The most important verse(s)

[jambo]

I consider all scripture to be vitally important. I could say that this verse or that verse is very important but I could not say that any one verse is the most important. However if someone did push you to say what you believe to be the most important verse or verses in the bible, what verse(s) would those be? To kick off I see Col 2.9-10 as the twin peaks of the NT

For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete.

It sums up Christ's person and work and if our church members realised they were complete in Chist how many pastoral situations could be resolved or even prevented.

 

[Kenneth_Murphy]

I strongly agree with 2 Timoth 3:16-17. However, say we were looking at this from a memorization standpoint. How would you order what to memorize first and what strategy would you take? Books at a time or a set of key verses by topics? Memorize the WSC first?

brother Stuart, if this is too far off topic, I appologise and can move this to it's own seperate thread.

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

To change the focus of the OP a "life verse" so to speak for me is Romans 10:14-17 as a personal challenge and reminder.

14How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?

15How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!"

16However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, "LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?"

17So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

 

[jambo]

However if someone did push you to say what you believe to be the most important verse or verses in the bible, what verse(s) would those be?

I would gently and humbly reject the premise and allude to 2 Timoth 3:16-17

I was reticent in starting this thread for the reasons outlined in 2 Tim 3.16-17 and I did state it was easy to say some verses are important but could any be most important? Although we can learn many lessons, for example, from the geneologies of 1 Chron 1-9 yet the prologue to John's gospel is of more substance. Perhaps I should have phrased the question in a different way: what verse(s) in the bible do you wish people could grasp and come to terms with? Be this in a pastoral or evangelistic setting.

 

[RamistThomist]

"My kingdom is not of this world."

 

[jambo]

Forgive me, Brother. I wasn't trying to accuse you of anything, I was simply relaying what I would do in such a situation. I hope you accept my sincere apologies if I brought offense.

No offence taken brother, nor did I feel I was being accused of anything.

 

[shackleton]

Ecclesiastes 1:2, "Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity."

Obviously not the most important verse but the entire book does me good to read every now and again.

 

[A5pointer]

How about Romans 3:23 "but now.............."

 

[RamistThomist]

The problem with this line of thinking is the same when people say "to interpret the unclear parts of Scripture with the clear parts." Who gets to determine which parts are clear?

What we with our modern presuppositions (which cannot help but be influenced by the Enlightenment) will differ with what the patristics and medievals thought important.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

Rick Phillips, at the BoT Conf. this week, offered this exchange as the paradigmatic message of the OT:

Gen 22:7-8 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.​

I have to agree.