I think I'm bothered by something. And I don't know if I should be bothered or if it's the way things are and I need to just move on.
The other day I was discussing with someone some ideas about preaching out of Joel and Jonah. He asked me to look over some verses and get back to him with my thoughts. Two questions were raised and, really each deserves a post of it's own, but I'll try to condense it. He wondered how he would preach out of the prophets based on all the judgment going on in the prophecy; it's hard for congregations to listen to judgment sermons and not get lost is what I imagine he meant by that. He also asked why people would want to hear a sermon based on Jonah or Joel - other than people who want to just because it's in the Bible.
That's why.
And this is what bothers me.
I believe that as Christians grow in their maturity, in their faith, in their relationship with the Lord and with fellow believers, they should want to read the Bible because it's the Bible. Do we always? No. I was a Bible major for 4 years and there were days I had to read something and I simply wouldn't. Cause I just didn't want to. Some parts of the Bible are as entertaining as getting your teeth cleaned, listening to smooth jazz, driving through Kansas. I know this.
But we should want to. Not because of some legalistic reasoning or because we have to get "right" with God, to improve "our walk." It's the Word of God. It's awesome. I can't even begin to describe how utterly cool I think the Bible is, both from a spiritual and literary perspective.
I think the biggest reason people DON'T want to read their Bibles or study the Word is because they don't know how to. They haven't been given the opportunity to realize how cool it is.
When was the last time you heard a sermon preached on one of the minor prophets? Joel, Amos, Hosea, Malachi, Habbakuk, etc? I know people who don't even know that those are books in the Bible! Because they haven't been introduced. And I can think of very few people who are going to try and do it on their own. Because we are removed from their time and their language and their culture. However, that barrier doesn't make it any less applicable for us today. God's word is living and breathing, and it cuts across time and distance and language to reach us today.
If we choose not to preach and teach parts of Scripture that are difficult or hard to understand, we are going to miss out on telling people about the awesome God we serve.
So often people color God as distant and mean and destructive and cold. This is based on the little they know of the God of the OT. He's not a Gandalf-type God with a flowing beard and a robe who listens to angels play their harps. Nor is He is mean and judgmental God who waits to throw lightening bolts on people when they sin.
The God of the OT and of today is love and joy and restoration and comfort and longing and desire and mercy. He will do anything it takes for people to understand who He and what He longs to be for them. Locusts didn't work, exile didn't work. He even sent Himself in the form of a man to die on a cross for the people He loved. Does that sound like an vindictive or mean god? I don't think it does. His judgment is part and parcel of His great mercy (which is a post for another day). We can't skip over these difficult parts of scripture just because they aren't as "applicable" as Paul.
I think we don't give the people in our congregations enough credit when we think that they can't handle learning new things or things that are hard. Whether they are new Christians or "grew up in the church", people have brains. They are able to hear a word from the Lord, especially if it's HIS word.
This isn't a slam against pastors or teachers or preachers or churches or even my friend. This is just my heart saying that it's vital that we present the whole truth, every aspect of God's character to our churches. I long for people to read the Bible and get drawn into the love story. Because that's what it is.
Showing posts with label scripture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label scripture. Show all posts
Friday, August 22, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
A Challenge
“It is wrong to assume that on the one hand there is a word, or a truth, and on the other hand there is a community existing as two separate entities, and that it would then be the task of the preacher to take this word, to manipulate and enliven it, in order to bring it within and apply it to the community. Rather, the Word moves along this path of its own accord. The preacher should and can do nothing more than be a servant of this movement inherent in the Word itself, and refrain from placing obstacles in its path.”—Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Discipleship (Bonhoeffer Works Vol. 4; Minneapolis: Fortress, 2001), pp. 227-28.
Bonhoeffer here is discussing the role of the preacher specifically, but couldn't we also draw the parallel for everyone? I may not be a preacher, but I want my life, in all capacities, to be a servant of God & to the Word of God. As Bonhoeffer suggests, let's strive to remove the obstacles that would hinder the Word from reaching people.
