Pilate asked that question in John 18:38. His tribe is legion. From time to time I visit sites that have posts that are written from a Biblical point of view, or at least claim to be. I scan through the comments. I am amazed at what people think the Bible says or think is actually a solid Christian position.
We do and say a lot of things in our communities that cannot be supported by any passage in the Bible. We follow traditions that have been around for centuries without much thought as to where or why they originated. While we do this we claim to the world that the Bible is our guide.
Is it little wonder that one who is searching for truth hears that and is confused when they turn to the Bible and cannot find support for those traditions or actions?
By behaving thus we marginalize the Word of God. We raise our tradition to the same level as His Word. We confuse people. We focus them on the wrong things. In Matthew 15:8 – 9 and Mark 7:6 – 7, Matthew and Mark both quote Christ as He quotes Isaiah 29:13.
Truth is not in our traditions. Truth is not sourced in our creeds. Denominations are not the keepers of truth. Truth is found in the Word and character of God. We are His ambassadors, 2 Corinthians 5:20. We would do well, I would do well, to remember where truth is found.
Is it little wonder that one who is searching for truth hears that and is confused when they turn to the Bible and cannot find support for those traditions or actions?
By behaving thus we marginalize the Word of God. We raise our tradition to the same level as His Word. We confuse people. We focus them on the wrong things. In Matthew 15:8 – 9 and Mark 7:6 – 7, Matthew and Mark both quote Christ as He quotes Isaiah 29:13.
Truth is not in our traditions. Truth is not sourced in our creeds. Denominations are not the keepers of truth. Truth is found in the Word and character of God. We are His ambassadors, 2 Corinthians 5:20. We would do well, I would do well, to remember where truth is found.
I suspect one reason, maybe a very important and significant reason, for those of us who claim to go to the Bible as our standard of truth has to do with relying on our own understanding. I've been reading a book by a very respected pastor and Bible teacher who has a position very different from mine, one which I consider to be heretical, on the essential nature of God. One reason I'm reading it is to try and understand "where he's coming from." He claims to get it from the Bible. But his illustrations are from experiences of people, and I'm not really sure if they are actual people or composites of what might be someone's experience.
ReplyDeleteFrom there he develops his hypotheses and tries to get the Bible to fit. In my opinion it doesn't. His experiences and reasoning vs. the Bible. It's not a fair fight.
Three times in John 14-16 Jesus refers to "the Spirit of truth." I find it tough to practically submit to the Spirit of truth above my own ability to "figure things out" using the Bible, of course. Submitting to what the Bible actually says is a challenge when I want it to say something else. Which sadly is not uncommon.
I try to remember the Psalmist's example in Psalm 119:18,19 "Open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. I am a sojourner on the earth; hide not your commandments from me!"
Oh! The amazing arrogance to suppose that I can understand the smallest morsel of truth apart from His blazing illumination!
Excellent. John 16:13 is a real comfort to me on this.
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