Sunday, December 04, 2005

2Timothy 2:15

"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

I am a student of God.
For many years, I believed what I was taught as a child about God. Then I encountered the Bible and learned that what I was taught was not what the Bible said. I had to let go of what I had always thought. This was not easy.

The Bible can be understood.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes, it's easy from the pulpit to fill in ambiguous spots in scriptures with your own bias and need for that bias and wish to override the original text. It's hard being a minister and expected to udnerstand better than anyone. One's pride and reputation may be on the line as the one with answers. So you fudge and convince yourself and others. The protestant reformation changed so much by putting the book into the hands of the people.

J. Andrew Lockhart said...

I'm really having a problam seeing your blog! The "white" part that holds your daily writing is shifted off to the left and I can only see the right 3/4th of it --- is it just me, or is someting going wrong??
andrew

Carol said...

Pearl,
That is a good point about pride getting in the way of understanding. Another problem is preconceived ideas about what the Bible is saying. Entering a study with an attitude to just learn is a real requirement.
I don't mean to sound as if I think I know everything but a lot has become very clear to me over the years.
I have had good teachers as well but
it is important to be able to compare what they are saying with what the Bible is saying.

J. Andrew,
It was my problem. I hope it is fixed now.

Rhiannon said...

Hey glad to see you got your blog fixed! Cool..

I was brought up in a very "Radical" baptist fundamental family and it was a very negative thing growing up that way. Because of this I learned that for myself at least that the Bible is "open" to one's own interpretation not anothers biased opinion telling you "what is or isn't"...one person can read a verse and see something entirely different in what it says than another person would...just my thoughts however..

Blessings,
Rhi

Carol said...

Hi Rhiannon,
I am convinced that the Bible has one interpretation. Any author has a purpose for what he is writing. Of course, people can misinterpret his intentions but that doesn't mean that he doesn't have a specific point he is trying to make.

I am sorry to hear of your negative experience. It is easy to get turned off religion because of people's weaknesses and misunderstanding/misapplication of the Bible.

I like discussing scripture. Thank you for the gentleness of your comment.