30 years ago today - Jun 4, 1994-Saturday [Leonard Arrington] .... Historical-critical understanding of the Bible. You have probably heard the least about this because, though popular among Bible students and scholars, it has not reached a wider audience. i... I regret that there is little of it in Mormon literature. The word critical, by the way, does not mean negative but, rather, free of presuppositions or, as in my case, self-conscious about one's presuppositions. It means understanding the Bible as a collection of writings by many authors over more than a thousand years; they contain different points of view, sometimes contradictory understandings and formulations of the nature of God and our relationship with Him and other human beings. The Bible may be the word of God but, as we have it, it is the words of Amos and Isaiah, Luke and Paul; and so on. Nor is the usual credit to various ancient figures historically accurate. Moses did not write the first five books of the Bible, David did not write most of the Psalms, Solomon did not write the Song of Solomon, Paul did not write the letters to Timothy or Titus, and scholars doubt that Peter had anything to do with the books of Peter. Although the vast majority acknowledge the Bible, much of it is simply ignored. Most put aside Joshua, with its horrifying narratives of extermination, and Judges with its accounts of patriarchy and sexual assault, and Song of Solomon, which doesn't mention God and its erotic references and Ecclesiastes with its apparent hedonism. For many, the Bible is little more than an anthology of quotations to be drawn upon as argument or occasion requires. It is a series of proof texts. From the point of view of the historically-critical method the Bible can be viewed as a historically conditioned anthology-not a complete and infallible guide to the details of human conduct. A series of signposts pointing the way to a goal that its writers, like us, had not yet reached but were moving toward. Their experience of the divine may have been superior to ours, but they were nevertheless human experiences. [Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018] https://ift.tt/5Shk6l4
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Bible Institute President, Bible Teacher , Eschatology Teacher, Christian Counselor, Author and Wedding Pastor.
After a Solid Foundation in the Bible, be a reader of Solid Christian Writers for more knowledge of His Word. “Everything we read needs to be tested with the Word, Never the other way around, texting the Bible with your favorite Authors or teachers. The Bible Alone is the final say on “Christianity” and on that Foundation alone. There all the Writings of man come to the Light as to their legitimacy and faithfulness to His Word. The Bible gives the ratings and not the Amazon readers.” The apostle says to Timothy and so he says to every preacher, "Give thyself unto reading." The man who never reads will never be read; he who never quotes will never be quoted. He who will not use the thoughts of other men's brains, proves that he has no brains of his own. Brethren, what is true of ministers is true of all our people. You need to read. Renounce as much as you will all light literature, but study as much as possible sound theological works, especially the Puritanic writers, and expositions of the Bible. We are quite persuaded that the very best way for you to be spending your leisure, is to be reading or praying. You may get much instruction from books which afterwards you may use as a true weapon in your Lord and Master's service. Paul cries, "Bring the books"--join the cry. -Charles Haddon Spurgeon
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“It Is Written” "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." ~ 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Let the seeker for truth who accepts the Bible as the inspired Word of God, lay aside every previous idea, and take that Word in its simplicity. He should renounce every sinful practice, and enter the Holy of Holies with heart softened and subdued, ready to listen to what God says. Do not carry your creed to the Bible, and read the Scriptures in the light of that creed. If you find that your opinions are opposed to a plain “Thus saith the Lord,” or to any command or prohibition He has given, give heed to the Word of God rather than to the sayings of men. Let every controversy or dispute be settled by “It is written.” Let the heart be softened and subdued by the spirit of prayer before the Bible is read. Truth will triumph when the Spirit of truth cooperates with the humble Bible student. How precious the thought that the Author of