The Bible is a book. If it is inspired we only know this from what others say. When we hold the Bible in our hands we are in the position of the Ethiopian official whom Phillip over heard reading Isaiah. “Do you understand what you are reading?” said Phillip. The Ethiopian replied,” How can I unless someone shows me?” We must have someone inspired by the Spirit to show us.
Do you not notice that people in the scriptures receive the Holy Spirit, are indwelt by the Holy Spirit...Do Catholics not believe this...
Act 8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
Act 8:37 And Phillip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Perhaps you figure the Eunuch went on to Ethopia being just as ignorant as when he confronted Philip without any guidance to lead his countrymen???
All Christians are inspired by the Spirit...The Eunuch was inspired by the Spirit afte he believed...
You are making two different assertions here: that one only knows that the Bible is inspired if someone else tells us, and that one only knows what it means if if someone else tells them; both of which are false as absolute statements.
If one only knows that the Bible is inspired if someone else tells them, and by someone you mean the Catholic church, then the question is how did most of the writings we call Scripture become established as Scripture before there was a church?
For that matter, why should anyone believe a hairy man in the deserts eating insects and an itinerant Preacher from Nazareth ("can any good thing come from Nazareth?"), seeing both were rejected by the magisterium which sat in the seat of Moses?
The reality is that the same Holy Spirit that inspired the Scriptures, and which made them Scripture, also provided evidence that established among the nation that they were from God, based upon their heavenly qualities, effects and attestation in conformity with what was prior established as Divine, as He does in establishing that men of God are indeed just that.
Those in positional authority are to affirm this, but Scripture testifies that often they did just the opposite, and both writings of God and men of God are such regardless of the affirmation or rejection of men in positional authority. Thus the church began in dissent from the latter.
Regarding your second assertion, that we must have someone inspired by the Spirit to show us what Scripture means" and again, by his you mean the Catholic church, this is not true as a "must" and broad statement, let alone the Catholic claim to be that someone . For while God has made us interdependent to varying degrees, and the lost in particular need explanatory help - and the eunuch's question was on prophecy which is often more difficult - yet even some of them can understand some of the plain truths of Scripture.
In addition, the noble Bereans did not look to the apostles to interpret Scripture for them, but searched the Scriptures in order to determine their veracity.
But as SS affirms, not all of Scripture is alike in terms of its perspicuity, and it also surely affirms the gift, office, need and viability for teachers, but not as assuredly infallible, which is a novel doctrine foreign to Scripture.
The RC solution is the Roman magisterium, yet this source itself needs interpretation as it also varies in its degree of perspicuity, and like as RCs charge Prots in regard to their supreme authority, the RC does not have an infallible interpreter for their supreme authority, and degrees of disagreements are allowed and abound.
"IF"? Christians know it because it's TRUTH. Catholics are the subjects of a cult and are kept in alignment with it's demonic teachings.
When we hold the Bible in our hands we are in the position of the Ethiopian official whom Phillip over heard reading Isaiah. “Do you understand what you are reading?” said Phillip. The Ethiopian replied,” How can I unless someone shows me?” We must have someone inspired by the Spirit to show us.
So, obviously, someone spirit filled didn't show you because GOD'S Word would be the Final Authority in your life.
This man was not only seeking the Lord but he was also humble. He was teachable even though he was a man of great authority.
So are you sure you are in the same position? Who told you that?.... When we hold the Bible in our hands we are in the position of the Ethiopian official whom Phillip over heard reading Isaiah.
So what we know he holds God's Word as Authority as he was seeking The Lord in the right place. And then humbled himself to ask for help from a spirit filled believer and that made him teachable and open to Truth.
The Lord led Philip right to a man who was reading some of the classic Old Testament scriptures about the Christ (Isaiah 53:7-8) and he was wondering who the prophet was speaking of. There could not have been a better situation for witnessing about Jesus. It is wonderful when the Holy Spirit leads us into situations like this, where His guidance is so obvious.
So the Holy Spirit always does His job as Teacher and anyone who DOES earnestly seek The Lord and humbles himself will FIND Him.
God always answers when someone is earnestly seeking Him. And reading your posts, the earnest factor is missing since you fell in the trap of 'man' and their own teachings who are enemies of God. He calls them hypocrites and they worship Him in vain. Keep spinning the wheels in mud because Jesus already gave a shout out against 'man and their teachings.' Supporting it is being an accomplice in it and we know the wrath of God that is coming on His enemies and can't say your didn't know. No one can KNOW God under 'man' and their teachings - they only learn 'about Him' which the demons do, also, and pride, opposite of humble, being the root of their downfall, also.
Your leaders/popes 'act' humble but are not humble - God KNOWS the heart. And all their subjects learn how to 'act' humble, also.
What's humble about a man when he's claims to be 'infallible'? Nothing. IT IS SATAN saying I am finally equal with God and he does it through 'man' and with man agreeing with him. That's the mud you are spinning in.
No, we are not. The Holy Spirit had not been given as a spiritual guide at that point.
>>We must have someone inspired by the Spirit to show us.<<
We do, and it is those of us who are true Christians who have been indwelt by the Holy Spirit just as the apostles were.
Acts 15:8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness by granting them the holy Spirit just as he did us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, for by faith he purified their hearts.
The deceit of the RCC keeps people from realizing the true gift of the indwelling. That’s why Catholics don’t understand when individual Christians can understand scripture without falling for “another gospel” preached by the RCC.