Do you believe the letters of James and Revelation are inspired by God?
542994
You bet, if it has remained in the bible all this time , it is there for a reason. All of the bible preserved throughout the centuries is true and important.
1068341
Modern textual analysis of the Bible leaves little doubt that it is a human document produced by the work of many hands who have been editing, adding, and changing (and, plausibly, deleting) over the centuries.  The Book of Revelation was not intended to scare the crap out of people; it was written during a difficult time of persecution in the Roman Empire and was intended to bolster the faith of believers who, given the violence being done to Christians, were beginning to lose hope in the final victory of Christ's return.\n\nYour final question is the tough one.  It's tough because it requires one to know the mind of God in order to answer it correctly.  I, for one, don't presume to know the mind of God.  I DO believe, however, that God loves us; I also believe that faith in God saves us from the doom of which you speak.  So why the free will - why have we been given the power to reject God's love?  If I think about it from God's perspective, it makes sense - we all want to be loved because someone CHOSE to love us, not because that's the only way that person is programmed to think or to act.  Love is by definition an act of free will - we cannot truly love until we CHOOSE to love.  Choosing not to love God dooms us to an eternity without a relationship with God - perhaps not the fire-and-brimstone of popular myth, but an eternal emptiness, a void that can never be filled.  That is an eternity of our own choosing.  I hope this makes sense - I don't even know if it makes complete sense to me, because it is a tough subject.
672666
Without sitting down and looking at all the specifics, I think I'm already doing what he commanded.  The beatitudes and golden rule are fairly good descriptions of how I live my life.  \n\nI'm highly skeptical of the supernatural claims of Christianity, but I agree wholeheartedly that Jesus was a wise man with very good ideas.\n\nEDIT:\nJeff, the text of the KJV is styled in medieval verse (no I don't believe that the translators were divinely inspired).  The beatitudes in particular are poetic in form, and not subject to strict interpretation.  By saying that the poor are blessed, Jesus identified with their suffering and said that it would be recognized.  The beatitudes as a whole are an exhortation to live well and love one another, with specific examples.  They are an example of how the world could be if we lived in peace: a beautiful concept and one I attempt to live.  (Occasionally I succeed, though not often).\n\nAs far as dying in order to live (I assume that you're referring to John 12:24), I've already stated that I'm skeptical about the supernatural aspects of Christianity.  I'm sure that Jesus and I differ on many matters of religion and theology.  That doesn't change how I feel about his philosophical and social ideas.  He's not my savior, but he's a very good example to the world.  I don't worship him, but I'd definitely buy him a beer and listen to what he had to say.\n\nHonestly, I'd probably do the same for you, if we ever met.
944209
Could it be because God never wrote any of it?\n\nRead the course in miracles. A real revelation, not a counterfeit one like the bible.\n\nLove and blessings Don
39729
I couldn't say yes or no with much authority, but I can refer you to some sources, and some questions for you to consider, that should lead you to answer your question for yourself. My observations base of the assumption that the Bible is consistent withitself:\nDeut 39:39 (the author of the Bible intended that people understand it => it has no secrets)\nRom 1:18-23 (reveals that everything is plain)\nRev 1:19 (Revelations writes about the past, the present, and the future)\nEcc 12:13 (purpose of life)\nIf you read some of the book of Daniel, you discover that Daniel's dreams prophesied things to come -- Alexander the Great.\nI cannot prove to you if this is the case or not, but all my research thus far has led me to the believe that the Bible is what it claims to be. We still have to use the basic principles of common sense and logic. Its message (including prophecy) can be discovered asking 5 basic questions as we read: 'Who wrote this/who is it written to? Why did they write it? Where did it take place? When did it take place/when was it written? What is the author trying to say.'\nAs does any book, when read in context, answers are found in doing more reading.\nYou could pose another question asking about a particular prophecy you had in mind. I hope your reading is an adventure.
553918
Actually, God is the Author of the gospel of Mark. The bible is the Inspired Word of God, written down by human hands for the benefit of mankind.
