Creating Your Own God

[Dave G]

By carefully studying a verse or passage, and asking "what is the least God is saying" we can discern the extent of open ended statements using the constraint of context.

I would reply by saying,
" Let's all learn to get past studying a "verse" or even a passage, and rather, reading and believing it all in context."

As believers, we shouldn't be asking ourselves, "what is the least that God is saying?", but rather, "what is all of what God is saying?".
Read it all, my brothers and sisters, start-to-finish... and not "in verses".
Begin at Genesis 1:1, and go all the way through to Revelation 22:20.

In the end, there should be no "open-ended statements" that remain unresolved,
and His words will make sense to us as a whole, and not "piece-meal" as "systematic theologies" are designed to convey.

If you study scripture carefully, you are less likely to be led astray by the inventions of people. File these efforts under how to avoid creating your own image of God...

Well-said and I agree with you.
In fact, every time that you advocate reading and believing the words on the page ( and not the inventions of men ), I will agree with you, Van.

How to avoid creating one's own image of God?
Study His words thoroughly and completely, believing each and every one of them.
For we live by them ( Matthew 4:4, Luke 4:4 ), and in Him we have life...which is the light of men.

How to understand them all in context one with another?
That's what believers have the Holy Spirit for ( 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, 1 John 2:20-27 ).

Therefore, we don't need men like John Calvin or John Wesley ( or Van or Dave G ) to show us how to understand them;
We as believers have it within ourselves to simply follow His commands right here, and we will learn, over time, to rightly divide it:

" Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." ( 2 Timothy 2:15 ).

" Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2 as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
3 if so be ye have tasted that the Lord [is] gracious." ( 1 Peter 2:1-3 ).


As always I wish you well, Van.

 

[RipponRedeaux]

" Let's all learn to get past studying a "verse" or even a passage, and rather, reading and believing it all in context."

As believers, we shouldn't be asking ourselves, "what is the least that God is saying?", but rather, "what is all of what God is saying?".
Read it all, my brothers and sisters, start-to-finish... and not "in verses".
Begin at Genesis 1:1, and go all the way through to Revelation 22:20.

In the end, there should be no "open-ended statements" that remain unresolved,

How to avoid creating one's own image of God?
Study His words thoroughly and completely, believing each and every one of them.
For we live by them ( Matthew 4:4, Luke 4:4 ), and in Him we have life...which is the light of men.

How to understand them all in context one with another?
That's what believers have the Holy Spirit for ( 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, 1 John 2:20-27 ).

" Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." ( 2 Timothy 2:15 ).

" Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2 as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
3 if so be ye have tasted that the Lord [is] gracious." ( 1 Peter 2:1-3 ).

Yes, indeed --to all of the above.

 

[Van]

And once again the gang of Calvinists have run up the number of pages asking asked and answered questions seeking to change the subject from Creating Their Own Distorted Image of God by adding to scripture.

Does 1 Corinthians 3:1 indicate men of flesh (unregenerate) can understand the milk of the gospel? Absolutely
Does 1 Corinthians 2:14 indicate natural people (unregenerate) cannot understand any of the things of the Spirit of God? Nope
Does Romans 3:11 say no one ever seeks God while unregenerate? Nope
Does Matthew 23:13 indicate unregenerate people do at times seek God? Absolutely
Does 2 Thessalonians 2:13 say people are conditionally elected for salvation through faith in the truth? Absolutely
Does James 2:5 say God chooses those who love God? Absolutely
Does 1 Timothy 2:3-6 say God desires all people to be saved and Christ gave Himself as a ransom for all? Absolutely

If you study scripture carefully, you are less likely to be led astray by the inventions of people. File these efforts under how to avoid creating your own image of God..

 

[RipponRedeaux]

In the end, there should be no "open-ended statements" that remain unresolved,
and His words will make sense to us as a whole, and not "piece-meal" as "systematic theologies" are designed to convey.


Therefore, we don't need men like John Calvin or John Wesley ( or Van or Dave G ) to show us how to understand them;

In my previous post I quoted most of your last post which I agreed with.

But these two ideas I take issue with. It is good to have spiritual mentors, both face-to-face or through books of the present and past. I know the value of reading Calvin, Packer, Boice, Spurgeon, Dr. M-L-K, A.W. Pink and so many, many more.

We need to do private reading and study of the Scriptures and get some input from men and women of God who are and were far deeper into the Bible. The Lord has provided them as resources for us.

As for Systematic theology, they are very helpful. Reymond and Culver have been indispensable aids for me. And I would like to get Bray's Systematic too. These books go over large chucks of the word of God. They review many biblical doctrines. They help the believer and I praise God for raising them up for the benefit of the Church.

 

[RipponRedeaux]

If you study scripture carefully, you are less likely to be led astray by the inventions of people. File these efforts under how to avoid creating your own image of God..

Those who presume to be "messengers of truth" need to take heed to the above.

 

[agedman]

@Van

You never answered the question concerning where you derived the “interpreter translation.”

do you claim authorship, or is someone else the author?

 

[Squire Robertsson]

Six Hour Warning
This thread will be closed sometime after 6:50 PM Pacific.

This thread is closed.