Prentis,
As a side note... I think we have encountered each other before on other message boards, no?
I have underlined a few points in your quotes above that I want to address. It is good that you don't believe the Bible has error. I thank you and God for you making that clear. The second thing I underlined is you saying, "I see in the Bible contradictions...." Let me say this: I can deal with with that statement. That is a different statement than, "there are contradictions in the Bible". I take every word seriously, whether it's in the Bible or something someone else writes. I don't have a problem with you "seeing" contradictions. By that statement, you are admitting that you are to blame (bear with me on that). You are not saying the Bible has contradictions, but you see some things as being contradictory.
This is the true spirit I started this thread. I don't know if I can clear up any contradiction you see. I don't know if anyone else can either. I am asking that you give us a chance. If nothing else, what can conversation result to? Either a changing of your mind (or mine), a new set of questions to study, or a stronger resolve in your stance. In any way, it'll be beneficial.
The Third thing I underlined is this: "The Bible is not God itself". Prentis, I can't speak for others, but I never claimed it to be. I do reject the notion that we are trying to replace Jesus with a book. But that book contains the testimony of Jesus Christ. It's the only source that tells what he did and what his doctrine was. You are correct in that it is a tool. I like to call it the rulebook or handbook of our walk in him. It's the owner's manual.
I read over and over about people who didn't use the Bible to find Jesus? I ask you this: How do you know what Jesus did? How do you know he died and rose from the dead? Did you learn it from Josephus or Mohommed? Or did you hear it from a witnessing person who actually read the Bible and told you what it said?
No one is trying to replace God with the Bible (a book). Least not I! It is however, what he said, did and thought. All the Apostles and Jesus himself quoted scripture. Jesus pointed to the Bible as proof that he was who he said he was until he died. I know you realize that.... God isn't the Bible, my friend. But what God did is in the Bible and his doctrine is in the Bible.
Have we encountered before? That is very possible. I have been on Christian-Forum.com, where C was well known, but that site has been shut down by hackers. I have been and still am sporadically on BibleForums.net. Ive also been very lightly involved on another site or two. What name would you of had?
I think our understanding of what I mean by contradictions differs :)
God gives different instructions at different times. I speak of this fact, there is a time for everything. One time God says 'have mercy', another time, to take one example, Ananias lies, and that's it, he's dead. There is a place for everything and a time for everything. If you are in one situation, you have a different instruction than in another. And sometimes the difference will not be sensed by our 5 carnal senses, but has to be discerned by the Spirit.
I believe you when you tell me you haven't said the Bible is God. I am merely defending a point some have brought up.
But I wish to bring this further, and this is where I find the stumbling block often is.
We must follow the Spirit, not the Bible. The Bible will be in agreement with it, but we really are following the Spirit. We follow Christ. Paul and Barnabas, He sends to the Gentiles. James, He places as an elder over the church of Jerusalem. Etc, etc. Christianity is not about following a rule book. God wants us to follow HIM. We each have our own cross to carry.
The book is usefull, but it is not God, and without God it actually has no power. God is the one that puts power behind it to start with. It points us to him. The whole point is to become like Christ, and that is impossible with men, but it is possible with GOD. The Bible is beautiful. It is a great tool when the Spirit uses it. It's great to teach and bring up in righteousness. But ultimately it points to God.
Im not saying you disagree with this, just clarifying what I'm saying :)
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I want to add this: Can we make a judgment and say "Now is a time like the time with Ananias. You must die."? Never.
Only God can judge.
So Peter had to be following the Spirit guys. He didn't look up in the scriptures what he needed to do. He was taught of the Lord and the Spirit guided him and executed judgment THROUGH him. It was God's judgment.
That is why we must follow the Spirit; that God might do HIS work through us.
