Thread: I am confused about why The Holy Spirit...
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I am confused about why The Holy Spirit...
Posted : 19 Jan, 2010 12:16 PM
...seems to give one person an interpretation of Scripture and then gives another person an entirely different interpretation of that same verse or chapter.
I will hear people say The Holy Spirit "convicted me" or showed me or "Opened up my eyes" and gave me this Interpretation of this verse or chapter. They say this because they asked for The Holy Spirit to help them and they felt that He did.
So...does this mean that The Holy Spirit gives different interpretations to different people or is The Holy Spirit schizophrentic or are we just fooling ourselves and believing what we want to believe.
Do we have a Final Court of Appeal that we can go to and know that what they say is the Truth. What does Scripture say is the Pillar and Foundation of all truth. Because there is where we could go and have our questions answered with assurity of being correct.
The Pillar and Foundation of ALL TRUTHS! This would be where we can find All Truths! But where is the Pillar and Foundation of all Truths! Search for it in Scripture...it will be illuminating...it may change your life.
Truly a fascinating point, sir!!!! Ok, gonna open myself up to all kinds of angry messages here and I do admit to a severe ignorance of scripture. Open fire :glow:- Before Jericho was taken-Joshua(I think) Is the one that laid the lamb's wool out and (again, ignorance) asked that after one night the ground be wet, and the fleece dry, and asked a second time, except asked that the fleece be wet and the ground dry. (And possibly a third attempt as well) I also believe that there is a way to "challange or test spirits" Please, somebody let me know because I hate to tell you something like that and not back it up. Open fire round Two::glow:
I do believe that the Holy Spirit asks different things from different people. While we are all to serve-are we not each given our individual tasks? What good is a church of one hundred with ninety-nine pastors? While I do believe in absolute right and wrong, I believe you need to ask God (I really need this scripture, say what you've got to say please, just point me in the right direction). If it is within His will, and if it is in line with Biblical teachings, then you should listen with a discerning ear. Cause we all know that when we step off the path chosen for us, He lets us know real quick. But if it is truly His will, then follow it. I believe it was Jesus who said "I am the way, the Truth, and the Light, and no man may come to the Father but through me."
I believe Jesus is to be our sounding board, but sadly cannot offer a scriptural refrence to this. Open fire, round three. However, just look through the Bible, at all the different things humans have done with God's (or Jesus' or the Spirit's) leading. How many people did Samson kill? How big was the Egyptian army that chased after Moses and perished when the Sea fell on them? How loving was the woman who washed Jesus' feet with perfume, and her own hair? Do they not all have their actions based on the same Divine leading?
I think we're all called to do different things for Christ. Some may be great, some we may never see the value in, but as long as we're doing it for His glory, we need to surrender to His plan. I don't for one second believe the Spirit is Schizophrenic or tells people contrasting things, I believe it speaks to each and every one as we're called. So I may sit down with you and read a verse, and take away something different than you. Or we may be sitting in church next to each other, and I'll be brought to tears by the sermon, but you can sit next to me and feel nothing but perhaps the spirit moving in me, the person sitting next to you. That's fine in my opinion, because maybe the message wasn't meant for you that week. Truly, sir you do offer a fascinating topic, and I look forward to seeing what some of the responses you get are. My final answer is: The spirit speaks to each of us what is needed for us to hear, and that I really really need to find that scripture to look up testing the spirits, but not to put it simplisticly, but Jesus is The Truth.
Thank you so much for putting me into this train of thought. I mean that.
That's a good question and one I've pondered and discussed many times with people of various camps of belief. I can agree or disagree with people all day long when it comes to 'non-essential to salvation issues', and you will always hear or read me saying that "I believe" or "it is my belief" concerning rapture timing, or other various debates, but I am not so bold to say "this is what God says, and that's that", because I don't have that kind of knowledge. Who really has a 100% grip on end times that they can lay it out exactly as it will unfold? I think that if we are living in God's will, He has us exactly where we're supposed to be for the moment, for purposes known to Him. Why the differences in views? I don't really know. But at then end of the day, we're all His. :)
Jesus spoke only the Truth. Scripture also speaks only the Truth. The Truth is the Truth...it will never change. It may affect people differently...it may make them react differently, but it still is the same Truth.
