Wednesday, April 1, 2009

I believe?

Ok, a bit of a picky blog but something that has always bothered me is the use of "I believe" and "I think" in preaching and teaching today. 

First of all, lets look at a couple of verses surrounding the use of these two phrases to see if the use so often heard today fits with Scripture; 

Mark 9:24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

John 9:38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

John 11:27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

Acts 8:37 And Philip 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.

Acts 27:25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

Just to be sure I did a search on "I think" and found that there was nothing implying anyone writing Scriputre based on knowledge. The closest thing you could find in that regard is that of Paul speaking in 1 Corinthians 7:40 where he states "and I think also that I have the Spirit of God" which by no means implies that Paul is basing his understanding of whether he is filled with the Spirit on his own human reasoning but is rather stating that the things which he spoke can be safely taken due to the fact that he is filled with the Spirit.  Verses are (Job 31:1; Jer 29:11; Ac 26:2; 1Co 4:9; 7:40; 2Co 10:2; 2Pe 1:13)

Ok, me being picky. How often do we hear someone expounding on some Scripture followed by "I believe" which really tells me that I am getting something that has been derived from their mind rather than having revelation from the Lord on this verse or section of Scripture. If this is based on reasoning, why then is it being stated? 

Oh dear brothers and sisters please let us be careful that we don't try to present things outside of what the Lord has made clear to us. AND for those of you who are listening to these things being spoken, please be careful that these things that are spoken from the intellect of man are not held as authority from God. 

It would be good for us to consider a writing by Watchman Nee called "The Latent Power of the Soul". 

Open to correction on this as well as any other thing that is posted here. 

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