I don't know what this looks like, but I'll be thinking about it.
Bonhoeffer here is discussing the role of the preacher specifically, but couldn't we also draw the parallel for everyone? I may not be a preacher, but I want my life, in all capacities, to be a servant of God & to the Word of God. As Bonhoeffer suggests, let's strive to remove the obstacles that would hinder the Word from reaching people.
I don't know what this looks like, but I'll be thinking about it.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Israel's Compromise = A Concubine's Calamity
Once upon a time there was a Levite. (Bust out the flannel-board here.) We’ll call him Larry. Larry the Levite. Well, Larry the Levite had a concubine. Whether or not you agree with the practice of having a concubine or not (and I don’t know that I want to see any hands on this one), Larry the Levite had one and we’ll say her name was Carol. Carol the Concubine.
There came a time in the life of Carol and Larry that Carol ran away and “played the harlot”, a rather delicate term, I think. But Larry loved his Carol and chased after her in hopes to speak softly to her and return her home.
She was at her father’s house when Larry found her. He and his servant stayed for several days with the father, but were adamant about returning home promptly. I don’t have in-laws, but I’ve heard some stories and I can imagine why Larry wanted to leave. So mid-afternoon on the 5th day of their trip, Larry, Carol and the gang all headed back home.
But because it was mid-afternoon when they finally left, they didn’t make it nearly as far as Larry would have liked (and I think we ALL can relate to that feeling!). They made it to a town called Jebus, but Larry knew the Jebusites (or Jebusses, if you will) were not of the same people – they were foreigners – and he wanted to at least get to a place where his own people were because he could trust them; they would be safe.
So, they pressed on to a place called Gibeah, where Larry’s relatives were. Some kind of 8th cousin twice removed or something. At any rate, they got there, but not before nightfall. Sadly, in many towns once upon a time, it was hard to find someone to take you in after nightfall because the walls of the city would be closed to keep out the creeps and the freaks.
There they were - Larry, Carol and the rest of the convoy – after nightfall, outside in the open town square. Luckily, though, along came a kindly gentleman who had been working in some fields. (Now, I like to picture this guy like Jed Clampett, but you can make him any old redneck guy you want to, but because I’m telling the story, we’re going to call him Jed.) Jed, being the hospitable guy he was, sees these strangers in need of a place to rest and invites them into his home. Come to find out that Jed and Larry are from the same town up north! How about that?! Away the night they went, all dancing and singing and party-hardy-marty. WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN (you just know something bad is about to happen), there is a HUGE knock on the door. It seems that some of the village folk (worthless fellows they were, really) had heard about Larry the Levite and his group and wanted to abuse him. Just for the sake of doing it. Because they were worthless fellows, I say.
And Jed, dear old Jed, told them that what they wanted to do was wicked and shouldn’t be done because Larry was a guest, not to mention their 8th cousin twice removed. He offered to them, as an exchange for Larry, Carol the Concubine and his own daughter! (She doesn’t have a name.) But they wouldn’t give up; these guys kept beating on the door, threatening to pull it down.
Finally, Larry, in fear of his own life, throws Carol out to these evil mongrels. (At this point, I don’t think we like Larry very much.) And what do wicked people do to not-so-wicked concubines? Yep…they do wicked things. All night long, these jerk-faces beat and abuse her until she is almost dead. When daylight broke, she was as good as dead, lying on the threshold to Jed’s house.
So Larry gets ready to leave; he goes outside and sees Carol, nearly dead from the night before. He told her to get up so they could leave, but she couldn’t. Larry hoists Carol up onto his ride and away they went, back home, after a long, hard journey.
Upon returning home, Larry takes Carol inside and proceeds to chop her into 12 pieces and sends the pieces throughout the land. (Yes, I realize it’s anti-climactic, but that’s the story and I can’t change it.) He tells the people that nothing this terrible has ever been done before and that basically her blood is now on the hands of the whole country because of these worthless men in Gibeah. People from all over the country-side come to discuss what has happened. They choose to avenge her death by arresting the ones who killed Carol. However, the leaders, the fathers of these “worthless fellows” refused to hand them over! They chose to stand with the evil-doers, rather than stand up for Carol.
