Subject: Possible Lockman Forum Improvements #2 |
Bible Note: Ed: No offense taken at the misreading. It happens! I certainly didn't think there was any malice there. You are also correct at the dangers of individuals doing the "maverick" interpretations with their Bibles. When the Protestant Reformation gave the Bible back to the laity, the Reformers certainly didn't consider that it would be a great idea for everyone to run off and figure everything out for themselves. God gave us the church (the church universal and invisible) so that TOGETHER we can correctly come to correct interpretations of the Bible. The notion of "private interpretation" simply meant that we do not rely on a religious hierarchy to tell us what God is saying to us. That is one of the great things about this forum. Despite the fact that we often rub each other the wrong way and will not come to a complete consensus on major (yet not salvific) issues, together with our different educational levels and perspectives and backgrounds we are learning about each other and from each other. Ever since God started saving Gentiles, there has been a lack of complete agreement on issues. Some of them, like the Judaizers, fell under the category of heresy. Others, like whether to eat this or that, did not place someone outside the brotherhood of Christ. In any case, our great God in his sovereign grace has preserved the bride of Christ despite our misunderstandings and imperfections and differences of opinion. This is who we are as a church. What better picture to paint for the newcomer to the forum than that one? --Joe! P.S. I do long for the time when we will stand together, glorified, and you all see things my way! :) |