This is topic Thy Word in forum Bible Topics & Study at Christian Message Boards.


To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://thechristianbbs.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=007804

Posted by Caretaker (Member # 36) on :
 
Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

I studied theology under Dr. Harold Wilmington, 20 years ago. He once made the analogy in his lectures that the Word of God is like Albert Einstein wanting to publish his theory of relativity. He picks up the phone and calls a local reporter, and tells him that he has a new theory. The reporter sets up a time to meet with the Dr. They meet and Dr. Einstein tells him his theory. He reveals his theory to the reporter. The reporter begins writing down the theory in his own words. He repeats it back to the Dr. and the Dr. corrects any errors he might have made. The reporter goes back to the paper and publishes Dr. Einstein's new theory of Relativity in the local newspaper.

Dr. Einstein told the reporter his theory......Revelation
The Dr. corrected any errors.....................Inspiration
The reporter publishes the theory..............Illumination

2 Peter 1:
20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Exodus 24:
1 And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off.
2 And Moses alone shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the people go up with him.
3 And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.
4 And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.

The Word of God was revealed by God to His servants, the writings inspired by God through the Holy Spirit, Who today illuminates it in the hearts and lives of His children from the pages of Holy scripture.
 
Posted by Carol Swenson (Member # 6929) on :
 
Amen Caretaker.

The Bible describes the unbeliever and explains why he doesn't understand the Scriptures when it says, "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" (I Cor. 2:14). It is the supernatural nature of God's Word that prevents the disinterested unbeliever from understanding it.

This simply says that one must be a Christian to understand spiritual truth. Unless one has been supernaturally born again and has been given the ability, desire and will to honestly believe in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour, he cannot receive or understand the supernatural things of the Spirit of God written in the Bible. Having no spiritual life from God, he perceives the Bible to be nonsense so far as he is concerned. As an unregenerate person he lacks spiritual discernment. Speaking of unbelievers Paul said, "There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God" (Rom. 3:11).

And it does not matter how well educated one is: without that supernatural new birth and the gifts of faith and repentance, he will be unable to understand the truths of the Bible. Some years ago I received a vivid example of this principle. Visiting an executive for a large mining company I tried to explain the gospel of Jesus Christ to him. His response proved the Bible to be true when it said that spiritual truth is foolishness or nonsense to unbelievers.

"Utter nonsense!" he said. "What you believe is nothing but utter nonsense!"

Though we talked about the Bible for more than an hour and he admitted he did not know much about the Bible, he persisted in calling the gospel utter nonsense.

It is just as impossible to develop a profitable interest in the Word of God without faith in Christ as it is for an unbeliever to please God. "Without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Heb. 11:6).

From http://www.graceway.com/articles/article_015.html
 
Posted by Carol Swenson (Member # 6929) on :
 
The Wisdom of God

1 Corinthians 1(NASB)

18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, "I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE." 20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29 so that no man may boast before God. 30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31 so that, just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD."

1 Corinthians 2(NASB)

1 And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, 4 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.
 
Posted by Caretaker (Member # 36) on :
 
That is an excellent article Carol. Thank you for sharing. To the Believer the Word of God has opened-up, is strikingly relevant, is as current as today's newspaper, is absolutely true, and our road-map to Glory.

To the non-believer it is a closed dusty volume of forgotten lore, fables and mythology.

I really liked their division into different categories. The lazy Christian is not well studied and so vulnerable to deception and false doctrine, seeking to be spoon-fed with the experiential, rather than being grounded in the eternal Truth of God.
 
Posted by TB125 (Member # 2450) on :
 
Please note that the "power" for redemptive change comes from the Spirit and not the message of Paul or any other preacher even though he quotes from the Word of God. The indwelling Spirit of Jesus is the source of God's saving grace, and not even the use of the words "Lord, Lord" will make the necessary change in a sinner.
 
Posted by Caretaker (Member # 36) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by TB125:
Please note that the "power" for redemptive change comes from the Spirit and not the message of Paul or any other preacher even though he quotes from the Word of God. The indwelling Spirit of Jesus is the source of God's saving grace, and not even the use of the words "Lord, Lord" will make the necessary change in a sinner.

The topic is the Word of God, how it was revealed, inspired, and being illuminated for Believers.

We are redeemed by the Blood of Christ, justified.
Romans 3:
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Romans 10:
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.


We are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, Who illuminates His Word in the understanding of Believers.

John 14:
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
 




Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classicTM 6.5.0