What, it’s not all about the emotion????

“This isn’t a Christian record, and it’s not going to be marketed to Christian radio.”

Not surprising given the occasional profanity found in some of her lyrics. Like Ray Boltz she chooses to define her relationship with Christ more by how she feels rather then by what God’s Word actually says.

Neat that you are a “Pacific Northwesterner!”

Thank you for your prayers… I appreciate that. Please understand, however, that you don’t need to pray for my salvation… I’m already saved, and have a commited relationship with Jesus. I feel from the posts, that there seems to be some question as to my salvation because of my opinions and interpretations of Scripture.

As I said before, I’m most interested in engaging hearts & minds, creating authentic connections, and transcending differences that separate us, bringing all of us to a place of love and understanding. That, to me, is the essence of Christ’s ministry, and what I strive for.

Till next time…

-Roby

2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” The Greek word for “inspiration” (theopneustos) literally means “God-breathed.” Peter further explains that “no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21).

Rob, you’ve hit the nail on the head. The issue is accuracy. You believe the Bible can’t be taken literally, because it was written by fallible human authors. I on the other hand believe that it can, because its writing was inspired by the Holy Spirit of God and is therefore God’s authoritative word.

Most Christians aren’t aware of the two different accounts of creation in Genesis 1 and 2. Isn’t THAT interesting.

My bottom line here guys… (I’m assuming you are “guys”… and you may be assuming I am, too. Well, I’m not. I’m a woman… a lesbian… a Bible scholar and a Christ Follower. “Rob” is a nickname.) … so my bottom line is that I want to encourage people of faith to dialogue (not debate) and to lift each other up in the love of Jesus Christ. I also want to encourage people of faith to open their minds and take the blinders off, to consider that there could possibly be truth outside of what they have held onto for so many years.

I know for myself, I am constantly learning and growing, and coming to new understandings of a lot of things in life. People who are not open to change and not open to other ideas, beliefs, interpretations of Scripture, etc., in my mind, are in the group of the “uninformable.” Sadly, there’s nothing short of a tragedy that will touch them.

How about this: Let’s delete everything that has been written here, so we don’t have a written record of it. Then, in a week, let’s get back together and recite word for word what we wrote. Think you could do it? I know I couldn’t. I can hardly remember what I had for lunch yesterday. So consider this: The first writings of Jesus’ ministry were not even recorded until around 40 years AFTER His death. How accurate do you think they were after 40 years?

Literalism is dangerous. Use the brain God gave you.

God bless you.

Again, I have condemned no one. I have oppressed no one. I have merely pointed out that Jesus is the way for all mankind to find freedom from the slavery to sin. In that I include myself.

You asked a question. “The reality is that there are many theologians and Bible scholars to support your ideas and there are many theologians and Bible scholars who support my ideas. Who is right?” I’ll tell you who is right. The one who agrees with God.

I was just reading in 1 Corinthians 1:25 where Paul writes, “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” God says that all our human ideas and understanding, our philosophical and rational thought are foolishness to Him. Isaiah writes that God will “destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent” (Is. 29:14). James writes, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).

Rob, God is not the author of confusion. The way to finding truth is not in human reasoning. The way to find truth is in an honest search for the wisdom of God.

And as for there being two different creation stories in Genesis, you got me there. I’m only aware of one.

Rob, I suspect you think I take the Scriptures TOO literally. And I do have a certain zeal for Christian apologetics. But, scripturally, we know Jesus said, “Thy word is truth” (John 17:17b) and “the Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35b). We have testimony that “holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). And Peter said Paul’s letters were Scripture (2 Peter 3:15-16), and it is the historical testimony of the early church that the New Testament is Scripture which equates to God’s Holy Word. That means the Scriptures are true and trustworthy. As you can guess, I can make a strong argument for the inerrancy of the Bible.

Were either Jesus or Peter or Paul wrong? If so, how? And, how can you be sure based on your argument above?

By the way, doctrine divides (Romans 16:17-18).

Don, I’m sure YOU do not condone using scripture to justify slavery, deny women’s rights to vote or deny interracial couples the right to marry, but leaders in the church DID, and that’s what they taught from the pulpit. You DO use your interpretation of Scripture to condemn and oppress gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people though, don’t you? Nothing is different now, except the group of people who are being oppressed by those teachings. Again… learn from history.

As for interpretation… I learned long ago that it’s futile to debate Scripture. All it does is separate people, and my desire in life is to help unite people, not contribute to the divide. You all have your beliefs, convictions, and truths, and I have mine. Obviously there are some differences there. The reality is that there are many theologians and Bible scholars to support your ideas and there are many theologians and Bible scholars who support my ideas. Who is right? Could you really sit down and have a conversation with brilliant Bible scholars who speak and teach Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek and tell them that they are wrong, but YOU know the truth?

To assume that your truth is the one and only truth and all others who do not share in that truth with you are wrong, is not only arrogant but it’s ugly, and serves no one. I apologize if I came across in my first post as indicating that MY ideas are the only right ones. I don’t believe that for a second. The point I’m trying to make here is that we need to look at all the different beliefs and doctrines just within the protestant church, and just because churches differs in their understanding of what Scripture reads, doesn’t mean one is right and the other is wrong.

By the way, it seems that you both take the Bible pretty literally. How do you take the two different creation stories in Genesis? Which one do you believe?