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Rose~ NW Ohio, USA
I am 43 and I have 4 kids and a husband. I am trying to live life wisely and learn more about the ways of God. I am too intolerant for the doctrine dissers and too lovey-dovey for the ultra-separatist pugnacious types.
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Tuesday, January 13, 2009

A Questionable Quote

I got this quote stuck in my mind the other day.
It was at the bottom an email. It had no name attached to it so I don't know who wrote it. (Maybe I will do my homework after I post this and see who said it. It must be someone noteworthy. I am certain of that.)

I don't like this quote. I think it is just false.

"The only Scripture I believe is the one that I obey"
If I were to guess about the motivation behind the quote, I would say it is to try and persuade Christians into obeying God by questioning the sincerity of their faith if they do not obey. I disagree with that approach. I think Christians are better encouraged to obey God via the motivation of thankfulness, which is the opposite of guilt, in this case. IOW, if I know that God loves me and accpets me no matter what I do, I am oh so thankful for that. This is a good motivation for living for Him, much more powerful than guilt.

Furthermore, I know there are Scriptures that I believe but that I don't obey.

I could be wrong about the intent of the quote, though.

posted by Rose~ at 11:03 AM

8 Comments:

  • I couldn't find it on Google. Does anyone know who said this?

    Have we ever talked about this quote before? It does seem vaguely familiar.

    By Blogger Rose~, at 1/13/2009 11:14 AM  

  • I generally agree with your sentiments Rose.. I might add that I also find that the fear of the Lord is sometimes a great motivator :)

    By Blogger kc bob, at 1/13/2009 2:37 PM  

  • Hi Rose,

    As it stands, it can probably mean a lot of things. Context is everything.

    Regards,

    By Blogger Colin Maxwell, at 1/13/2009 2:54 PM  

  • Hi Bob,
    Yes, this is true.

    Hello to the Ulster Scott, *the* Colin Maxwell!
    Good to see ye. You're right - it could mean a lot of things. I don't have the context - like I said it was at the bottom of the email. At face value -as a stand alone quote- I don't like it though.

    I like Billy's quote posted above this one, though. You must be pretty loving, Colin, because I feel like my name is safe in your mouth (or on your keyboard). :~)

    By Blogger Rose~, at 1/13/2009 2:59 PM  

  • Hi Rose, the quote reads like a slogan doesn't it?

    I don't like the quote as it stands. I would change it to something like:

    "Until (or unless) I believe that scripture is true, I will not - nay, cannot! - truly obey it;"

    With the caveat (of course) that God made -me- willing (to believe) in the day of His power; I obeyed the command to believe (i.e. to obey the gospel) because God Himself ~made~ me able to do so - as I believe the scriptures teach.

    But the way that quote is currently written, it sounds like unless one is sinlessly perfect, one has not "truly" believed.

    Even if that isn't what the author intended - it is still theologically ambiguous, and I don't like that kind of theological ambiguity - at least not in a signature.

    By Blogger Daniel, at 1/13/2009 5:04 PM  

  • Hi Rose!

    What that quote brought to mind is my faithless heart. There is within me a heart that is prone to wander, a spirit that disbelieves. I can't even desire God the way I should, and I can't even repent of this the way I ought. Praise God that Jesus took all my sin upon Himself and so God sees me though Jesus' faith, Jesus' belief. Because I am in union with Christ, in a real sense, what Christ has done belongs to me, so I need not despair, but I can rejoice that I belong to Christ.

    By Blogger Earl Flask, at 1/14/2009 12:06 AM  

  • Hi Rose

    "The only Scripture I believe is the one that I obey"

    But all it takes is ONE Scripture to OBEY to be born again!

    Whoever desires take of the water of life freely!

    How do you do that?

    Simply by believing Jesus promise!

    Jesus said: Most assuredly I say to you he who believes in Me has eternal life (John 6:47).

    Then,

    He WORKS in you to WILL and to DO of His GOOD PLEASURE!

    It’s ONLY by the NEW MAN that we can WALK by the SPIRIT and OBEY.

    But we have to drink FIRST! ONE DRINK, not drink…drink….drink….drink!

    But if we don’t KNOW what the GIFT of God IS we CAN’T drink.

    Jesus said to the women at the well: If you knew the gift of God.

    She needed to KNOW what the GIFT of God was FIRST!

    You must DRINK before you can WALK, but it ONLY takes ONE drink!

    Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God !

    It ONLY takes ONE!

    One is the loneliest number unless God’s in it!

    alvin

    By Blogger alvin, at 1/14/2009 12:47 AM  

  • Goodmorning Rose,

    Of course, I am pretty loving. "Some of my best friends live in the same town as FGers!" -

    :o)

    I don't think that we should leave out the thought of fear altogether. Certainly the writer in Hebrews doesn't. However, it should never be the sole or even the driving motive - as you say, far better to feel indebted to His love and respond positively to that. We love him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19)

    Regards,

    By Blogger Colin Maxwell, at 1/14/2009 4:52 AM  

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