Why does Christian doctrine need to be "explained" if it lines up with Holy Spirit and scripture?

Question

Honestly.... when I first became a believer, I needed clarification on some things, because they did not line up with the Bible or the Spirit.

Like: Why do you look for verses in the Bible that tell us NOT to follow the Bible? (Hello, PAULISTS and all grace abusers)

Why is one sin is the same as any other? When the Bible says "he is guilty of a WORSE sin"

Where does it tell you to follow 9 commandments (goodbye, Sabbath!) or to CHANGE the day?

Why if we are "dead to the law" does the preacher ask for tithes? Its in the OT. And its for farmers. NEVER talks of giving money.

Where did Christmas or Easter come from?

So, sin is ok, cuz of grace. Its all paid for. But don''t sin. If you do, its ok and its paid for. But don't. You will, but try not to. ok? Ok.

So, whats up with Christian doctrine?

I believe the BIBLE, not teachings of men.

Capnarlo, that was undoubtedly the WORST answer I have EVER seen.

ally Tommieca, THAT is the worst answer I've ever seen.

Yes single eye. My gift is discernment of spirits, 1 Cor 14.

Answer 1

"in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" - jesus, in mathew 15:9

see also isaiah 29:13; ezekiel 33:31; etc, etc, etc,

Answer 2

Jesus spoke in parables (stories w/deeper meaning) to get across to people, and w/ the help of our pastors/bible study we can come to understand the deeper meaning.
I don't believe I've ever looked for scripture telling me NOT to follow God's word.
God's word says SIN is SIN. There are no little sins or Big sins, in God's eyes it's all the same. Now how sin is punished may be a different subject entire.
Last time I counted there were 10 commandments.
The preacher doesn't ask for tithes, we are to give 10% of what we have to God. For some that may mean in the church plate or it may mean taking groceries to a poor single mother of three, or buying the kid down the street a new coat for winter.
Christmas is a representation of Jesus's b/day, and Easter Sun. is the day Jesus rose from the dead just as he said he would.
And NO it's not ok to sin just b/cause Jesus said he would forgive us, when your saved...and you sin...you feel guilty, but before I feel I can ask God's forgiveness, I must repent (make right) of my sin.
God Bless & Good Luck.

Answer 3

I don't look for verses in the Bible that tell me not to follow the bible...and I haven't found any anywhere including the writings of Paul. I can certainly see how someone could interpret verses in Paul's books and elsewhere that way but to me that's an error by the interpreter not the author.

I don't believe one sin is the same as any other in terms of the consequences...some sins are clearly worse than others in terms of their impact on the sinner and others and some put greater distance between the person and God. However, all sins carry a common consequence...death. The thing is, I don't think it is my place to judge how God should deal with sin...I don't have the ability to accurately and completely assess the impact of even my own mistakes...but God does and I believe he will judge each of us individually based on the good and bad we contributed to the world.

I follow 10 commandments...but I don't believe the fourth commandment requires me to observe the Sabbath on a specific day of the week. Heck, I have a hard time believing that since God wrote the 10 commandments we haven't lost (or gained) a single day in the calendar making Friday or Sunday the actual "seventh day" (or perhaps more like Wednesday if the calendar is off by a few days!..and if the day is so important, why didn't God explain what to do about leap year? The point as I see it is to take one day in seven to rest and concentrate on your relationship with God instead of your employer/business.

I tithe (and give beyond that), not because I feel bound by the law but because Jesus commands me to give of myself. When the tithing rules were set up, farm products were the primary measure of a person's productivity (on those six days we're supposed to work according to the 4th commandment)...now that measure is money but the intent is the same. When we tithe, we acknowledge that all we have is a blessing from God by offering the first fruits back to him to use for blessing others.

Christmas and Easter seem to have come from a desire to celebrate the two most important events in the life of a Christian...the birth and resurrection of Christ and perhaps a desire to reach out to pagans by allowing them to incorporate their traditions with a celebration of Christ. I've spent a lot of time with God on this one and while he has a problem with some of the things I do (or could do) around the holidays, he doesn't have a problem with my decision to celebrate Christmas with my son as long as we stay focused on him.

Sin is not OK, grace is awesome. I view it a little like a court of law. Courts in many states can hand out the death penalty for murder but when a murderer is willing to plead guilty, make a full confession, and throw him (or her) self on the mercy of the court, most will give him (or her) a life sentence instead of the death penalty. God is grace is similar (though infinite and perfect). If we confess our sins and throw ourselves on his mercy, he sets aside the death penalty...but we still pay a penalty...confessing to murder doesn't get you an acquittal. We pay for our sins in ways we don't even realize (yet?) even after we confess our guilt.

What's up with Christian doctrine...it's doctrine!...it is a code of beliefs created by humans to offer collective comfort to a group of people. Doctrine relieves people of the responsibility for discovering the truth through earnest individual effort. Memorize the rule book and go about your business...as long as you don't break one of these rules, you're fine. This is NOT what God wants from us...he wants us to seek him first in everything...to ask for and then follow his advice every moment of every day. Personally, I think doctrine is a copout...one that unfortunately appeals to people that don't want to be responsible for every action...they want the "but I didn't know that" excuse for every mistake that isn't covered by the doctrine.

