Dear Friends,
We continue our journey through the scriptures this week by turning the pages of our Bibles to new books. In our Old Testament reading, we move from the time of exile to the return of God's people to Jerusalem. Ezra-Nehemiah forms a single book in the Hebrew Bible, though the two parts are separated in the Christian Bible. Beginning with the "Edict of Cyrus of Persia" which allowed God's people to return home, Ezra chronicles a religious rebirth for God's people as they sought to re-orient their lives in accord with the Torah, the first step being the rebuilding of the Temple. In our New Testament reading for this week, we turn to Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians, which consists of a series of arguments on key issues over which the Corinthian community has come into conflict. To a church that had rapidly become divided over these issues, Paul calls for unity in Christ and warns his readers about those who would lead them astray.
May God continue to inspire us as we move forward in our journey through the scriptures.
Grace and Peace,
Tom Lovell
A YEAR WITH THE BIBLE. Below are the daily readings for this week thru Sunday. You may also read or listen online at http://dailyaudiobible.com.
| Date | Old Testament | New Testament | Proverbs |
| August 5 | Ezra 1:1-2:70 | I Corinthians 1:18-2:5 | 20:22-23 |
| August 6 | Ezra 3:1-4:24 | I Corinthians 2:6-3:4 | 20:24-25 |
| August 7 | Ezra 5:1-6:22 | I Corinthians 3:5-23 | 20:26-27 |
| August 8 | Ezra 7:1-8:20 | I Corinthians 4:1-21 | 20:28-30 |
| August 9 | Ezra 8:21-9:15 | I Corinthians 5:1-13 | 21:1-2 |
| August 10 | Ezra 10:1-44 | I Corinthians 6:1-20 | 21:3 |
| August 11 | Nehemiah 1:1-3:14 | I Corinthians 7:1-24 | 21:4 |
THE CREED BOOK OR GOD'S BOOK?
ReplyDeleteThe majority of denominations use their creed books as the authority in the church for faith and practice. If the final authority is the creed book(catechism), then what purpose would the Bible serve. The Bible is relegated to a secondary reference book.
If the creed book is the authority. Why read the Bible? Why even own a Bible? There are some who say, we do not have a creed book, we a have statement of faith. Statement of faith is just a euphemistic way of saying creed book.
If denominations claim to use the Bible as their rule for faith and practice, then there would is no need for a man-made creed book.
Acts 17:10-11 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 There were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
The Berean's did not search the man-made creed books written by the scribes and elders, to substantiate the truth. The searched the Scriptures.
Acts 17:2-3 Then Paul, as his custom was, went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ."
Paul did not use man-made creed books to teach about Jesus Christ. He reasoned from the Scriptures.
The Pharisees and scribes liked to teach from the man-made creed books of the elders. (Mark 7:1-13....3 For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders....... 13 "making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.")
The Pharisees used man-made creed books as their final authority.
If denominations are using man-made creed books as there final authority for faith and practice, are they not making the word of God of no effect through their tradition?
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