"Ipaglaban mo nang puspusan ang pananampalataya. Panghawakan mong mabuti ang buhay na walang hanggan, dahil diyan ka tinawag ng Diyos nang ipahayag mo sa harap ng maraming saksi ang iyong pananalig kay Cristo." I Tim. 6:12
Showing posts with label Bible. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bible. Show all posts

February 27, 2014

Konsepto ng inkarnasyon mababasa sa bibliya!

Opo! Hindi kayo nagkakamali ng basa sa title ng post ko, MABABASA TALAGA SA BIBLIYA ang konsepto ng inkarnasyon. Ako na mismo nagsasabi.

Pero bago natin talakayin kung paano ko nasabi na mababasa nga ito sa bibliya, ano ba ang ibig sabihin ng INCARNATION?


"Incarnation literally means embodied in flesh or taking on flesh. It refers to the conception and birth of a sentient creature who is the material manifestation of an entity, god or force whose original nature is immaterial. In its religious context the word is used to mean the descent from Heaven of a god, or divine being in human/animal form on Earth." source: wikipedia

Sa "Christianity" naman  ang inkarnasyon daw ay ang pagkakatawang tao ng pangalawang persona ng Trinidad na si Kristo.

Iba po ang RE-INCARNATION sa INCARNATION.

Sa re-incarnation, eto yung paniniwala na pagnamatay ang isang tao, siyay mabubuhay muli at ang kaniyang ispirito ay sasanib sa ibang katauhan, pwedeng sa tao, hayop, sa halaman o kung saan man.

Ang Incarnation naman, muli, ay ang pagkakatawang tao/hayop ng isang Diyos sa mundo.

Naniniwala ang mga Katoliko at iba pang relihiyon na si Kristo daw ay isang Diyos na nag eexist na sa langit at bumaba sa mundo upang magkatawang tao. Si Kristo daw ay nagkaroon talaga ng katawan ng tao at hindi basta sumanib lang sa isang eksistidong katawan.


Ang tanong, mababasa ba sa bibliya ang konsepto ng inkarnasyon kung saan ang Diyos ay nagkatawang tao?

OPO! Narito:
"At nang makita ng karamihan ang ginawa ni Pablo, ay nagsigawan sila, na sinasabi sa wikang Licaonia, Ang mga dios ay nagsibaba sa atin sa anyo ng mga tao." Gawa 14:11

Anong pangyayari ito sa bibliya?

Nang mangaral sila Apostol Pablo at Bernabe sa Listra, Lycoania (sa kasalukuyan ay nasa bansang Turkey):


8-9 Sa Listra ay may isang lalaking hindi nakakalakad dahil lumpo na ito mula pa nang ito'y isilang. Siya'y nakaupong nakikinig sa pangangaral ni Pablo. Nang makita ni Pablo na ang lumpo ay may pananampalatayang siya'y mapapagaling, tinitigan niya ang lumpo  
10 at malakas na sinabi, "Tumayo ka!" Lumukso ang lalaki at nagsimulang lumakad.
11 Nang makita ng mga taong-bayan ang ginawa ni Pablo, sumigaw sila sa wikang Licaonia, "Nanaog sa atin ang mga diyos sa anyong tao!"  
12 Tinawag nilang Zeus si Bernabe, at si Pablo nama'y Hermes, sapagkat siya ang tagapagsalita.  
13 Nasa bungad ng lunsod ang templo ni Zeus, at nang mabalitaan ng pari ni Zeus ang nangyari, nagdala siya ng mga torong may kuwintas na bulaklak sa may pintuan ng lunsod upang ialay sa mga apostol bilang handog niya at ng bayan.
 14 Nang malaman ito nina Bernabe at Pablo, pinunit nila ang kanilang mga damit at patakbong pumagitna sa mga tao. Sumigaw sila,  
15 "Mga ginoo, huwag ninyong gawin iyan! Mga tao rin kaming tulad ninyo! Ipinapangaral namin sa inyo ang Magandang Balita upang talikuran ninyo ang mga walang kabuluhang bagay na iyan, at manumbalik kayo sa Diyos na buhay na lumikha ng langit, lupa, dagat, at lahat ng naroroon.
18 Sa kabila ng mga pananalitang ito, nahirapan pa rin si Bernabe at si Pablo na pigilin ang mga tao na sila'y alayan ng mga handog."

