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Author
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Topic: Perspective: Certain things need to be understood!
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Michael Harrison
Advanced Member
Member # 6801
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posted
From cover to cover, it is about Jesus; who HE is, and what HE does. It is about discovery. But without a discoverer, He cannot be discovered. And HE wants us to discover, that both HIS, and our joy may be full.
Amen!
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
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Michael Harrison
Advanced Member
Member # 6801
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posted
Ah yes! How to get to know Him. But it involves us. It involves our faith, and understanding, else HE would not have said, "SEEK, and ye shall find." For knowing Him is more than recognizing, but it is interacting. And this doesn't happen when one misinterprets what scripture is relating. And without interaction, where is relationship? And scripture illustrates relationhsip: the way. "For light hath come into the world."
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
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KnowHim
Admin
Member # 1
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posted
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![[Bible]](graemlins/bible.gif)
The entire bible was written about Jesus Christ. It is to inform us of who He is and how to get to know Him. It is not about us.
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Posts: 3276 | From: Charlestown, IN | Registered: Jun 2002
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MentorsRiddle
Advanced Member
Member # 2108
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posted
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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With you I rise,
In you I sleep,
kneeling down I kiss your feet,
Grace abounds upon me now,
I once was lost
but now I'm found.
The gift of God dwells within,
To this love I now give in.
Posts: 1337 | From: Arkansas | Registered: Sep 2003
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Michael Harrison
Advanced Member
Member # 6801
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posted
This comment stems from another conversation. Because it occurs to me that I used to see scripture as written to Christans, but as if it were distinguishing between saint and sinner. We all start that way. However, something new opened up as I realized that the verse is written to the Christian to distinguish between the Christian, and the Christian.
Here is why it is important. If we read it as illustrating the difference between the saint and sinner, the tendency is to think of one's self as if he has already arrived, by comparing with, obviously, the sinner. This is because once one is saved, he thinks that is it. (It is a parable of the talents thing.) However, if one realizes that it is comparing believer to believer, it becomes clear by way of illustration whether one is in the camp that the Apostles are (were) calling them to. Hence we have verses like this:
2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
Walll, why is that important? Because this verse can easily, so very easily be applied to the Christian vs. the unbeliever, but only so if taken out of context. And out of context it would read that if the unbeliever has not Christ, he must be reprobate. So it seems to directly apply. Because the unbeliever is obviously reprobate.
But it takes on new depth, and extremely powerful depth if one reads it as a comparison from believer to believer. And to see it in context one only has to read the verse just before it:
2Co 13:3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.
"Proof of Christ speaking in me." And here is a side, albeit, extremely important point: they didn't accept that Christ was speaking. All they saw and heard was Paul, so the 'authority' which was truly in Paul was ignored, when all they had to do was consider. But all the sheep have gone astray. They wouldn't even listen.
And why is this important? That same Christ was in them also, but according to faith, they were in denial. So the verse reads:
"Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?"
In other words they were supposed to discover something deeper about the relationship. And reprobate means that they had not the knowledge of God - to that degree of which Paul was speaking! They were in denial about something, yet puffed up as though they knew a lot.
Truly it was a strange thing to say because he was talking directly to saved people. So how could he dare make a statement that sounds so insulting? Here's why. The speaker was not meaning to insult. He was illustrating what they needed to know, that they were not yet where they were supposed to be. He was called to say this. So it is simply a matter of comparison. For we always hear that everything is relative, do we not? So relative to where they should have been, they were not there. That is what Paul was saying.
And all Paul was trying to do was to get them into the blessing. But being insulted, they could not consider the truth. And worse than that, their own knowledge hindered them. For they valued it more than to consider he whom the Lord raised up to minister to them. And so it goes from day to day, week to week, month to month and so on.
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
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MentorsRiddle
Advanced Member
Member # 2108
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posted
I think the bible was was written for both the sinners and the Christians.
I think the bible has been worded in such a way that it could be written for anyone who wishes to read it.
I agree that there are certain passages that dictate towards a Christian, but that does not, in my opinion, say that it is written strictly for the Christians, sinners, etc.
Not saying that is what you are trying to say.... But I thought that was what you were trying to say.
What are your thoughts?
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With you I rise,
In you I sleep,
kneeling down I kiss your feet,
Grace abounds upon me now,
I once was lost
but now I'm found.
The gift of God dwells within,
To this love I now give in.
Posts: 1337 | From: Arkansas | Registered: Sep 2003
| IP: Logged |
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Michael Harrison
Advanced Member
Member # 6801
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posted
Was scripture writen to Christians about unbelievers? Or was it written to Christians about Christians. The perspective changes dramatically when one realizes that it is a 'revelation' written to Christians, and about being Christian.
If we look at 1John we read:
1Jn 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
1Jn 1:2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
And when we come to this verse we see something pretty convincing:
1Jn 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
1Jn 1:4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, the faithful, that you may fellowship together with us, in the Father and the Son. That is the gist of this statement. And though they could be expressing to an unbeliever that "we write these things unto you that your joy may be full," it is actually written to the faithful. For in the same paragraph it discusses that which was just stated, that the faithful are to know the same fellowship with the Father, and therefore be able to fellowship also together with the Apostles who wrote, that their joy may be full.
That sets the stage for these verses:
1Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
For why would he address a sinner with the concept addressed by this wording: "If we say that we have fellowship with Him." For what sinner is ever saying that.
So, he goes on to describe what it is like if the faithful is of an honest heart towards God...
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
By fellowship 'one with another' he is referencing the relationship between a believer and his Christ.
For a slam dunk we need read no further, for who says to sinners:1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
For what would be the point. First Christ must be preached. Then after one believes he or she can be admonished with the likes of the above verses (or can he?). And so there is no point in continuing to make the point, for this also is not a statement someone would say to a sinner:
1Jn 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
For no sinner saith that 'he abideth in Him.' For he has not even accepted Christ yet.
But I will add another. 1Jn 2:8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
The darkness is not past for the sinner. Therefore the apostle cannot be describing or addressing the sinner. He is speaking to the church. Therefore if one reads scripture this way, he will be convicted of his condition, and not be deceived about it. In other words, the word will 'change' him or her, as it is written in Hebrews:
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
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