I find this statement to be interesting in that... well... does truth have to be proven in order to be truth? I mean... what is the standard we are basing truth on? Is simply believing something to be truth the only criteria and if so... can I believe that a snowball is hot and it will be true?

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I am nothing.
My Creator is Everything.

Only if the snowball says it is LOL

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May your awareness be perfection

The Bible has not need to say 'this is the truth' because it is 'the truth'.

It contains guidance and illustrations for our benefit in many ways.
It has principles for us to live by and be pleasing to God.

However, I do believe some writings in the Bible, have been lost in interpretation and also omitted.

I believe Jesus' writings were omitted and for those who hide his writings, they will be judged harshly.

The new Testament gives us a 'New Covenant' which came with Jesus dying for our sins...and that is to love one another...

So that is what I take from the Bible and follow..

We are all humans with choices to make.....

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~Don't Worry About Tomorrow, God Is Already There~
LadyMatty

How can you convince someone the bible is true? No one can be convinced against their will despite any proof you may present them with. It's not a matter of proof but of willingness to believe, but they key to understanding scripture is in the gospel, when you believe that what is presented in the gospel is your only hope for salvation and you put your belieev it with all your heart, you receive the Spirit of God in you, only then can you search the deep things of God contained in the scriptures as Paul explains:

1st Corinthians 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

This is true, the only way someone could know the deep thoughts you have would be to have your spirit...so

1st Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

God has given us [who are born again through faith in Christ Jesus] His Spirit for this very purpose "that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God"

1st Corinthians 2:13-14 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
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.

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Paul,
It might be your understanding and belief that "only" those that are born again through faith in Christ Jesus receive the Spirit which is of God, but that is not what 1st Corinthians 2:12 states.

I would be interested in knowing what you base this interpretation on?

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May your awareness be perfection

Sure:

St. John 14:17 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.

Cross reference with:

1st Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

To whom is Paul writing this epsitle?

1st Corinthians 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

Also these verses are significant:

Galations 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,


Epistle to Romans 8:7-10 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

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Thank you Paul, I see where your coming from.

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May your awareness be perfection

Hi Paul - I have several all-time favorite verses from the New Testament. One of those (probably the main one which encouraged me to keep asking God for answers) is "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free."

As you've shown through scripture (good post!), the Spirit enables us to hear certain truths that are "not of this world." Thanks goodness for that, for we would all be deaf and dumb otherwise.

The problem we run into though (tell me if you disagree) is that people insist on comparing what the Spirit tells them to someone else's version of "truth," thinking that if the two don't match, someone must be wrong. I think this is a big problem in Christianity (and most any religious dogma, for that matter). How do you see it? Do you think the Spirit can instruct you, while at the same time use a different kind of instruction for someone else? I've come to believe through my own experience that when I'm ready for new knowledge or instruction, the Spirit is willing and able to give it to me.

When I was active in the church, I got the impression that knowledge and relationship with God/Jesus was an all-or-nothing affair, a line drawn in the sand between believers and non-believers. Now, looking back, I don't think I ever stopped learning or growing, and that even leaving the church I was in was a part of that growth. Furthermore, I imagine that every soul is involved in the same process - evolving and growing, eventually to return to union with our Creator.

How do you see it? Do you think there's a point where people "switch" (from the world to the Spirit), or do you see as a progressive thing?

Hi, angel eyes, that is one of my favourites too but you can't seperate it from it's clause:
St. John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.


This is true Angel eyes, it is like a man born blind trying to imagine the colour red, he can't do it because he has no stimulous to draw on.

I don't believe in peoples version of "what the Spirit tells them" to be honest, i cannot base my life on mens opinions even my own, I want to know what God has said and if I can't know for sure what God has said then I might as well forget about all this Christianity business. Very little of the bible requires interpretation, the bible is mostly self interpreting, you compare scripture with scripture to get the sense of what is meant if a passage is difficult.
Some passages are difficult and I don't know of anyone who claims to know what every passage of the bible means but that which points us to salvation is very plain, that which points out mens problem and how it came to be so is very clear, the moral precepts are very clear, what pleases our creator is made plain, our hope for the future is laid out plainly, i'm not sure how much more we need.

One of the big problems in what passes for todays Christianity is people taking their own private interpretations and making them authoritative and some supposed revelation, but we have a standard, a rule against which all spiritual revelations can be measured against or tested and if people were willing to submit to the authority of the Word of God then this nonsense would stop.

Does it conform to God's Word? Do you check to see if it does? You must beware because devils can pose as benevolent angels or spirits and give false inspiration, this is why we are instructed to "test all things" and "test the spirits." These are loving warnings from the apostles so that we are not led astray.

Well you know Him or you don't, i'm not really sure what you mean Angel eyes.

What do you base this belief on Angel eyes? Is it your own thoughts or private revelation or something revealed to a teacher you have come to follow?

I see it as a switch or a transaction between God and man, when man exercies saving faith in God though the gospel He becomes a new creature but one that then needs to progress as he is a newborn babe, so he must desire the sincere milk of the word that he may grow thereby and devolep so that he can stomach spiritual meat.

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The "spirit" is that thing which is most fundamental to our beings. To get from the "spirit of the world" to the "spirit which is God" involves tearing up the floorboards, and rebuilding the walls and ceiling. I sympothize with the phrase "born again".

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I, folks. I'm just visiting. The prayer stick is coming along, but like everything, it is far more complicated than when I started. I'll be supporting 5 different languages, 6 different religions, in addition to several audio routines.