Gawa 14:8-15, 18

Tinawag nilang ZEUS si Apostol Pablo at HERMES naman si Bernabe.

Sino ba si ZEUS at HERMES?

Sila ay Greek gods, si ZEUS ay tinaguriang "Father of Gods and men" o kumbaga siya ang Diyos ng mga Diyos, si HERMES naman ay ang anak ni ZEUS na kinikilala din nila bilang Diyos. Sa Roman gods naman merong kapareho si ZEUS, ito ay si JUPITER at si HERMES naman ay si MERCURY.

Kung napag aralan nyo ang Greek mythology at Roman mythology, alam nyo ang sinasabi ko...

Ibig sabihin, bago pa pala imbentuhin sa Council of Nicaea 325 AD ang pagkakatawang tao ng DIYOS, meron na palang mga naniniwala sa ganitong aral. 

At alam nyo bang bago pa ang 1st century, kalat na sa ancient Egypt ang paniniwala sa inkarnasyon?

Ang INCARNATION at TRINITY ay bunga ng impluwensya ng ancient greek culture na tinatawag na HELLENIZATION:


"Hellenization (or Hellenisation) is the historical spread of ancient Greek culture and, to a lesser extent, language, over foreign peoples conquered by Greece or brought into its sphere of influence, particularly during the Hellenistic period following the campaigns of Alexander the Great of Macedon. The result of Hellenization was that elements of Greek origin combined in various forms and degrees with local elements. In modern times, Hellenization has been associated with the adoption of modern Greek culture and the ethnic and cultural homogenization of Greece." source: wikipedia

Inadopt ng mga Katoliko ang konseptong ito ng greeks, ibig sabihin, noong inimbento nila ang TRINITY at ang incarnation, inadopt nila ang katuruang mula sa PAGANO.


Mga patotoo:

"Hellenistic thinkers, who influenced Christian theologians, had already been attracted by the emphasis in later Judaism on monotheism and transcendence. this tendency was sketched out earlier in Plato and later Stoicism, but it came to its mature development in Neoplatonism in the 3rd centuryA.D. In the first century Philo of Alexandria had interpreted the old testament concept of God in terms of the logos idea of Hellenistic philosophy, but this Hellenization led to a characteristic tension that was to dominate the entire further history of ideas." Encyclopedia 
"During the 19th century, protestant historians, notably F.C Baur and Adolf von Harnack, sought to show that the Trinity was a result of "Hellenization of the gospel" while Friedrich Schleiermacher declared that a species of modalism was the only meaningful version of the doctrine. " Encyclopedia 
"Initially, both the requirements of the monotheism inherited from the Old Testament and the implications of the need to interpret biblical teaching to Greco-Roman paganism seemed to demand that the divine Christ as the Word or Logos be seen as subordinate to the Supreme Deity. An alternate solution was to interpret the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as three modes of the self-disclosure one God, but not as distinct within the being of God itself." Encyclopedia
 
Kaya tulad nila Apostol Pablo at Bernabe, si KRISTO din ay napagkamalang DIYOS!

Ito ang Comparison:



Apostol Pablo at Bernabe
Kristo

“At nang makita ng karamihan ang ginawa ni Pablo, ay nagsigawan sila, na sinasabi sa wikang Licaonia, Ang mga dios ay nagsibaba sa atin sa anyo ng mga tao." Gawa 14:11

“Roman Catholics believe that God came down to earth in human form,…” simpletoremember.com




"Mga ginoo, huwag ninyong gawin iyan! Mga tao rin kaming tulad ninyo!...” Gawa 14:15

Sabi ni Kristo: 

"I am a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God, but you are trying to kill me. Abraham did nothing like that." John 8:40

Sabi ni Apostol Pablo: 

"There is one God and one mediator so that human beings can reach God. That way is through Christ Jesus, who is himself human. He gave himself as a payment to free all people. He is proof that came at the right time. That is why I was chosen to tell the Good News and to be an apostle. (I am telling the truth; I am not lying.) I was chosen to teach those who are not Jews to believe and to know the truth."  I tim. 2:5-7



