Your Recommended Bible To Study From

[ElleJay]

One thing I have just started since I came back was to try an old (new for me ) method of study called lectio divina, or "divine reading". It is a method of study that involves different aspects which are "Read, Think, Pray, Act". This breaks down into re-read, meditate upon the content, talk with Yahshua about it and try to find a way to implement that piece of scripture into your everyday life. I use a devotional bible called "The Message: Solo - An Uncommon Devotional" to help since it has ideas already in place.

Trooper ... this is written with loving concern. When I read this, red flags went off for me. I was hoping someone else might address it. There is so much out there to pull us in ... thinking we are headed inthe right direction. The Emergent Church ... which realy began with the book Purpose-Driven Life ... is what is in many mainline churches today. It is a different Gospel. So ... I am attching two articles I hope you will find helpful. I would rather choose something by CI ... and there may be something out there ... but the articles I chose are just the tip of the iceburg when it comes to "lectio Divina" and The Message (which I cannot even attach the word "Bible" to.

Lectio Divina - http://www.challies.com/articles/the-da ... tio-divina
The Message - http://jdlarsenmn.tripod.com/message_problems.htm

The attachments may not totally reflect our views when it comes to CI ... but they certainly might open the door to further comment and discussion.

Elle

[ElleJay]

The Emergent Church ... which realy began with the book Purpose-Driven Life ... is what is in many mainline churches today. It is a different Gospel

I probably should have explained this better ... but The Message and lectio divina are both used by the Emergent Church ... a movement within mainline churches ... not the name of a denomination.

Elle

[wmfinck]

I had written an attempt to describe my ow methods of Biblical exegesis here:
http://christogenea.org/articles/biblical-exegesis

When I had the dispute with the ostentatious Don Spears a few years ago, I tried to explain that if a particular system of study did not allow those who developed it to find Biblical truth, then that system is of no value. I wrote this in part:

Don talked at length on Saturday about the need to follow the traditional methods of Scriptural interpretation. Yet Don himself also claims that Christian Identity truth is discovered with those traditional methods of interpretation from the King James Version alone, without any necessity to learn other languages and to inspect the source documents. If any of the early Christian writers, and if any of the major schools of recent times had ever arrived at the truth using those traditional methods of interpretation which were devised by scholars, then perhaps I would see merit in them. But they have never arrived at the truth through those methods, and they reject that truth today even when it is shown to them. Rather, those methods bind men to laws which have been devised by man, not by God, and I see them as the systemization of deception. I shall not be bound by the laws of man respecting the Word of God. Don has learned the Israel Identity truth, yet he clings to those old ways which have never discovered the truth. He insists upon pouring new wine into old bottles.

(Well, Don had claimed to have learned Israel Identity, but his understanding has shown itself to have fallen short with that also.)

Identity Christians should know that all of the mainstream churches promote or recommend certain systems of study, but that none of them have ever found certain Biblical truths. So NONE of them are of any value.

If one must meditate on a single word, one should probably consult a lexicon, and then a dictionary. I think such people are absolutely full of **it, pretending that the spirit of God comes upon them for meditating on a single word.

The Bible is a collection of books which should first be read through, so that the reader can understand each individual book within the greater historical framework.

Then once each book is understood in its own historical context, the individual episodes may be studied at a greater depth so that one may gain a better understanding of each one in particular. But other historical sources are going to be required in order to discover the precise truth of many matters.

One cannot study individual words or verses and imagine oneself to be enlightened with some great truth, without understanding the Biblical and historical context of that verse as well as the context of the verse within the narrative in which it is given.

[Gaius]

One cannot study individual words or verses and imagine oneself to be enlightened with some great truth, without understanding the Biblical and historical context of that verse as well as the context of the verse within the narrative in which it is given.

This is essentially and vitally true.
I have heard "pastors" practically make doctrine out of a verse or two that they have plucked out of a passage. For this reason, I attended Bible study to try and attain a deeper understanding. Yet years of even this did little beyond producing a "give your heart to Jesus" mindset. Massively missing the point with the "Jews and Gentiles" narrative ...
The Bible Commentaries on this site are invaluable, Bill. Thanks again for them. Sure, talk-ins are OK every so often to clarify a range of topics, but the real meat lies in Bible study.

Here is something else I found useful --

http://emahiser.christogenea.org/king-j ... o-seedline

Surprising (or maybe not ...) that different KJV publishers show different centre-refs, eh ?

[Kentucky]

The Emergent Church ... which realy began with the book Purpose-Driven Life ... is what is in many mainline churches today. It is a different Gospel.

The "Purpose Driven" series of books were written by Rick Warren. Several years ago, after fomenting a rise in the "megachurch" phenomenon, he was honored with membership in the CFR (Counsel on Foreign Relations). The CFR is a euphemism for a bunch of commie bastards, whose stated goal is one world government. This global governance is void of Jesus Christ. Instead, there is a vicarious Christ, another gospel, which is antithetical to genuine Christianity, especially Christian Identity, because the new world religion is ecumenical, which means the belief system is a potpourri of every man that doeth what is right in his own eyes. This is simply a makeover of secular humanism and secular humanism is judaism for dumb goyim. The so called emerging church is going to have a millstone wrapped around its neck and thrown into the ocean; then it will be the submerging church.

Mark

[ElleJay]

One cannot study individual words or verses and imagine oneself to be enlightened with some great truth, without understanding the Biblical and historical context of that verse as well as the context of the verse within the narrative in which it is given.

