Sounds like it says "believe" a lot. But even within the bible, it talks about how evil and presumptuous men use and twist the bible to their own ends, and how we should "guard ourselves lest we be led astray". It even says that certain bible writers are easier to twist than others. We just have to be careful and read the whole bible. WE are not supposed to interpret the bible in my opinion. The bible interprets the bible. Believe/read the whole bible, and the bible will interpret what you're having trouble with.
Both...you got to be able to use them both to make it a meaning to"interpret" Faith which is Belief is not seen to understand what you 1st believed or had been persuaded to Believe in the truth because it is the Hope in the Word of Promise which you interpret from being True.
everything is put as a purpose to work together.......just my thought.....GivenLife
Hey, PhillipJohn. (hope it's okay to just call you John)
When you read something... you are interpreting. You are trying to figure out the ideas whatever you're reading is trying to pass on to you. In this case... the Bible is trying to pass along certain ideas to us. So, when we read it, we are trying to understand these ideas. Not everyone can do so. Why? Because OUR wisdom is foolishness!
"Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" -1 Cor. 1:20
Because of this... we can't interpret God's message.
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Cor. 1:18
So, then... how in the world are we supposed to understand what the Bible is telling us?! We let the Bible interpret the Bible. We let the Word interpret the Word. We let the Word interpret the Bible.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning." John 1:1-2
"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14
JESUS interprets the Bible for us. We let the "Word" interpret what the Word says. How do we do this? Because He lives WITHIN us! Praise God! The Holy Spirit lives inside of us! THIS is how we are able to interpret scriptures!
"... but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God." 1 Cor. 2:10
"We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us."
John... this is what we speak... not in words taught us by human wisdom... but in words taught by the Spirit.
"This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words." -1 Cor. 2:13
So... to answer your ORIGINAL question... to "believe" and to "interpret" or two separate things. We simple have to BELIEVE in order to correctly INTERPRET what God has to say to us, because we can't do so using our own wisdom. We can only do so by the wisdom of the Spirit of God that dwells within each believer.
"Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?" -1 Cor. 3:16
So... the next question I'm sure you will ask, if you don't just ASSUME it to be true, is prolly going to be "Well, then how do I know if YOU (Jesusfreak) actually HAVE this Spirit with which to teach these things?" Guess what? You don't. There is no way to know. After all...
"For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God." 1 Cor. 2:11
We can only tell the condition of the tree by the fruit it produces. aka... the fruits of the Spirit. These are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. I'm not saying that every born again Christian will at ALL times follow and never break ANY of these commands... no one is perfect, and we aren't to judge them for their sins. That's the job of God and His Spirit. We are just called to live a life of faith, obedience, and love.
"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." -Micah 6:8
I hope this helps with your confusion, man. Love and Peace.
"Does Scripture encourage us to believe or interpret?"
I guess I have a problem interpreting the word "interpret":laugh:
The Holy Spirit did not write the Bible in English. It has been translated/interpreted from Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic, Latin into the English bible we read today. The Bible was not written so that we would not be able to understand Gods word, what God says He means, however, I do believe that we are to "study" so that we may "discern" the Word. Many people take a verse of scripture from this chapter and that book to build an "interpretation" as proof for a doctrine of belief. If we do not study (and I agree with a previous poster) the WHOLE bilbe how are we to discern whether this interpretation presented as truth is indeed true. I agree with all the posters that faith (belief) is necessary and that the Spirit guides you in knowing the truth from the Word of God.
However, Satan also knows and quotes the Scriptures (eg in the temptation of Christ) was his "interpretation" of the Scripture correct?
And we CAN know if someone has the spirit in their teaching/preaching IF they "speak according to this word". The bible is the final test...just read the bible:rocknroll:.
I don't have any confusion, i simply ask a question, by your answer you displayed a lot of confusion, most of what you said totally disagrees with the bible, displaying confusion, and the lord is not the author of confusion, by bible says we know the truth. Don't quote things that don't apply to the question, You will never find any time Jesus said interpet what I am saying, that is not even funny, You will find what some choose to believe and some choose not to believe it is a choice. There is no more mystery it has been revealed.
Acts 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
37 � Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Here is a simple example of believing the word of God.
Here is an example of unbelief:4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
What was the root of Adam and Eve's sin, was it not an act of unbelief?
dear folks, the root of adam and eves sin was desire for the knowlege of what all GOD knew.. they wanted to know everything both good and evil. ..and therefore acted on their desires and their disobedience to GODS direct orders.. ...
it wasnt unbelief but yet merely plain ole desire and disobedience..
summin that we all know a little summin about yet we are still believers .. but yet we do become disobedient at times ..
as for intrepreting the bible.. if you read anything you have to intrepret the meanings of the words written.. some things youll come to know and some things youll never know till in heaven or maybe not even then.. when GOD wants you to know summin youll know it.. and if HE dont then you wont till its time or never..
