Hello everyone,,
I have a hard enough time as a believer making sense of The Word.
I was reading Psalm 91 tonight and wondered what someone (who had never read the Bible) would think when they read verses 9-10 which says, "Because you have made the LORD - my refuge, the Most High - your dwelling place, no harm will come to you; no plague will come near your tent".
We all know and so does the non-believer that harm does come to our "tent" sometimes. How does someone make sense of this and perceive it as truth?
I would love to hear your thoughts and personal commentaries on this.
Pray for me:BangHead:Tim.
How does a non-believer make sense of the Bible?
Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by elysse77, Dec 7, 2019.
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Explaining John 11:26 will get you way on your way to explaining Psalm 91.
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Iconoclast Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
Unbelievers can be religious. Natural men have a fleshly religious understanding in which they believe man is in control rather than God. They invent their own views of what is right and what is wrong.
They invent their own view of reality, which is a fantasy world. -
Psalms 91:9-12, ". . . Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. . . ."
I know this promise is true. It is a specific prophecy about Christ, not the individual believer.
Now the Devil tempted our Lord with this, ". . . Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. . . ." -- Matthew 4:5-7. -
Matthew 19:3-12
In this case, the Pharisees wanted to divorce their wives for any reason and they did their best to force their theology onto the scripture. Jesus places their prooftext into context with the rest of scripture.
In the same way non-Christians may be looking for a way to discount the Bible and may have already pre-hardened their hearts to refuse any explanation. And further explanation may simply further harden their heart like what happened with pharaoh and the plagues.
However, if you feel like they are open to an explanation, I would point out that Psalms is poetry - not expository text. In fact, there is very little expository text in the Bible. Poetry in the Bible, just like poetry elsewhere, tends to have numerous metaphorical images and tends to convey feelings more than facts.
Psalms 91:3-4
We obviously aren't birds and we don't live in nests. It's metaphorical.
If you read the Psalms 91 again, as a poem, you can see how this would give comfort to a Jew living in exile despite their circumstances, or provide encouragement to those who are doing right, or even something else. It's poetry and has multiple meanings and a depth that is not always seen in the first reading.
As far as physical loss of life or property, the Bible insures that this is not what we are fighting for.
Ephesians 6:12 CSB
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.
And Jesus gives us the power over these enemies.
Luke 10:18-20 -
Until relatively recently, so did I.
What's important is, are you willing to believe whatever it says, deep down in your heart?
What they don't usually do is to seek God for answers, or to hope in His deliverance.
They usually dismiss them as, "That's life, what can you do?" and simply move on the best that they can.
As for how one makes sense of it and perceives it as truth...
A person that is "of God" hears, or welcomes the truth of God's word ( John 8:47 ).
Those that are not believers will not welcome its truths.
Since you believe His words, then you can trust that you are His and the promises contained are for you to rely on.
As for praying for you...
I will do that.;)
Try not to worry too much, and remember to cast your cares upon Him, for He cares for you ( 1 Peter 5:7 ). -
Joh_15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Anyone who can read can comprehend can understand scripture.
MB -
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To repeat your o/p question
How does a non-believer make sense of the Bible?
Well unaided by the Spirit of God he/she would have difficulties.
John 1
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
GOD reveals Himself to whomsoever He pleases - when and how He pleases.
Our responsibility is response.
I believe its to every man as verse 9 plainly declares.
respondez s'il vous plait -
(That's what makes them "non-believers". :) ) -
MB -
Do you really believe that God created the everything in 6 days?
- read a biology book ... evolution.
- read a geology book ... formation of sedimentary rocks and coal.
- read an astronomy book ... age and life cycle of stars.
- Did the dinosaurs miss the boat ... literally!
- Read a book on wooden shipbuilding ... hint hogging and break in half.
- How did the kangaroos get from/back to Australia?
- Sort of straining the limits of credibility, don't ya think.
All this is the first half of the Genesis ... and believers expect reasonable people of the world to swallow all this as infallible truth? Unbelievers do not believe it, so they have no reason to expect that the rest of the book is any more "credible". That is why GOD SAVES and not men.
If your experience with unbelievers is different, then Praise God. Personally, I find people willing to give God a chance only after everything else has failed. -
so yes with those two entities I do believe the seeming impossibilities within the constraints/restraints you have decreed.
As an example - did God create everything in 6 days - yes - if and when I see Him face to face and the question comes up and He says "son, I meant the 6 days to be metaphorical" then I will certainly change my mind but until then 6 days it is.
However if brethren choose the metaphorical POV I won't care and can/will worship and have fellowship unless of course matters of a different gravity cause a problem. -
2Co_8:12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
when a man has Willingness he will be convinced of Jesus and convicted of his sins and might be saved.
MB -
Personally, I have trouble reconciling all the biblical and archeological facts, but given God's track record compared with the track record of "modern science", I am unwilling to bet against God ... so 6 days it is for me, too. -
Reformed1689 Well-Known Member
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How can believers be secure because bad things happen to believers? The answer is because of the surpassing glory of our afterlife in heaven, nothing that happens to us during our lifetime matters. Yes, sometimes believers enjoy the blessings of God, but we all will suffer and die until Christ comes for us. Are we told our long life will be on earth?
Try reading Psalm 91 NET version, on line, including the footnotes. Bottom line, yes some truths can be gleamed from just reading scripture, but when it seems not to make sense or seems to conflict with other scripture, the solution is study, prayer, and meditation.
As for the lost, who are open to God's word, one sound approach is for a believer to come along side, and present the essential truths, perhaps using the Roman Road, or other evangelical approach. -
The best a non-believer may do is read the Bible as one reads any good literature.
They may find certain passages that they would like to emulate, incorporate, quote, and even some principles to live by, but ultimately it is nothing more than a book of stories and promises made to others.
The unsaved derive no eternal value from the Bible any more than some believers who leave it unread. -
what about Cain, was he a believer?
or an enigma?
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