I know this sounds like a gruesome and Alfred Hitchcock-esque story, but it’s not. This is a true story. One we can find in Judges 19 and 20 of your handy-dandy Bible. Yeah…not one of the ones you heard growing up in Sunday school, huh? It’s weird and gross and has concubines and really, few stories containing concubines turn out well, but even with all that, it’s interesting. Here’s why:
This story isn’t really about Larry and Carol. “What?! Back up off Sarah! I thought it was!” I know, I know…I totally threw you for a loop there. But really, this story is about the tribe of Benjamin. See, it was the tribe of Benjamin that owned the land of Gibeah. Those “worthless fellows” that we are all thinking evil thoughts about were Benjamites. And the tribe of Benjamin was one of the 12 tribes of Judah, Israel, God’s chosen people.
Let me back this story up for you; I’m going to drop some history-knowledge. When the children of Israel moved into the land of Canaan, God commanded that they clear out all the other people living there, aka the Canaanites. Many of the tribes (including Benjamin) refuse to obey the command of God. Instead, they let the people stay in the land with them. With the Canaanites still in the land, the Israelites start worshiping Canaanite gods instead of Yahweh, who gave them the land in the 1st place!
Because God is a just and jealous God, He gets a bunch of other people to conquer Israel. Smite! Then Israel whines and cries and pleads with God to save them, to be merciful. And because God is a just and merciful God, He sends a judge to get the people back in order. They start worshipping God, all is good. But then the judge will die. Or do something dumb and then Israelites go right back to worshipping false gods. This cycle goes round and round for generation after generation, each generation doing more and more wicked than the one before it.
At the point of our story, there is no judge. No one is ruling the people in righteousness so that they don’t do wicked things. So really then, in light of that, I guess this story shouldn’t be all that shocking – evil doers simply do evil things.
But we are shocked. Because it IS evil.
The tribe of Benjamin (and the other tribes as well) didn’t obey the commands of the Lord. They didn’t drive out the people that would distract them from worshiping Yahweh. They became hardened and callous to things that were good and right. Luckily the other 11 tribes hear the call of goodness and return to all that is good and right because they chose to stand up for righteousness, no matter the cost.
Did you notice in the story that when the people go to Benjamin to get the bad guys, all the tribe of Benjamin stands together with the bad guys? They had so lost the memory of goodness and truth and kindness and love that whatever evil had been done was just ok.
I am more like the tribe of Benjamin than I care to admit. Over time, things that are unholy, unjust, unrighteous, all over uncool become…just…ok. I don’t get shocked over things that really ought to make me shocked; my heart is hardened to the sin in my life simply because it’s been there for so long.
Are any of you like me? I think some of you might be.
There’s a blog I like to read. It’s called “Stuff Christians Like” and if you want to laugh, read it. But the author makes a comparison to sin. He told a story of a friend of his who has the pansiest gag reflex ever. This guy would chunder every time he smelled something even remotely gross. One day they drove by a paper mill and you know how bad paper mills stink? Well, there they were, driving and this guy has to put his head in a bag of candy corn (because candy corn is highly pungent) to keep the smell out so he won’t chuck.
The candy corn failed. The smell of the paper mill went right through the bag of sugary goodness and they had to pull the car over so that their friend could honk. Awesome…
Wouldn’t it be great if we were like that? Maybe not so much the physical chucking part, but the whole “I’m going to spew if I even smell something gross.” We are so accustomed to the smell/taste/look/sound/touch of gross things around us that we aren’t fazed anymore. Like Benjamin, over a long period of time, our sensitivities have seen hardened to the point where we don’t know what’s right and what’s wrong. We have no basis anymore for goodness. Most likely for you it’s not as drastic as getting to the point where you would terrorize a concubine. Or your 8th cousin twice removed. But I’ll bet if you think hard enough you can think of some things that you’ve been desensitized to. I know I can think of some. I’ll even tell you one of mine.