1180303
Yes!!!!\n\nRev.13:18 "Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six."\nIt tells you exactly who the beast is: from the clues in the Bible.\n\n(REV.13:18) on the Pope's Crown (tiara) are these letters: VICARIUS FILII DEI; what do they signify? \nOUR SUNDAY VISITOR, (CATHOLIC WEEKLY) BUREAU OF INFORMATION," HUNTINGTON, IND., APRIL 18, 1915.\nROMAN NUMERALS FOR THESE LETTERS ARE: V=5; I=1; C=100; X=10; U=5; D=500; L=50 = THEY ADD UP TO 666.\n\n*Now we have alot of information about the beast; to start out with; we should find out (2THESS.2:4) "who claims to be God" and is "worshipped"? \nLet's see; this church (Rev.17:9)"sits on 7 hills" in Rome. \nIt wears (REV.17:4)"purple and scarlet". \nIt is a (REV.17:5)"mother church", so it has daughters or other churches following her. \nIt will think (DAN.7:25)"to change times and laws." GENERAL CATHOLIC CATECHISM\nIt even has casted "all the truth to the ground" = Dan.8:12\n"All the world has followed it" = Rev.13:12-15\n*It had a(REV.13:1-3)deadly wound that was healed.\nTHE CATHOLIC ADVOCATE (AUSTRALIA), APRIL 18,1929.\nFRONT PG. OF S.F. CHRONICLE WITH HEADLINE "HEAL WOUND OF MANY YEARS"; FEB.12,1929)\n\n*Daniel 2:32,38; 7:4; 3:1 "Head of Gold" = Lion = Babylon = King Nebuchadnezzar\n*Daniel 2:32: 7:5: 5:25-28; 6:28; 8:20 "Breast and Arms of Silver" = Bear = Medo-Persia = King Darius & Cyrus\n*Daniel 2:32; 7:6: 8:21 "Belly and thighs of brass" = Leopard = Greece = Alexander the Great\n*Daniel 2:33; 7:7,8,24,25: 8:9,12 "Legs of Iron" = Dreadful Beast = Rome\n*Daniel 2:33 "Feet part of iron and part of clay" = Divided Empire\n\n**Now the 10 horns represents kings or kingdoms and 1 comes up among the them and destroys (DANIEL 7:8,23,24)three. THE 10 HORNS ARE POLITICAL: ANGLO-SAXONS, FRANKS, ALAMMI, OSTROGOTHS, LOMBARD, SUEVI, BURGUNDIANS, VISIGOTHS, VANDALS, HERULI, AND THEN A LITTLE HORN COMES UPON THE SCENE THAT IS RELIGIOUS-POLITICAL THAT HAS DESTROYED THE HERULI, VANDALS AND OSTROGOTHS. NOW DETERMINING WHO THE HORN IS: A.C. FLICK, THE RISE OF THE MEDIAEVAL CHURCH. (PUTNAM'S 1909 ED.)PP.148-149.\n*FROM ALL THE CLUES; WE KNOW IT'S THE ROMAN EMPIRE (REV.17:4; COMPARE TO MATT.27:28 AND MARK 15:17 \n\nRev.17:9-10 "AND HERE IS THE MIND WHICH HAS WISDOM. THE SEVEN HEADS ARE SEVEN MOUNTAINS, ON WHICH THE WOMAN SITTETH.(Catholic Church sits on 7 hills in Rome)\nAND THERE ARE SEVEN KINGS: FIVE ARE FALLEN, AND ONE IS,(Italy and Germany ending in the Hitler-Mussolini Axis 1870-1945AD) AND THE OTHER IS NOT YET COME; AND WHEN HE COMETH, HE MUST CONTINUE A SHORT TIME."\n\nREV.17:10 was fulfilled on television when the Papacy said "that Benedict would be Pope for a short time."\n\nREALLY HIS IMAGE IS GOING TO COME ALIVE! WHEN HE PUTS CHURCH AND STATE TOGETHER. HERE'S JUST A PIECE OF IT IN--"POPE'S DREAM OF HEALING CHRISTIAN RIFT STILL A DISTANT GLIMMER" IN ENTERPRISE RECORD DATED: SUNDAY JUNE 12, 2005.\n\nThese 10 (Rev.17:12-13)rulers will be giving their support to a coming union of church and state in Europe, which will aspire to world dominance. After an interlude of apparent peace and prosperity, the system will plunge the whole world into a nightmare(World War 3). That's why Jesus has to come back; he has to save the world from total destruction. Matthew 24:21,22,29,30.\n\nTo understand the Mark of the beast--you have to read all these scriptures.\n\nFirst of all; we have to know the opposite of it.\nThe Seal of God is in the 4th Commandment in Exodus 20:8-11; references are John 4:22-24 and Rev.14:7. \nSabbath in Encyclopaedia Americana, Vol.24, pp.68-69.\nThe Sabbath Day is Saturday.\nLook it up in dictionaries, encyclopedias and etc.\n\nBut anyway a SEAL contains 3 thing
407946
In one way, Bible is God's letter of introduction. He described His character through the Bible so that people may know Him. I don't think that He would allow His character to be misrepresented by wrong translations, cause it is His character we, people, can rely on (among other things). If God is omnipotent, I am sure He could and can find a way to prevent some catastrophic errors to appear in the Bible which would lead its readers into wrong assumptions and beliefs.
