Have Christians made an idol out of the scriptures?

Todd

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You have neither heard the Father's voice nor seen his form.
But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.
You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.
But you are not willing to come to me that you may have life.

This quote leads me to beleive that Jesus does not equate the scriptures with the Word of God. Yes the scriptures testify of Jesus who is the word of God. Yes the words of God are contained in the scriptures.

Have we mistakeningly put our trust in the scriptures, rahter than the God who inspired the scriptures?
Have we failed to recognize the difference between the Word of God and the scriptures?

Rhema, Logos and Graphe. Are they all the same thing? I don't think so. The Rhema and Logos are recorded in the Graphe, but does that make the Graphe the Word of God? If I write a song and include some of the words of God in song, does that make my song the Word of God? I think not...

I know I will likefly get blasted, and accused of being a heretic or fallen away for proposing this. I know Daciple will be all over this and he is free to do so. I'm more interested in what some more open minded people might have to say on this.

I love the Bible and will continue to read it for the rest of my life (yes I will even continue to read the words of Paul!). I know the Word of God because I have the Bible and that is a miracle in an of itself. However my relationship with the person of Jesus Christ is what my salvation is based on, not some words written in scripture. I don't want to make the same mistake that Jesus pointed out to the Jews in John 5. Life is not found in the scriptures, life is found in the Word of God, and Jesus is the living Word of God. The scriptures can point us to God, but life is found in Jesus, not the words on a page.
 

Damien50

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From the verses you provided I'm more of the opinion that we search the scriptures, revel in our new found wisdom and still ignore the fact that we need Jesus. We aim to be spiritual creatures through mastery of the Bible when that isn't really is required of us, it's good for edification but overall impersonal as it is extensive record keeping rather than the source.

Look how some bombard others of different religions and view points with Scripture and make no progress in bringing them to Christ or heightening their relationship with God. They want to evangelize with scripture that they hide behind rather than heed the words of the Lord for whom they were given new life all the while condemning and condescendingly showing pity to those that haven't attained higher knowledge lol.

I'd lean towards almost agreeing that the Bible has become idolized but more that the church overall failed and everyone fancies themselves the second coming of Paul glossing over their duties as Christians and cowering behind scripture they mistakenly believe will give them eternal life and please God.

@Serveto
I believe you can find Christ but knowing him requires spiritual growth in serving one master over the other.
 

Serveto

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I think it was the probably justifiably defrocked ex-Episcopalian priest, Alan Watts (not to be confused with Alan Watt), who said, of the Christians with whom he was most familiar, that they were eating the menu instead of the meal.
 

Lisa

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Wow...you continue to slide even further...looks like @Daciple was right about you after all.

Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Acts 17:11

You are trying to take away the plumb line...The word of God.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. John 1:1-2
 

Todd

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They want to evangelize with scripture that they hide behind rather than heed the words of the Lord for whom they were given new life all the while condemning and condescendingly showing pity to those that haven't attained higher knowledge lol.
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I've felt this for a long time. I've always believed that evangelism starts with meeting someone's physical needs first. That brings up the opportunity to talk about the love of God after the fact. But of course that method involves doing works that are the "enemy" of the gospel as some here would say.
 

Vytas

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I've seen bible having negative impact on people. What would be common denominator for all of them? Usually it's putting emphasis for some things while ignoring others. Bible become weapon for self harm when someone tries to make it support their beliefs or way of thinking. If you lie for yourself long enough, you will start to believe your own lies, you will forget they aren't truth...Terrible condition. I believe bible to be dangerous and i think satan uses it to brainwash people brains inside out...
That being said...it shouldn't be bible vs jesus or bible vs word of God. Because holy spirit works through bible for those who let him to do it. It's a gift of knowledge, tool for inner growth...

Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

2Ti 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
 

Todd

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I've seen bible having negative impact on people. What would be common denominator for all of them? Usually it's putting emphasis for some things while ignoring others. Bible become weapon for self harm when someone tries to make it support their beliefs or way of thinking. If you lie for yourself long enough, you will start to believe your own lies, you will forget they aren't truth...Terrible condition. I believe bible to be dangerous and i think satan uses it to brainwash people brains inside out...
That being said...it shouldn't be bible vs jesus or bible vs word of God. Because holy spirit works through bible for those who let him to do it. It's a gift of knowledge, tool for inner growth...
Agreed....
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
I don't neccesarily disagree with this statement by Paul. God can inspire me to write a song, but that doesn't mean the song is the word of God. God can inspire men to write books that contain the word of God, but that doesn't necessarily mean every word in those books are the word of God. The "scriptures" written by Paul have been profitable for me, whether I believe they are the Word of God or not. It was the words of Paul that actually moved me to question the docrine of eternal torment and begin study the doctrine of Universal Reconcilation.
 

Damien50

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I've seen bible having negative impact on people. What would be common denominator for all of them? Usually it's putting emphasis for some things while ignoring others. Bible become weapon for self harm when someone tries to make it support their beliefs or way of thinking. If you lie for yourself long enough, you will start to believe your own lies, you will forget they aren't truth...Terrible condition. I believe bible to be dangerous and i think satan uses it to brainwash people brains inside out...
That being said...it shouldn't be bible vs jesus or bible vs word of God. Because holy spirit works through bible for those who let him to do it. It's a gift of knowledge, tool for inner growth...

Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

2Ti 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Agreed. Though I think Todd is proposing that many would rather listen to the Bible than God and lead themselves astray.

John 5:37-40 KJV
And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. [38] And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. [39] Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. [40] And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
 

Lisa

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For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires. 2 Timothy 4:3

Maybe the verse should read they will not endure any doctrine with this thread....
 

Red Sky at Morning

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2 Peter 3

14Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 15And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. 17Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. 18But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Sounds like a regular day on Vigilant Citizen Forums!
 

Todd

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Wow...you continue to slide even further...looks like @Daciple was right about you after all.
Look, I'm a prophet!

Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Acts 17:11
Awesome scripture....shows that they received the word from something other than scripture, then went back to scripture to see if the word they received was real. If the scripture was equal to the living word, why did they need an external source outside of scripture to receive the word?
You are trying to take away the plumb line...The word of God.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. John 1:1-2
No I am not trying to take away the Word of God. I'm trying to seperate the word of God from the words of man!
 

Lisa

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Look, I'm a prophet!


Awesome scripture....shows that they received the word from something other than scripture, then went back to scripture to see if the word they received was real. If the scripture was equal to the living word, why did they need an external source outside of scripture to receive the word?

No I am not trying to take away the Word of God. I'm trying to seperate the word of God from the words of man!
No, just a woman with eyes to see...

No, they received something outsided the Bible and they checked it with the Bible to see if it squares with what the Bible says...the plumb line.

You are sliding even deeper Todd...I really feel sorry for you :(
 

Vytas

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Agreed....

I don't neccesarily disagree with this statement by Paul. God can inspire me to write a song, but that doesn't mean the song is the word of God. God can inspire men to write books that contain the word of God, but that doesn't necessarily mean every word in those books are the word of God. The "scriptures" written by Paul have been profitable for me, whether I believe they are the Word of God or not. It was the words of Paul that actually moved me to question the docrine of eternal torment and begin study the doctrine of Universal Reconcilation.
When God inspires somebody to write a song that results in song being very beautiful and even making some converts. After that you really know it was inspired by God, not because of words in that song... Inspiration by God isn't some sort of channeling or a dictation...
I have a question for you, in revelation Jesus speaks in first person but still it happens through John. Is it word of God or is it inspired by God?
 
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Renegade

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Scripture teaches..
The "Word of God" is a living being..
Our guide into "All Truth" is the "Spirit of Truth"
 
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