I studied the Bible in high school and have continued on and off most of my life. Yesterday I sat down and was reading Genesis, source of much talk, if you follow the evolutionary wars. As I read it, I found contradictions, great foresight, challenging questions, unexpected twists and in the end I realized I do not understand the first book of the Bible, much less some of the lesser known books. How does this relate to today's life? How many of us think we are experts on the topics of today, when in reality we have opinions, but not knowledge. I cringe when someone says they know everything about a subject. What I have found is that the more you know, the more you realize there is so much more to learn. So a little humility please, and keep up the quest.
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5 comments:
Well Chris,
I would first take exception with your claim of "contradictions" in the books of Genesis. A little humility is in order here - perhaps you are not rightly understanding the text? ; )
Second, often in these times when someone suggests humility they really are suggesting that no belief system is really more right than another. We can not know for sure. That is not New Testament faith. Doubt is never seen as a virtue. Thomas was not lauded for his doubt, Christ chided him.
If Scripture is God's revelation to man then as Peter said we have a "sure word of prophecy." We are beyond the realm of mere human opinion and into the world of eternal and transcendent truth.
Tread lightly...
Jim,
Your point is well taken, but if every man sees something from his own perspective, then who has the truth? There is an absolute truth out there, the journey is finding it. I see contradictions, but I know the words are inspired - so I realize I don't understand yet. It is in giving up, refusing to try, that we fail.
CMZ
Chris,
Where is God in all this? Is He not able to to overcome our flaws,opinions and stortcomings and impart truth to the human mind? You don't search for absolute truth per-say, absolute truth came to us in the Incarnation. Our job is to bow down and worship and trust...
I think we are going down two seperate paths. We both agree there is an absolute truth. Do we agree that man is flawed? Then he has to overcome his flaws. First he does this by admitting his limitations. Now God's Grace comes to help and guide us. But we have free will (here we disagree?) so we have to struggle becuase even if we don't want to change, the world around us forces us to change. I don't believe you can say at 20 years old "I believe" and therefore are automatically saved. You have to constantly struggle and reaffirm your belief.
When I read 2nd Peter 1:5, I think he means that we need to keep growing in our knowledge of the Lord. However, we cannot do it on our own. Here I think we agree.
Well first Chris,
Eph. 2:8,9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not because of works, lest any man should boast.
Yes if a man is saved and regenerated by God then he is forever His... But to the point about knowledge - yes we are flawed, and we should always remember that. But I think this is more about God's ability than ours. Can God impart truth to the human mind? Can He overcome our shortcomings to reveal absolute truths to us, so that even we can understand it?
Whether we believe these truths is another story. But I do not believe that God wants us to walk in darkness and doubt... And God can accomplish what He wants...
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