What Does God Think of the Bible?

[KevinSim]

I've noticed that a lot of (if not most) posters on this forum don't have a belief in God, but I'm going to make this post anyway. From extended conversations with Biblical Christians I have come to the conclusion that they do not know what God has to say about the Bible. (Feel free to correct me if you disagree.) Why would God want us to believe in a book when He has never told us He wants us to believe in it?

[drumdude]

And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

If you believe Jesus is God then I think this is about as clear as it gets.

[huckelberry]

And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

If you believe Jesus is God then I think this is about as clear as it gets.

If you find it clear then perhaps you can explain what exactly is the relationship between the Bible and the word of God

"Thou shalt not suffer the witch to live" is that the word of God? ,

[drumdude]

If you believe Jesus is God then I think this is about as clear as it gets.

If you find it clear then perhaps you can explain what exactly is the relationship between the Bible and the word of God

"Thou shalt not suffer the witch to live" is that the word of God? ,

It’s my understanding the word of God can either refer to the Bible, or the person Christ himself, or both depending on context.

[huckelberry]

If you find it clear then perhaps you can explain what exactly is the relationship between the Bible and the word of God

"Thou shalt not suffer the witch to live" is that the word of God? ,

It’s my understanding the word of God can either refer to the Bible, or the person Christ himself, or both depending on context.

As a matter of conventional word usage sure. That is not what Kevinsim was asking about however and his question is possibly interesting.

[drumdude]

I’ll venture a guess that his main disagreement is with the evangelical believe in “sola scriptura” as well as the belief that the scriptures are perfectly correct and always to be taken literally. A sort of Biblical fundamentalism. One can certainly believe in the Bible as Jesus describes without believing every single word in it, at least it is that way within Catholicism and Mormonism as I am familiar with them.

I suppose the more specific question would be *how* does God want us to believe in the Bible. I think it’s clear that belief in the Bible is assumed to be a prerequisite for being a Christian, at least in Christ’s teaching.

[msnobody]

I've noticed that a lot of (if not most) posters on this forum don't have a belief in God, but I'm going to make this post anyway. From extended conversations with Biblical Christians I have come to the conclusion that they do not know what God has to say about the Bible. (Feel free to correct me if you disagree.) Why would God want us to believe in a book when He has never told us He wants us to believe in it?

It is whom the book is about from beginning to end that he wants us to believe in.

[huckelberry]

I've noticed that a lot of (if not most) posters on this forum don't have a belief in God, but I'm going to make this post anyway. From extended conversations with Biblical Christians I have come to the conclusion that they do not know what God has to say about the Bible. (Feel free to correct me if you disagree.) Why would God want us to believe in a book when He has never told us He wants us to believe in it?

It is whom the book is about from beginning to end that he wants us to believe in.

This sounds like a solid answer.

[KevinSim]

It is whom the book is about from beginning to end that he wants us to believe in.

So Msnobody, are you saying that if you write a book about somebody, that somebody must want us to believe that book?

[huckelberry]

It is whom the book is about from beginning to end that he wants us to believe in.

So Msnobody, are you saying that if you write a book about somebody, that somebody must want us to believe that book?

KevinSim
I cannot be absolutely sure what Msnobody meant but I think it very unlikely she meant some general rule like you propose which I think is too broad to be workable and not focused upon the Bible. Instead I think it likely that she meant God wants people to believe Jesus Christ. She would be observing the Bible to be witness to Jesus.