That’s the basis for my seeking, of course, but I found that Scripture is itself denominationally dependent, with many versions of the Bible that, in my ever so humble opinion, do not read the same way to me.
So, as a seeker, I’m working on being a good (as unbiased as possible), observer/data taker and see what shakes out.
In the morning, I usually have the radio on in the background when I’m working and tune in the SDA am radio station for whatever happens to be on, and to the Bible Broadcasting Network on fm for several regularly scheduled programs: several Baptist preachers and to Alexander Scourby reading the Bible at 3 pm.
Just between those two denominations, the Baptists and the SDA, it’s fascinating how they all read from the same King James, yet have different interpretations, beliefs and practices regarding a lot of things, even about what day the Sabbath is.
So, while Scripture may not be hard to understand, we certainly do have many differing ways to understand the very same things.
Not only that, I’ve also observed how often we and me are utterly sure that our own interpretation is the correct one, and that it is given to us and our understanding is guided by His Holy Spirit.
If challenged, I’ve frequently observed how we all, me included, will soon act against each other in our own defense in ways that show little to no regard for Jesus or His Holy Spirit, but instead appear to come from something else altogether.
In fact, I find it scarily fascinating how humans are so easily possessed by otherly sorts of spirits and principalities, and how much I and others seem to enjoy getting caught and then caught up, possibly without our even knowing it.
Or worse, that we do, perhaps self-righteously, seek such possessions in order to “win” our battles with each other.
What I’ve observed is that we truly are puny little creatures, who are easily turned into the play toys of a radically powerful, fallen archangel, who has convinced far too many of us that he doesn’t even exist.
In observing my own reactions during these last few years, I think the trick seems to be first noticing how Satan pushes us and pulls our ego strings so that we dance with him to his music.
That’s how I’ve learned that I’m chock full of his malware and that, no matter how righteous I feel when I run with any it, it always goes bad, usually in a Proverbs 6:16 kinda way.
FWIW, the SDA are considered a cult as they make salvation based on observing the Sabbath on Saturday, the last day of the week, and that those who do not observe it that day will go to hell.
Now, I have heard they have backed off on that position some things.
But here is an interesting link to what they believe.
Seventh-day Adventism
https://carm.org/seventh-day-adventism
I have found that differences in interpretation come, not when someone reads Scripture and establishes doctrine based on it, but rather when someone establishes doctrine and then tries to use Scripture to support it.
I do note in the above link, that SDA’s believe that Jesus is Michael the archangel, which is what the JW’s also believe.
Thank you for sharing! I too spent many hours listening to radio broadcasts from men of God. My favorite while drinign distances was J. Vernon McGee. He was a man God appointed to teach. It was easy to absorb his teaching because God’s Spirit was in the transference from a man anointed to do The Hole Spirit’s work. But, by the same token, when Kenneth Copeland became established (wealthy through his ‘ministry’) there has been no presence of The Holy Spirit in his broadcasts. When Charles Stanley taught, the Spirit was in his messages. But when his son teaches there is no presence of The Holy Spirit in his messages. ... Just a personal observation.