I don’t really hear cuss words anymore.
In fact, more often than not, I love cuss words and I love to cuss.
That may totally change your opinion of me and well, that’s just a risk I’m willing to take. (What’s community without vulnerability?) Since I was little I’ve heard cuss words everywhere. Except from my mother, who’s most vulgar is a “crap” now and again. We weren’t allowed to “darn” anything in our house but socks. =) Yet, over time, I heard words that have been deemed inappropriate by whoever decides what words are curse words or not and I ingested them, I played with them, I figured out new ways to use them, how to make them sound like not-so-bad words under my breath. I know they aren’t appropriate; the Scriptures talk about using words that serve to edify and build one another up, wholesome words that are pleasant and uplifting, and not to offend others with my habits. And I have tried to justify what I’m saying, what I’m thinking. I’ve even gone so far as to say that Jesus and Paul used “vulgar” words in Scripture. (Man, that’s low.) I do it; I know I shouldn’t, but I do anyway.
What’s yours? (Rest assured that you don’t have to tell me.) Maybe it’s cussing like me. Maybe its “little white lies” that seem insignificant but they just keep coming and you just don’t even try to stop it anymore. I know plenty of habitual liars to know this one is out there. Maybe it’s sexuality. This one is a huge one in our culture today and has been for years and years. We are inundated with sensuality and sexuality from shampoo commercials to radio ads for real estate. I would be shocked and appalled if any of you out there could say that you weren’t desensitized to sexuality; I should try to spend more time with you. But do you see where I’m going with this? Like Benjamin, we have traded our obedience to Yahweh for selfish pleasures. And that breaks His heart. He creates us as sensitive beings – in His image. He is a sensitive and emotive God; when we shut down our sensitivities in order to follow things that make us hard and opposed to goodness, we shut Him out. And He doesn’t want to be shut out of our lives, out of our hearts, out of our habits.
God may not have had any lines in the story of Larry and Carol and the Benjamites, but He was most certainly was in the wings. He mourned over Carol, He mourned over the loss of Benjamin, and He mourned over the loss of the children of Israel’s deep hearts of obedience to the covenant. He is faithful – it is His character. When the children of Israel called out in repentance and in faith, He rescued them from their enemies and from themselves. Just like He will do for us when we call on Him. Spend some time thinking about the things that you have become accustomed to; the things that have caused you to loose your sensitivities to goodness, to righteousness and to intimacy with God.
Don’t be like Benjamin. And if you are, remember that while concubines come and go, God is always there. =)
There came a time in the life of Carol and Larry that Carol ran away and “played the harlot”, a rather delicate term, I think. But Larry loved his Carol and chased after her in hopes to speak softly to her and return her home.
She was at her father’s house when Larry found her. He and his servant stayed for several days with the father, but were adamant about returning home promptly. I don’t have in-laws, but I’ve heard some stories and I can imagine why Larry wanted to leave. So mid-afternoon on the 5th day of their trip, Larry, Carol and the gang all headed back home.
But because it was mid-afternoon when they finally left, they didn’t make it nearly as far as Larry would have liked (and I think we ALL can relate to that feeling!). They made it to a town called Jebus, but Larry knew the Jebusites (or Jebusses, if you will) were not of the same people – they were foreigners – and he wanted to at least get to a place where his own people were because he could trust them; they would be safe.
So, they pressed on to a place called Gibeah, where Larry’s relatives were. Some kind of 8th cousin twice removed or something. At any rate, they got there, but not before nightfall. Sadly, in many towns once upon a time, it was hard to find someone to take you in after nightfall because the walls of the city would be closed to keep out the creeps and the freaks.
There they were - Larry, Carol and the rest of the convoy – after nightfall, outside in the open town square. Luckily, though, along came a kindly gentleman who had been working in some fields. (Now, I like to picture this guy like Jed Clampett, but you can make him any old redneck guy you want to, but because I’m telling the story, we’re going to call him Jed.) Jed, being the hospitable guy he was, sees these strangers in need of a place to rest and invites them into his home. Come to find out that Jed and Larry are from the same town up north! How about that?! Away the night they went, all dancing and singing and party-hardy-marty. WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN (you just know something bad is about to happen), there is a HUGE knock on the door. It seems that some of the village folk (worthless fellows they were, really) had heard about Larry the Levite and his group and wanted to abuse him. Just for the sake of doing it. Because they were worthless fellows, I say.
