Bible Question:
Brother Steve: Will you quibble over words even after you have been reminded that God says we should not quibble over words? (See 2 Timothy 2:14). Or would you say it is sometimes profitable to quibble over words? Brother Steve: Will you quibble over words even after someone has set the example for you by declining an opportunity to quibble over words? (See 1 Timothy 4:12). I cannot imagine how you will respond to this one. I find it very helpful to think of the hindrances to seeking the will of God in his word, as you have noted. Can it be that we study the Bible as we would any other book? Can it be that we go to the Bible looking for support for our preconceived ideas? Can it be that we research and publish religious ideas without inspiration or conviction in order to satisfy a deadline? And yet I am sure you have witnessed all three. To me it is like handling the sword by the blade, and we should be all cut up over it. Is it because you have seen so much “Bible study” for those three reasons that you think it may be disingenuous to suggest "What is God saying to us?" as a question one might seek to answer in the Bible. Do you not think it possible that some of us open our Bibles with a prayer like Psalm 119:18 in our hearts? Psalm 119:18. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. Disingenuous? I am impressed to think of your own motives in teaching. I would have thought of Computer Science as a very practical field. Those 1s and 0s need to do something for us. But even in that field you aim to impart principles, higher-level abstractions, and even wisdom? When I taught philosophy, I dearly hoped that some of the students would learn enough to want to get saved. So I think I understand. I would not be surprised, then, if theologians and Bible teachers do the same. It was my impression that theologians deal in principles and higher-level abstractions rather than to urge obedience. But I have been led in this discussion to change my mind on that. I do not want to revert to that former impression. We realize, I am sure, that the Bible is not like any other book. We are dealing here with a message from God. How would you apply Deuteronomy 29:29? Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. |
Bible Answer: Greetings, Aixen7z4; To be honest, much of what we have said to one another has consisted of quibbling over words. I had thought that we might agree that while we might use different words differently, at the end of the day we are expressing similar ideas. Maybe; maybe not. I seem not to have make myself clear. The answer to the question "What did Jesus teach about divorce?" can be found by looking it up in the Bible. In contrast, the answer to the question "What is God saying to us?" will not be found by simply looking it up. It will be found only by reading and studying the whole Bible with that question in mind. The question itself is not disingenuous; it is the only question that matters when we approach the Bible. Further, it is a qustion that is likely to have a different answer every time we pursue it, since we can never exhaust the riches of God's word. Be assured that I have seen (and participated in) much Bible study that began with that question. The fact that many scholars, theologians, and even pastors of the last century have started with different questions ("handling the sword by the blade", as you so succintly put it) hardly means that everyone does. Richard Foster, C. S. Lewis, R. C. Sproul, Philip Yancey, and Jack Hayford come to mind as examples of professionals who certainly seem to have started with the right question. It is true that computer science students tend to be very concrete, not given to abstract thinking. Eventually, many of them came to understand that a computer program is a mental artifact; everything else is just notation. I even managed to teach a unit on ethics once or twice. It gave me the opportunity to point out the flaws in every human ethical system we studied. In the end, I was able to tell them where my ethical system came from. I remain hopeful that we have more in common than not. Most importantly, we seem to have Jesus in common. Nonetheless, something tells me we are drifting away from the forum's charter.... Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |