If "Only a believer can understand the scriptures by the Holy Spirit"?

Question

how can a non-believer become a believer y reading scripture that they can't possibly understand?

see question and answer:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AtoI9dEPbqWp6cP2G0ggkILsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20071112062359AAv3J44

This can't possible an "Emperors New Clothes" scenario, can it?

Answer 1

If that were true then ALL believers would believe the same things and there wouldn't be so many different "flavors" of Christianity.

Answer 2

The Spirit of God is everywhere. When a non-believer reads the Word the Holy Spirit speaks through the Word to the non-believers heart. Depending on what the non-believer is reading there will be different types of responses. If they are reading Job or one of the prophets they might not understand. If they read one of the gospels then the Holy Spirit will convict the reader of their sin if they allow Him to. The gospels are filled with the message of the entire Bible. Salvation of the sinner.

Answer 3

A non-believer becomes a believer by believing that Jesus, who is God, died for our sins on the cross and rose again. That is the Gospel. If you believe the Gospel, you get saved and are given the Holy Spirit to understand the scriptures.

But if you're reading it in unbelief, what do you expect? The Bible says the unbelieving don't understand the things of God (1 Corinthians 3).

Answer 4

The unbeliever cannot become a believer just by reading the Scripture. God has to reveal the truth of Scripture before the unbeliever can believe it.

Answer 5

Prayer, study, and supplication. Once you accept the Word as the true message from God written by men that were moved and inspired by the Holy Spirit, then the message become clear as a bell -- the problem is that it is easier to accept the world as we know it rather than take a chance on faith.

Answer 6

What your answerer was saying was that your wording was not in an effort to understand the nature of the scripture, but only an attempt to sharpshoot a principle that is more complex than one sentence can summerize.

This is an often used tactic, particularly by those whose sole goal is to bash Christianity. As Jesus discusses prayer in Matthew 21:21 for example, it is often portrayed by those who just want to insult Christians that God is your personal genie and if you want to wilt the fig tree or move a mountain - literally - all you have to do is pray for it and bam by magic it happens. While the actual message is of the unbound power of the Holy Spirit and that all things are possible in it, and by living in accordance with the will of God he will meet your wants or needs.

This is not to say that a non-believer cannot understand the scripures, just that you cannot take one line and necessarily understand it completely without understanding the whole. It is the "out of context" defense I guess. So it would be fair to say tha without knowledge of all the scriptures you cannot understand one iscolated piece. Fr example, perhaps the most widely quoted line s John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son and who so ever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life." Alone this means nothing to someone ho does not know anything about Christianity. Someone who heard just this might ask any number of things, such as, "What do you mean God gave his son? Why? How? I've heard we're all children of God, I;ve heard Christians call God "father," but God only has one son? Who is this dude? What do i have to believe? Just that God has this kid out there?...(etc)" As you can see, one line does not make a message.

Another example of this would be if you only read the first paragraph of my answer it would appear I didn't address your question at all. If you read the whole thing I have. Much as if someone who read your questin here, without reading your other question and the answerer's answer wuld have addressed this question in a much different manner than i have

Your answer's incomplete answer was likely due to your history of questions that shows you have little interest in learning what Christians actually believe, but only in trying to insult Christianity as whole, therefore he made a stance to defend his faith, but did not go largely in depth to give an answer he felt you likey would give no attention to anyways since you have already made up your mind.

Moreover, it is not that someone who is a non-believer cannot understand, just that someone who neither believes nor has no interest in fully understanding Christianty (be it for either conversion or academic reasons) can understand.

I do not know if you are just trying to "troll" and rile up Christians or if you actually want to understand Christinity (for academic or spiritual reasons) and have merely been exposed to just enough to become confused. I hope the latter though, as trolling for your entertainment in some areas is little more than mildly annoying and probably innocent amusement for the troller, but just trying to pick on someones religion is not only just mean to the believers, but my also confuse someone who is genuinely trying to learn the faith.


**Please pardon my typos, for some reason the spell checker isn't working for me.

Answer 7

Viewing the Bible as a mere history book is a great obstacle to understanding. History the Bible is, yes. But it is also prophecy, that is, history written in advance. Historical events concerning God’s nation of Israel are really prophetic pictures for our benefit today, just as the Bible says: “For all the things that were written aforetime were written for our instruction, that through our endurance and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope.” And as Christ’s apostle put it concerning the things that happened to the Israelites: “Now these things went on befalling them as examples and they were written for a warning to us upon whom the accomplished ends of the systems of things have arrived.” View the Bible as prophecy and instruction for our day.—Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11, NW.

Answer 8

The Bible does in fact state that any one who is not Spirit filled (born again) cannot correctly interpret the Word of God. Should someone wish to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord Himself will lead that person to someone who can enlighten them.
Jesus Himself said "No man cometh unto Me except the Father in heaven draw him"

Answer 9

The Holy Spirit gives new life to the unbeliever and lives in the unbeliever so that the unbeliever turns from sin to God through faith in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Answer 10

Creation knows its creator..........and the creation longs for Him.......its just that the one who does not believe that.....is an unbeliever of it......and pushes its desire away.........
Doesnt mean the creation still doesnt want the Creator....it just means the creation refuses to hear and do........

And as far as that other Q&A question.....One Must believe to recieve.........with a Real Heart and be willing by Faith to recieve it...............
So if one doesnt believe anyway...how would one even pray to what they dont believe ?........

God knows the heart of man , for He said ," He knows the thoughts and intents of the heart"
God hears the heart...of repentence and sincerity.......in the believer and those who are unsure and what to know......as well.........God calls to all..."All the day long" He says.......
It is written " Behold i stand at the door and knock and if any man open unto me i WILL come in and sup with him and he with Me "
Again He said " Which of you have a hundred sheep , and one missing , would you not leave the ninety and nine to find the One ? "
God didnt come for the righteous , but to the sinner to Repent

God Calls to ALL people, Believer and none believer alike!!
its His will that all come to Repentence...and longs to hear its cry !!
And the Bible goes on to say.......You have the prophets , The Word , and the Witness........and are compassed around greatly by them............SO......
It goes on to say , " Thou are inexcusiable O man"

again even the very creation.....longs for its Creator..........whether you accept it or not......that choice is yours to make....and yours alone !!

Hope that helps some !