Do you ever allow yourself to read the Bible and be bothered by what you read? Permission to not like what you are reading? Do you ever leave the Bible feeling disturbed? There is a lot of disturbing, confusing, and upsetting things in Scripture.
To do this is to interact with the Bible as a human being. Again, that's part of my purpose for posting Messy Scriptures. I want to give myself permission to be disturbed and confused and upset by what I read. This allows me to be deeply moved and challenged by what I read.
This doesn't mean that my view of Scripture is questionable. It doesn't mean that I think the Bible is not inspired by God. It just means that I am trying to be honest with the Scriptures and my reactions to what I read.
I think Christians often feel obligated to like what they read in Scripture. This in a sense is a lens we have when we come to the text.
So give yourself permission to be disturbed, confused, upset, or joyful. Pay attention to your emotional, intellectual, and spiritual response to the Scriptures.
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2 comments:
Steve,
The real question is this: Do our feelings and questions really matter in one sense? I submit that other than some basic grace and encourgment, we need to forget ourselves and seek Christ as revealed solely in Scripture. It is God that authors the Scripture and it is His terms that must be met. Therefore, to encourage all the sentimental stuff ( emotional, etc) usually does not encourage us to obey the Word especially when we do not understand it or like it. There is little gained by "the myraid of perplexities and minor interpretation issues over the more obscure passages....
It is not that we do not have enough Truth revealed in Scripture and need to "find more" or "explore more".... We need to simply obey more. The vast majority of Scripture is not "up for discussion" in terms of interpretation. These are non-issues. We need to be churches of the Word, not of the World.
A high view of the Bible, the Godhead, and the calling of the local church must be our staple, not "exploring" for miniscule concepts...
We are never commanded to "like" what we read, but we are commanded to "read" and to "do" it ( obey).
The problem with Postmodernity is that obedience is a dead word. Obedience will remove most of the discussion or "therapy" over the minor matters....
For Postmodernity, obedience is like pouring a slab of concrete, bother are definite and require certainty.
Gary of WSBC
PS: Send me your email and I will call you about a cofee visit the 2nd week in March.
Hi Gary-
Thanks for your thoughts. Yet I do not agree with the dichotomy that you appear to embrace. I think if we pay attention to our response to the text emotionally, it can help point out areas where we need to grow especially perhaps in obedience. Further, I think God is big enough to handle my reactions to the text. And the Holy Spirit is alongside to convict of sin, provide comfort, and exhort me to obedience in spite of how I feel.
Yet why deny how I feel about parts of the text? What benefit is there to denial? Perhaps if I am honest with the text and how I feel, I will actually be more challenged to grow in obedience.
I'd enjoy going to coffee with you.
Grace and peace,
Steve
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