truth still lives and reigns. Ask Him to impress your minds with the truth. Your searching of the Scriptures will then be profitable. Christ is the Great Teacher of His followers, and He will not leave you to walk in darkness. The Bible is its own interpreter. With beautiful simplicity one portion connects itself with the truth of another portion, until the whole Bible is blended in one harmonious whole. Light flashes forth from one text to illuminate some portion of the Word that has seemed more obscure. Christ's lessons will bear close study. One truth comprehended in its simplicity will prove a key to a whole treasure house of truth. Christ is the great mystery of godliness. He is as the Master scattering the golden grains of truth, which require tact, skill, and deep, laborious search to pick up and link together in the chain of truth. The Word is the treasure house of truth. It puts in our possession all things essential for our preparation for entrance into the city of God. ~ (Our High Calling, Manuscript 8, 1898)
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Did you know... the Bible contains divine warnings about tampering with its sacred words? Err, Old Man Gino, the Wise Wanderer, and at the moment he's uh home, relaxing on his couch, uhh, okay, forget that. Anyways, let's move on... Hey there, folks, have you ever pondered the mystical depths of the Christian Bible? Well, you're in for a divine treat today! Did you know that the last book of the New Testament, Revelation, drops a bombshell warning? It's like the ultimate "no spoilers" rule. Revelation 22:18–19 boldly states that tampering with its sacred words might bring down divine plagues or ban you from the tree of life! But here's the twist, it's not alone. 📖 Deuteronomy 4:2, Proverbs 30:5–6, and Jeremiah 26:2 all chime in with cautionary notes against playing editor with G-d's sacred text. 💥 So, is the Bible an unalterable masterpiece? Now, you might be wondering, why all this fuss about keeping the Bible intact? Is it really a complete collection of all 66 books? 🕵️♂️ Well, let's dive into some biblical detective work. Is it a safeguard against manipulation or a testament to its sanctity? Could there be hidden secrets within these verses that we're not supposed to uncover? Picture this: What if the Bible was a puzzle, each book a unique piece, and changing even one word would disrupt the grand design? How does the concept of divine completeness impact our understanding of this ancient text? 🤔 So, here's the big question - what do these divine warnings really mean for the Bible and for us? But hold on a minute! We've only scratched the surface of this biblical enigma. Is it merely about preserving words, or does it go deeper, touching on the essence of faith and spirituality? Oops, time's up, but we’ll be back. 🕊️ So, stay curious, stay open, and remember, 📚 knowledge never ends. See you soon, and have fun!
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Pastor, President at Hometown Hope Ministries, inc., Founder and Director of Ministry Medicine International, LLC, FNP-C. Caring for patients in IA, FL, & NY
Although difficult, in order to best understand the Bible, one must master the use of figures of speech. Generally speaking, words should be understood in their natural and literal meaning, unless that understanding involves a manifest contradiction or absurdity. Metaphor - A word, or words, are taken from their literal meaning and given a new and often strikng use - e.g. Isaiah 40:6 (“all flesh is grass”) Allegory - an extended metaphor - psalms 80:8-15; and John 10:1-18 Simile - likening one thing to another in terms of comparison - Isaiah 53:6 (“We, like sheep”) Metonymy - The name of an object is substituted for another which it clearly suggests - Luke 24:27 - “Jesus began at Moses,” (meaning the writings of Moses). Synecdoche - similarly to metonymy, but with a twist - a part is used for the hole; and the hole for a part (Matthew 27:4 - “innocent blood” stands for the whole man. Genesis 3:19 “sweat of the face” stands for the body; “bread” for food. Also, the plural is sometimes used for singular, and vice versa - Genesis 14:12 – Lot did not dwell in all the cities of the plain (Genesis 10:29), but in one…Sodom. Joshua 24:12 - “sent the hornet” meaning hornets. Ellipsis - the omission of a word or words necessary to complete the construction of cities, but not required for the understanding of it. Psalms 90:13 - “Return, oh Lord, how long?” (wilt thou desert us?) There are many more types of figures of speech in the Bible. Serious misinterpretations can occur if one does not keep figures of speech in mind as you study!
