[MC1171611]

Buzzoff, the Bible is both simple to understand and extremely complex: while it's easy to understand doctrines and what God says in His word the Bible, the Bible is more than just what you see upon a cursory look.

The easiest way to clear up confusion is to understand that like a letter, the Bible is not entirely written TO you. You can gain an incredible amount of wisdom and knowledge from someone else's mail, but to follow the instructions written to someone else is not a good idea. You have to understand where you fit into the picture and read YOUR mail to know exactly what God wants from you.

There are three groups of people in the Bible: Jews, Gentiles and the Church (made up of Born-Again Christians). Genesis 1 through 12 deal with the Gentiles; from then on, God deals specifically with His people, the Jew, until Acts chapters 9 through about chapter 13, when the Lord begins dealing specifically with the Church. Your mail, the portions of Scripture most pertinent to YOU as a Blood-Bought Believer in Christ, is found in Romans through Philemon. This is where you compare everything else to, this is where you get your doctrine from, and this is the most important part of the Bible to keep you in the Truth of God's Word.

If you're confused as to what the Bible means in a certain spot, or why it says something that doesn't make sense compared to somewhere else, check the address (so to speak); usually you'll find you're reading someone else's mail, and while that's not a problem, just be careful that you don't apply to yourself the commands that God gave to someone else in another time period.

[buzzoff1031]

I looked up repent in Strong's and Vine's. One day, I will learn to listen to those more experienced than I. It means to change one's purpose, or one's mind. Is looking up words in those two resources a good thing to do?

[MC1171611]

Originally Posted by buzzoff1031

I looked up repent in Strong's and Vine's. One day, I will learn to listen to those more experienced than I. It means to change one's purpose, or one's mind. Is looking up words in those two resources a good thing to do?

It's not a bad thing to do, but you'll do much better by simply running a word search and seeing how the Bible uses that word or phrase in context. Sometimes there are different meanings based on how it's used, but you'll find that the Bible is truly its own best dictionary or commentary.

[Forrest]

Originally Posted by buzzoff1031

Ok, but what about verses like John 15:2, "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit."?

Buzz, perhaps we can begin here. What does John 15:2 mean to you? How do you apply it to your own life?

[Samuel]

Hmm, you do realize you have brought up a very controversial topic, in bringing up John 15. I hope?.

[MC1171611]

Originally Posted by Samuel

Hmm, you do realize you have brought up a very controversial topic, in bringing up John 15. I hope?.

It's only controversial because people don't Rightly Divide their Bible. When a person understands how the Bible applies to them, it's easily understood.

[Forrest]

Originally Posted by MC1171611

It's only controversial because people don't Rightly Divide their Bible. When a person understands how the Bible applies to them, it's easily understood.

Agreed. God has used the 15th chapter of John in my life to teach the preeminence and sufficiency of Jesus Christ. To me, it's a very simple truth. He is the True Vine, I am the branch, without Him I can do absolutely nothing.

Samuel, perhaps you can enlighten us to the "very controversial topic" contained in John 15. I hope.

[Samuel]

You've got the point, I see no need to get into a great debate.

[MC1171611]

Originally Posted by Samuel

You've got the point, I see no need to get into a great debate.

The problem is when people start applying the doctrines found within the Gospels that problems arise. Jesus preached a different gospel and taught different doctrine to a different group of people, and while we can get great Historical and Spiritual or Practical truths out of those books (ALL Scripture is for our learning), to take one's Doctrine from such a book is to confuse Scripture.

Like I said on my next to most recent blog entry (link in my signature), the Bible is all FOR you, but it's not all TO you. To try to apply the whole Bible TO you doctrinally is the most foolish thing a person could do with the Bible other than not believing it.

[Samuel]

Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away:

This is the part I was referring to, and the difference in opinion what becomes of this branch.