I had some interesting interactions on Substack this weekend. I made the mistake of assuming that the people I was talking to believed in God. It was an honest mistake because they had mentioned God, but it turned out to be a different God.
When I mentioned Jesus and the Bible, they quickly let me know that that we were not on the same page. It was very confusing because two of them said they believe in Jesus. One said she believes in a “God almighty”, but not the “Jesus myth” and when I asked her to elaborate, she declined. Another said he firmly believes in Jesus, but doesn’t “worship the Bible” (neither do I) because ‘it’s been changed”. A third was against “monotheism’ and claimed to believe in Jesus AND paganism. These people had all made up their own religions.
It’s not that I am not aware that people have different beliefs about God, or reject Him completely. But I am always surprised by how few people are getting their beliefs about God from the source, the Bible. They seem sincere about having faith in God, but how can they know Him? They have been taught so many lies about Christianity and the Bible that they don’t even bother reading it, which means they don’t know what God says about Himself or what He expects of us. Their beliefs are simply based on their own assumptions, social media, and what other people say. This kind of faith is easy. You can simply change your beliefs if someone disagrees with you.
You might be thinking, ‘well at least they believe in God’, but can you have true faith in a God that you don’t know? Will that type of faith help you when the going gets tough? Can it save you from judgment? Can you believe in Jesus and other gods or paganism or witchcraft? The Bible has the answers to those questions.
What about you? Do you think you can have true faith in God without ever reading the Bible? I don’t mean you have to read it constantly, but at least once.
Blue Skies and Green Pastures 
I feel bad about not wanting to go to church when I was younger, I was very fortunate.
Some people read books on the bible instead of the bible itself. There is nothing wrong with this as long as you can go back to the sorce and understand the true meaning.
So many writers write about their opinion of the bible instead of the truth. Even people like professors have different views of the bible stories; for instance, “this is the real Jesus,” or this is what really happened.
Some books that I have read with similar themes I have thrown in the bin, because they have got it so blatently wrong.
As you pointed out, people change the meanings to suit their own beliefs. That means they are trapped in some devilish system. As Jesus said, only the truth will set them free.
I think the majority of “Christians” don’t read the bible. I’ve heard tons of people say that they reject the authority of the bible because of the things it says about homosexuality. Then they back it up by saying it was changed by the council of Nicea to push an agenda so there is no way to know what is true. But they don’t do any research on the council to find out what it was really about. One of my close family members is getting into some pagan ideas but says she still believes in God. I asked her how she knows anything about God if she rejects the bible. She said the Holy Spirit tells her. I asked how she dicerns what is from the Holy Spirit and what is just herself telling her what she wants to hear. She said I “didn’t respect her beliefs enough to continue this conversation” just because I was asking questions she didn’t have answers for.
Hopefully she will think about what you said . Sometimes it takes time for people to work through their doubts . So many snares along the way . Maybe give her a copy of Pilgrims Progress or The Screwtape Letters .
There’s a good chance that one of them was a Muslim.
Here’s what they believe:
– Jesus (Issa) was not the son of God but a mere prophet.
– The Jews and Christians corrupted their scriptures.
– The truth was revealed to Muhammad.
The problem for the Muslims is, there’s zero evidencce for such a corruption.
From the earliest manuscripts, scrolls and fragments to today’s bible.
The nature of Jesus is pretty consistent over time and the Muslims cannot point to any scripture supporting their view of Jesus.
Furthermore, because thousands of manuscripts and texts referring to scripture were wiritten or copied in many countries and by many different writers it would have been impossible to corrupt and change them ALL without leaving a trace.
To corrupt all Christian texts without leaving a trace you would have to collect all of them in all the countries and change them. This was not possible.
In contrast to the very few gnostic scriptures the Christian texts are reliable which is demonstrated by plenty of evidence.
I point you to an old post of mine which contains a video presenting stunning evidence, some of it never shown before, that the gospels were based on eyewitness accounts.
Thanks, I will watch it later.
Honestly, I think you can have a surface faith without reading the Bible. You can hear about and believe in what others are presenting, but to get down to the nitty gritty, you have to read the Bible. Otherwise, you are basing your faith off of what someone else is telling you and that can be dangerous in the wrong circumstances (I’m thinking particularly cults in this scenario). Now, I also think that if you are sincere, pray to God, and are actively trying to understand and follow God then a) He will work on your heart to make you WANT to read the Bible and b) understand if you have no access to a Bible and present you with opportunities to know Him. I know that people having no access to a Bible is a smaller percentage in this day and age, but if for whatever reason you don’t or can’t, then I think that in that particular situation, yes you can have a true, deep faith in God without having read the Bible. But otherwise, I feel that your faith is only going to be surface deep if you aren’t willing to put forth some effort. Just my two cents 🙂 God Bless!
not sure why this got posted as anonymous lol. I am obviously not paying close enough attention today! 🙂
WordPress 🤣🤷🏻♀️
I agree that it’s possible. Especially if someone is discipline you and telling you about God . Some people don’t have bibles in their language.
“The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because THEY REFUSED TO LOVR THE TRUTH and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,” 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11
So sad, but we get to choose.
I hope you won’t mind a long comment, but firstly thank you very much for your post.
‘True faith in God’, what is it anyway? Hebrews explains of course in chapters 11 and 12.
Ultimately it is in Jesus.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 12 v 1-3
Near the end of the chapter it says:
Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.
Interestingly ‘True faith in God’ anagrams to ‘I fohn gratitude’. Fohn is a warm dry wind, but sounds like phone. Give God a call and say thank you!
‘Goth infuriated’ another anagram. So true faith in God infuriates the Goths does it?
One more for good measure, ‘It a tough friend’. True faith in God finds a tough friend.
Now could one have found that out without the Bible? The apostle Paul says:
“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness. For what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse.”
Again
Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. So they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts either accusing or defending them on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus, as proclaimed by my gospel.…
A great deal is to be gleaned without necessarily reading the bible, but as Jesus says
‘You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.…
And He is the Word, all words.
And in the beginning was the Word…