And Jed, dear old Jed, told them that what they wanted to do was wicked and shouldn’t be done because Larry was a guest, not to mention their 8th cousin twice removed. He offered to them, as an exchange for Larry, Carol the Concubine and his own daughter! (She doesn’t have a name.) But they wouldn’t give up; these guys kept beating on the door, threatening to pull it down.
Finally, Larry, in fear of his own life, throws Carol out to these evil mongrels. (At this point, I don’t think we like Larry very much.) And what do wicked people do to not-so-wicked concubines? Yep…they do wicked things. All night long, these jerk-faces beat and abuse her until she is almost dead. When daylight broke, she was as good as dead, lying on the threshold to Jed’s house.
So Larry gets ready to leave; he goes outside and sees Carol, nearly dead from the night before. He told her to get up so they could leave, but she couldn’t. Larry hoists Carol up onto his ride and away they went, back home, after a long, hard journey.
Upon returning home, Larry takes Carol inside and proceeds to chop her into 12 pieces and sends the pieces throughout the land. (Yes, I realize it’s anti-climactic, but that’s the story and I can’t change it.) He tells the people that nothing this terrible has ever been done before and that basically her blood is now on the hands of the whole country because of these worthless men in Gibeah. People from all over the country-side come to discuss what has happened. They choose to avenge her death by arresting the ones who killed Carol. However, the leaders, the fathers of these “worthless fellows” refused to hand them over! They chose to stand with the evil-doers, rather than stand up for Carol.
I know this sounds like a gruesome and Alfred Hitchcock-esque story, but it’s not. This is a true story. One we can find in Judges 19 and 20 of your handy-dandy Bible. Yeah…not one of the ones you heard growing up in Sunday school, huh? It’s weird and gross and has concubines and really, few stories containing concubines turn out well, but even with all that, it’s interesting. Here’s why:
This story isn’t really about Larry and Carol. “What?! Back up off Sarah! I thought it was!” I know, I know…I totally threw you for a loop there. But really, this story is about the tribe of Benjamin. See, it was the tribe of Benjamin that owned the land of Gibeah. Those “worthless fellows” that we are all thinking evil thoughts about were Benjamites. And the tribe of Benjamin was one of the 12 tribes of Judah, Israel, God’s chosen people.
Let me back this story up for you; I’m going to drop some history-knowledge. When the children of Israel moved into the land of Canaan, God commanded that they clear out all the other people living there, aka the Canaanites. Many of the tribes (including Benjamin) refuse to obey the command of God. Instead, they let the people stay in the land with them. With the Canaanites still in the land, the Israelites start worshiping Canaanite gods instead of Yahweh, who gave them the land in the 1st place!
Because God is a just and jealous God, He gets a bunch of other people to conquer Israel. Smite! Then Israel whines and cries and pleads with God to save them, to be merciful. And because God is a just and merciful God, He sends a judge to get the people back in order. They start worshipping God, all is good. But then the judge will die. Or do something dumb and then Israelites go right back to worshipping false gods. This cycle goes round and round for generation after generation, each generation doing more and more wicked than the one before it.
At the point of our story, there is no judge. No one is ruling the people in righteousness so that they don’t do wicked things. So really then, in light of that, I guess this story shouldn’t be all that shocking – evil doers simply do evil things.
But we are shocked. Because it IS evil.
The tribe of Benjamin (and the other tribes as well) didn’t obey the commands of the Lord. They didn’t drive out the people that would distract them from worshiping Yahweh. They became hardened and callous to things that were good and right. Luckily the other 11 tribes hear the call of goodness and return to all that is good and right because they chose to stand up for righteousness, no matter the cost.