“…Ipinapangaral namin sa inyo ang Magandang Balita upang talikuran ninyo ang mga walang kabuluhang bagay na iyan, at manumbalik kayo sa Diyos na buhay na lumikha ng langit, lupa, dagat, at lahat ng naroroon.”  Gawa 14:15

Sabi  ni Kristo:

"And eternal life means to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, whom you sent." John 17:3

Sabi ni Apostol Pablo:

"subalit para sa atin ay iisa lamang ang Diyos, ang Ama na lumikha ng lahat ng bagay, at tayo'y nabubuhay para sa kanya. Iisa ang Panginoon, si Jesu-Cristo, at sa pamamagitan niya'y nilikha ang lahat ng bagay, at sa pamamagitan din niya'y nabubuhay tayo." I Cor. 8:6-7 


Iisa lang ang ibig sabihin nyan, ang mga pagano na kumilala kay Apostol Pablo at Bernabe bilang mga Diyos na nag-anyong tao at ang mga naniniwala na si Kristo ay Diyos na nagkatawang tao ay mga HINDI TUNAY NA KRISTIYANO.

Dahil ayon na rin mismo kay Apostol Pablo, IISA LANG ANG DIYOS, itoy walang iba kundi ang AMA, at si Kristo daw ay isang TAO, siyay nagsasabi ng TOTOO at hindi siya nagsisinungaling.

Kaya totoo pong ang konsepto ng inkarnasyon na inadopt ng mga katoliko sa kanilang paniniwala kay Kristo, ay MABABASA SA BIBLIYA!

Yun nga lang, ang aral na ito ay MULA SA MGA PAGANO.

March 10, 2013

Ano ba talagang gusto nyo? [updated]

Hindi ko talaga maintindihan ang mga asar na asar at inggit na inggit sa INC sa di malamang kadahilanan. Hindi ko alam kung sila bay sincere sa sinasabi nilang opinyon o gumagawa lang talaga sila ng palusot para lang kontrahin ang Iglesia ni Cristo.


BIBLE VERSION

Sinasabi ng ilan (may alam na katoliko), bakit nyo ginagamit ang bibliya namin hindi naman sa inyo yan, sa amin yan, eh kung gumawa kaya kayo ng sarili nyong bibliya! (sariling version/translation)

Sasabihin din ng ilan (ignoranteng katoliko), kaya tumutugma ang aral nyo sa bibliya kasi sarili nyong bibliya yan eh! Dapat ang gamitin nyo eh bibliya namin para patas!

Ano ba talaga?

Ano ba talaga ang mas okay para sa inyo, ang gumawa ang INC ng sariling bersyon ng bibliya o hindi?

Pag gumawa naman ang INC ng sariling bersyon ng bibliya ang sasabihin nyo, eh sarili nyong bibliya yan eh, kaya gagawin nyo yan para umayon sa doktrina nyo... Kapag naman walang sariling bibliya ang sasabihin nyo naman, Eh di gumawa kayo ng sarili nyo bakit kayo nakikigamit? 



ANG SUGO MOVIE

Sinasabi ng ilan, bakit naman ang kinukuha nyong mga artista eh mga katoliko, eh movie nyo yan eh dapat puro Iglesia ni Cristo lang ang gaganap dyan!

Sasabihin din ng ilan, bakit hindi mga ka myembro nyo ang gumanap dyan? Kinakahiya nyo ba ang mga artistang Iglesia ni Cristo?

Ano ba talaga?

Ano ba talaga ang mas okay para sa inyo, ang mag hire ng mga artista ang Iglesia ni Cristo kahit hindi kamyembro o puro Iglesia ni Cristo lang ang gaganap?

Pag nag hire ng mga di-INC member naman para sa pelikula ang sasabihin niyo eh INC movie yon kaya dapat INC members din gaganap, ang sabi pa ng ilan, bakit ganyan, ang title eh "ANG SUGO" pero puro katoliko ang bida... Kapag naman puro myembro lang ang gaganap sasabihin nyo naman, sino naman kaya ang matyatyagang manood sa pelikula nyo, eh hindi naman ganun na mga kasikat ang artistang myembro nyo!



