ECT Building your understanding of God's word
- Thread starter Jacob
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achduke
Active member
Pray to God and ask that in the name of his Son that he sends you the holy spirit to guide you through the scripture.
Yep; that must be it... must be why so many who do just that, end up at odds with one another; even drastically, at times.
Question: Man eventually settled on those basic laws, principle, or rules of thumb, behind how intended meaning is communicated through words - who, what, when, where, why, and how.
Where did those come from for man to codify them?
They are innate - one of the many endowments our Creator has endowed us with in Adam.
Why? That Who - God - might communicate - Who - His - What - intended sense - to Who - He might by How He used said Words Where, and When He did.
1 Corinthians 2:
11. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Scripture is the mind of Christ on all issues. "As it is written" is the means by which God has revealed His will unto our spirit - through Scripture's Words - Words by which the Holy Ghost teacheth they that are spiritual the spiritual things of God revealed by Him in His Word; which is how they are spiritually discerned - from His Spirit through His Written Word to our spirit through time in His Word.
They that are spiritual are those who ask "What has the Spirit said on this, or that issue through His Word?"
Answer - 2 Timothy 3's:
16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17. That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
John 6:
63. It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
This is not Rocket science... but superstitious notions make it so...
The Holy Spirit, yes. The scriptures, yes. Study tools, yes.
What are we supposed to do with the content of scripture? How can we have a good understanding of what the Bible says?
What are some helpful ways a person can build their understanding of God's word?
What would be your answer to those questions?
When I think about it now, I think about different views of scripture. The views I am thinking of all say the Bible is the word of God.
So my question has to do with just looking at scripture, and where to start building an understanding.
For example, one should study the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. We can study God's covenants with man. We can study God's commands. We can study Christian growth and spiritual maturity.
Does the question make more sense now?
achduke
Active member
1 John 2:27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
I cross reference multiple sets of commentaries at the same time.
Some people use commentaries, and some people use no commentaries.
It is because I will be very careful about my own opinions if I found myself deviated from the what most commentators would like to say. Of course, I have to rely more on God in the various situations than just the commentaries.
1 John 2:
19. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
If what people assert this unction is, is correct; how was it John's readers knew not those who went from them were not of them until they went from them?
20. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
21. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
What "unction" or "anointing" is that? The "truth" that Jesus is the Christ.
22. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
23. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
24. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
25. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
26. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
27. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
28. And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
29. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
These things have I written unto you concerning them that [would attempt to] seduce you.
But, as you well know, that the anointing - the teaching; the word - which you have received from him - which ye have heard from Him - abides in you, and as a result, you do not need that anyone teach you to abide in him.
That is straight out of John 8:
27. They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.
28. Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
29. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
30. As he spake these words, many believed on him.
31. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
The truth of this teaching which you have received from him itself teaches you that he abides in you, this is true; it is not a lie, and this fact should teach you to abide in him.
Someone else greatly misunderstood as to this in his own application of same is the Apostle Paul in Romans 1:
11. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;
12. That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
In his case, there, he relates that this "spiritual gift" had the ability to establish them in the same faith that Paul had in common with them.
And what this "spiritual gift" was, in that case, Paul's writing unto them.
Absent of his having been able to have been there to preach these aspects of the gospel of Christ to them in person; that he might have some fruit among them as to this truths as he had had among other Gentiles, he sends this "spiritual gift" to them in the form of this letter to them, instead.
11. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;
12. That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
13. Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.
And off he goes into the sixteen glorious chapters this "spiritual gift" was....
14. I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
15. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
16. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every
one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
And so on...
Note how the end Romans is very similar to what John asserted as to why he had written unto his readers - Romans 15:
13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
14. And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
15. Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God,
16. That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.
Later, just before sending this amazing document to them; he once more makes mention of this "spiritual gift" and its "power" not only "unto salvation to every one that believeth," Rom. 1:16, but its equal power as follows also - Romans 16:
25. Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world
began,
26. But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
27. To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.
This is the sense of the "anointing" that John has in mind - the gospel of God concerning His Son - the gospel of Christ - the word of Christ itself; be it theirs [the Prophesied Grace of Hebrews thru Revelation] or ours [that Mystery Grace of Romans thru Philemon].
heir
TOL Subscriber
Consider what Paul says
2 Timothy 2:7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
HisServant
New member
Research as much of the 1st century culture and context of the way Jesus and the Apostles thought and viewed the world.. and of the issues that they were speaking to.
heir
TOL Subscriber
Why? Do you read or speak Greek and Hebrew?
Why? They could be wrong.
You can't "do" it.
When does believing that which is written, come in?
HisServant
New member
Well it wasn't written in English... all English translations are some committees best guess as to what the Greek and Hebrew meant.
There are benefits to using commentaries. I am glad I read the Bible before ever looking at any commentary.
I don't bother with commentaries. I have the assertion of 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that Scripture is all I need.
That, and the basic question who, what, when, where, why, and how in light of scope and context as determined by the Word itself if I'll but approach it in faith. In other words; believing in actual practice, that 2 Timothy 3:16-17 is true.
Matthew 4:
3. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
2 Corinthians 4:
13. We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
14. Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
Its taken me longer to get to know its terrain; but learn it well it has taught me, and continues to.
Whereas the commentaries of men are too much of "perhaps this, maybe that..." when they mention some difficulty, that is.
For, often they ignore them.
Why?
Because they study "the Word" supposedly.
In other words, in one another's commentaries!
Of course Paul was writing to Timothy.