Did you notice in the story that when the people go to Benjamin to get the bad guys, all the tribe of Benjamin stands together with the bad guys? They had so lost the memory of goodness and truth and kindness and love that whatever evil had been done was just ok.
I am more like the tribe of Benjamin than I care to admit. Over time, things that are unholy, unjust, unrighteous, all over uncool become…just…ok. I don’t get shocked over things that really ought to make me shocked; my heart is hardened to the sin in my life simply because it’s been there for so long.
Are any of you like me? I think some of you might be.
There’s a blog I like to read. It’s called “Stuff Christians Like” and if you want to laugh, read it. But the author makes a comparison to sin. He told a story of a friend of his who has the pansiest gag reflex ever. This guy would chunder every time he smelled something even remotely gross. One day they drove by a paper mill and you know how bad paper mills stink? Well, there they were, driving and this guy has to put his head in a bag of candy corn (because candy corn is highly pungent) to keep the smell out so he won’t chuck.
The candy corn failed. The smell of the paper mill went right through the bag of sugary goodness and they had to pull the car over so that their friend could honk. Awesome…
Wouldn’t it be great if we were like that? Maybe not so much the physical chucking part, but the whole “I’m going to spew if I even smell something gross.” We are so accustomed to the smell/taste/look/sound/touch of gross things around us that we aren’t fazed anymore. Like Benjamin, over a long period of time, our sensitivities have seen hardened to the point where we don’t know what’s right and what’s wrong. We have no basis anymore for goodness. Most likely for you it’s not as drastic as getting to the point where you would terrorize a concubine. Or your 8th cousin twice removed. But I’ll bet if you think hard enough you can think of some things that you’ve been desensitized to. I know I can think of some. I’ll even tell you one of mine.
I don’t really hear cuss words anymore.
In fact, more often than not, I love cuss words and I love to cuss.
That may totally change your opinion of me and well, that’s just a risk I’m willing to take. (What’s community without vulnerability?) Since I was little I’ve heard cuss words everywhere. Except from my mother, who’s most vulgar is a “crap” now and again. We weren’t allowed to “darn” anything in our house but socks. =) Yet, over time, I heard words that have been deemed inappropriate by whoever decides what words are curse words or not and I ingested them, I played with them, I figured out new ways to use them, how to make them sound like not-so-bad words under my breath. I know they aren’t appropriate; the Scriptures talk about using words that serve to edify and build one another up, wholesome words that are pleasant and uplifting, and not to offend others with my habits. And I have tried to justify what I’m saying, what I’m thinking. I’ve even gone so far as to say that Jesus and Paul used “vulgar” words in Scripture. (Man, that’s low.) I do it; I know I shouldn’t, but I do anyway.
What’s yours? (Rest assured that you don’t have to tell me.) Maybe it’s cussing like me. Maybe its “little white lies” that seem insignificant but they just keep coming and you just don’t even try to stop it anymore. I know plenty of habitual liars to know this one is out there. Maybe it’s sexuality. This one is a huge one in our culture today and has been for years and years. We are inundated with sensuality and sexuality from shampoo commercials to radio ads for real estate. I would be shocked and appalled if any of you out there could say that you weren’t desensitized to sexuality; I should try to spend more time with you. But do you see where I’m going with this? Like Benjamin, we have traded our obedience to Yahweh for selfish pleasures. And that breaks His heart. He creates us as sensitive beings – in His image. He is a sensitive and emotive God; when we shut down our sensitivities in order to follow things that make us hard and opposed to goodness, we shut Him out. And He doesn’t want to be shut out of our lives, out of our hearts, out of our habits.
God may not have had any lines in the story of Larry and Carol and the Benjamites, but He was most certainly was in the wings. He mourned over Carol, He mourned over the loss of Benjamin, and He mourned over the loss of the children of Israel’s deep hearts of obedience to the covenant. He is faithful – it is His character. When the children of Israel called out in repentance and in faith, He rescued them from their enemies and from themselves. Just like He will do for us when we call on Him. Spend some time thinking about the things that you have become accustomed to; the things that have caused you to loose your sensitivities to goodness, to righteousness and to intimacy with God.