PHILIPPINE ARENA

Sinasabi ng ilan, dapat payagan nila for all concerts/religious assemblies ang arena na ito tutal ipinangalan ito sa bansa natin! Hindi ba isang kadamutan nyo kung hindi pwede ang catholic assemblies/ protestant assemblies dito? Eh kung si Lady Gaga, hindi nyo papayagan?

Sasabihin din ng ilan, kung papayagan nila ang kahit sino na magperform at gumamit ng arena nila kahit ibang pananampalataya, hindi ba ito magiging AGAINST sa kanilang paniniwala? Di ba Iglesia ni Cristo ang may-ari nito? Bakit nila papayagan, tutal sila na mismo ang nagpapatakwil sa mga maling aral ng mga ito?

Ano ba talaga?

Ano ba talaga ang mas okay para sa inyo, ang payagan ang kahit sino na magperform at gumamit ng arena o PILI lamang ng Iglesia ni Cristo?

Pag hindi pinayagan ang religious assemblies at concerts sasabihin nyo sakim kami dahil pinangalan sa bansa natin pero hindi naman pinapagamit sa lahat... Kapag naman pinayagan ang lahat, bukas sa lahat ang paggamit ng arena ang sasabihin nyo naman eh AGAINST ito sa paniniwala namin, na bakit daw namin ito pinapagamit sa mga ganoong events eh labag ito sa mga aral na itinuturo ng INC.


BLOC VOTING

Sinasabi ng ilan, kaya lang naman nananalo ang mga ibinoboto nyo dahil umaasa kayo sa survey, bukod sa pansariling survey na ginagawa nyo, sinusuportahan nyo yung mga popular at sa tingin nyong mananalo sa survey, kaya kalokohan yang bloc voting nyo!
 

Sasabihin din ng ilan, wala naman talaga kayong kaisahan sa pagboto, gawa gawa nyo lang yan! Tignan mo, mapa national o local elections may mga sinusuportahan ang Iglesia na hindi naman nananalo! 2.3% lang naman kayo ng populasyon ng Pilipinas kaya hanggang panaginip na lang kayo!

Ano ba talaga?

Naniniwala ba talaga kayong may kaisahan sa pagboto ang INC o hindi?

Pag nanalo ang mga sinuportahan ng INC ang sasabihin nyo, dahil binase lang ito sa resulta ng mga survey sa TV at sa sarili naming survey, sasabihin nyo pa na kesyo nagpapagamit kami sa mga pulitiko, na kesyo uto uto kami kasi sumusunod kami sa leader namin at kayo hindi, na kesyo may bayad yung suporta namin sa mga kandidato at marami pang iba... Kapag naman natalo ang sinuportahan ng INC ang sasabihin nyo wala naman talaga kaming kaisahan sa pagboto, imbento lang yon para lumakas ang political influence ng INC pero sa huli talo din ang mga kandidato at hindi lahat eh sumusunod sa kaisahan kaya talagang mahina ang kaisahan sa Iglesia... 



BUILDING OF HOUSES OF WORSHIP

Sinasabi ng ilan, bakit kayo nagpapatayo ng milyon milyong pisong halaga ng mga kapilya nyo eh di ba nga malapit na ang araw ng paghuhukom, gugunawin din yan, sinasayang nyo lang ang pera ng mga myembro nyo, di bat mas mabuting ibigay nyo na lang yan sa mahihirap?

Sasabihin naman ng ilan kapag hindi na nila napapansing nagpapatayo ng kapilya ang INC, asan na ang pera ng mga miyembro nyo? nako, nilimas na ng mga manalo at mga ministro nyo, ayaw nyo pang umalis diyan hinuhuthutan lang naman kayo ng pera ng mga yan, pinapayaman nyo lang ang mga manalo eh! 

Ano ba talaga?

Gagastos ba ang INC para sa mga ito para sa kapurihan ng Diyos, o hindi?

Pag nagpapatayo ang INC ng mga kapilya at ibat ibang proyekto dapat ipamigay na lang sa mahihirap ang pera dahil kasama rin naman itong magugunaw pagdating ng paghuhukom... Pag naman mapapansin nyong hindi na nagtatayo ang INC ng mga ganito ang sasabihin nyo bunubulsa na ng mga ministro at ng mga "Manalo" ang mga pera namin...