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This is a typical antifa line of reasoning going back to the Weather Underground and the Patty Hearst Kidnapping. He is committed to establishing the historicity of the Life of Brian, There would be no Revelation in literature without Jesus. It's like the Koran without Mohammed. The Gospels are the hadiths of Christianity, only not concerned with how many stones Jesus used to wipe his ass. Revelation is a series of visions like the soldiers and centurion at the tomb had and the nature of the Recitation to Mohammed that became the basis for the written Koran extracted from the living memory of the Prophet's voice. The Meccan suras are the divine navigation of an honest caravan manager.. Words that fall from the lips of a True Prophet of Abraham, The Medina suras are the issue of a false prophet who dies of a burst aorta Enoch was not a Magi but he employed the technology of the Magi with his 7000 year Epoch. We are currently in Enoch Era 5784. Year Zero EE begins with the composition of the Book of Job, the first book of the Hebrew annon up to Isiah. Jesus is the divine test tube baby of the Jewish culture in at 1 CE, 3760 EE. . Jesus is the 2nd Coming of Isiah. The Hebrew Bible is the rough draft of what Elohim the verb had in mind for humanity with Moses. Moses took off at a tangent to the trajectory God, the Father established with Abram in Genesis 15 that had become stalled at Temple Worship from Babylon. Jesus simplified the Law o Moses and redirected the vertical trajectory of the End Times back to the horizontal trajectory of Genesis 15:6 to Matthew 8:10 and on to Apollo 11. Jimmy Tabor is committed to sustaining a vertical theology of the antifa. It begins with the political strategy of the Students for a Democratic Society based on Trotsky's insurgency processes leading to social destabilization and revolution like in Atlas Shrugged. The guy that coined the Army slogan "Be All You Can Be" helped design the SDS Sharon Statement that set what has become antifa into motion. Unlike the January 6 conspiracy, antifa is based on good intentions and the fulfillment of the social contract of the Declaration of Independence. The January 6 insurgence proposes to abandon the Declaration of Independence for post modern piracy as an outlaw nation. There is no Revelation with out Jesus. Barabbas was the seed capital that produced the Jewish wars. Revelation is a series of visions that John the Revelator had over a very short period of days at the time the social agitation of the zealots and the administrative incompetence of Roman governors brought the Apocalypse into being. Ask yourself this: what was the ontology Jesus shared with Cornelius?
Bible Prophecy # 20--Can We Recover a Non-Jesus Version of the Book of Revelation?
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“It Is Written” "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." ~ 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Let the seeker for truth who accepts the Bible as the inspired Word of God, lay aside every previous idea, and take that Word in its simplicity. He should renounce every sinful practice, and enter the Holy of Holies with heart softened and subdued, ready to listen to what God says. Do not carry your creed to the Bible, and read the Scriptures in the light of that creed. If you find that your opinions are opposed to a plain “Thus saith the Lord,” or to any command or prohibition He has given, give heed to the Word of God rather than to the sayings of men. Let every controversy or dispute be settled by “It is written.” Let the heart be softened and subdued by the spirit of prayer before the Bible is read. Truth will triumph when the Spirit of truth cooperates with the humble Bible student. How precious the thought that the Author of truth still lives and reigns. Ask Him to impress your minds with the truth. Your searching of the Scriptures will then be profitable. Christ is the Great Teacher of His followers, and He will not leave you to walk in darkness. The Bible is its own interpreter. With beautiful simplicity one portion connects itself with the truth of another portion, until the whole Bible is blended in one harmonious whole. Light flashes forth from one text to illuminate some portion of the Word that has seemed more obscure. Christ's lessons will bear close study. One truth comprehended in its simplicity will prove a key to a whole treasure house of truth. Christ is the great mystery of godliness. He is as the Master scattering the golden grains of truth, which require tact, skill, and deep, laborious search to pick up and link together in the chain of truth. The Word is the treasure house of truth. It puts in our possession all things essential for our preparation for entrance into the city of God. ~ (Our High Calling, Manuscript 8, 1898)