My question is this:
"Where can you go to have your question of what is being said in a verse of Scripture...of what the One and Only True Interpretation is of this particular Scripture is?"
Where is The Final Court of Appeal? The Supreme Court of Scripture Interpretation? Who or what will give you that answer. What does Scripture say is the Pillar and Foundation of All Truths?
Nicely stated!! I agree with you, I think its not so much that the Holy Spirit is contradicting but that he speaks to us differently. Perhaps we recieve the same message differently as well. This might be based on our maturity as Christians. For example, going along with your example of hearing a sermon and being moved to tears while another feels nothing. I think how many times do we hear a sermon and think, "Oh I know exactly who he's talking about!" instead of taking what is being said and applying it our lives. Perhaps our maturity in Christ brings about a different understanding of what the Holy Spirit is saying. (I have been saying maturity but it can also be our immaturity.)
Maybe a council of the elders? That's what I think would be the closest description of finding the supreme court of scripture. If you seek God with a genuine heart, as you do, He will come and find you. I wish everything made sense to me, I really do, but have no particular insight to offer you here. Maybe e-sword.net would be a good place to look, as you can pull different versions of the Bible up next to each other, and you seem to have a great grasp on words, so maybe seeing it in a different language or translation may help? Or try asking people you look up to as religious leaders? If you are struggling with a particular chapter and verse maybe find a friend who is both well educated and speaks Hebrew? They'd probably have some insight. So much is lost in translation, and while the message remains true, I honestly have problems following some Bibles written in english, and that's my native tongue! Or If it's a particular chapter/verse, start a new thread, see what kind of answers you get? Or fire off a few emails to the "higher ups" Of some of the more prestigious religious schools out there? Or find someone who's spiritual gift is wisdom? Or meet with a few friends you trust, "Wherever two or three are gathered in My name, I will also be there."
If you still are confounded by the verse, ask God for clarity. You are his creation, he wants to talk to you! Tell him you're tripping over something that doesn't make sense to you, and maybe He will "put it to you in a different way" There are many things I've had to give up, and accept to completely put God first, and the hardest among these is the concept of Hell. While I grew up in church, am a pk and mk (missionary kid, not military), it took me many years to truly accept "my" faith. I could say all I wanted, and knew all the ins&outs, but only within the past year has my faith become my own, and I PROCLAIM IT NOW!!!!
However, that leaves 28 years-a lot of dead friends, family, loved ones, I miss these people like crazy and I'll never see them again, all rapture-type discussion aside, as well as the separating of the goats and the sheep, they're gone. Period. End of story. That was hard for me to accept for a long time, and I couldn't do it quite honestly. And don't think for one second that I'm happy about it. But I don't make the rules, I just pay the price if I break them. So hearing that-I pose the question to you-and only you can answer this, but are you absolutely certain that you don't understand the verse(s)? Or is it maybe something you don't want to hear? That is meant with the utmost respect, and I'll be honest, I've thrown my Bible across the room a more times than I can count, but I can't change what's in there. It's been a bitter pill to swallow, and even though I "got the pill down" I still choke on it sometimes. I'm guilty of being angry at God quite often when His plan interferes with mine. It's not right, by any means, but I'll own up to doing it. It's not for me to understand, only obey.
For what it's worth to you, I've never met anyone that fully understood all the scriptures, and would question the person that told me they did. But as far as any court? Well, we're all gonna have to face God at some point, be it judge or Savior, and if it bothers you, I'm sure He'll be happy to explain it to you, as you seem like someone I'll run into in Heaven.
