Originally posted by The Chess Express
"One cannot just "experience" God and abandon the scriptures. This is a fallacy. God would have to direct your every step. Your every thought."

This is my point. God will direct our every step and thought if we experience him. At this point, the scriptures becomes unnecessary.

Rev 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man ...[text shortened]... ed yourself. This passage says that the only way to comprehend the Bible is by experiencing God.

No. He continues to open our understanding as we continue to read the scriptures.
Does God tell you what to do personally? Every day? All day?
I don't think so. We read and then read some more.
There are verses I read and understand, and perhaps years later the Lord shows me an even deeper meaning to the same verse.
I have known people, Christians, who became excited, got born again, and strayed from daily reading of the scriptures. Every one of them has strayed completely. Some do not even believe anymore.

Luke 4:16-17
16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.
17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
(NKJ)

Even Jesus read the scriptures. He knew the book of Isaiah right where He needed to read. I think He had a little practise.
When Jesus was tempted of the devil...He answered with scripture. Every time.

Luke 4:3-4
3 And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread."
4 But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.'"
(NKJ)

Luke 4:7-8
7 "Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours."
8 And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.'"
(NKJ)

Luke 4:9-12
9 Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here.
10 "For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over You, to keep You,'
11 "and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.' "
12 And Jesus answered and said to him, "It has been said, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'"
(NKJ)

Even when the devil tried to twist the word of God, Jesus corrected Him.

So if Jesus needed to read scripture, to use daily, then it would behoove us to do the same.

Originally posted by checkbaiter
No. He continues to open our understanding as we continue to read the scriptures.
Does God tell you what to do personally? Every day? All day?
I don't think so. We read and then read some more.
There are verses I read and understand, and perhaps years later the Lord shows me an even deeper meaning to the same verse.
I have known people, Christians, ...[text shortened]...

So if Jesus needed to read scripture, to use daily, then it would behoove us to do the same.

We both agree that the scripture cannot explain God, and we both agree that one cannot know the whole scripture. We also agree that God reveals all things when one experiences him (including the scripture).

I think the only real difference in what we are saying is that you believe that by reading enough scripture one can experience God. I believe that this experience comes from accepting God into your heart and making the spiritual effort to find him. This is probably why the scripture is so difficult to understand, if it wasn't, people would not feel the need to make the effort.

Again Luke 8:10

10 And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that 'Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'

Does the scripture help? If it encourages one to seek God, yes, it does. But that's really what its main purpose is. To get people interested in God so that they make the effort.

"Does God tell you what to do personally? Every day? All day?
I don't think so. We read and then read some more."

Well, you're right, I haven't gotten to the point yet where this happens, but if you read up on some of the great Christain saints (and saints of other religions), you'll find that it does happen. These souls have comtemplated God as he is, and have said things to the effect of pray every second of every day, and God is always with me and always guides me. Such saints don't achieve this simply by reading scripture, they have given themselves over to God body, mind and soul, and God has enlightened them.

Originally posted by The Chess Express
We both agree that the scripture cannot explain God, and we both agree that one cannot know the whole scripture. We also agree that God reveals all things when one experiences him (including the scripture).

I think the only real difference in what we are saying is that you believe that by reading enough scripture one can experience God. I believ ...[text shortened]... pture, they have given themselves over to God body, mind and soul, and God has enlightened them.

I can't seem to get my point across...I'm sorry...I give up.
Peace..........🙂

Originally posted by checkbaiter
I can't seem to get my point across...I'm sorry...I give up.
Peace..........🙂

Luke:17:21 "Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you."

Just out of curiosity, what does this passage mean to you?