Don’t be like Benjamin. And if you are, remember that while concubines come and go, God is always there. =)
Friday, April 4, 2008
Starting Again
I've xanga-ed, I've facebooked, I've even MySpaced, so now it's blogspot time. Here I am, adding my thoughts and contemplations to the masses of people doing that same thing. It's a good outlet for the confusion I have coursing through my brain most days. It also helps that I do very little at my job. =)
Enough of the "intro"; let's get on with it. Our first topic: Inspiration of Scripture. Yes, that's right, I'm bustin' out the theological conversations. I'm not a scholar by any stretch of the imagination (just ask any of my college profs) nor do I spend a lot of time reading about histories of interp (although I wish I did). Suffice it to say, this won't be at all scholarly or as eloquent as some of the bloggers out there, but its been on my mind and heart the last couple years generally and the last couple of days specfically. So I bring this conversation to you and I hope that maybe your voice will help me sort out the muddle of my own.
In college I majored in Biblical Studies, which, even though not a marketable skill at all, I loved (almost) every second of it. Even though I loved it and loved learning and can't think of anything else I would have wanted to spend 4 years studying, it cost me no end of frustrations. At least twice, I almost recanted Jesus and walked away completely. Virgin Birth? No. Bodily resurrection? Nope. Rapture? A little. =) But mostly it was the "inconsistencies" I read in the Scriptures. During my Hebrews and General Epistles class and saw that the author of Hebrews re-interpreted the Masoretic text, I 'bout fell off my chair. Was the author being opportunistic with scripture?! What gave him/her (cause we all know it could be Priscilla) the right to mess with the MT? Granted, I have a bias towards the Hebrew text overagainst the Greek Septuagint. And don't worry, I know all the arguments for how the LXX is more reliable than the MT...blah, blah, blah. Still, I was so bothered by that. So bothered, in fact, that I met with both my Old and New Testament professors to ask them how they dealt with reading the original languages of the text yet believed in inspiration of Scriptures if they've been messed with. And it's not just Hebrew to Greek and back; it's Hebrew to Greek to Latin to English to Chinese to Portugese. There is no way to get a "literal" translation in any other language. The words can't cross over like that. And it frustrated me to the point of wanting to give up.
However, I need you to understand that I'm saying all this about inspiration, not about the effect of the Scriptures on people. I have been deeply and dramatically affected/effected by Scripture. I believe Heb. 4.12: "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." And I also believe 2 Tim. 3.16-17: All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."
I can anticipate your question already...."how can you doubt inspiration of scripture and then turn around and say that 2 Tim 3. 16 is true? For that matter, how can you say that any part of scripture is true?" And the answer to that is....I don't know. I feel like I'm caught in this weird place of belief and doubt and I don't know how to reconcile it. No idea. It's hard enough for it to be in my brain, much less express it aloud. It's like I know the answer - just believe that it's completely inspired by God and quit doubting, but my brain can't let it go. I know all the apologetic arguments for the Bible and they make sense. And I believe that God made Scripture useful for all people, even though it was written for a certain people, with a certain focus, for a certain time. God still uses it to penetrate us today and throughout all of time.
If I believe these things, then why do I doubt it? Why do I argue for the side of errancy when in the conversation? Perhaps it's not the topic....perhaps I just like to be on the opposite side. Because when I talk to non-believers, I'm on the side of inerrancy, bringing out the apologetical info I can muster. Maybe I'm just majorly screwed up in my brain. Not that far of a stretch, I suppose.
