When I am asked to lead a class, I do not like to lecture. That is probably a function of my gifts. I am an exhorter. I would much rather equip someone with the means to answer a question for themselves than tell them what that answer may be. But…
There are limits to my approach. Especially in the communication of emotionally charged or controversial issues. Typically I want people to share their observations on an issue we are investigating. But in the case of difficult issues, there has to be some pretty clear guidelines.
I have been in discussions on topics like these that had no ground rules. In all cases the dialog consisted of people sharing what they thought or what they had heard about the subject with no scriptural validation of their position.
As communities of believers it matters how we think. To validate that do a search in your favorite Bible app for “think” and “mind.” Paul’s letters are thick with references to how we think, how and on what we set our mind. Romans 12:2 may be the clearest, we need to have our minds, the way we think, transformed.
So for us, as believers and apprentices of Christ, what we hear, what we read outside of the Bible, what we are taught, or whatever messages we hear have to be evaluated, tested if you will, weighed against what the Bible says. In some cases that is not easy. There are topics that require us to dig deeply not only into the Word but into our prejudice and presuppositions.
It is not OK to leave these difficult issues to the scholars. We are not going to be held accountable for what they think. We are going to be held accountable for what we think. The admonition to have our minds renewed, although corporately addressed, is individually applied. Thus Luke calling the Bereans noble minded in Acts 17:11, for checking out Paul’s teaching, weighing what he said against what they thought by searching the Scriptures.
We do well to do the same.
I have been in discussions on topics like these that had no ground rules. In all cases the dialog consisted of people sharing what they thought or what they had heard about the subject with no scriptural validation of their position.
As communities of believers it matters how we think. To validate that do a search in your favorite Bible app for “think” and “mind.” Paul’s letters are thick with references to how we think, how and on what we set our mind. Romans 12:2 may be the clearest, we need to have our minds, the way we think, transformed.
So for us, as believers and apprentices of Christ, what we hear, what we read outside of the Bible, what we are taught, or whatever messages we hear have to be evaluated, tested if you will, weighed against what the Bible says. In some cases that is not easy. There are topics that require us to dig deeply not only into the Word but into our prejudice and presuppositions.
It is not OK to leave these difficult issues to the scholars. We are not going to be held accountable for what they think. We are going to be held accountable for what we think. The admonition to have our minds renewed, although corporately addressed, is individually applied. Thus Luke calling the Bereans noble minded in Acts 17:11, for checking out Paul’s teaching, weighing what he said against what they thought by searching the Scriptures.
We do well to do the same.
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