How do you know what the Christian faith is?

[MoreCoffee]

I wouldn't quite define it the same way, anyway; dogma particularly implies the idea of an overseeing institution.

I think that the word comes from Greek via Latin and means "opinion" and "seem good [to think]". In English its meaning is very likely shaped by almost five centuries of Protestantism.

 

[onlyme]

I think that the word comes from Greek via Latin and means "opinion" and "seem good [to think]". In English its meaning is very likely shaped by almost five centuries of Protestantism.

The Latin 'doctus' has inflenced the English word for doctrine = teaching, via French. The Apostles are great examples in Scripture of those who taught the faith, as commissioned by the Teacher Himself.

 

[MoreCoffee]

The Latin 'doctus' has inflenced the English word for doctrine = teaching, via French. The Apostles are great examples in Scripture of those who taught the faith, as commissioned by the Teacher Himself.

I was referring to dogma :
dogma (n.)
c. 1600 (in plural dogmata), from Latin dogma "philosophical tenet," from Greek dogma (genitive dogmatos) "opinion, tenet," literally "that which one thinks is true," from dokein "to seem good, think" (see decent). Treated in 17c.-18c. as a Greek word in English.

 

[psalms 91]

dogma as an overseeing institution is exactly what I think MC meant

 

[MoreCoffee]

dogma as an overseeing institution is exactly what I think MC meant

The above reply is precisely why communication between yourself and myself fails so often. I said exactly what I meant and your post ignores it, replaces it with what you "think" I meant and what you think I meant is exactly the opposite of what I said and meant.

 

[Lamb]

How do you know what the Christian faith is?

HOW do we know? God uses His Word to teach us, but He doesn't always do so from the paper bible since that hasn't been around as long as His Word has. He uses people to get His Word out there. The faithful have shown us who God is through the creeds which are statements pulled from the Bible (containing His Word) and this is done by the leading of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit's job is to give us Law & Gospel so that will know the Savior, be given faith, have our faith strengthened, and sustain our faith so that we may have eternal life.

 

[MoreCoffee]

HOW do we know? God uses His Word to teach us, but He doesn't always do so from the paper bible since that hasn't been around as long as His Word has. He uses people to get His Word out there. The faithful have shown us who God is through the creeds which are statements pulled from the Bible (containing His Word) and this is done by the leading of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit's job is to give us Law & Gospel so that will know the Savior, be given faith, have our faith strengthened, and sustain our faith so that we may have eternal life.

by God's Word do you mean the Lord Jesus Christ (the Word of God)?

 

[Lamb]

Jesus is first the Word of God, 2nd the proclamation of the Gospel, and also the scriptures for His Word is alive and active and will not return to God empty.

 

[Josiah]

How do you know what the Christian faith is?

One way to avoid is the EXTREMELY individualistic/unaccountable approach of some denominations and cults..... "Just look to ME - individually, exclusively - and just docilicly swallow whole whatever I'M claiming/teaching at this moment." That rubric is essential to the LDS, JW, CS and pretty much every cult I can think of.

 

[MoreCoffee]

Jesus is first the Word of God, 2nd the proclamation of the Gospel, and also the scriptures for His Word is alive and active and will not return to God empty.

The holy scriptures are called "scripture" and "the scriptures" by the new testament writers but "Word of God" is more likely than not a reference to a spoken word and when applied to the Word of God the "speaking" is Christ just as the "Word" that is spoken is Christ. IN a sense God speaks only one Word.

 

[Lamb]

The holy scriptures are called "scripture" and "the scriptures" by the new testament writers but "Word of God" is more likely than not a reference to a spoken word and when applied to the Word of God the "speaking" is Christ just as the "Word" that is spoken is Christ. IN a sense God speaks only one Word.

I wasn't aware that Catholics had a different definition for Word of God? Or is that your personal definition?

 

[MoreCoffee]

I wasn't aware that Catholics had a different definition for Word of God? Or is that your personal definition?