MEMBERS' OBEDIENCE

Sinasabi ng ilan, bakit ba ninyo sinusunod ang pamamahala nyo? Wala ba kayong sariling utak? Bakit masyado kayong panatiko na kapag sinabihan kayo ng ganito eh susundin nyo agad? Halatang halata naman na binibrainwash lang kayo ng mga ministro nyo eh, eto naman kayo, uto-uto!

Sasabihin naman ng ilan kapag hindi na ganoon ang pagiging masunurin ng mga miyembro, oh, akala ko ba may pagkakaisa kayo? Bakit hindi nyo sundin ang namamahala sa inyo, di bat nakasulat yun sa bibliya? Isa lang ang ibig sabihin niyan, hindi kayo sa Diyos dahil hindi kayo marunong sumunod!

Ano ba talaga?

Susunod ba ang mga myembro sa mga kinikilala naming Diyos ang nagbigay ng tungkulin o hindi?

Pag sinunod namin sila ang sasabihin nyo na BRAINWASH kami, kapag naman hindi kami sumunod sasabihin nyong hindi kami naturuan ng aral dahil mismong myembro ayaw sumunod sa leader o sa mga ministro namin.


DOCTRINES AND PRACTICES

Sinasabi ng ilan kapag napansin nila na may pagkakatulad ang doktrina ng INC sa ibang relihiyon, ano ba yan, mga wala kayong originality! Kinopya nyo lang ang mga aral nyo sa ibang relihiyon eh, gaya gaya lang kayo nanghiram lang kayo ng aral sa iba nakakahiya naman ang sugo nyo!

Sasabihin naman ng ilan kapag napansin nila ang ilang doktrina sa INC na unique, walang katulad sa ibang relihiyon... Kaya walang kaperaha ang ilan sa doktrina nyo kasi pansarili at maling pag intindi yan ng mga ministro nyo! Inimbento lang yan ng pamamahala nyo eh, tulad ng bloc voting... Kulto talaga kayo dahil hindi kayo sumunod sa mga doktrinang Kristiyano!

Ano ba talaga?

Kailangan bang maging unique ang doktrina ng INC o kailangan may kapareha sa ibang relihiyon?

Kapag may kaparehang doktrina sa ibang relihiyon ang sasabihin nyo nangopya lang kami, pag kakaiba naman ang doktrina sasabihin nyo inimbento lang, wala na sa bibliya di pa makakristyano...


  

December 10, 2011

Why dont INC publish her own version of the bible?


One of the favorite topic of INC critics is about "why dont you publish your own bible?" and "why do you use catholic and protestant bible as you consider them apostates or not of God?"

Suggesting INC to have her own bible is like suggesting all Christian religions should have their own bible versions. It is not a big deal for me if the INC dont have her "own bible" not like catholic defenders who boast that they are the one who translated and claiming that they owned the bible. I wonder why Catholics and protestants make "having own bible" a big deal?

Is it for them to belittle the INC as it CANT and not able to have and produce her own bible?

Is it for them to say that there are no even one "bible scholar" in the INC?


Yes ofcourse.


Again, they are doing efforts just to attack the INC so even if it is a very tiny issue, they will make it big. As small as, "why do INC chapels have spires?" to make it big, they will say "ohh, its a spaceship! so that when doomsday comes it will travel to the universe!"

so funny indeed.


Back to the topic...

But what was INC's stand why dont make her own bible version?

Here in the Pasugo, it is stated:

On suggestiong that the Iglesia ni Cristo should publish her own Bible with all the correct translation of mistranslated verses is both well-meaning and appealing. It would be truly convenient and handy to have just one Bible with all the verses that we cite or quote from different translations gathered in one compendium.
By publishing her own Bible, the Iglesia ni Cristo will in effect have a "sanitized" version of the Scriptures--tailor made for her teachings. This is the very thing that the Iglesia ni Cristo avoids, that is, to be accused of manipulating the Scriptures to suit her doctrines.
How, then, are we to know which particular translation of the Bible to use, for example in delivering a sermon? Apostle Paul states the guiding principle to the doctrines of the Bible, thus:

