a cautionary word to you as a student of the Bible…

let me give a cautionary word to you as you begin to be a student of the bible.  don’t go to the bible just to find what you want it to say.  i’ve seen a lot of people use the bible like a drunk uses a light post.  more for support than illumination.  they go to the bible and try to find support for their position rather than finding light to guide them into their future. 

if we’re honest we can go to the bible and it speaks so clearly on so many topics that there’s literally no debate about many, many parts of the bible, what it’s teaching us and how we should live our lives.  so it should never be a question.  for instance, “i’m a CHRISTian.  should i marry this non-CHRIStian man?”  the bible very clearly says no.  it’s very unwise for a CHRISTian to marry a non-CHRISTian.  that’s crystal clear.  we don’t even have to think about it.  it’s right there in the bible.  or, “i’m a CHRISTian now.  i’m having to decide whether GOD wants me to be baptized.”  guess what?  it’s right there in the bible.  GOD says, i want all the followers of JESUS to make a public declaration that JESUS is the leader of their life.  baptism is the public way that you show that you’re obeying the teachings and commands of JESUS.  it’s very clear.

many specifics are outlined very clearly in the bible.  but just as quickly i’ll have to admit that the bible doesn’t deal with all the specifics of life.  there are places in the scripture where we only get broad sweeps of GOD’s will and HIS plan is just given to us in the big picture format and it’s as if the details are left up to us. 

it’s kind of like GOD saying, i will give you the sidelines of the football field.  i’ll identify where the out of bounds markers are.  i will teach you the game rules and i will specify the penalty and i will train you how to advance the ball toward the goal.  but finally you’re going to have to get on the playing field.  you’ll get in the huddle.  you’ll make some plays.  you’ll make some decisions.  some will work and some will not.  but i’m going to give some freedom to you to play the game.  we submit to GOD.  HE becomes our coach.  HE gives us the bible.  that becomes our game book, our game plan.

just a thought from the front porch…