I once contemplated reading nothing from the Bible except the Gospels for an entire year. I didn’t do it, but I did read the Gospels much more often than any other books that year. That experience was probably the forerunner to my exodus from the establishment and seeking out ways to be the church outside of institutional religion.
Michael Spencer, the Internet Monk, has some great tongue-in-cheek sarcasm about the Gospels.
You could get a lot of wrong ideas reading the Gospels too much. You could start thinking that Jesus is in favor of some kind of social gospel where people give away lots of things, live in community, get in trouble for their radical compassion and stand outside of the religious establishment much of the time.
In fact, really….the Gospels have some good stories, but wouldn’t we be better off to study things like Romans 3 more often, so we really know what the Gospel is about?
Spending a lot of time in the Gospels could make you a person who is confused about discipleship as compared to grace. We should go to church, hear about grace, and leave much happier. If we read the Gospels too much, we’ll get the idea we’re supposed to do a lot of things that we really don’t have to do to be saved.
Let’s be careful with the Gospels. Don’t go overboard with them. They could mess up your whole religion.
here, here!
Dave Tonn
April 29th, 2008
Actually it might be cool for someone who’s read the Old Testament somewhat to do nothing but read the Gospels for 3 years… And commit to DOing one thing Jesus said every day - or something like that. Kind of like the disciples…Discipleship old school.
Leo
May 13th, 2008
What? Are you kidding? Afraid of being a little more righteous by reading about the Savior’s life?
“we’ll get the idea we’re supposed to do a lot of things that we really don’t have to do to be saved.”
Like what? Keep the commandments? The things Jesus taught us to do His whole ministry and afterwards and we’re suppose to just not worry about that?
Reading the gospels is good! Reading all scriptures is good! This is why there are so many churches today. Because people will cherry pick things from the Bible and then say this is that and that is this. This is how the Mormon church got started was Joseph Smith was confused about why there are so many different sects and interpretations about the same book and the same God. Christ only organized one church and taught one gospel so why do we have so many different Christian churches? Mormons believe that God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow and so should His church be. Which is why we believe God called Joseph Smith to be a prophet to restore the church of Jesus Christ in these Latter Days. Hence the name the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Saints because we try to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.
nick
June 23rd, 2008
Nick -
The post is sarcastic when it says to not read the Gospels…
And why the extra “new” book for the God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever? The Book of Mormon seems to change a whole lot from what was understand the previous thousands of years.
Alan
June 23rd, 2008
** since irony is lost on true believers **
Four almighty lords of dualism: Ahura Mazda, Yahweh, God, and Allah are moral equivalents of super-villains. Their pulp comix enjoy homicidal cult followings. Their theology is ego massaging 5th-rate fan fiction.
When Nietzsche said, “God is dead” he added a gloss — “. . . that belief in the Christian God is unbelievable.”
Whatever it takes, do it. Parodies - satire - irreverent cartoons - nude art. Laugh at every stinking piety.
Expose all money-leeching god-frauds.
Take away their tax-exempt status. No more state support .
bipolar2
June 23rd, 2008
Alan,
Yes exactly God is the same yesterday, today, and forever so why wouldn’t there be more word of God today if there was words of God yesterday?
You’re probably thinking why do we need more word? Well this goes back to my original point of interpretation. Its real easy to get swayed one or the other when there isn’t a true prophet on the earth. Even this blog was a little confusing to me because I didn’t know he was being sarcastic. Its a little harder to read the subtext from just text but I guess a real Christian would be appalled by that idea (I was).
What Jesus taught is perfect but there have been many different translations. The Jehova’s Witnesses have a very different idea of the bible than the Catholics and the Protestants, as well. With all these different people saying that and this Joseph Smith began his journey with that confusion. Which led him to read James 1:5 in which it reads “If any of ye lack wisdom, let him ask of God, which giveth to all men liberally and upraideth not.” So, he said that no man has ever felt more penetrated in his heart by a scripture than he did when he read that and decided to ask God for himself which was the true church (teachings, organization, etc.) on the earth. If you’ve ever met with mormon missionaries this is the first thing they’ll tell you about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints because this is how we believe the teachings, organization, and authority was restored upon the earth. That God called Joseph Smith to be a prophet and gave him the very keys that Jesus gave Simon Peter to be a mouth piece of the Lord and prepare the earth for the second coming of Jesus Christ. Theres a lot more but I would love to just invite you to do the same and pray to God to lead you to Him and see which are the true teachings to follow to be with Christ and have eternal life because you only can recieve that for yourself. I was a missionary and I’m so glad I was able to teach these things and meet new people who are looking for God’s help and word so I would love to answer any other questions if you have any about mormons. Thanks.
Nick
June 24th, 2008