1137193
There are many apocryphal texts that were not included in the bible. It is wrong to say "left out" because 'left out' assumes Divine Inspiration. The texts in question were obviously not inspired, since they were 'Not Included'.\n\nA given text isn't inspired because of who wrote it, when it was written, etc. A text is Inspired because God gave the author the Words to use.\n\nLook at the writings of the Church Doctors and Church Fathers. They penned many, many writings - all of which are worth reading, none of which were inspired in the same manner the Bible Books were Inspired.\n\nCatholicism does not discourage the reading of these apocryphal texts. All of the most well-known apocryphal texts can be purchased at Catholic Book stores.\n\nThe Church encourages people to read them because, while they are not Divinely Inspired, they teach significant religious Truths. They are all available if you want to study them.\n\nYou needn't worry. The Bible is complete. One can know this just by examining the first and last books; Genesis is a perfect beginning, and Revelation is the perfect epilogue.\n\nPlease, read the Bible with confidence, knowing the Books in the Bible are the only ones that belong there. Also, read all the apocrypha you want, knowing that they have something to offer despite the absence of Divine Inspiration.\n\nOn a personal note, I would stat away from wikipedia. I don't like relying on any info when I have absolutely no clue who provided it.
502549
MEIGHAN2006,\n\nIt is interesting that God created the whole universe and all the animals and plants, etc. by just speaking a word. When He made man, He got down in the dirt and planted a garden and then formed Adam from the dirt and breathed life – the eternal part – into him. Then He made Eve from one of Adam’s ribs.\n\nIt is amazing that God was able to make man and woman with a word, yet He showed love from the very beginning as He served His creation by planting a garden and then fashioning them similar to Himself. He has a heart to love and to serve and His rules for us are the same as the way He lives. He wants us to love and serve each other.\n\nIt is also interesting that He made water originate in the garden. The water didn’t flow through the garden, but came up from the ground in the garden and then formed 4 rivers leaving the garden. The garden was probably similar to heaven where there is water that flows from under His throne.\n\nIn my humble opinion, the living water in us is figurative of this water that flows from God’s throne. When we put ourselves on the throne, the flow is restricted or the water becomes stagnant. When God is enthroned in our hearts – when Jesus is our Lord, the living water flows freely. That is the abundant life.\n\nGod bless.
1984
The answer is in verse one.\n\n"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw."
1177448
I find it ironic that people pick and choose what they want out of the Bible... what about the rest of Corinthians? When those letters were written they did not have chapters and verses... that is something King James concocted. So should you not consider the writing as a whole?
207967
Yes, I agree that it sounds like The Bible verse Psalms 33:9, I believe this to be true because of my unshakable faith in Him. \nThis article is amazing. Especially the last part, "We, and all we can see, are at most a tiny dot in an unimaginably large sea of space and time." \n\nLove it.
380437
They must have been inspired, these translators!\n\n\nI read in ANOTHER famous book once about people who pray to god:  Why? (pray) Who are YOU to Teach, and He to Learn?\n\nGood thoughts, these
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I do believe so!\n\nGod created all things for His pleasure (Rev 4:11 KJV)...\nobviously God loves animals as He loves us why else were they created?  \nJesus also said that the lion will lay with the lamb (he's talking about in the Kingdom of God)....they're animals! \nThat's why I believe that animals are in heaven, your dog included!  \nMay the Word of God bring you comfort in your time of lost, in Jesus precious name... A-men!  \n\n(seek God's Word, you'll have closure)
120255
yes I believe every word of the Bible is true and was inspired by God
988691
I can only speak from my personal experience in this life. I have read the bible and I have done some reseach. I have been in church and heard sermons. The conclusion I came to, is that the bible is for the most part a well intentioned spiritual text. It is written by men inspired by that which inspires all human kind. I do not believe it was written by God anymore than the Da Vinci Code is written by God.  Perhaps God wrote both? Perhaps Dan Brown in 1000 years will be considered a prophet of God. Who knows? The world is very crazy place. A person writes a book with certain intentions and before they know it , the world has twisted the message. So, quoting the bible to me as an authority on spiritual matters is a waste of time.  Just my two cents.