May you have peace!
Yowee, looks like I hit a "nerve" with you! Truly, I did not intend to, but only to help folks see that sometimes what they put their faith in... is... ummmmm... quite subject to error. And although you do not know and understand this truth, your response to me here... the manner and "tone", as well as the position... is in error because of it, because of what you put your faith in. I have learned a surpassing way, however, but NOT from the Bible, and wish to discuss that with you here. Because of that "way", then, and the fact that you do not know me... I am bound to give you what you did not give me... the benefit of the doubt... and take into consideration your "passion" for what you believe in... as well as the "facts" you base it on. So, if you will bear with me, I will respond to your... ummmmm... accusations:
From what book did you learn about Jesus?
Actually, I "learned" about "Jesus" long before I could read a book. I am African American, from a very "religious" family... most of whom had pictures of "Jesus" (along with John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr.) on their walls. I was singing "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so..." LONG before I could read the words in the hymnal.
From what book do you take His teachings from?
Actually, I didn't take his teachings from any book: they were TOLD to me, by OTHERS, who claimed to have taken them from some book, namely, the Bible. I have since learned that much of what they "took" they distorted, so as to misled and enslave OTHER people.
From what book did you learn that you needed to come to Jesus for salvation?
Actually, almost from infancy I was taught... by others... who claimed to take it from a book, namely, the Bible... that I needed to "come to Jesus" for salvation. However, SINCE then, I have learned... because I have been taught... by the Son of God, himself, my Lord and Master, whose name is JAHESHUA (JAH Saves; Salvation of JAH) MISCHAJAH (chosen/anointed of JAH), that is HE whom I must know and exercise faith in, it is HIS voice that I must hear... and follow... HE, the One by whom the Most Holy One of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, whose name is JAH... of Armies... speaks. THAT One... speaks. It is his voice that I hear... so that by means of him, the Holy Spirit... the One who is a "life-giving" spirit... I am taught. It is he that teaches me "all things," and leads me into "all truth"... so that I no longer NEED a "tutor". The Bible, while NOT scripture... CONTAINS scripture... the "pedagogue" or "tutor" that leads to Christ. I have found him; rather, I have been found BY him... so that I no longer need to be led TO him... but now am led BY him.
From what book did you learn that your life had to be bought my the blood of Jesus Christ?
I didn't learn it from a book; I learned it from the Christ, himself, when he told me such truth. Prior to that, I learned the CONCEPT of salvation by means of his blood... from those who claimed to have learned it from a book. But the TRUTH of it... the actuality of it... I was taught by my Lord himself.
What stuff has been "left out"?
Well, hmmmm... let's see: for starts, the Books of Enoch and Jashar; gospels written by Mary the Magdalene and others; the first letter to the Corinthians (if the 2nd and 3rd are there, why not the first?); the TRUE name of God; the TRUE name of the Son of God. Some Bibles (i.e., Douay, KJV, etc.) contain books or verses that others (i.e., KJV, NWT, etc.) do not. For starters. I could go on... but why?
But there are also things that have been put IN. Left out, put in... that is the VERY reason that my Lord condemned the "scribes." Or didn't you know that?
If something isn't there how do you know its been "left out" ?
Okay, your reasoning here is... ummmm... ignorant. One does not have to know what has been left out for something to BE left out. But that's beside the point: I know what I do for three (3) reasons:
1. It was prophesied
2. My Lord condemned the scribes
3. A curse was uttered against those who would add to or take away (if they couldn't do either, why utter a curse?! It was uttered... for those who WOULD do such things...)
4. My Lord himself said the following to me:
"All that I tell you... is written (meaning, written somewhere and not necessarily in "the Bible"), but not all that is written (meaning in the Bible and other "holy" writings)... is what I will tell you."
I have found his words to me to be absolutely true. Without exception.
I mean have you stupidly lost it ?
If what you are referring to as "it" is the TRUTH, then I must say, "To the contrary, I have FOUND him... and been found BY him! And I see no stupidity in that.
My faith is in Jesus Christ not he Bible.
If by "Jesus" you mean the Son of God and His Christ, then this is as it should be. Praise JAH for it!
The bIble is the guidebook to Christ.
Actually, that's not entirely correct: the SCRIPTURES are a guidebook... or tutor... leading to Christ. The Bible, however, is NOT scripture, but simply contains some of them. The scriptures are Moses, the Prophets, the Psalms and the Revelation; they are that which certain ones were TOLD to write... while they were "in spirit." The others writings contained in the Bible are histories, chronologies, records and letters, none of which were inspired, as the writers were not "IN SPIRIT" when they wrote them. Some, in fact, wrote based on having interviewed others and received an account from them, versus God. But then, since you read the Bible so... ummmm... faithfully... you already knew that, didn't you?
The Bible is the written word of God.
