Questioning the Holy Bible!!

[StillStanding]

I know that the Holy Bible was inspired by God, but it was written by human beings. I can’t help but think that maybe the authors were influenced in their inspired writings by their given traditions and culture. In fact, many traditions in their culture were pagan in origin.

If the bible were written today, would it be different? What if God personally visited Kenneth Haney and inspired him to write an epistle to the UPCI? Wouldn’t Bro. Haney’s inspired words be influenced by the paradigm of our present culture?

Many folks forget that our present day New Testament 27 books were approved and canonized by the Catholic Church in 397 AD at the 3rd Synod of Carthage. They left out other epistles such as the ‘Epistle to the Laodiceans’, which up to that time had been included in the German bible. They also left out other gospels such as ‘The Gospel of Thomas’. They consider these books heresy. They also consider Oneness Apostolic beliefs to be heresy!

My point is that we as Oneness Apostolics readily accept the Holy Bible as determined by our sworn adversary, the Trinitarian Catholic Church!!! We find that the Nicean Council was in error in establishing the trinity doctrine as the official doctrine of the Catholic church. Has anyone ever questioned the omission of other epistles and gospels?

Things that make you go……Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Pianoman, I have been thinking along those same lines myself lately.......We have to believe that in the begining was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God...but oh my, didn't just a mortal scribe record "The Word"....We have to have Faith that "he" wrote what "He" wanted recorded. Don't we?.....and then that other "he's" decided exactly the part the "HE" wanted passed down as "The Word"...For a Christian, it takes a lot more Faith to believe than just Faith in the Resurrection.

Just a little jest here:

If the trinitarians had not been the scribes, wouldn't there be something in there with precise documentation requirements regarding short sleeves and all those other dress codes?....I mean "modest" makes a person have to do a little thinking and praying for themselves!

Hmmmmmmmmm?

[Pressing-On]

Pianoman,
The reason I don't have a problem with it is because if you think about it - It tells who He is, why He came like He did, gives the great commission, and teaches us decency to ourselves and our fellowman.

If anything were in error, it would just seem too minuscule, IMO, cause I feel His presence!

[StillStanding]

Originally Posted by SarahElizabeth

Pianoman, I have been thinking along those same lines myself lately.......We have to believe that in the begining was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God...but oh my, didn't just a mortal scribe record "The Word"....We have to have Faith that "he" wrote what "He" wanted recorded. Don't we?.....and then that other "he's" decided exactly the part the "HE" wanted passed down as "The Word"...For a Christian, it takes a lot more Faith to believe than just Faith in the Resurrection.

Just a little jest here:

If the trinitarians had not been the scribes, wouldn't there be something in there with precise documentation requirements regarding short sleeves and all those other dress codes?....I mean "modest" makes a person have to do a little thinking and praying for themselves!

Hmmmmmmmmm?

Maybe if one of the epistles were written in the 18th or 19th century by one of the leaders of the 'holiness' movement, we now have more "details" on how we are to dress!

[Brett Prince]

PM,

You are, in reality, questioning the inspiration of the Word of God. You are implying that men wrote, with an inspired "thought," but with their own whims involved. Thus, the inerrancy of the Word of God is called into question, and the authority of it to govern our daily lives. This makes it possible for us to say, "Well, I think that was just Paul talking from his cultural base and we could just forget that because it wasn't really God saying it." This is not only dangerous because it gives us no solid foundation, this is heresy. I will stop right there, due to the fact that this forum has rules...but this is a dangerous line of thought. Be careful, dear friend, for you are treading on very dangerous ground.

[StillStanding]

Originally Posted by Brett Prince

PM,

You are, in reality, questioning the inspiration of the Word of God. You are implying that men wrote, with an inspired "thought," but with their own whims involved. Thus, the inerrancy of the Word of God is called into question, and the authority of it to govern our daily lives. This makes it possible for us to say, "Well, I think that was just Paul talking from his cultural base and we could just forget that because it wasn't really God saying it." This is not only dangerous because it gives us no solid foundation, this is heresy. I will stop right there, due to the fact that this forum has rules...but this is a dangerous line of thought. Be careful, dear friend, for you are treading on very dangerous ground.

God himself did not write the bible. I am saying that God inspired the men with thought, and they translated it in the only way they knew how, which was through the given language and worldview of their culture.

I believe thsat there are things in the bible written for all people in all times (moral and salvational), and other things that were for a specific people at a specific time (cultural).

[rgcraig]

Originally Posted by Pianoman

God himself did not write the bible. I am saying that God inspired the men with thought, and they translated it in the only way they knew how, which was through the given language and worldview of their culture.

I believe that there are things in the bible written for all people in all times (moral and salvational), and other things that were for a specific people at a specific time (cultural).

What you probably are considering too is the many "inspired by God" sermons you've heard in your life time that have been sprinkled with "thus saying Bro. Whoever" tidbits as if they were from God too.

Maybe it's just me, but I always feel that the men that God chose to write His word had an extraordinary relationship with God - - I doubt many walking the earth right now live completely sold-out to God like they were......I mean, would you step in a firey furnace or in a lion's den?

So, I guess what I'm saying I believe they had the mind of God for sure. Was there some flare from them personally - - good question really.

[Barb]

Originally Posted by Pianoman

God himself did not write the bible. I am saying that God inspired the men with thought, and they translated it in the only way they knew how, which was through the given language and worldview of their culture.

I believe thsat there are things in the bible written for all people in all times (moral and salvational), and other things that were for a specific people at a specific time (cultural).

Absolutely, Pianoman...that's what hermoneutics is all about. Understanding when, where, to whom, and the purpose the passage was written.

[rgcraig]

Originally Posted by Pianoman

Maybe if one of the epistles were written in the 18th or 19th century by one of the leaders of the 'holiness' movement, we now have more "details" on how we are to dress!

Maybe it doesn't matter beyond the point of being modest and that's why there's no great detail in the Bible???????????????????

[Brett Prince]

Originally Posted by Pianoman

I know that the Holy Bible was inspired by God, but it was written by human beings. I can’t help but think that maybe the authors were influenced in their inspired writings by their given traditions and culture. In fact, many traditions in their culture were pagan in origin.

If the bible were written today, would it be different? What if God personally visited Kenneth Haney and inspired him to write an epistle to the UPCI? Wouldn’t Bro. Haney’s inspired words be influenced by the paradigm of our present culture?

Many folks forget that our present day New Testament 27 books were approved and canonized by the Catholic Church in 397 AD at the 3rd Synod of Carthage. They left out other epistles such as the ‘Epistle to the Laodiceans’, which up to that time had been included in the German bible. They also left out other gospels such as ‘The Gospel of Thomas’. They consider these books heresy. They also consider Oneness Apostolic beliefs to be heresy!

My point is that we as Oneness Apostolics readily accept the Holy Bible as determined by our sworn adversary, the Trinitarian Catholic Church!!! We find that the Nicean Council was in error in establishing the trinity doctrine as the official doctrine of the Catholic church. Has anyone ever questioned the omission of other epistles and gospels?

Things that make you go……Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

The Catholic Church, or the ROMAN Catholic Church?

Makes a difference, as many referred to themselves as Catholic before the RCC, as Catholic simply meant "universal."

If what you are implying is the truth, then you have a great point. If, though, it was just the "universal" church, then your point would seem, to me, to be moot.