Bible Christians: If you claim that the Bible Alone is the sole rule of authority, then how do you convert those who cannot read?

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Evangelical Christians (Protestants) have often said, read the Bible and you will know the truth. Well, true if you can read it. What if you cannot read. How then can you convince non-believers who cannot read seek Christ?

If you know basic Christian history, the Gospels were spread by oral means starting with the Apostles who were then succeeded by their successors the bishops.

I have read some former Evangelical Christians turn Catholic who went to Latin America and encounter people who cannot read at all. In fact most of the Third Word nations illiteracy is major issue.
 
Mannyfit75 said:
Evangelical Christians (Protestants) have often said, read the Bible and you will know the truth. Well, true if you can read it. What if you cannot read. How then can you convince non-believers who cannot read seek Christ?

If you know basic Christian history, the Gospels were spread by oral means starting with the Apostles who were then succeeded by their successors the bishops.

I have read some former Evangelical Christians turn Catholic who went to Latin America and encounter people who cannot read at all. In fact most of the Third Word nations illiteracy is major issue.
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can you hear?
 
Fisher said:
can you hear?
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You completely missed his point. He clearly stated that the Gospel was spread orally first. In other words people HEARD the Gospel. However, there are some Protestants who insist on actually reading the Bible. Hearing is not enough.
 
Sabda said:
You completely missed his point. He clearly stated that the Gospel was spread orally first. In other words people HEARD the Gospel. However, there are some Protestants who insist on actually reading the Bible. Hearing is not enough.
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But do we not in todays world have things called CD’s? Instead of someone picking and choosing what they can hear, a CD offers a person the opportunity to hear it for himself.
 
Mannyfit75 said:
Evangelical Christians (Protestants) have often said, read the Bible and you will know the truth. Well, true if you can read it. What if you cannot read. How then can you convince non-believers who cannot read seek Christ?

If you know basic Christian history, the Gospels were spread by oral means starting with the Apostles who were then succeeded by their successors the bishops.

I have read some former Evangelical Christians turn Catholic who went to Latin America and encounter people who cannot read at all. In fact most of the Third Word nations illiteracy is major issue.
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I would say if someone tells you that you must actually read the Bible to know the truth is clearly wrong. Being the final and only infallible rule of faith does not mean that reading is necessary. It does not even mean that hearing is required. Oral teaching is not precluded by having the Bible as the rule of faith. What is required is that the oral teaching contain the truth that is found in the Bible.
For example, I can say that “Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary.” Those exact words are not found in the Bible but what they say is inaccordance with what the Bible says. Similarly I can tell someone “David killed Goliath and later became King of Israel.” That summarizes what is in the Bible but doesn’t depart from what the Bible tells us.
If I were to say “You must believe that David had brown hair and blue eyes.”, that would not be in accord with what the Bible has told us. (although for all we know it might be true)
 
Are you talking about those who say the Bible is literal or the ones who are open to interpretation? There is a huge difference.
 
This may come as a surprise, but there are other ways besides reading to gain knowledge!

Surprise!
 
Abraxsis said:
Are you talking about those who say the Bible is literal or the ones who are open to interpretation? There is a huge difference.
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Nope. this is refer that you have to read the Bible to know Jesus and by reading it. Knowing Jesus is more than just reading the Bible. It’s believing everything he commanded us, living the faith.
 
O Ok.

Then everything you just wrote, plus you have to have an intuitive spirituality and faith. You have to know.
 
Another question for “Bible Christians”: where in the Bible can you find your rule “Bible alone”?
 
I knew an atheist who, on very rare ocassions, asked questions about the Bible starting with " How do you know…" But I was never able to get out more than 3 words before she stopped me saying she really wasn’t interested.

So I began praying for her. I stopped trying to answer her questions and simply gave the situation over to God in prayer.

One day, as I was sharing a personnal concern with her she said “I’ll pray for you.” I asked if that meant she now believes in God and she said “Yes, I do believe.”

I am a Bible believing Christian. The Bible is complete. Nothing of importance has been left out that is required for us to know.
 
“Another question for “Bible Christians”: where in the Bible can you find your rule “Bible alone”?”

ACTS 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
 
Ginger2 said:
“Another question for “Bible Christians”: where in the Bible can you find your rule “Bible alone”?”

ACTS 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
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So, by this quote you are saying that the Old Testement alone has everything we need. The New Testement had not been completely written by this time and was centuries away from having the Canon of Scripture agreed upon by the magisterium of the Church.
 
Ilroy said: “…you are saying that the Old Testement alone has everything we need”

No. I am saying that the entire Bible is the inerrant word of God. And there is nothing lacking. See verses for the NT:

2 Peter 3:15-16 refers to Paul’'s writings as Scripture. "…as our beloved brother PAUL ACCORDING TO THE WISDOM GIVEN TO HIM, ALSO WROTE TO YOU, speaking of these things as he does in all his letters. In them there are some things hard to understand that the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, just AS THEY DO THE OTHER SCRIPTURES.

Since Peter considered Paul’‘s writings as Scripture, I should think Peter’'s writings were also considered Scripture - (You are Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church) Certainly the Gospel of Matthew, also, He was one of the twelve.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” Acts 3:16-17

After Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension, the world had the Apostles whom Jesus had spoken directly to. The Apostles were writing these epistles to preserve the teachings of Jesus.

2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? (51 A.D.)

Col 4:16-17 And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the [epistle] from Laodicea. And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.

Jud 1:17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;

WE remember the words of Jesus throught he writings of the apostles.
 
Sabda said:
You completely missed his point. He clearly stated that the Gospel was spread orally first. In other words people HEARD the Gospel. However, there are some Protestants who insist on actually reading the Bible. Hearing is not enough.
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There isn’t a single credal proclamation of sola scriptura that denies that the gospel was taught first orally…not a single one.

Check the Westminster Confession of Faith or the London Baptist Confession for example.
 
Mannyfit75 said:
Evangelical Christians (Protestants) have often said, read the Bible and you will know the truth. Well, true if you can read it. What if you cannot read. How then can you convince non-believers who cannot read seek Christ?

If you know basic Christian history, the Gospels were spread by oral means starting with the Apostles who were then succeeded by their successors the bishops.

I have read some former Evangelical Christians turn Catholic who went to Latin America and encounter people who cannot read at all. In fact most of the Third Word nations illiteracy is major issue.
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Can you name one non-Catholic Christian Church that denies an illiterate person can be saved or that affirms that one MUST read the Bible in order to be saved? If you come up with one, please don’t just name names, tell us how you came to the conclusion tha they believe you have to READ the Bible in order to be saved.

If you can’t, than your whole thread is absolutely meaningless.

I’ll be out of town for a few days, I’ll be itnerested in seeing what you come up with.
 
Mannyfit75 said:
Evangelical Christians (Protestants) have often said, read the Bible and you will know the truth. Well, true if you can read it. What if you cannot read. How then can you convince non-believers who cannot read seek Christ?

If you know basic Christian history, the Gospels were spread by oral means starting with the Apostles who were then succeeded by their successors the bishops.

I have read some former Evangelical Christians turn Catholic who went to Latin America and encounter people who cannot read at all. In fact most of the Third Word nations illiteracy is major issue.
Click to expand...
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).
 
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