In the last two posts we have been looking at how we can deal with difficult issues – hard stuff. The last post suggested that the starting point of dealing with difficult issues in the Bible is to have a proper view of the Bible. The conclusion was if we do not start there we are not going to get to the right place. But starting there is not enough.
We have to commit to placing the Bible as an authority over and the source of what I believe and practice. That is to say the Bible, not my current understanding of the Bible, not my church or denominations position on a particular issue, not what the culture or my friends think about an issue, not what my favorite pastor or author says but the Bible is my authority and guide.
I am still on some Social Media sites. I am continually amazed – after all this time, I probably shouldn’t be – at the responses of self-identified believers to controversial questions. Most of their comments start with some form of “I think”. What follows those two words in most if not all of the cases has little or no relationship or reference to the Word of God.
In some cases people who I know, know better, do not clearly state what I know that they know the Bible says, probably because they know that the audience or person will react negatively.
In the past couple of days, a person I know in Africa posted an article that suggested a well know “Christian” personality had come out in support of homosexuals being a normative and acceptable lifestyle. While that was an over statement of the individual’s position, he was not firm on the authority of the Bible on this issue. He was being interviewed by an extremely liberal individual on an extremely liberal media platform. On that same liberal platform however, another well know evangelical pastor was asked about the same issues and was direct, clear, and firm on the authority of the Bible on that issue.
The harsh reality is committing to placing the authority of the Word over our beliefs, practices, and stated positions will place us continually in conflict with the world regardless of the culture in which we find ourselves.
Not committing to the authority of the Word places us on a treacherous path on a slippery slope headed for eternal destruction.
I am still on some Social Media sites. I am continually amazed – after all this time, I probably shouldn’t be – at the responses of self-identified believers to controversial questions. Most of their comments start with some form of “I think”. What follows those two words in most if not all of the cases has little or no relationship or reference to the Word of God.
In some cases people who I know, know better, do not clearly state what I know that they know the Bible says, probably because they know that the audience or person will react negatively.
In the past couple of days, a person I know in Africa posted an article that suggested a well know “Christian” personality had come out in support of homosexuals being a normative and acceptable lifestyle. While that was an over statement of the individual’s position, he was not firm on the authority of the Bible on this issue. He was being interviewed by an extremely liberal individual on an extremely liberal media platform. On that same liberal platform however, another well know evangelical pastor was asked about the same issues and was direct, clear, and firm on the authority of the Bible on that issue.
The harsh reality is committing to placing the authority of the Word over our beliefs, practices, and stated positions will place us continually in conflict with the world regardless of the culture in which we find ourselves.
Not committing to the authority of the Word places us on a treacherous path on a slippery slope headed for eternal destruction.
As I've pondered the posts on this subject I've wondered where does my struggle on this struggle come from in me. Why do I so easily put my "I think" in place of usually very clear Biblical guidance? I see it from the very first, in Adam and Eve. They thought their idea (albeit planted by the Serpent) to be a better idea than the Creator's warning. Doesn't it come down to faith? I would say the most fundamental struggle in my soul is between faith in what God says vs. how I "feel" about the situation I am in or simply how I emotionally relate. I don't believe that faith and feeling are always opposed. There are times that it's pure delight to do the clear will of God although sometimes painful. The Apostle Paul seemed to live in this condition. His prison letters are loaded with the joy of being God's child and suffering for His sake. I think of him writing Ephesians or Philippians in a cold prison with only a stone floor to sleep on, inadequate (if any) food most of the time writing those transcendent words magnifying God without one discernible words of discouragement or complaining or even disappointment.
ReplyDeleteMy daily struggle is just this: my faith vs. my feelings. The wish the latter were more triumphant much more of the time. I have SO incredibly much to be SO thankful for - especially in the indwelling Holy Spirit to minister to me constantly.
That is a great point, which I think is right on the nose. One of the things these posts are attempting, however weakly, to address is that in which we place our faith. You said once that the Christian Life is a continual journey out of idolatry into true worship. In Matthew 15:8 - 9, Christ rebukes the Pharisees pointing out they were teaching not doctrine, the Word of God, but the tradition of men. In Mark 12:19 – 21 Jesus rebukes the Sadducees (He was an equal opportunity rebuker) telling them they do not understand the Scriptures or the Power of God. In John 5:39 – 47 – this perhaps is key – He rebukes these same folks for engaging in the Scripture for the wrong reasons.
DeleteIt seems, in all three of these, there was a conflict between what was being taught as doctrine and the Word of God. I have seen both here and in other countries content taught or positions held that did not align with the Word of God. It is the case that we come to the Scripture with a preconceived idea or bias as to what it will say about an issue. I call those glasses. We all look through the lenses of those glasses when we read or study the Word.
It takes effort, diligence, and integrity to acknowledge those glasses and to look past them to what the text says. It takes further courage to acknowledge that we have either missed, misconstrued, or misapplied what the text says. It is much easier to force the text to fit through the lens of our glasses.
That is one of the reasons we have to continually abide in His Word. For it is certain that we have gotten something wrong. It is the certain result of studying the infinite with finite brain cells.
By the way I have written about the notion of glasses previously: https://dadsteachthebible.blogspot.com/2012/07/glasses.html
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