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Impeccable Nest is a residential interior design firm dedicated to creating invited spaces. Run by mother-daughter team Emma Carole Paradis, Kimberly Carole
The Bible is filled with rich imagery and symbolism, and one of the most intriguing and often discussed symbols is that of teeth falling out in dreams. This common occurrence in dreams has been interpreted in various ways, but what does the Bible say about this phenomenon? First and foremost, we must understand that dreams in the Bible were often seen as messages from God. In the book of Genesis, Joseph interprets the dreams of Pharaoh and attributes the ability to God (Genesis 41:16). With this in mind, we can delve deeper into the biblical meaning of teeth falling out in dreams. One possible interpretation is related to wisdom and discernment. In Proverbs 30:14, it says, "There are those whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, the needy from among mankind." Teeth are used to speak, eat, and discern, and they are also essential for survival. When they fall out in a dream, it coul - https://lnkd.in/gkW58y2Z
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Misuse of the Bible by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D. | Nov. 21, 2023 “...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.” (2 Peter 3:16) It is vitally important for every Christian to study and use the Scriptures, for they constitute our only real authority (note Matthew 5:18; John 10:35; 14:26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21; etc.). In doing this, however, it is just as important that we not misuse the Scriptures, for this can be almost as dangerous as ignoring them altogether. Many people twist the Scriptures, seeking to make them fit some opinion of their own, hoping thereby to give a pseudobiblical authority to their peculiar prejudices, instead of allowing the Lord to say what He means. Such distortion of Scripture has generated a plethora of cults and heresies—past and present. This was essentially Christ’s view of the Pharisees: “In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:9). Similar—perhaps even worse—is claiming to receive new Scripture, or perhaps new (and authoritative) insight on existing Scripture. “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it” (Deuteronomy 4:2). “Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar” (Proverbs 30:6). Cults and heretics distort and supplement the Scriptures, but still deadlier are the liberals who try to explain away the Scriptures. “If any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life” (Revelation 22:19). This act of distorting and then denying God’s Word (“Yea, hath God said....Ye shall not surely die,” Genesis 3:1, 4) was the very lie of Satan that brought sin into the world. No wonder the Bible warns so severely against it! HMM
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[pdf] The Story: Encounter the Story of Scripture in a Whole New Way Zondervan Publishing digsell https://lnkd.in/e6aVK9bt Crack open a Bible and you’re likely to find (a) Guidelines for living (b) Answers to life’s deepest questions (c) Endless lists of people you’ve never heard of (d) An incredible story about a God who offers hope to a messed up world. ‘Incredible story’ isn’t always the first thing that comes to mind when you attempt to read through the entire Bible. Maybe you’ve tried, only to get lost among obscure genealogies and ancient dietary laws. Maybe you don’t have a clue where to begin. At its most basic level, Christianity is a story about God and the remarkable … Read More » https://lnkd.in/eNA3DFsr
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CAN WE REALLY BELIEVE WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS? Yes, for at least three reasons: 1. #Amazing #Harmony. The Bible was written over a period of 1,600 years by some 40 different people. Most of them never met one another. Yet, the entire book is harmonious, with one central theme! 2. #Honest #History. Secular historians seem quick to cover over the defeats of their people. In contrast, Bible writers candidly recorded both their personal failings and those of their nation.—2 Chronicles 36:15, 16; Psalm 51:1-4. 3. #Reliable #Prophecy. The Bible foretold the destruction of the ancient city of Babylon some 200 years in advance. (Isaiah 13:17-22) It revealed not only the manner in which Babylon would fall but even the name of its conqueror!—Isaiah 45:1-3. Numerous other Bible prophecies were also fulfilled down to the smallest detail, but is that not what we would expect?—2 Peter 1:21.
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