"This is what we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words." I Cor.2:13


Therefore, there must be no contradiction between the different version of the Bible because spiritual things are compared to spiritual truths.
But one may ask, "Who is in a position to compare spiritual things to spiritual truths?" Are all preachers that we see and hear nowadays are qualified to compare spiritual things with spiritual truths, more so preach the gospel? Apostle Paul answers us, thus:
"And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!" Rom. 10:15


A preacher of the Gospel therefore must be sent by God. Why must he be sent by God? Apostle John states, thus:

"The one whom God has send speaks God's words, because God gives him the fullness of his Spirit. John 3:34


Moreover, the messenger sent by God is entrusted with the ministry and message of reconciliation (cf. II Cor. 5:18-20)
Therefore, even if there are translations of the Bible that contain mistranslated verses, the commissioned preachers of God can identify them because they have been given God's spirit for them to understand His will written in the Bible (cf. I Cor. 2:12).

source: Pasugo Issue March 1996 studyiglesianicristo.com

Very simple. If the INC wants more attention from bible critics then they would make her own version of the bible. The INC do not need to produce own bible just to add it on her achievements and to say INC has bible scholars wow.

Theres no such thing.

INC members do not need very intelligent ministers or "bible scholars" just for them to interpret the bible clearly and truly. Being intelligent is not the thing that required for better understanding about the message written in the bible. As the bible says:

"Who knows the thoughts that another person has? Only a person's spirit that lives within him knows his thoughts. It is the same with God. No one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

Now we did not receive the spirit of the world, but we received the Spirit that is from God so that we can know all that God has given us. And we speak about these things, not with words taught us by human wisdom but with words taught us by the Spirit. And so we explain spiritual truths to spiritual people." I Cor. 2:11-13

Christ and the apostles did not became "bible scholars" when they are preaching, God did not chose "very intelligent people" in understanding the gospel:

"Then Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. I am thankful that you have hidden these things from those who are so wise and so smart. But you have shown them to people who are like little children." Mat. 11:25

As they are:

"always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth." II tim. 3:7

And the bible warned us:

"Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ." Col. 2:8

“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. ” Gal. 1:6-8

The INC doesnt want to produce her "own bible" as nonmembers will criticize and accuse the church of manipulating the scripture to favor its doctrines. In the other hand, the church is criticized on not having her "own bible version" by the critics. So confusing right.

The INC will be accused of manipulating the scripture for example, the INC believe that in Acts 20:28, it should be "church of Christ", if the INC will translate the verse to "church of Christ" they will question it. If the INC will translate it to "church of God", they will again question why is it church of God while we believe it should be church of Christ? There are many consequences about it, and so the church decided not to make or produce to avoid being accused by nonmembers, if that's the case why not RESPECT the decision?


Ill show you an example, Jehovas Witnesses made their own translation of the bible called "New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures". One of the criticism it got was about using the term "Jehovah" in the New Testament, They believe ofcourse that the name of God was Jehovah so their own bible translated God to Jehovah, if they translated it not to Jehovah then it will be ineffective and will contradict to what they believe.

Here is the review about it:

A 2003 study by Jason BeDuhn, associate professor of religious studies at Northern Arizona University in the United States, of nine of "the Bibles most widely in use in the English-speaking world," including the New American Bible, The King James Bible and The New International Version, examined several New Testament passages in which "bias is most likely to interfere with translation." For each passage, he compared the Greek text with the renderings of each English translation, and looked for biased attempts to change the meaning.
BeDuhn said the introduction of the name "Jehovah" into the New Testament 237 times was "not accurate translation by the most basic principle of accuracy", and that it "violate[s] accuracy in favor of denominationally preferred expressions for God", adding that for the NWT to gain wider acceptance and prove its worth its translators might have to abandon the use of "Jehovah" in the New Testament.
Theologian and televangelist John Ankerberg accused the NWT's translators of renderings that conform "to their own preconceived and unbiblical theology." Dr. John Weldon and Ankerberg cite several examples wherein they consider the NWT to support theological views overriding appropriate translation. Ankerberg and Weldon cite Dr. Julius R. Mantey, co-author of A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament and A Hellenistic Greek Reader, who also criticized the NWT, calling it "a shocking mistranslation."
Dr. William Barclay, Professor of Divinity and Biblical Criticism, concluded that "the deliberate distortion of truth by this sect is seen in the New Testament translation. ... It is abundantly clear that a sect which can translate the New Testament like that is intellectually dishonest."
Former American Bible Society board member Dr. Bruce M. Metzger concluded that "on the whole, one gains a tolerably good impression of the scholarly equipment of the translators," but identified instances where the translation has been written to support doctrine, with "several quite erroneous renderings of the Greek." Metzger noted a number of "indefensible" characteristics of the translation, including its use of "Jehovah" in the New Testament.
source: wikipedia

