The notion that we pick of the Bible, read it and believe it apart
from the process of evaluation and acceptance is simple not
possible.
jt: Why not? This is what was
expected of Israel under the Old Covenant. They were expected to
hear and to obey - Not study it out and decide which parts they would
accept.
Is your only purpose in Bible study to search for
command statements I do not see the book as a book of
law -- commands. It is no longer a legal
document.
You can cast the project in whatever light you desire; YOU
play a role in what you believe the message says. I have
said it before and I say it again: it is never "what the
Bible says" -- rather, it is always "what I believe the Bible says."
jt: For you and Lance and
those who think like you. For me it is "what the scripture says"
and I work on renewing my mind accordingly.
Actually, this is not true. You share what "you
believe the bible says" exactly as I do. It like breathing
or sweating -- you have no choice. You simply do not
accept ANYTHING into your intellectual/spiritual life apart from the
process of evaluation and acceptance.
And that is precisely why we need the gracious invention of God
.................. He makes us correct IN HIS MIND while we
DO the best that we can. None on this forum has another approach
regardless of the rhetoric. JD
jt: What do you mean "He makes
us correct in his mind?" Kind of like if I don't acknowledge it,
it's not there?
I don't think so JD. God
has perfect eyesight and He is not doubleminded, not in the least. jt
Amazing -- anyway, "He makes us correct IN HIS
MIND" has nothing to do with
" ...if I don't acknowledge it, it's not true."
The Bible tells us that "faith is reckoned as
righteousness." That is an intellectual decision God makes
on our behalf. He sees faith and HE DECIDES to view it
as if it were righteousness. We are righteous IN HIS MIND.
