When reading the Bible, I have often wondered who exactly God is talking to. Throughout the Bible, God spoke to many different people. Some of the things he said, we assume are for all people (all Christians at least), and others we assume are for a specific person or group of people at a specific time, but how do we determine which is which? The Bible says that all scripture is God breathed and is beneficial to help us live, but how much of what is said are we expected to take literally and implement in our own lives?
For example, I have friends who do not want to have children. I have heard several people tell them that because God commanded Adam and Eve to “multiply and fill the earth”, the command is directed at them too – meaning all Christians should have kids. It is quite hypocritical really, because I don’t see these people building big boats in their backyards just because God told Noah to!
Many of us pick and choose the scriptures we believe are relevant to us. We hold firm to the “God will supply all your needs” ones and skim over the “love your enemy” ones.
Pastors like the “bring all the tithes into the storehouse” one (Malachi 3:10), but we never hear preaching about the original Levitical tithe, which is very different to the “tithe” our churches teach today (Deuteronomy 14:22 – 29 & Leviticus 27:30 – 33).
Husbands like the “wives submit to your husband” one, but conveniently forget that the flip side of that is “husbands, you must love your wife so much that you are willing to die for her.”
There are many stories in the Bible that inspire, challenge and even scare me, but none so much as the stories about Jesus. I was recently challenged to read the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) over and over again, just to remind myself what Jesus’ life was really like. The Bible to me is like a song, starting with Genesis and building up to the big crescendo – Jesus. We need to let his words and actions pierce our hearts, because his words really are life.
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6 comments:
Can I get an Amen!!
We tend to view the Bible as something that we can use instead of what God intended it to be, the manual for our lives. When I read the owners manual from my car, I am not looking for an excuse to break the speed limit, or instructions on what wax will make my cart look 'sick'. I also don't think that when my owners manual says to put the emergency brake on, that it means for me to do it while traveling at 65mph. The same should be true of the Bible. God is usually clear about who He wants to do what. So I say, bow your head and ask for understanding and then open the Scriptures.
Thanks for your comment Eric - very well said! Lee
a very thought provoking question and one which i have been looking into for the past 6 months myself. where i am at right now is thinking that none of it, actually, is directed at me.
the reason i am at that place right now is because i try to read the bible "in context." and, in context, none of the bible was written to me. in context, the bible is a collection of historical documents, song lyrics, stories, prophecies, and letters directed to another people in another place and time. so i do not see any of them as being direct commands given to me personally. which is very freeing.
having said all of that, i do believe that there are principles and things that can indeed be gleaned and learned from reading it. the one phrase that always comes back to me is jesus' and paul's assertion that the entirety of the law can be boiled down into one phrase. "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." which, as it simplifies things, also complicates them if you're looking to other people to be your examples. because how another person would have people "do unto them", in my opinion, is going to be different than how i would have people "do unto me." and it is at this point that i need honest self-appraisal. how would i really have people do unto me? i would have people being just as joyful, giving, non-judgemental, and honest towards me as possible. so i try to do likewise.
but this notion that the bible is a some sort of rulebook, which when understood, will lead us all into a life that looks the same as one another is a mistake. once again, in my opinion. i don't think that any other person's convictions need to be my convictions.
you raise a good point in bringing up noah. what about abraham and isaac? what about jeremiah or ezekial? simply because god asked something of paul or peter or john, and they lived our their convictions and directives, does this mean i am supposed to live out their convictions or directives given to them by god? or does god have something else for me? perhaps a unique set of directives that i won't find in any particular scripture?
i tend to think of the bible more as a guide to help us learn how to hear the holy spirit, and once we have learned, to then take that knowledge and live in a moment to moment communion with the spirit to be the one to guide, and not the written word.
i simply try to wait for the spirit to lay something on my heart and follow that. and when nothing is specifically laid, "to do unto others..." but to think that i am obeying god because i am trying to make god's directions to someone else into god's directions for me... well, i think that can be kind of silly. in fact, as we read the bible, we do not see any of the people contained within trying to make their decisions on god's will for them in such a manner. except, perhaps, the religious leaders in jesus' day to whom he said, "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life..."
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Very insightful comments Jon. I think you have really cut to the chase of the purpose of God's word in your own life. I appreciate your honesty and your search for God's truth, and I thank you for sharing your discoveries.
I am currently reading a book called "Velvet Elvis" by Rob Bell. He dedicates a chapter of his book to his thoughts on the Bible and its relevance to today. I think you would find it an interesting read. I hope to post some of his thoughts on my blog once I have finished the book. Lee
my sister actually had "velvet elvis" with her at christmas 2 years back and told me the same thing. it was good to read someone who is on the same page, journey-wise. meaning someone who realizes they are on a journey and that there are many different roads. and we're not all going to walk the same ones.
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Well said Jon. I think many people (and churches) believe that we are all on the same road and the "church" is the only way to reach the final destination. It's refreshing to know that each of us is unique and on a unique road. Lee
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