Is there such a thing as having "simple faith?"

Simple bible reading is easy, bible study is harder and well worth the time for anyone who wishes to know and understand scripture. Paul comended the Breans for doing it, we are told to do it, (study to show thyself approved). If we don't 'analize' scripture we may miss some very important things in it somethings in scripture must be compared with multiply scripture to understand it. (scripture interpeting itself, which means we will have to do a lot of study).
I don't think that what your describing is 'simple faith', some of it (thought not all) describes a new believer. As we grow spiritually in Christ is becomes deeper then what you have described as 'simple faith'.

 

Why do you keep refering to study as "overstudying" or "overanalyzing"? With the Word of God, that is an impossibility!

While maybe not a new believer, it sounds like you may be a "milk fed" believer still. Paul tells us as milk fed Christians we are to move on to meat. There should be a desire to do so, and if there isn't, you should ask God to give you such a desire to know Him more intimately.

 

What do you mean?

How can you disagree with God?

 

I love the newsboys,
but your still describing a new beleiver.
A perosn can be saved 50 years, and not advance past year #1, they are constantly at the level of a new believer, they never mature or grow past yr 1. Bible study is a part of the maturity and growth. It's hard to learn to do it regularly, but well worth it in our relationship with God and our growth.

It's called bible study, and yes, there is a need.

one reason why we need bible study, not as many gray areas as you think.

The Holy Spirit is our teacher, but for us to learn from scripture we must be in scripture, at least making an effort to study it as best our ability. Theres no excuse other then spiritual laziness not too.

 

This is what I meant. A new believer is milk fed, a growing mature believer is not.

 

Actually you can. I don't suggest it but it can be done. You do it by saying "God your wrong" or if you post on this board you can say: "wong." and not be specific.

 

The op has stated several times God is wrong, and that scripture is not for her. She choses to pick out what she thinks He is not wrong about and call herself obedient, and leave off what she thinks He is wrong about, as she has said.
To think one knows better then God what is right or wrong is the hight of pride, and ignorance of scripture.
And shows, as I said, the immaturity of a new believer.
Nothing wrong with the immaturity of a new believer, unless one has been a believer a long time.

 

Actually, there is a lot of emotional based "salvation" experiences. Not that these things aren't authentic but if reliance on an emotional high is a persons salvation I wonder even if they know the God they are saved by. The God of Euphoric feeling that I and the Universe is ok or the God who was broken for our sin that we might live. Hmmmm.

 

I guess you could say that in the beginning I had a simple faith. Although the more I read of the Bible the more I wanted to read it and study it. I'm not really interested in anything else. I've studdied it all my life and I still can't get enough.
One thing about the study of it I have found is that the more you study it the more God brings certain details to your attention. I've discovered this is how he perfects our faith. This is how God finshes the work began in us all.
MB

 

You are quite the argumentative one, aren't you? :laugh:

Yes, you could say God is wrong, but we all know that HE IS NOT!
Cafeteria style Christianity really isn't Christianity at all. I think it's called "believing in vain".

 

Very well put.

 

Yes, indeed!! It is not found here a lot because we are "outfitting" our "mansions" with "gold, silver, and precious stones" (God's wisdom, God's thoughts, and God's glory -- 1Cor 3:10-21. We are not just growing spiritually. We are "building" upon the foundations of Christ and the apostles and some of us are being "careful how we build thereon."

However, there was a time when I did not think my eternal life was relevant to this life. Paul tells us about such people in 1Cor 15:12-41 -- that they failed to realize that God had given them a new life HERE -- that it would be more glorious and fruitful than any they could conger up! It begins with "unity of the Spirit" (salvation in Christ), Eph 4:3 and never stops as we endeavor, through the "knowledge and faith of Christ," to all come into a "unity ... unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;" Eph 4:13. But, sadly, you will find a lot of the latter around, too. That's also why we study.

It gets more complicated around here because we are always trying to pull our fellows out of "speculative doctrines" and "philosophical theologies," as one had said. Yes, those doctrines and theologies are very complex and it is like "panning for gold" -- we who would find the truth in them have to continuously swirl the "pan" until the truth, the "gold," appears and can be picked out of the debris.

skypair

 

Simple faith = I am happy where I am at and do not want to grow any further.



Heb 5:6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Heb 5:7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
Heb 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
Heb 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
Heb 5:10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
Heb 5:11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

 

Devotions. Hmmmm. I look at it this way: Jesus gave a parable about a man who had found a treasure in a field and sold everything he had to purchase the land it was on. Matthew 13:44

So I take two things from this. The man gave everything he had to obtain it.
and obtained everything relating to it. So we believe that Jesus died for our sins and by his attoning sacrificed we are made right with God yet this is a valuable thing to be right with God and to partake in it we must give everything (ourselves: our hopes, loves, ambition, everything about ourselves) to God. And then wrap yourself in everything about God. Prayer, bible study, fasting, and a multitude of other things that we might not take anything about our faith for granted. So we are then transformed

. Instead of saying. "oh yeah I believe and pray when I need help" but live an active or proactive chirstian lifestyle. So that we are not guilty of a dead faith or taking for granted the faith we have that was so dearly bought.

The christian life is one of sacrifice not just getting stuff.

I think this aspect of christianity often gets lost with the I'm saved because I believe. But what's the point of believe if its not acted on? Is that really belief? And christianity cost God and those who want God. This is the example we must follow as christians

Also keep in mind the bible isn't a Smorgasbord. We don't pick and choose what we like or don't like. Its the truth. Period. You follow it or you don't there is no halfway point. like the treasure. You purchase the land and get it or you don't. Christianity is very much like that.

 

How does one know anything with out an analytical mind? We have to examine it in order to discern it. We have to study it and study always involves analysis. Is there another form of study that I don’t know about?
We study and we pray and ask questions our questions are the result of analysis.
MB

 

I would like to add;
There are a lot of people who would just rather let others do the study and then just take their word for it being true. This idea is terribly flawed. Although it is a simple faith.
MB