Christians. do you really think God wants you to have an interpreter for the bible?

Question

When you go to church and sit with the masses and listen to a fat man with a collar tell you what the bible means, are you really getting into god's good graces? Does god want you to blindly follow along or to find the meaning and the way on your own? I have never been to church in my life (save for a few forced visits with my grandma, and funerals and weddings) but I feel that I have a great understanding of what god means to me as an individual. I have my moral compass pointed in the right direction. church and christianity was created by man. Isn't that kinda like a false idol? Also, you really can't find any irony in a fat, greedy man rambling on about gluttony being a sin?

Answer 1

Matthew 16:18 says , "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of h**l shall not prevail against it."

The church clearly belongs to Jesus (he says "my")

However, this doesn't mean that you need to listen to a fat man.  A church is a community of people, collectively following god.  Don't think of a church as "interpreting," think of it as "seeking together."  

Perhaps your church experiences have been negative.  I can't say.  But it's very prideful to think that you can't learn anything from a fellow's experiences.  No one ever said that building a community was easy; don't whine about it - fix it.

Answer 2

In the Bible, it says that many are called but few are chosen. There are the chosen few who are called to be preachers of the Word of God for the simply fact is this person is the one who encourages and reveals the Word that God revealed to him/her. For example, I read the book of Genesis and I prayed and asked God to reveal to me whenever He wants His people to understand about it. He'll reveal it to me and I must take His revelation and teach or preach it. Church is really for fellowship. We come together to worship. It's coming together for one common cause. And Christianity wasn't created by man....demoninations was. Like Baptists, Lutherans, and such. Those were created by man but Christianity is created by Christ. Hope this helps.

Answer 3

He gave me one , the spirit

tGod bless

Answer 4

If Christ wanted Christians to do without a church, why did he establish a church?

The Bible even calls Jesus the real head of the church, and calls the church His body.

Why call apostles, teachers, elders, bishops, etc., if a church is unnecessary?

Because some people misuse the institution of the church does not make it useless, what matters is if our spiritual leaders solidly ground us upon the Word of God.

Answer 5

we all require teachers and leaders..

what you describe sounds like Haggee and I don't listen to him either...

try amazingfacts.org

Answer 6

*Thunderous applause*

Answer 7

I have the Holy Spirit of God Himself living with me since I have been saved and require no interpretation.

Answer 8

Whether or not it's what GOD wants,, someone has already translated and edited and probably made more than a few expedient changes to that Bible already.

There are ancient texts that were excluded from the Bible,, so the bible that guides all those papalist hating fundamentalists is the product of the Catholic Church. So they and you are still following the Pope in a round-a-bout way.

Answer 9

No, that is what the church wants.  I am a follower of Christ but the church is not always the best place to find God or be with God.  Many churches are in bad shape morally just as anyone else in the world is.  I agree that Christianity was created by man and Jesus only mentions church twice in the Bible so there is more to being a CHrist follower than listening to the minister.  I feel like it is more like walking the walk than talking the talk.  God Bless.

Answer 10

Only if we could learn everything on our own....children wouldn't have to go to school etc.

There's another reason...fellowship with like-minded people makes your beliefs stronger. Or else look at the number of different beliefs and try to make sense of it all. You will have to accept some and reject others.  

Answer 11

Actually scripture clearly teaches we should have a scripture teacher, but says nothing of sitting in a peu listening to a guy with a collar.Some just interpret these passages that way, which is their right and ok.

7Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

9Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings.17Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.

Edit latter: agree somewhat with you Alan, but remember what scripture says the church is:

1 Peter 2

Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

In other words the church ISNT the stones of the buiding, or the buiding. WE OURSELVES are the living stones of

Christs church.

Answer 12

As a christian, you should read and study the bible yourself. However, going to church and listening to a sermon from a pastor can help you to understand certain details and aspects that you may have missed or overlooked. It shouldn't be your sole source of biblical influence, however.

Answer 13

You sound like a deist.

I agree, it is best to just go straight to God and dump all the man made asinine dogma.

Answer 14

yes, thats why we have the Holy Spirit to guide us.  

Answer 15

2 Tim 3:1-5  tells you what people are going to be like in the last days(not interpreted)

Eph 4:5 1 faith, 1 Lord, 1 baptism (not interpreted)

Psalms 83:18; Ex 6:2,,3; Ex 3:15 ; Isa 42:8, God's name (not interpreted)

Rev 20:14 Death & h**l done away with (not interpreted)

John 5:28,29 Good & bad to be resurrected (not interpreted)

Rev 21:1-4  Death will be no more(not interpreted)

Psalms 37:10,11 meek inherit the earth, verse 29, and reside on the earth forever (not interpreted)

John 17:3 tells you what you have to do to get this everlasting life. (not interpreted)

James 4:4 tells you what not to do (not interpreted)

Hebrews 10:25 do not forsake the gathering of ourselves together (not interpreted)

I will agree with you about false teachings coming from the pulpits, most of them based on pagan beliefs like the cross,soul,trinity,easter,& christmas. That's why a person has to examine to make sure their of the right faith. (my interpreted sumation).