Interpreting the Holy Scriptures

[NicoChristian]

Something I wanted to discuss was interpreting the Bible. I think that a problem we have in C.I. is that too many people want to be pastors or Biblical interpreters. Not everybody can be a pastor, priest or even scholar. I myself realized that my gift was not Biblical interpretation and/or being a scholar. I can quote and understand the Bible better than any Judeo-Christian so-called minister, but that's because the least in the Kingdom are greater than the greatest in the world. I don't consider myself a scholar, pastor or anything, I have other callings and I'm a follower. I think less people should try to be scholars because we just end up with many ministries and each pastor with a small following and more disunity and infighting. People should be more humble, don't try to be what you're not. Be content to at least understand truth in a world of lies. People like Joseph Nomvember are a perfect example of one person going on a completely wrong course and making more problems than solving them.

The point is that even though Catholicism is wrong on many points, they had and have an advantage of not just allowing anybody to bring in new, incorrect doctrine. Although I think that Catholics do the opposite, they forbid correct doctrine and only allow false doctrine. The advantage is avoiding hundreds of different churches popping up and each one teaching something different while claiming to be the absolute truth. An example of this would be cults like Mormonism, Jehovah's witnesses and other churches who went off track decades ago.

I hope people will understand my point, C.I. has too many splits mainly because of egos and those who are doing what they were not called to do. I think we need many churches and pastors in C.I, but what we don't need is every church teaching something different.

Feel free to add onto the topic.

YHWH bless.

[wmfinck]

This is from my recent presentations on the epistle of James:

For the entire podcast series with notes, see http://christogenea.org/general-epistles-audio

James Chapters 4 and 5 - Christogenea on Talkshoe 01-20-2012

Here, because of its importance, and because of the ways in which the chapter is abused, I thought to repeat James chapter 3, and to present it in a manner a little more pointed than how it was presented last week.

III 1 You must not produce many teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive a greater judgment. 2 For we all fail often! If anyone does not fail in word, he is a perfect man able to guide with a bridle even the whole body. 3 Even if the bridles of horses are put into their mouths for which to persuade them for us, then we maneuver their whole body. 4 Behold also, there are such great ships, and being driven by severe winds, maneuvered by the smallest rudder, being driven straight where impulse desires. 5 Thusly also the tongue is a small body-part and boasts loudly. Behold how small a fire ignites so great a forest! 6 And the tongue is a fire, an ornament of injustice. The tongue sits among our body-parts soiling the whole body and setting ablaze the course of existence, and being burned by Gehenna!

Gehenna, the destruction caused by the fiery trials of this life, the wars and strife caused by the tongue. All of these things are of course true, but we must consider how and what kind of speech causes men to slip. And in whose perception do men slip? One man may think that you have erred when he does not like what you say. But what is sin, to slip in the eyes of man? Or to slip in the eyes of God? It may well be that man's pride which causes him to think badly about you. Therefore we have only one Judge: Yahshua Christ, and one Guide, which is His Word.

The context here is set in verse 1, and reinforced in verse 14. We cannot take James' words here out of context, as some would like to do, in order to attempt to show that they themselves are being criticized unfairly. James is not telling us that we cannot be critical of men. Rather, at the end of James chapter 5 the apostle tells us that we should indeed correct our brethren! Rather, James here tells us that the tongue, the smallest organ, can cause a whole bunch of trouble. And how can it do that? James is talking in verse 1 that there should not be many teachers, because they shall receive the greater judgement. In verse 14 he states “do not exult and lie against the truth”. Those who claim to be teachers, yet teach a false gospel, they are the men James talks about here. A world of iniquity is created by false teachings in the name of Christ.

[NicoChristian]

I think you hit the nail on the head there. I've read over verses like that before, but never paid so much attention to it. It's only when somebody points it out does it make sense. But that verses simply confirms common sense, too many teachers will simply cause problems, as we now have. Then again, I've often found that a lot of the so-called scholars or teachers are nothing more than zogbots. I've always noticed that the worst people are always the ones who immediately want to become leaders, pastors, etc, after a very short period of time.

[Acrimonious]

I wish I had been a member of this forum a few months ago; forgive me for bringing up an older topic, but I wanted to add to the discussion. I am in agreement regarding the thread; there are too many shepherds that are gnawing on the bones of the flock's stragglers, and those people need to be revealed before all as the traitors they are. Thankfully, we are able to work against these adversaries, but we mustn't allow ourselves to become entangled with the interlopers. Instead, we should focus on our own edification through prayer and Christian direction. Philippians 2 is affirmative of this:

If then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation from love, if any community of spirit, if any tender feelings and pity, fill my joy full; so that you may agree in thought, possessing the same love, intending with united hearts the same object. Never in self-seeking nor through vain-glory; but, on the contrary, with good feeling considering others in preference to yourselves, not each scheming for himself, but rather each for others.

Many of the pseudo-pastors out there are entirely self-serving for a brief hour of perceived glory. This glory is of the world, not that of Christ. Christ has called us to follow Him, and we will fill the roles He has planned for us so that we may bring His glory to the highest heights and share it with the scattered remnant. Some (few) are called to be pastors, and others are called to be elders, encouragers, judges, physicians, et cetera. A traditional clock has one face but many gears; if those gears are missing, it will never work properly. We must work at aligning our thoughts and intentions with those of our Father and act in accordance with the appointments and charges He has given us.

[Nayto]

Some (few) are called to be pastors, and others are called to be elders, encouragers, judges, physicians, et cetera. A traditional clock has one face but many gears; if those gears are missing, it will never work properly. We must work at aligning our thoughts and intentions with those of our Father and act in accordance with the appointments and charges He has given us.

Just like Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12. People often forget this and think only a teacher has any use. He mentions gifts which we don't see these days. I wonder why that is.

[IdentityChristian]

...People should be more humble, don't try to be what you're not.

1 PETER 5:5
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Proverbs 12:15
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

Proverbs 13:10
Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.