When we strive to hear God’s Word, when we seek to know God’s Law, when we search to apprehend God’s Will, Scripture is always sufficient. Scripture alone is sufficient. Teachings of men, for all their eloquence and possible passion, are always insufficient.
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” - 2 Timothy 3:16
During my lifetime, America has thoroughly strayed from reading the Bible. While watching so many old movies from the 1930s and 40s, I am repeatedly reminded that the fabric of our society used to be based on a communal reverence for and knowledge of Scripture. We need to get back to that. Decency, respect for life, love of God, and many other crucial social virtues are based on Scripture. Bless you, Peter, for chastening people to return to reading the Bible.
After thousands of years of Biblical scholars trying to determine the one, true understanding, and trying to formulate a doctrine and dogma that all people can agree upon, I guess it’s not going to happen. God has made each one of us unique, and so our unique minds will each interpret Scripture as we need to hear it at that time in our lives. God gives us individual guidance through His Word, as we seek it. But the guidance will be in accordance with Scripture. Turn to the Bible in faith, and God will speak to you!
Peter, I am always here for you. May God fill you with His love and blessings!
Our challenge is always separating what the pastor in the pulpit says from what the Word of God says—and to remember that only the Word of God carries any authority.
What everyone does well to remember is that we can see in the world around us, and across the whole of human history, how well human authority has worked out. It hasn't worked out at all well.
Human authority, in all its forms, remains by far the leading cause of human death and human suffering in the world. Human authority, in all its forms, has always been the leading cause of human death and human suffering in the world. History proves that. The nightly news proves that.
Scripture warns us of this (1 Samuel 8:10-18), and warns us also that God will not save us from the evils of human authority, for we do this to ourselves.
If we want to limit human death and human suffering in the world, the first thing we must do is limit human authority. We must limit that authority among politicians, among priests and pastors, and among anyone else who seeks to exercise dominion over us.
We can begin to limit human authority by turning back to God, who has all authority. We turn back to God when we turn to Scripture, to the Word of God, and not to what men say about the Word of God.
Rightly or wrongly, for better or worse, I believe this to be true.
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” - 2 Timothy 3:16
During my lifetime, America has thoroughly strayed from reading the Bible. While watching so many old movies from the 1930s and 40s, I am repeatedly reminded that the fabric of our society used to be based on a communal reverence for and knowledge of Scripture. We need to get back to that. Decency, respect for life, love of God, and many other crucial social virtues are based on Scripture. Bless you, Peter, for chastening people to return to reading the Bible.
After thousands of years of Biblical scholars trying to determine the one, true understanding, and trying to formulate a doctrine and dogma that all people can agree upon, I guess it’s not going to happen. God has made each one of us unique, and so our unique minds will each interpret Scripture as we need to hear it at that time in our lives. God gives us individual guidance through His Word, as we seek it. But the guidance will be in accordance with Scripture. Turn to the Bible in faith, and God will speak to you!
Peter, I am always here for you. May God fill you with His love and blessings!
Our challenge is always separating what the pastor in the pulpit says from what the Word of God says—and to remember that only the Word of God carries any authority.
What everyone does well to remember is that we can see in the world around us, and across the whole of human history, how well human authority has worked out. It hasn't worked out at all well.
Human authority, in all its forms, remains by far the leading cause of human death and human suffering in the world. Human authority, in all its forms, has always been the leading cause of human death and human suffering in the world. History proves that. The nightly news proves that.
Scripture warns us of this (1 Samuel 8:10-18), and warns us also that God will not save us from the evils of human authority, for we do this to ourselves.
If we want to limit human death and human suffering in the world, the first thing we must do is limit human authority. We must limit that authority among politicians, among priests and pastors, and among anyone else who seeks to exercise dominion over us.
We can begin to limit human authority by turning back to God, who has all authority. We turn back to God when we turn to Scripture, to the Word of God, and not to what men say about the Word of God.
Rightly or wrongly, for better or worse, I believe this to be true.
Wise, and well stated, Peter!