Can you be a Christian and not believe in the bible?

Granted, to get to the Father you must go through the Son. But how do you believe in the Son? How do people know about God? By the testaments of the Bible. If a non-believer asked what this Jesus guy is all about, what do you say? I know from first hand experience, if you start off with "Well, I think...." you have lost him.

We have no other teachings except the Bible. But these teachings were often put in terms the people of the time could comprehend. A doctor can certainly explain Lymphoma to another doctor, but his discussion would be different to get family members to understand. So much of the Bible is not literal, but just in such a way as to make a point. But true points nonetheless.

The Bible indeed tells you how to get to heaven. But what is the point if you don't believe it?

 

There are a lot of people here on this bb who never cracked upon a Bible until AFTER they got saved. To answer your question to all of the above, it's by the power of the Holy Spirit.

That's not true. We have the Holy Spirit. Studying the Bible strengthens out relationship with the Lord, but without the Holy Spirit, scripture reading is nothing.

Yes, that's true. The Parables are a classic example. Many will encourage people to answer the question "what does the Bible say?", but the more important question to answer is "what is the Bible telling you?".

 

I know I never read the Bible until after I was saved, but the people that led me to the Lord DID. The point I was trying to make was that the belief in the Bible must occur at some point in time, otherwise who would be able to teach what the Holy Spirit was? How can you lead a person to Christ and not believe what you are telling him? And if he is not being told about the Bible, what is he being told?

There would be no point in spreading the Gospel if it wasn't needed. the Apostles preached the word of God, as did Christ. We have the Bible as a record of those teachings, something they didn't have 2000 years ago. I think belief in those teachings is the cornerstone of being a Christian.

As far as what the Bible says, when Jesus got saved and was tempted by the Devil, all of his replies were "it is written...". As is apparent, he not only knew what it said, but believed it wholeheartedly.

 

posted October 26, 2004 09:51 PM
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I'm sure this has been covered before but I am wondering what y'all think about this.

Can you be a Christian and not believe the bible is God's Holy Word?? I seem to run across people alot now that believe they are a Christian that believe the bible is just a book of stories by men only, not God. They say they refuse to live by what it says because they believe it's just myth.
I am wondering why they believe in God the Father or His son Jesus if they don't believe in the bible? Maybe they don't and are just generalizing 'God' to mean whatever they want God to be, making Him into their own 'god'.

I also wonder why most people believe in their 'good works' getting them into Heaven, without them needing a Savior. I used to believe that too. Why is that?? It seems that most people automatically think by 'being a good' person most of the time gets them into Heaven.
Where does this come from, satan deceiving everyone?

This is so frustrating for me to come across people that believe these things. I try to share the Truth of God with them and hope and pray that the Holy Spirit works in their heart. I guess that's all I can do?

Rachel

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here now's response:
I think that most non-Christians know that they are suppose to believe in God and Jesus. And maybe they do believe that there is a God and He has a Son, Whose name is Jesus. But they do not truly know Them as only one does when one has a personal relationship with Them.

So I think that they say whatever it takes to keep people out of "their space"(for lack of a better word). Such as: WE believe in God we just don't believe in the Bible. Or, we don't beleive that you have to go to church.And so on.


Now a word about the frustrations:
All we can do is share the Truth with people. But no matter what we say or how many times we say it, it is God Who draws us to Him. No man can see, no man can hear, unless God opens their eyes and ears.

Sincerely,

here now

 

CG, Jesus never got saved, as we would be saved. Jesus resisted temptation, something difficult for anyone, even Jesus in that case, to do. Satan tempted Jesus by pointing out Jesus' own abilities. Jesus put his trust in scripture (it is written), rather than put his trust in his own abilities, and, by doing so, overcame Satan. A wise lesson indeed. But be careful not to add to (or delete from) the context of Jesus' temptation experience.

Don't forget, the crux of salvation is not just knowing the Bible. It's having a personal relationship with our Father God and His Son.

 

You are absolutely correct. "Baptised" is what I meant to say (got caught up in the thoughts of me being saved!) And indeed it was Jesus' own abilities being tested.

Thanks, JohnV.

 

here now,

I think you are right about a lot of people believing in God, but I am sure that means different things to different people. I know people that "believe in God" but are nowhere near admitting to being a Christian.

I saw a billboard in Florida that read "If you live your life like there is no God, you better hope you're right!" I don't think people realize how true that really is.

But as believers, it is up to us to not give the non-believers the view that church and christianity is just hipocritical. That kept me out of church most of my life. So when we share the truth with them, it needs to be the REAL truth.

 

Johnv

Baptist Board Addict
Member # 1897

posted November 15, 2004 07:44 PM
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quote:
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Originally posted by Curious George:
Granted, to get to the Father you must go through the Son. But how do you believe in the Son? How do people know about God? By the testaments of the Bible.
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There are a lot of people here on this bb who never cracked upon a Bible until AFTER they got saved. To answer your question to all of the above, it's by the power of the Holy Spirit.
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Here now says-

And the Holy Spirit teaches you these things through the Bible, or at least through the Words of the Bible.

 

Just stop trying so hard to prove this to these people. Just plant the seed and the rest will be taken care of. Have the good faith.

 

The OT is able to make us wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus (2 Tim 3: 14-15).

 

I agree with you but these people know the Bible better than I do and I've read it through more than once. I was brought up in the church and I "thought" I knew alot until I got on this particular forum and I found out that the atheist are much more studied in the Bible than I am. I tried my best to share my faith and what Christ had done but they could always come back with a reason not to believe and of course I was always being told to come down off of that cross. To them the Bible is not "logical". They can't see God so therefore he does not exist and all the writings in the Bible are just unbelieveable suh as Noah and the flood. You wouldn't believe the discussion on that one. They were even trying to figure out how much water it would take to cover the earth. Yes, they can be saved by faith through the power of the Holy Spirit. Anyone can but my question was if they accepted Christ as their Savior and really meant it and after studying they decided it didn't make sense so they just weren't going to believe anymore - are they still saved. I believe in once saved always saved and I don't understand how someone can believe and then not believe but this is what I was told by more than one atheist on that forum. They are always the ones to answer the quickest when something in the religious section was written. I don't believe in abortion, or tha gay people should be allowed to marry. But there is one Christian on there who believes women should be able to make a Choice and that gay people should be allowed to have that civil union so they can have the benefits like hetesexual couples. This I don't understand either but I guess that's for another topic.

 

Well, I thought I was posting on the other thread about People that "used" to be Christians, and now they don't believe so please just ignore what I wrote above. That's what I get for trying to answer something in the middle of the night. I believe everything I wrote but it's on the wrong thread - Sorry about that.