah, ect. Thats how. To answer the first part of your question. The Bible was written for believers, to show them the way of Salvation, to give them examples of wrongs and rights in the eyes of God. And as a believer our walk with the Lord Jesus Christ is based on these things that we believe are the Holy Words of God the Father, and Jesus Christ the Saviour. The Holy Spirit was sent for us believers to lead us into all truths, and lead us in the right direction. We believe the Holy Bible to be the only Word of Truth that exist, If we didn't we wouldn't be believers. The fact that others chose to not follow the Holy Scriptures and walk out side of the Plan of God, well its their soul that they are playing with. I am not saying they are wrong, But I will say I believe I am right, and no one will ever make me believe any different, because its not just the Holy Bible, its whats living inside us, its what we feel in our hearts, and see in our daily lives that makes the difference.

Answer 5

They kept an oral tradition by what I understand . The times before the campfires they would tell of the stories that we tell in the Bible. Moses, who was trained in writing by the Egyptians, wrote those stories down.

It is possible that the scriptures are wrong. Yet time and time again, God proves them right. So I find it both not likely and strange that there would be scripture that is supported by God even though it might not be true.

You see, the Old Testament supports things in the New Testament. And the New Testament tells me that God with pour His Spirit out on those who trust Him. This is called Baptism of the Spirit. When God baptized me, I became aware of several things, one of them was that God gave me understanding as I put my trust in Him and that He revealed what was in the Old Testament by unfolding them in the New Testament. They are not exclusive from each other.

So I am saying that proper interpretation comes from the Holy Spirit, and He reveals things to us so that we can understand what the scriptures mean. And with study - time applied to understanding, God edifies His church with understanding.

You can interpret the scriptures however you want to, but God only can bring the value of the understanding to whoever He wants to, and He doesn't want everybody.

Answer 6

Up until the beginning of the last century most people could not read anyway. They depended on the spoken word from priests or other church officials. The great art in the churches of the world were pictorial lessons for the masses. So much of it related to personal interpretation.

Answer 7

The people that worshipped God before the bible was in written form, used the Torah. They taught their children. Imagine that... father's teaching faith and a value and belief system.

Answer 8

Yah when there wasn't a bible they relied on the church for answers and most people never really read the bible,just got to church for the hell of it hoping it keeps them out of hell.Where as in SPIRITUAL satanism you are taught to impower youself and to call appon satan and his demons if you really need help.

Answer 9

Thats why god sent his deciples to preform those miracles. Thats why God physically spoke to his deciples, such as Moses, and through them he worked and showed people he was there.

Answer 10

Even better....how do you think it functioned before spell checking?