I want to clarify something before i end this, the INC do not consider all catholics and protestants to be of the devil, what the INC is saying about "of the devil" are their unbiblical beliefs not to the persons. That's why it is wrong to say "The INC relies on protestants and catholics that they consider of the devil" because the INC do not refer mainly to the persons but to their teachings!

June 24, 2011

Can you understand the bible by yourself?



Many protestant sects/denominations and even individuals think that they can interpret the words by God from the bible by how it should be interpreted. That’s why there are thousands of sects/denominations, each having different beliefs depends on how its pastor/founder interpret thebible but they do have the basic doctrine, the sola fide and sola scriptura.

Many people also claim that they know the knowledge from the bible ONLY by reading it and by not by joining any religion, those people what im talking about can’t admit that they were confused and frustrated because of disappointment to religions they had been so they established their own faith/beliefs.

They always say these:

“Oh you, read the bible and get to know Jesus, all you need is the bible!
“Don’t believe to what your ministers say, read the bible so you will know the truth!”

The question is, IS IT TRUE?

That anyone, that has read the bible, can interpret words of God by himself? Is the bible an open book for easy to be understand?

Apostle Paul described the Bible as a book not like any other, not in any way similar to other religious books in the sense that its message is “the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages pasts.”

“Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past,” Rom. 16:25


This is referring to the Bible, we are not surprised that, in spite of efforts and wisdom, people have misunderstood the teachings of the bible. People have confronted another in their zeal and eagerness to shed light to the “mystery hidden for long ages past.”

Today, the number of ways by which people interpret God’s words has become directly proportional to the number of varying religious sects and denominations. That proves the people’s efforts are in vain.

Apostle Peter strongly pointed out that the bible was not a book open to understanding of just any knowledgeable individual. This he made certain in a letter he sent to the Christians in his time:

“knowing this first: that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in olden times by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." II pet. 1:20-21


Even if you were like Einstein, Aristotle, and so on, even if you finished all the courses offered in your very famous university, even if you were the smartest man in the world, still, it is not a guarantee for you to understand fully the bible by yourself. It’s clear in the verse, it is but by the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

God himself has given us the key to understanding the message of the bible which has been hidden in mystery:
“For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” I Cor. 2:11-13

Man by himself does not have the capacity to understand the thoughts of the infinite God. It is the spirit of God that can understand his thoughts and therefore, only those people who have received the spirit from Him, will be able to understand exactly what he wants people to understand.

What are the evidence that there are people who misunderstood God’s words?


Is that we are not united in our religious beliefs, and there are thousands and thousands of religion in the world! If they really received the holy spirit, then there should have been only worldwide, universal and international religion, thus dismissing all religious debates and disputes as unnecessary and a useless exercise. But people differ very much in their understanding of the message of the bible.

This puts man in a position that requires constant search for absolute truth. However, man’s skills and intelligence does not give him understanding of the message of the bible because God has:
“... hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.” Mat.11:25

\While instructing his apostles, our Lord Jesus Christ made it clear that:



“He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that,“‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’” Mk. 4:11-12


No wonder, people have been confounded that some have turned complacent with regard to the matter of choosing which religion is the true one and which one has the true message of God.

Apostle Peter warned the early Christians in this manner:

“as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. ” II pet.3:16

Not only will the preachers who distort the Scriptures be destroyed or condemned on the Day of judgment but even those who listen to them.

