@ghost-of-a-duke saidDo you think any Christian who believes that the Bible is the Word of God will then take it upon themselves to pick and choose which parts they like and will obey and which parts they don't while looking at it in context?
Would the Christian who doesn't do that please step forward.
@kellyjay saidI take some of Jesus's words to heart. My moral compass tells me that that is a morally sound thing to do.
What biblical principles do you use that allow you to take some of Jesus' words to heart and ignore the rest?
Do you think sticking to "biblical principles" is morally sound, in and out of itself?
I am asking for myself and not intervening on divegeester's behalf because his perception and my perception of who Jesus was are completely different.
@kellyjay saidEverybody in this forum (including atheists) cherry-pick from the Bible passages that support their position. The reason for this is that the Bible is full of contradictions and passages can be found to support opposing positions.
Do you think any Christian who believes that the Bible is the Word of God will then take it upon themselves to pick and choose which parts they like and will obey and which parts they don't while looking at it in context?
@fmf saidI believe Jesus to be God, so ignoring anything He says is just like denying Truth to God's face. The whole of scripture must be taken when looking at any topic, proper context, all verses that speak to a topic matter, what covenant are we speaking about, who said what to whom and why, and on and on. It has to be a systematic approach, or it is a selective one where we make it up as we go. Ignoring the whole of the scripture, ignoring whole books, taking some passages out of a book, and ignoring others doesn't reflect the Word of God that is a mere reflection of the reader making it out to be what they want it to be.
I take some of Jesus's words to heart. My moral compass tells me that that is a morally sound thing to do.
Do you think sticking to "biblical principles" is morally sound, in and out of itself?
I am asking for myself and not intervening on divegeester's behalf because his perception and my perception of who Jesus was are completely different.
Those who don't study it themselves but believe whatever someone else tells them can fall into cults. ; they are ripe for the picking. Even within churches across all denominations that can lead to cults of personalities where speakers are followed because of personal charisma where the speaker is followed not sound Biblical teaching.
@kellyjay saidI can provide Biblical passages that make clear Jesus is not God.
I believe Jesus to be God, so ignoring anything He says is just like denying Truth to God's face. The whole of scripture must be taken when looking at any topic, proper context, all verses that speak to a topic matter, what covenant are we speaking about, who said what to whom and why, and on and on. It has to be a systematic approach, or it is a selective one where we make ...[text shortened]... are followed because of personal charisma where the speaker is followed not sound Biblical teaching.
In this regard, the Bible is entirely useless, as is completely lacking in consistency.
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@ghost-of-a-duke saidYes, that is a reason for contradictions, because they are not looking at the whole, taking everything into context so they can make it mean what they want whenever they want. You can be taken out of context while speaking clearly, and with excellent specificity, because that can be done; it should behoove us to make sure we are not putting any emphasises somewhere that does not belong.
Everybody in this forum (including atheists) cherry-pick from the Bible passages that support their position. The reason for this is that the Bible is full of contradictions and passages can be found to support opposing positions.
@kellyjay saidHere you go Kelly, I'll cherry-pick James 1:13 and use your own scripture against you. 'When tempted, no one should say, God is tempting me. For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt.'
Yes, that is a reason for contradictions, because they are not looking at the whole, taking everything into context so they can make it mean what they want whenever they want. You can be taken out of context while speaking clearly, and with excellent specificity, because that can be done; it should behoove us to make sure we are not putting any emphasises somewhere that does not belong.
Jesus was tempted in every way, but God cannot be tempted. This is why Jesus said, “don’t call me good, none are good, only God.”
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@ghost-of-a-duke saidYes, that is why Jesus became a man, He set aside His divinity to do absolutely everything required as a man. He was tempted, He even struggled with things sweating blood over taking on every sin man has ever done upon Himself, becoming sin, something else God doesn't and cannot do as God, but as a man, Jesus could. He took the full punishment for every single sin done by man, so God in all of the righteous requirements by God was done. What Jesus did wholly settled so we could be righteously, justly, in all goodness God can now take a sinner and turn them into sons and daughters of God with the Spirit of God within them once they come to Christ in God's grace through faith. This act by God, for God, is why Jesus, not our efforts, is the only way to God, because it isn't us becoming good enough for God; it is God making us God enough for Him.
Here you go Kelly, I'll cherry-pick James 1:13 and use your own scripture against you. 'When tempted, no one should say, God is tempting me. For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt.'
Jesus was tempted in every way, but God cannot be tempted. This is why Jesus said, “don’t call me good, none are good, only God.”