Reading scripture by the power of the Holy Spirit?

[gtsecc]

What does this mean?
If it guides soemone into Truth, then if you believe that, you must think some folks aren't reading the Bible, like the Pope.

[CSMR]

What does this mean?
It means that our thoughts as we read this particular book do not stay on their natural plane of worldly concern but that instead a knowledge of Christ is created in us by the Holy Spirit, by the declaration of God who justifies us.

You are so concerned to show that Anglo-Catholics are more right than Catholics and Orthodox, who are more right than Protestants, and to find the visible signs that show these things.

But all people are in error, as Paul says:
There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
And again:
Let God be true, and every man a liar.

However God is not only true in Himself, but despite ourselves, as a miracle, in His infinite mercy, He ascribes to us the truth through the Holy Spirit.

[ContraMundum]

Is there any other way to read the Bible?

[karen freeinchristman]

Is there any other way to read the Bible?

Yes. People read it as literature all the time.

[ContraMundum]

Yes. People read it as literature all the time.

I meant there is no other way for Christians to read it. :P

[gtsecc]

There is this idea that many Charistians ascribe to thay they can some how tune into the Holy Spirit and be lead into all truth. How frequently does this happen? DOes it ever not happen and the person is deluded?

[ContraMundum]

There is this idea that many Charistians ascribe to thay they can some how tune into the Holy Spirit and be lead into all truth. How frequently does this happen? DOes it ever not happen and the person is deluded?

Christians get this idea from the plains words of the Bible.

Here's how this is supposed to work, according to my understanding anyway:

Jesus said to His Disciples:

Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you.

..and in the same discourse....

Joh 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth. For He shall not speak of Himself, but whatever He hears, He shall speak. And He will announce to you things to come.

So, the promise that the Spirit will guide into all truth is for the Disciples. That is why, by way of promise, we can trust them and their writings are considered infallible.

However:

For the believers, those who have not known Christ in person and who cannot have things recalled back to our remembrance:

1Jo 2:20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 1Jo 2:21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and know that no lie is of the truth....

....1Jo 2:27 But the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true and no lie, and as He has taught you, abide in Him.

John has written to his flock to tell them that they have the annointing to know the truth, if they abide in Christ. This does not mean they don't need annointed teachers also in the flock, but rather that they can know the truth by the witness of the Spirit (read the whole discourse).

This is no guarantee of infallibility, which is given only to the source of truth, and which was given by special grace to His Disciples at Pentecost. However, we are encouraged to seek the truth, which we will recognise by the Spirit, found in the teaching of the Apostles and Prophets.

Why then do we get various interpretations? First of all, because God is sovereign, we know He has for some reason allowed us some diversity. No one knows why. But if we keep this in mind the reasons why we are diverse become problems that have potential solutions. The fault will always lie in us, not in the Word. Some of the reasons we mess up with the Bible are: we are lazy scholars, we are prepared to lean on our own understanding before submitting our intellect to the mystery of God, we have so many traditions and traditional ways of seeing things, we lack the full knowledge and education to understand some things, we follow those without the annointing, and of course satan attacks us with the Word. Let's not forget that God has given us veiled teachings according to His mysterious purpose as well.

My solution- good scholarship, long-suffering in study and prayer, listening to the annointed teachers past and present (but test their doctrines by the inspired Word- they are only human too!) and having the ability to say "I don't know, and maybe never will, but I will always follow Jesus with what He gave me!" will all help us to come closer together in our diversity.

[higgs2]

There is this idea that many Charistians ascribe to thay they can some how tune into the Holy Spirit and be lead into all truth. How frequently does this happen? DOes it ever not happen and the person is deluded?
That is why corporately reading the bible is so important. Read in the liturgy, discussed in the homily, deeper discussion in small groups or lectonary study. Using scholarly references as well as insights from christian friends for your church. Steep everything the church does in the bible, and corporately we will begin to find some specific meanings and wisdom. It's not just a matter of going into a trance and coming up with an "answer". There's a reason we have the Church, and not just a bunch of people doing their own thing. God speaks to us corporately. We all have different gifts and all are necessary. No on has all of them. We need each other to walk with the lord in the fullest way possible.