This old heart's been left out on my sleeve
And I have paid as it's been rent unto pieces
Seems everyone I've loved has taken a bit of my insides
I'm scattered as the woman whose body was torn for the twelve tribes
When did my heart get so petrified
When did it get so hard to feel
When did my heart get so afraid to love
When did it get so hard
And the easy-living Gnostic proud
Use their knowledge
Like a wreaking ball to tear me down
Flooding me with their fallacies
I can't walk on this water
I'm starting to drown
Strike this rock with your rod
I'll take the blows
Till your living water begins to flow
As it flowed from the Man of Sorrows' side
On that day when his body
Was torn for the twelve tribes
Torn for the twelve tribes
-"Petrified Heart" by Caedmon's Call
Enough of the "intro"; let's get on with it. Our first topic: Inspiration of Scripture. Yes, that's right, I'm bustin' out the theological conversations. I'm not a scholar by any stretch of the imagination (just ask any of my college profs) nor do I spend a lot of time reading about histories of interp (although I wish I did). Suffice it to say, this won't be at all scholarly or as eloquent as some of the bloggers out there, but its been on my mind and heart the last couple years generally and the last couple of days specfically. So I bring this conversation to you and I hope that maybe your voice will help me sort out the muddle of my own.
In college I majored in Biblical Studies, which, even though not a marketable skill at all, I loved (almost) every second of it. Even though I loved it and loved learning and can't think of anything else I would have wanted to spend 4 years studying, it cost me no end of frustrations. At least twice, I almost recanted Jesus and walked away completely. Virgin Birth? No. Bodily resurrection? Nope. Rapture? A little. =) But mostly it was the "inconsistencies" I read in the Scriptures. During my Hebrews and General Epistles class and saw that the author of Hebrews re-interpreted the Masoretic text, I 'bout fell off my chair. Was the author being opportunistic with scripture?! What gave him/her (cause we all know it could be Priscilla) the right to mess with the MT? Granted, I have a bias towards the Hebrew text overagainst the Greek Septuagint. And don't worry, I know all the arguments for how the LXX is more reliable than the MT...blah, blah, blah. Still, I was so bothered by that. So bothered, in fact, that I met with both my Old and New Testament professors to ask them how they dealt with reading the original languages of the text yet believed in inspiration of Scriptures if they've been messed with. And it's not just Hebrew to Greek and back; it's Hebrew to Greek to Latin to English to Chinese to Portugese. There is no way to get a "literal" translation in any other language. The words can't cross over like that. And it frustrated me to the point of wanting to give up.
However, I need you to understand that I'm saying all this about inspiration, not about the effect of the Scriptures on people. I have been deeply and dramatically affected/effected by Scripture. I believe Heb. 4.12: "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." And I also believe 2 Tim. 3.16-17: All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."
I can anticipate your question already...."how can you doubt inspiration of scripture and then turn around and say that 2 Tim 3. 16 is true? For that matter, how can you say that any part of scripture is true?" And the answer to that is....I don't know. I feel like I'm caught in this weird place of belief and doubt and I don't know how to reconcile it. No idea. It's hard enough for it to be in my brain, much less express it aloud. It's like I know the answer - just believe that it's completely inspired by God and quit doubting, but my brain can't let it go. I know all the apologetic arguments for the Bible and they make sense. And I believe that God made Scripture useful for all people, even though it was written for a certain people, with a certain focus, for a certain time. God still uses it to penetrate us today and throughout all of time.
If I believe these things, then why do I doubt it? Why do I argue for the side of errancy when in the conversation? Perhaps it's not the topic....perhaps I just like to be on the opposite side. Because when I talk to non-believers, I'm on the side of inerrancy, bringing out the apologetical info I can muster. Maybe I'm just majorly screwed up in my brain. Not that far of a stretch, I suppose.
This old heart's been left out on my sleeve
And I have paid as it's been rent unto pieces
Seems everyone I've loved has taken a bit of my insides
I'm scattered as the woman whose body was torn for the twelve tribes
When did my heart get so petrified
When did it get so hard to feel
When did my heart get so afraid to love
When did it get so hard
And the easy-living Gnostic proud
Use their knowledge
Like a wreaking ball to tear me down
Flooding me with their fallacies
I can't walk on this water
I'm starting to drown
Strike this rock with your rod
I'll take the blows
Till your living water begins to flow
As it flowed from the Man of Sorrows' side
On that day when his body
Was torn for the twelve tribes
Torn for the twelve tribes
-"Petrified Heart" by Caedmon's Call
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