Begging your pardon, but you... and everyone else who continually asserts that "truth" must simply SHOW me where the Bible says such a thing. I tell you... it does not. IT DOES say that all "scriputure... is inspired." And it DOES commend the man who, before the visible presence of the Christ, read in the scriptures day and night. But... when my Lord arrived in the flesh... and fulfilled the Law... it was to HIM that earthling man was to turn their attention... and their faces... and their ears... and to HIM they were to listen.
So that when my Lord is recorded to have said of himself and HIS sheep: "My sheep know MY VOICE;" and "the doorkeeper opens to THIS One and the sheep listen to HIS voice," and "When has got all HIS own out, HE goes before them and the sheep follow HIM, because they know HIS voice," it is in fulfillment OF that command from God... that the sheep listen... and obey.
God did NOT say: "The Bible is my Word; read and listen to it." He said: "This is my Son, the beloved; LISTEN... to HM."
Tell me, please, dear Gordy: do YOU have ears... to hear THAT... and the faith to OBEY?
Jesus Christ is THE WORD of God, please get your understanding of the difference correct.
There is no difference, dear one. There is only ONE Word of God... just as there is only ONE Truth... ONE Lord. ANYTHING that you obey, so as to follow, is your master. You are its/his/her slave. If, therefore, you obey and follow the Bible... it is your master, your leader, your mediator. I have only ONE master, ONE Lord, ONE leader... ONE mediator. The Son of God. There is no other... human or thing... that I am to listen to... or follow.
The Bible cannot save me; it cannot set me free. Only the Son of God, by means of his blood, can save me... only he can set me free. Thus, he is recorded to have said:
"You will know the Truth, and the Truth shall set you free."
Do you know how we are to know that he wasn't talking about the Bible, or saying that the Bible had such truth in it? Because he also said:
"Therefore, if the SON sets you free, you are TRULY free."
And he said,
"I am... the Truth."
And he said,
"Sanctify them by means of your Word. Your Word... is Truth."
HE, then, is the Truth that sets you free, the Word that sanctifies you. The Bible can neither sanctify (cleanse) you... nor can it set you free. It can only tell you about the One who can. And if one is still a babe, so that such one still needs to BE told... then, by all means... "search the scriptures."
BUT... if one has FOUND the Christ... been found BY him... one no longer NEEDS a tutor, does one? One no longer needs to be LED to such One... for one has FOUND him. Yes? That is why my Lord is recorded to have said:
"You search the scriptures... because you THINK... that by means of THEM... you will have everlasting life; and these are the very ones that bear witness... about ME. And YET... YOU DO NOT WANT TO COME... TO ME... that you may have life."
The Son of God... and NOT the Bible, dear Gordy... is the Way. He is the Truth. He is the Life. He is the Word. He is the Tree of Life. He is Wisdom. He is the means by which God will grant life to ALL those wishing, thirsting and asking. NOT the Bible.
However, it is by MISUSING the Bible... that many... MANY... are turned AWAY from God and Christ. For by means of its errors... the Bible... rather than leading people TO Christ... have led them TO... religion. The "FALSE light"... set up by the Adversary... to lure people away from the TRUE Light, Christ. Rather than continually follow HIM... wherever HE goes... people have been led to follow "every sort of wind of teaching" given them by earthling man... who base such "teachings"... on "the Bible."
If, then, you continue to view the Bible as the means for you to know God, so as to be known BY God... and receive salvation... you are fooling yourself. For God can NOT be known... except through one KNOWING... Christ. And one is NOT known by God... except that CHRIST has brought such one TO God.
The Bible... will be used... by those who do NOT know God and Christ... and are not KNOWN by God and Christ... to enslave you... bind you... yoke you. To put upon you heavy loads... burdensome yokes. My Lord said, however, "Take MY yoke upon you" and "Come to ME, all you who are toiling and loaded down." He said, "If any of you are thirsting, come to ME... and drink."
He did NOT say, "Read your Bible so that you can know ABOUT me." For knowing ABOUT him... will not save you. Knowing ABOUT God... will not save you. Rather, it is KNOWING... the True God... AND the One whom He sent forth... that will.
Ask yourself did Jesus believe in the written word of God or not. Of course he did!
To the extent that such were "scripture," of course, he did! Yet, he condemned the scribes. You must ask yourself... WHY?
He would always quote in support of His teachings.
Yes, and that was for a very good reason: He was a Jew... and as a Jew... was BOUND by the Law. Thus, whenever he was put to the test to "transgress" the Law, he would refer to what the Law said. But you are missing three (3) very important truths here:
1. With the exception of one time, when he read from Isaiah, he did not go and look things up "in the Bible/scriptures." He did not say, "Well, let's see what the scriptures say." He did not tell his disciples to go look it up; he never ONCE told them to read their Bibles/scriptures. Why is that? Because the Law that was written... on stone tablets, on scrolls, and on papyruses... which other people had to refer to... was "written"... on HIS... heart! He did not have to read a book to know what was right... and what was just... and what was merciful. So that...
