Just finished reading through Lamentations 2:1 – 10. I am reading in the first Bible I bought after I trusted Christ. It has been rebound twice. It is the only Bible in which I have ever marked. Next to Lamentations 2:5, I wrote, “When you disobey the Lord even if you are chosen he becomes your enemy.” I wrote that because, as you read in the passage the Lord became an enemy of His chosen people, Israel, because they had disobeyed His commands. When I wrote this I had in mind a connection here between chosen in the Old Testament and chosen or elect in the New Testament. I did not think much about it at the time just made the connection and moved on.
However, that connection may not be valid. I assumed that chosen has the same meaning and force when applied to Israel and the Church. You are aware of the results of assuming. What I should have done is to validate my observation by turning it into a question, “Does chosen here mean the same thing as it does when applied to the Church?”
I do not have an answer to that question. Yet. I stuck my toe in that water for a few minutes this morning in Logos by doing a surface word study on the use of chosen in the New Testament and the Septuagint, looking at what Hebrew words were translated with chosen. There was a significant amount of data. To answer the question more accurately, I need to evaluate that data. It is a whole lot like work, albeit work that I love.
Too often I have approached the scripture like I did with the note on Lamentations 2:5, I have also observed many believers doing the same thing, pastors and leaders included. 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us that we are to be diligent with the Word of God. There is a process here. It is like a journey; encapsulated in my experience with Lamentations 2:5. I need to remind myself daily to hold what I “know” to be true lightly, always being ready to turn that knowledge into a question, which answer is dependent on the data in the Book that has no bottom.
I do not have an answer to that question. Yet. I stuck my toe in that water for a few minutes this morning in Logos by doing a surface word study on the use of chosen in the New Testament and the Septuagint, looking at what Hebrew words were translated with chosen. There was a significant amount of data. To answer the question more accurately, I need to evaluate that data. It is a whole lot like work, albeit work that I love.
Too often I have approached the scripture like I did with the note on Lamentations 2:5, I have also observed many believers doing the same thing, pastors and leaders included. 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us that we are to be diligent with the Word of God. There is a process here. It is like a journey; encapsulated in my experience with Lamentations 2:5. I need to remind myself daily to hold what I “know” to be true lightly, always being ready to turn that knowledge into a question, which answer is dependent on the data in the Book that has no bottom.
How can I avoid errors when studying/reading the Bible? I cannot! The Scriptures are inerrant, but I am not. Neither is my group/ denomination. Therefore I MUST assume I will make mistakes in understanding the Bible - and rely upon my friends to argue with me, to disagree with me. If I assume I will make mistakes then I will be far more humble toward others. The better question is, "Am I the kind of man others know they can approach with correction in mind?" -- or have they learned, through experience, never to challenge me.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. You nailed it. We have to open to correction. Proverbs 9:8 - 9 leaps to mind. Great response.
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