Maybe pal, you'll just have to trust your heart. If you've given it to God, which it seems you have, then you might have to make your own call. Like I said, we're all meeting God one way or another, and if everything else is right, and you've sought after Him with a genuine heart, even if you're still confused by the verse on that day- I doubt he'll fault you for it. At least I hope not! I'm pretty sure He'll still say "Well done, my good and faithful servant." In my mind, the very essence of faith is to persevere because I may not know the path, but I am sure of the outcome.
I hope this helps, man, I really wish I could just *poof* make it all clear for you, me and everyone else. But God's not gonna lead you astray, and since you've got an inside line to the author of the book, use it! celebrate the fact that though all things may not always be clear to our understanding, we do have that connection. God bless you man, Andy
The sole authority is the Bible and not any man or organization especially not the Roman Catholic Church and or the Pope! Which by the way I have not forgotten that I will be discussing this issue with you. I set it up on a "Word" program so I can give it proper attention.
The reason why people get different interpretations is not that the Holy Spirit gives differnt informationn it's that people read into the scriptures through their own bias. Unfortunately many Christians do not try to study the Word of God independently apart from commentaries from someone they perceive to be knowledgable because they are famous or has a degree from a Seminary.
Additionally, many Christians have not been taught HOW to study the scriptures and especially don't realize how important Grammar is and how it affects the interpretation of scriptures.
There is so much to write but this should cover the basics.
I agree with Walter, with the following addition;In many places the Bible gives us layer upon layer of truth that we discern as we mature. We have all been blown away by a revelation on a scripture we have read hundreds of times, we just were not ready to see it then. It's like pealing an onion.
dear folks, sometimes its the HOLY SPIRIT guidin us and sometimes its just us.. when its just us is when we can get things wrong.. and there come your differences..
some things we may not know till we get to heaven.. and some things we may never know even then..
Arch... thanks for opening up the doors of our minds.
Stormcountry.... I lean to agree with you in many ways.
I preceive that the Holy Spirit works in us according to how receiving we are to the Holy Spirit to allow that "working out of our own salvation with fear and trembling". I remember when I decided to take those steps of faith with the Word of God, I found little by little over the years, that I would read the same scripture many times, and as I grew stronger in Christ, that same scripture passage started revealing more and more to me... a deeper, new meaning than what I had before. Much of the Word is a mystery. There are many examples given in scripture of parables being used. Matthew is packed with them I believe. I think that God doesn't allow just anyone to get the keys of those blessed mysterie, but He reveals the secret of life, understanding, and wisdom to those who show Him they really want it.
Why would God want to take us to the next level if we're a wishy-washy people? He wouldn't be able to trust us, would He. God is a wonderful God, mysterious, yet powerful in ways we will NEVER ever be able to figure out or phantom. The Holy Spirit He allows to work in us, and it is so different for each one of us, as we are all so "fearfully and wonderfully" made, so is how God chooses to reveal Himself to us and in us. How can God use a double-minded people to glorify Him? Is it not the same of for the power of the Holy Spirit in a person's life?
The truth of the Word stays the same, there is no deviance for any exception... (probably didn't word this right, but oh well, hopefully you get what I mean.) However, our individual walk, mind you, level of spiritual maturity has everything to do with how yeilding we each are to what we allow the Word of God to work in us, and how the Spirit of God talks to us. ~ GraceMae
I think there may be more than one reason why different people, led by the Spirit, understand scripture differently. They have their own biases, they may not know enough to separate what the Holy Spirit is saying from how they think it should go, and..... God is working on them in different ways from you or I, and He may bring something into focus for them that He doesn't for you or I.
As to who we can go to..... always read your Bible first. Carefully search out good reference material. And use it. Find people who consistently show they are seekers after God, humble before Him, and walk their talk. Spend time with them and talk to them.
And then ...... know that you will probably not ever know for sure. You will always find people who disagree with you or see things differently. Even people you respect in every way. And that's ok. God made it that way.