It appears to be a common usage in holy Scripture hence it is not my personal definition but rather a definition that is present in holy scripture and hence one that I use.

 

[psalms 91]

There seems to be many words that have a double meaning or at least a few.

 

[MoreCoffee]

Catholic teaching reflects biblical teaching and in the case of the phrase "Word of God" (capitalised that way) holy scriptures usually refers to the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

[psalms 91]

Or the word Catholic, or traditions counted as scripture, thats just a couple that i can think of. Plain speaking seems to be rather rare

 

[PezGirl73]

Catholic teaching reflects biblical teaching and in the case of the phrase "Word of God" (capitalised that way) holy scriptures usually refers to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Lutherans also believe this. But we tend to capitalize Word all the time when we're talking about the word of God, probably just more out of habit.

I can't speak for Lam, but I think that's what she did.

 

[NewCreation435]

How do you know what the Christian faith is?

The best way is to read, reread and study the Word of God and allow it to be something that you think about often. Then, if you hear something that contradicts it the Spirit of God will be able to show you why what you are hearing is wrong. Ultimately, I believe the Spirit of God is our teacher and comforter.

 

[MoreCoffee]

Lutherans also believe this. But we tend to capitalize Word all the time when we're talking about the word of God, probably just more out of habit.

I can't speak for Lam, but I think that's what she did.

When I mean holy scripture I type holy scripture with scripture either singular or plural depending on grammar and context.

 

[MoreCoffee]

The best way is to read, reread and study the Word of God and allow it to be something that you think about often. Then, if you hear something that contradicts it the Spirit of God will be able to show you why what you are hearing is wrong. Ultimately, I believe the Spirit of God is our teacher and comforter.

I just wonder how reading a bible tells you what Christianity is and how one comes to know of the bible and its importance. That is what the question in the first post implies when it is asked "How do you know what the Christian faith is? "

 

[Pedrito]

MoreCoffee asked an interesting question in Post #3 on Page 1:

How do you know that the holy scriptures are where you ought to look to find out what Christianity is and how do you know what is holy scripture and what is not? Many books contend for a place in defining who Jesus Christ is/was. A few years ago The gospel of Judas was published.

The answer is quite simple, actually. And that answer shows MoreCoffee’s question to be both somewhat trivial and unexpectedly penetrating at the same time.

If the Inspired Hebrew Scriptures and the Inspired Greek Scriptures (the 66 writings which exclude apocryphal books) form an internally consistent, integrated whole – and they really do if denominational filters are bypassed – then we can conclude that the combination of those writings constitute God’s Holy Scriptures. Wasn’t that simple?

Believing and acting upon the unequivocal message of that internally consistent, integrated whole, i.e. the Gospel, constitutes the Christian Faith.

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And if doctrines and practices developed in post-apostolic times are at variance with the teachings of those Combined Holy Scriptures, then can we not also conclude that those post-apostolic doctrines and practices are clearly the inventions of Man, and are not from God?

Is it not clear that the progressive development of doctrines and practices over decades, over hundreds of years, and over nigh on two thousand years, is totally contrary to what Jude described as “the faith which was once and for all delivered unto the saints” in Jude 1:3? And did he not also state that that delivered faith was under threat and had to be contended for even in his day? (Same verse.)

And did not the apostle Paul state that that same Gospel which had once and for all been delivered, had to be obeyed as it was? 2 Thessalonians 1:8:

In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

And did not the apostle Peter say the same thing? 1 Peter 4:17:

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

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The question is, has the Gospel changed?

Did God say He was going to make the Gospel-that-had-to-be-obeyed, a moving target, a target that would be changed over the years as history progressed?

I would suggest that He did not. If He did, then where? Did God not say in Amos 3:7:

Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets

So has not MoreCoffee’s question inadvertently unveiled the fact that post-apostolic doctrines and practices actually fly in the face of God’s Holy Revealed Gospel – the Gospel that He delivered once and for all to the saints (the Christians of Paul’s day)?