2. At times, he was able to SURPASS the WRITTEN Law... by means of the UNWRITTEN Law of LOVE. For instance, according to the WRITTEN Law, he was to stone anyone caught in adultery. Yes? But did he? Or did he surpass the Law... and FORGIVE? According to the Law, he was not to even TOUCH someone "unclean"... by means of a flow of blood or discharge, being a dead corpse, having leprosy, etc. And yet, he not only TOUCHED such ones, but HEALED them... by taking THEIR affirmities into his own flesh! And when he didn't touch them, but they touched him... did he condemn them? No... he showed them MERCY... which was a "weightier" part of the Law. So that...
3. Rather than teaching us how to cling to the Law and judge and and condemn others, he taught us how to SURPASS the Law... by giving even his own life. Thus, when he died... he FULFILLED the Law... so that it could be moved out of the way... for US... and make place for a BETTER Law... for US... a NEW covenant... one HE mediated (versus Moses)... by means of HIS blood (rather than the blood of bulls and goats)... which Law was to be written... on OUR hearts... just as it was on HIS... versus on stone tablets... or on scrolls/paper in delible ink. Why? So that we should no longer NEED to "search the scriptures," but only willingly allow him to write his laws ON US.
If, then, the Law is TRULY written on YOU... you would no longer need to "search the scriptures," but could and would, instead... hear the Spirit "teach" you such things... from within the "temple" that is YOU... above the "ark" of YOUR "covenant" with God... your heart.
Do you have ears to HEAR, dear Gordy, and get the SENSE of this truth?
What the Pharisees where doing is missing the point that the scriptures pointed to Jesus as the source of life.
Actually, methinks you're missing that very crucial "point," too, like the "blind" Pharisees who could not "see" that they were. The Pharisees... kept referring to what the Law "said". And they kept trying to get him to "fall" under it. He, however, had the Law written on his HEART... so that he was able to use the very thing that THEY put their faith in... to show them that they were wrong.
And your statement above shows the very same thing: if the scriptures point to CHRIST as the Source of Life... why do you need to drink... from ANY other "source"? Isn't the water PUREST at the source? Does it not pick up debris and contamination the further down the stream, the further away from the original source? Why, then, do YOU not hear the words of the Christ, recorded in the Bible, which say:
"Come to ME... and drink"?
You... who claim to have faith in the Bible as the written word of God... why do YOU not hear what IT says... and obey?
If the Bible is not the infallible word of God. Then tell me why should anyone believe a word of it.
God only has one "infallible" Word: His Son. That mouth of THAT One utters truth itself and falsehood is something detestable to HIM. However, if one lacks the FAITH necessary hear the voice of the Fine Shepherd, then one pretty much has not other choice than to put one's faith... in the Bible. A waste of time, IMHO, but, well, we've all got lots of time, don't we?
Why should I believe that Christ came and died for me.
DO you believe that? If so, why do you still look to the "guide"... rather than to the One such guide supposedly led you to?
Why should I believe that Christ told me to follow Him only for salvation.
DO you believe that? Why, then, do you follow anything else?
Why should I believe anything that he is suppossed to have said and done.
The word of my Lord to you, dear Gordy, is that you WOULD believe... if you had faith... whether you read it or not. There are MANY people who do not/cannot read... and yet, they have faith. For faith... follows the thing HEARD... not the thing READ. Thus, MANY had such faith even before a "bible" was compiled. How did THEY do it? I, SJ, have spoken it to you just as I have heard it from my Lord and Master, JAHESHUA MISCHAJAH, the Son and Christ of the Most Holy One of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, whose name is JAH... of Armies. Just as I heard it, I have told it to you.
By doing so you might as well put the Bible and a level with the Book of Mormon, or the Koran, or the Hindu writings.
Indeed. You yourself have said it.
Because if it is NOT the written word of God then anyone who follows Jesus is following a lie.
Anyone who follows "Jesus", perhaps. Anyone who follows the Son of God, however, the One who comes in the name of JAH, so that HIS name is JAHESHUA MISCHAJAH, does not need the Law written on stone tablets, or paper or scrolls, in order to follow him. Such ones follow him... because they hear his VOICE. They KNOW his voice because they are HIS sheep... and they do not follow the voice of strangers. They know that he is ALIVE... a SPIRIT... and that it is by means of SPIRIT that he speaks to them... from the heavens... so that they are ONE spirit... his spirit bearing witness with THEIR spirit. And that it is in THIS manner that they are led... by the Holy Spirit that is the Son of God... the LIFE-GIVING Spirit... into all truth. And thus, they do not need ANYONE to be teaching them ANYTHING... for the Spirit that is IN them... that resides IN them... dwells IN them... will teach them all things.
May you have ears to hear... and get the sense of this truth, dear Gordy, if you truly wish it.
Your servant and a slave of Christ,
SJ