Philip and the Ethiopian


The bible records the story of Philip and Ethiopian to illustrate this truth. The Ethiopian eunuch, being the treasurer of the Queen of Ethiopia, was a learned man but he was honest enough to admit that he did not understand any of the words in the book of Isaiah that he was reading. There had to be a messenger of God, in this case, Philip, one of the deacons in the early church, to explain to him the words he was reading from Sacred Scriptures. Through Philip he learned God’s message, believed and was baptized into the church of Christ. Their story is written in Acts 8:26-39, I’ll just quote what the eunuch said to Philip:

“So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?”

Why understand the bible?


"always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." II tim. 3:7

Again, even if youre the most intelligent human being on earth, but still it is not a guarantee for you to understand the message of God. Indeed, they may study diligently but they will become confused. They will never understand the truth and even lead others to confusion if they try to teach their own private interpretation. Christ calls them,

"... they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." mat. 15:13-14

We need a messenger


This makes it the personal responsibility of every individual to search diligently for the truth. The bible said:

“For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, And people should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. ” Mal. 2:7


In ancient Israel, the levitical priests were entrusted the message of God. It was not from them, as God’s messengers, that people sought his instructions.

The messengers of God are his instruments in shedding light into the truth of the Sacred Scriptures, whoever God sends speaks of his words as he is guided by the Spirit:

“ For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. ” Jn. 3:34

It is not “by means of their own wisdom” that you can understand the message in the bible, but “through the Holy Spirit”:

“For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” I Cor. 1:21


He further says:

“But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” I Cor. 2:10

Apostle Paul asked:

“And how shall they preach unless they are sent?” Rome 10:15


Apostle Paul was educated and learned, having had formal education but he did not preach based on human wisdom. In Gal. 1:11-12 he said:

“But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. ”

As promised by our lord Jesus Christ, the apostles undoubtedly received the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). The people who heard and believed in the gospel as preached by them similarly received the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:1-44). It doesn’t follow, however, that all who receive the holy spirit inside the true church are authorized to preach.

“Is everyone an apostle? Of course not. Is everyone a preacher? No...” I Cor. 12:29

Apostle Paul forewarned Galatian Christians about anyone who would preach a gospel that was different from the one he and the other messengers of God had already preached to them:

“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. ” Gal. 1:6-8

They who preach “another gospel” are false preacher, about whom Apostle Paul says,

“....May [they] be condemned to hell! ” Gal. 1:8


Again, it is not true that anyone can UNDERSTAND the bible, and can interpret the message from the bible, because if that so, we are united in beliefs for it can be understood easily. Like in the 1st century Christian church, they have apostles or messengers of God for them to understand God’s gospel. We need someone who received the Holy spirit from God whom he entrusted to preach the truth for everyone will know the message of salvation.


How can we know?

Examine their doctrines, be open minded always because it is everyone’s duty to search for the true knowledge we should learn and will bring us to our salvation. We should work for our salvation, salvation would not come to us as if its just like that, we work hard for the exams and everything here on earth, the result of those is because of what we do, and not because of someone else.

So achieving salvation is not because of someone, but because of what you have done. If your life is like “always waiting for something”, well its time to change that!

Again, the bible is not for everyone to understand because:

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” I pet. 2:10

And, that's why we have ministers, if you will notice in our worship services, the minister preaches while were attentively listening to him. It is not true that the ministers are "brainwashing" our minds just because of that scene, and also it is not true that ministers doesnt allow members to read the bible, NO!

They even encourage us to do so but, the only thing they concerned is, if we read the bible and become confused, we can be mislead because of our misunderstanding about the message from the bible.

The body of Christ does have many parts and each has different functions, not all can PREACH, not all can understand the bible by reading it, but whom God trusted!

"What's the need for ministers or even pastors in your church if you can even read the bible by YOURSELF and interpret it as the way you understand it?"

A question, same as like:

"Why do we need a leader if the members has its own mind to decide?"

We, members of the Church of Christ submit our TRUST to the ministers as they were God's instrument in delivering the message from the bible to us, that's why it is not true that we let "ministers to brainwash our minds".

Another is that you can see the common reaction of the nonmembers, they say "INC members are just puppets because whatever the minister say, they do it." Its a dumb thinking about us, because while it is true that whatever the Church decided and say unto us, it is but for our own good especially in attaining salvation.

I think they just cant take the truth what the INC upholds...