All of the replies today were right on. I was so glad to read them all.

Bill, this is so true. When a verse sounds contradictory to me, I think about the context ... and go to a dictionary. If I still cannot figure it out, I know it is me ... because the Bible never contradicts itself. You are providing the historical context with so many supporting docutments I cannot keep up ... but they are accessible, which I so appreciate. I have printed off your "on Biblical Exegesis."

This single word meditation ... or even a few words ... is right in line with the newer choruses sung in these churches. The first time I heard one of them it did not sit well with me. In fact ... I grew tired of the repetition. Hymnals are being re-written all of the time with the "offensive" hymns being eliminated.

I have heard "pastors" practically make doctrine out of a verse or two that they have plucked out of a passage. For this reason, I attended Bible study to try and attain a deeper understanding. Yet years of even this did little beyond producing a "give your heart to Jesus" mindset. Massively missing the point with the "Jews and Gentiles" narrative ...

Me too ... in fact ... the weekly offering in the churches I attended from childhood until around age 30 were more like homilies built upon verse or two ... usually will little if any reference back to the text ... and no discussion about context or word meanings ... an who knew anything about putting it into an historical settting?

I read Clifton's paper you recommended some time ago, but I have printed it out again to refresh my memory.

The "Purpose Driven" series of books were written by Rick Warren. Several years ago, after fomenting a rise in the "megachurch" phenomenon, he was honored with membership in the CFR (Counsel on Foreign Relations). The CFR is a euphemism for a bunch of commie bastards, whose stated goal is one world government. This global governance is void of Jesus Christ. Instead, there is a vicarious Christ, another gospel, which is antithetical to genuine Christianity, especially Christian Identity, because the new world religion is ecumenical, which means the belief system is a potpourri of every man that doeth what is right in his own eyes. This is simply a makeover of secular humanism and secular humanism is judaism for dumb goyim. The so called emerging church is going to have a millstone wrapped around its neck and thrown into the ocean; then it will be the submerging church.

So, Rick Warren is part of the CFR. Not surprising because of the status he has gained among the political elite. Yes ... it is "another gospel," and it is antithetical to those I rub elbows with who are Reformed ... but, it would be moreso in CI. "Ecumenism" is a term I learned years ago ... but not until after I had experienced being a part of the ecumenical system. I always had trouble reconciling working with Catholics on the abortion issue ... or people who were charismatics. It is not that I did not like the people ... but their belief systems were wrong. Because you ran for office, you must have seen the ecumenical movement among conservatives up close and personal. Of course, now most mainline churches are ecumenical.

Yes ... the Emergent Church is simply one more make-over of all of these humanistic movements within churchianity. There is nothing new under the sun ... just a new packaging. I loved your last sentence ... about the "submerging church."

[Kentucky]

Because you ran for office, you must have seen the ecumenical movement among conservatives up close and personal.

Yes, it was primarily a strange mix of Fundamentalists and catholics in the Republicans party. I quoted Scripture quite profusely in my campaign and in candidate forums, which the other "believers" were too embarrassed to mention (didn't want to lose the squat monster vote lol). One guy came up to me and said, "Mark , I wish I could say the things you do." That was so very telling and disturbing.... "for fear of the jews." Ann Coulter came under fire last week for tweeting "those f***ing jews" in regards to the GOP candidates that were prostrating themselves before the IsraeLIE bandit welfare state in the last debate; it was even too much of a pathetic groveling for her. It should be a sign of the times that when politicians give mere lip service to the Word of God (like Trump saying it's his favorite book uh huh) instead of gleaning the wisdom and substance of Scripture and applying it to our social ills. That was the joy of running for office for me... I had ready-made answers that God had already prepared. An ecumenical movement isn't much different than race mixing i.e. it's religion mixing.

Mark

[SSTrooper83]

Sorry it took so long to reply. I have just came back from a training exercise out at Ft. Irwin where we did not have access to our phones.

I think everyone misread my original statement. I use multiple bibles (my main one being the REB) and I am not involved in any "church" or the producers of "The Message: SOLO". I do like the exercises that are attached to their readings but I usually use the REB and my own experiences with the material I learned from Kingdom Identity and Bertrand Comparet. It's sort of like "How can I read and look at the Scripture with new eyes and a practical application in my daily life?"

I do take the advice given as it was intended and I sincerely appreciate the concern. I will also definitely look more into the fallacies of lectio divina before going further.

Thanks to everyone.

Edit - Thanks for the advice, Mr. Finck. I grew up Roman Catholic and get attached to prayers and readings out of habit. Anybody has any advice on how to break these habits?

[PhilNotChristian]

As a newcomer to the DSCI message I too had to decide on a Bible that was a good fit for me. The KJV is just to difficult for me to decipher. I spend more time in Strong's than I do in the KJV. So what I finally decided on was the ASV, Bethel Edition. Of course I have my CNT which I have read. But when it comes to an OT I like the ASV. KJV is a beautiful language just too difficult for me. P.S. I went to the Kinsman Redeemer site to read LXX vs. MSS and I saw mentioned a translation called the "American KJV". Anybody read from it ?

[PhilNotChristian]

I have a AST version with the Sacred Name restored which is really easy reading. It is called the Bethel Edition from the Assembly of Yahweh. I'm aware they are not CI or anything close. I just happen to like their Bible. It works for me. This is the American Standard Translation and not the AST Anointed version. Which raises the ? Has anyone read the Anointed Version ?