Finding truth.
It’s not about us.
Many Christians seem to have a faulty grasp of biblical truth.
They’ll quote a verse to supposedly prove their preferred doctrine while, apparently, having no idea that many other verses contradict that understanding.
Should we believe passionately in an idea when other verses reject that idea? Is this not delusional? Another viable reason is that most have an extremely narrow focus on scripture, being taught from just a few proof-texts and have trusted their teachers more than they ought.
They refuse to acknowledge the dichotomy and double-down on their faulty belief.
It would seem esteeming doctrine over the biblical text is the first line of defence. They either don’t care what else the Bible says or are blissfully unaware—hopefully the latter!
This is finding truth the hard way - if at all!
Rather than being taught sound, biblically-formed doctrine, they have been indoctrinated by well-meaning teachers with an affinity for naïveté and fabrication.
The Christian is misinformed and defends such misinformed beliefs with gusto!
Let’s find an example.
One can do a search for ‘God spoke’ or ‘God appeared’ in the Old Testament and easily get 20 or 30 examples.
2 Chron 1:7 That night God appeared to Solomon and said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”
There is the proof that Solomon saw God!
It’s a poor understanding based on one verse read in isolation. We might refer to this as a proof-text. It’s quoted as definitive and no discussion is required. Typically, one uses the same logic with similar verses.
However, if we choose to allow a wider scriptural basis we are confronted with -
1Tim 6:16 (God) who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see.
1Tim 1:17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.
Col 1:15 He(Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
How then did Solomon see the invisible God - the God who cannot be seen, whom no man has ever seen?
Clearly there is a perfectly valid solution which allows all verses to be understood without devaluing any of them.
Solomon saw/heard someone, an angel or something, perhaps as a vision or a dream that represented God (being at nighttime, a dream is quite feasible). God has appeared in many ways to many people, but none of those encounters were God personally but an agent or a manifestation such as a cloud. a fire, a wind or an angel etc.
The appointed agent so precisely represents God, that we are told it IS God.
No one has seen God. He is spirit and invisible.
Conclusion:
Understanding scripture in accord with scripture is where we find truth.
With this principle, we can find truth the easy way and be sure it is truth because we have created no contradiction.
Any valid interpretation or understanding must accommodate scripture in concert with all other scripture. God does not contradict Himself. We should expect a responsible Bible to not contradict itself either.
Sound doctrine does not co-exist with contradiction. Neither should Christians and their beliefs.
I agree with what you have written. It's well said. But, it is worse than you think. All doctrine is a constriction of scripture, a method of nailing a truth into a place where it can't be questioned. It is almost always a problem.
A second part of this general problem is more serious. Huge portions of the church are taught and believe that God doesn't talk with us any more and that we cannot see God. For the second thing, I offer this scripture. John 14:7
"Because you have known me, you will also know my Father; from now on, you do know him — in fact, you have seen him.”
There are many scriptures which say we need to know the Father. In fact, Jesus said in John 17:3 CJB, "And eternal life is this: to know you, the one true God, and him whom you sent, Yeshua the Messiah."
The two things which are absolutely required of a believer is that you must be born again, and that you must know Yeshua Messiah intimately, on a conversational level. This means you must learn to know His voice, and how to verify that it is Him. 1 John 4:1–3 gives us the starting place for verification of who is talking to you in your mind.
Around the world, Jesus is appearing to many people these days. This is especially true for Muslims. He uses dreams, visions, and direct personal appearances. The end is drawing near and close conversational relationships take time—and the time may no longer be available.
But we need to be assured that Jesus wants to talk with us. It is true that the Holy Spirit will guide you through scripture and teach you what it means. He is the true author of the Bible, as you know. But the written Word is meant to get us into a direct relationship with Yeshua Messiah.
If that is not clear, you need to study John 5:39 and scripture's intended result in verse 40.
But be assured. If you have seen the Messiah, you have seen the Father.
Lord have mercy on us all