Good post, & thanks.....If I may, not being negative but just babbling on a bit----I have often said that Christians need to realize that the only Bible one may see or read is you, me or another Christian. Maybe the whole world is all screwed up is because those professing to believe do not put out much light. Then as I read your post a question entered into my tiny little brain, not being critical, just how my mind runs and often I learn much from discussion, which makes me research to learn more-----so---"being deceived God understands that's just who I am"----I wondered does this show or indicate that such persons have a belief in God? May be very, very, shallow belief, yet it is not denial.......as I mentioned, discussion purposes only. Nothing better than cranking up the ole brain.
I have stated several times how stuck I am in Romans----the Epistle on Doctrine.....Doctrine being the rules a organized Church religion goes by. Each religious organization has different rules they go by, yet each follows God, Jesus Christ & the Holy Spirit----or they are suppose to anyway. 3 weeks ago I had breakfast with a young man (my oldest son) and our conversation followed along the lines, a conversation which drew me into the study of Romans.......The church teaches that "ALL" sin every day, "ALL" fall short of what God expects, yet the church places sins in different categories , this sin is really bad, stay away, DO NOT GO THERE, this sin ain't so bad, try not to do it, then be very discrete about how you do this sin, other words do not get caught......The the church teaches that if we sin we go to hell, which means all of us are headed to hell, because we all sin every day.....well we as christians say we accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior so we are saved, so then we all are hypocrites.....we are saying that as Christians sin is OK, but you are not a church member so your sin, although the same as mine, sorry ole buddy, you are headed to hell....NOW !!! I clearly understand how disturbing this may sound to a believer.....BUT....when just sitting with a friend and this type of conversation pops up, trust me it is a very heavy subject. It goes way beyond our basic Christian understanding.....let say one does not believe me , spend 3 or 4 weeks in "REAL" Romans study, I mean really get into every word, every sentence, every paragraph, connect this chapter with the previous and the following-----AFTER WEEKS OF STUDY, "I" LEARN "I" NEED TO BE MORE AWARE OF MY CONDUCT-----comes back to the only Bible some will ever see is "ME"-----Allow me to say, I clearly understand, can I at this point clearly explain it correctly----NO----
IF I MAY-----I think I am on the right track here, if not, please point out where I got derailed......Scripture "clearly says that we are taught by the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit teaches us", I have noticed that in all my study, different denominations interpret some things differently, theologians with a real long list of educational degrees, each interprets things differently----I came to the thought that God gave each of us different personalities so it is only natural that we may understand differently, not incorrectly but differently......With all my tacky side I am able to identify with tacky folks, shall I say, speak their language, a super intelligent person easily identify with the same and so on and so forth. I started my Scripture reading back in 1990 and each time I started reading I too a moment, placed my hands on my Bible and ask God that the Holy Spirit would lead and teach me.....Hey it worked, yet what I started learning is very basic to what I know now ----yet I am honest in saying I still know nothing, I have not even scratched the suvface.....I think it is in James he write---Draw near to God and He will draw near to you----Jesus teaches "ask---seek---knock"-----reading your Scripture these are very beneficial in your understanding---ASK and you will receive---SEEK and you will find----KNOCK and it will be opened
One last note.....I have often almost given up on answers to my questions, then at the least expected time the answer comes, often right out of nowhere----amazing
God Bless
