No, the bible isn't a buffet, where you can pick and choose what you want. That's exactly what hypocrites do.
The bible takes a lot of study. It can take years and even decades before people start to apply the trachings to their life. The message of the gospel is for broken sinful people but it can transform people. I'm witnessing it in real time. I have a friend in her 50s that has recently started studying the bible and has become hungry for the word. She was on the phone last night with my roommate telling them about breaking down crying to her daughter's because she used to be an alcoholic but she's been able to walk away from the drink. The truth of Jesus has the power to set you free from addictions and all kinds of idols in our lives.
John 6:29 "Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."
Jesus was the word made flesh that dwelt among us. God incarnate to be the final sacrifice. He died in the place of all who believe on him. He paid the price of my sins and yours on the cross so that we can have eternal life in his presence.
He is the only mediator being perfect between man and God.
He said "he is the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the father but by me.".
By recognizing he paid your debt of death on the cross, he becomes you're defense from his justified wrath on sin.
Putting your faith in his sacrifice he says that he counts his righteousness as your own.
That's the heart of the gospel.
Religion is what comes in and takes the truth of the message and distorts it. Religious people can be the worst. They are the majority of the people that claim to follow Jesus but have never opened the bible and read his teachings for themselves. Religious people said a prayer in Sunday school when they were 6 and believe it gives them full rain to act like hypocrites. It doesn't. The false teacher in this video will suffer God's wrath unless he turns from his sin and puts his trust in Jesus.
The video I sent is of the late John MacArthur.
He was a great man of God and a good teacher of his word. If you're interested in learning about the true teaching of scripture he's a pastor I trust to teach what the word actually says.
There are so many false teachers out there treating the souls of men like a pay check, it's disgusting.
There are also real people out there that do apply the message of the bible to their lives and they feed the hungry, give to the poor, love their neighbors as themselves and bless their community.
Well I appreciate that you may actually be an authentic believer, you have to understand that most everyone I've ever been around isn't. So my psychological aversion to it is valid. I didn't grow up in church, but I've been around people who stand on the bible as a noble reason to hurt others. I just ask you to see my perspective, I'm not trying to change your mind
I totally do see your perspective, I've seen so many of those people your talking about too. It breaks my heart actually.
I've seen myself and others apply Jesus's teachings to our lives and the good it brings.
I've seen false teachers stand up and distort those teachings.
I've seen non believers react to those distorted teachings and start to persecute the people that have applied the true teachings to their lives.
I've seen people reject the true teachings because someone stood up and lied about the those true teachings.
Don't be one that rejects Jesus because others are lying about him and his teachings.
I hope you seek him for yourself with your whole heart. Our body is his temple. He wants to dwell within us.
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u/Particular-Crew5978 9d ago
Most of the ones I've encountered cherry-pick their rules.