Hi cp
Consider applying the basic principles to understanding God’s Word in order to discern whether or not your assessments are Scriptural or not.
Spiritual principle number 9 of the 12 God given Truths to Understand God’s Word quote:
Why is no Scripture its OWN interpretation, we might ask? To protect the integrity of the Scriptures, for one thing. ALL twelve of these spiritual principles are to be used together in explaining the Scriptures. If every Scripture or even any Scripture can be its "own interpretation," then we wouldn’t need the other eleven principles.
What I tend to do to protect the integrity of Scripture is to not only have 2 or 3 witnesses, which to me is minimal, but if I can’t see what I believe in all of Scripture then I don’t go with it or preach it. Believe it or not but everything substantial that I have written in all these threads, though often taken as evil or unscriptural by some here, I can back from different angles, with all the Scripture I have had time to check it with.
My goal in accepting any thing as true is to try to work my way through each book of the Bible and try to find what I believe to be true in each book otherwise it can’t be true in my opinion. So again, 2 or 3 witnesses is not good enough for me but I am thankful to God that that is a guideline he has allowed for us. But I think it is a minimal outline. Jesus says to be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect. Perfection goes the extra mile! Now don’t get me wrong, I am far from perfect but I have something in me (I hope and believe is the Spirit) that makes me want to try.
Don’t you think for something to be true it should be in all of Scripture? Scripture is its own concordance and commentary in my opinion.
I do really like the principals in the 12 steps though. Very insightful.
Another discipline I put upon myself is to see the word of God in all aspects of life. In other words I believe each word of Scripture is not only for us but about us in some way, shape or form. It is a living word able to divide between soul and spirit. It is a vehicle of God for our correction, teaching, admonishment, encouragement and so on. From Genesis to Revelation, every dot and every stroke is applicable to me, you and all creation. This may seem radical but it has been an amazing journey for me full of revelations from who I believe to be none other than God Himself.
Not everyone has the time to do as I do and God understands but it is well worth the effort. I see Ray is blessed with sight and wisdom to pass on what God gives him and I respect Ray much.
Being you keep encouraging me to do this and that I just wanted you to realize that I have a system I follow and it is also backed up by not only 2 or 3 witnesses in Scripture but by every part of the Bible I have had time to look up. When I say all my expressed thoughts and beliefs are backed up by Scripture I mean either literally or spiritually or usually both. First the natural and then the spiritual.
cp