Subject: must be theologians? |
Bible Note: You are OK with me, my friend. We can learn from each other. Your name is strange to me, and I am sure my words are strange to you. But maybe I am not as mixed up as you think I am. We must search the Scriptures (John 5:39;Acts 17:11). We must meditate on it (Psalm 1; Psalm 139). We must receive it as a graft, and let it be a part of us (James 1:21). But the word of God is not an academic thing for us to play word games with. Word games are not profitable (2 Timothy 2:14). They do not lead you to the truth. How do you come to the truth? Read the word. Read it in context. Read about that topic throughout the Bible. Read it prayerfully, with an open mind. Be prepared to act on what the Lord reveals to you. It is no use understanding the fine points of sanctification, my friend, unless you have a desire to live a holy life. How do you know what the word means? Context, my friend. Read it in context and you will not miss it. Strange as it may sound there is nothing in the Bible suggesting that we should study the Bible. “Study to show thyself approved”, you say. Except that the word “study” does not mean “study”. Instead of getting upset and responding quickly, take your time to read it carefully. If you are not a “KingJamesOnly” person, then read it in another translation. Yes, we must be careful, my friend. And yet, if we will carefully search the word of God, looking for the will of God, all the while ready to follow and obey it, I care not what you call that activity. Call it Bible study if you like. And yet I say to you that is not what we usually do. We want to probe into ideas like “The Trinity”, how can it be. Compare that with the instructions to the seven churches in Asia that they should read, hear, and keep those things which are written therein (Revelation 1:3). Compare that with Philippians 4:9 where we are encouraged to do the things we have learned, and received, and heard, and seen. I have seen one church to study the Book of Revelation a dozen times. And yet they have no idea what it means to “keep those things”. I have seen a church go through the book of Philippians also, and remain the saddest sourest lot in the city. I once asked a class, “When can we start doing these things?” and they looked at me as though I was speaking Greek. I asked a sister, “How do you rejoice?” and she said, “You know!” My brother, you may feel free to call me mixed up now if you like. I say again that God gave us his word so we can obey it (Deuteronomy 29:29). Do you remember another place where he said to study it? You have studied me and determined that I am mixed up. And now, will you study God? Will you try to assess his omnipotence? His omniscience? His omnipresence? Better I say to respond to him as you read of him and as he reveals himself to you. I say that he prefers worship to a sermon on worship and love to a sermon on love. They will know it when they see it. I hope we can do it when we see it to be done. This doctrine of the Trinity is not to be studied. It will get you nowhere. Read about the Father. Come to Him. Jesus is the Way. Follow him. If you do you’ll do that you will know it is the Holy Spirit who is leading you. You will experience them in your life and you will thrill then as you read about them. They are to be known by experience and not by study. God is a person, not a topic. I still sound mixed up, do I? OK. Sometimes people sound like that. But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. Do it. |