Answer 4

I believe in Jesus. The Bible was just the guide that I used to find him. I dont believe in the 10 commandments... Jesus just gave me 2 to follow. As for the sabbath it is Jesus' law he can do what he wants to with it. My church gives Jesus the first day of the week rather than the last. We have learned to give God first in everything. I'm a child of God he doesnt mind the way I worship him as long as it is truthful and spiritual. I know I am right because Jesus blesses me with all kinds of benefits as in this verse.

Psalm 68:19
Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.

Do you get any of these benefits? Huh?

Answer 5

You learned how to tell the difference between the unholy and Holy spirits how?

Addition: If you are still trying to follow o.t. law then you have not yet discerned what holiness is really about.

Answer 6

that's what I am trying to get people to understand! I get tired of all the biblical questions on here by everyone that doesn't understand! I do know that Jesus said that those that have an ear to hear will and those that don't won't hear what the spirit says to the churches. so it's like if you don't understand it 's not meant for you to hear!!!

Answer 7

Seek God with all your heart and his truth will live in your heart. All true things come together in light of the truth of the Bible and the Spirit.

Answer 8

i think that as long as we follow the bible and take it as the word of god, accept jesus as our savior and love god and trust in him, then we are doing what we are supposed to be doing. i love Jesus and i love my brothers and sisters in christ, and i know that when i die i will be in heaven with my savior and all of my loved ones. always trust the bible, not what some person decides to decieve us with. god bless.

Answer 9

Why do you believe ONLY the bible, when the bible makes no claim to be the sole or even the primary authority for the Christian faith?

And since you obviously already believe that which is unbiblical, why would you want to blame the Holy Spirit for your shortcomings?

Here's a lineup for you:

Jesus founded one church. He never founded a bible:
Mat 16:18 And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church ...

Jesus gave power and authority to his church:
Mat 16:19 And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.

Jesus appointed his apostles (and their duly ordained successors) as the rulers of his church:
Act 20:28 Take heed to yourselves and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Romans 13:1-2 Let every soul be subject to higher powers. For there is no power but from God:and those that are ordained of God.

Jesus told them to commemorate his death in a special way, until he comes again:
1Co 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread,
1Co 11:24 And giving thanks, broke and said: Take ye and eat: This is my body, which shall be delivered for you. This do for the commemoration of me.
1Co 11:25 In like manner also the chalice, after he had supped, saying: This chalice is the new testament in my blood. This do ye, as often as you shall drink, for the commemoration of me.
1Co 11:26 For as often as you shall eat this bread and drink the chalice, you shall shew the death of the Lord, until he come.

Jesus told them to teach and to baptize. He never told them to use a bible in order to accomplish it:
Mat 28:18 And Jesus coming, spoke to them, saying: All power is given to me in heaven and in earth.
Mat 28:19 Going therefore, teach ye all nations: baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.

Jesus told them to forgive sins in his name:
Joh 20:22 When he had said this, he breathed on them; and he said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost.
Joh 20:23 Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them: and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.

Luk 24:44 And he said to them: These are the words which I spoke to you while I was yet with you, that all things must needs be fulfilled which are written in the law of Moses and in the prophets and in the psalms, concerning me.
Luk 24:45 Then he opened their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.
Luk 24:46 And he said to them: Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise again from the dead, the third day:
Luk 24:47 And that penance and remission of sins should be preached in his name, unto all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Luk 24:48 And you are witnesses of these things.

Jesus promised never to abandon his church:
Mat 28:20 ... And behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.

Joh 14:16 And I will ask the Father: and he shall give you another Paraclete, that he may abide with you for ever:
Joh 14:17 The spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, nor knoweth him. But you shall know him; because he shall abide with you and shall be in you.
Joh 14:18 I will not leave you orphans: I will come to you.

Jesus promised that the gates of hell would never prevail against his church:
Mat 16:18 And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

The only infallible interpreter of scripture is the church that Jesus personally founded, authorized, empowered, and eternally guaranteed:
1Ti 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Jesus assigned the the Holy Spirit to guide his authentic church ... not necessarily to anyone who merely claims to be a Christain:
Joh 14:26 But the Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring all things to your mind, whatsoever I shall have said to you.

Church tradition is wholly responsible for the scriptures, as well as every authentic Christian doctrine and practice:
2Th 2:15 (2:14) Therefore, brethren, stand fast: and hold the traditions, which you have learned, whether by word or by our epistle.

The entire body of church tradition (whether written or oral) provides the only true context in which all the scriptures (as well as the Christian faith itself) are to be correctly understood and interpreted:
2Pe 1:19 And we have the more firm prophetical word: whereunto you do well to attend, as to a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts.
2Pe 1:20 Understanding this first: That no prophecy of scripture is made by private interpretation.
2Pe 1:21 For prophecy came not by the will of man at any time: but the holy men of God spoke, inspired by the Holy Ghost.