Monday, August 25, 2008

Using The Bible In Life

Here is an excerpt written by Marion L. Soards, professor of New Testament at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary:

"The author of Hebrews describes the Bible as "living and active...sharper than any double-edged sword." We are called to move beyond reading it or even meditating upon it; we are to take the next step, employing its wisdom to critique life and determine courses of action. The question is how.

Subtle differences in the ways people appeal to and use the Bible in ethical reflection seem endless. But the great variety of uses- ranging from irresponsible to responsible- people make of Scripture in deliberations about morality fall into four basic categories:
proof-texts, paralells, principles, and paradigms.

Proof-texts.
People may point to a "proving" text in the Bible in an effort to establish or validate an argument, idea or action- even though the Biblical material referred to at times may have at best a questionable relevance to the matter at hand.

Parallels. Biblical material is used this way when people refer to a passage, usually a sentence or story, they see as in some way analogous to a context other than that of the original Biblical text.

Principles. A Biblical text is used to establish a principle when someone derives from it a directive or standard they can then cite to make an ethical decision, either in relation to a particular situation or to general practice. More than proof-texts and parallels, principles formed and articulated from Scriptural perspectives can provide insight and guidance for serious ethical reflection.

Paradigms. Biblical texts yielding examples or patterns that may offer ethical guidance for life situations are usually identified as paradigms. Paradigmatic passages typically present pictures, most often in the form of stories, that can serve as examples, models, or precedents for thinking about ethical issues.

Because the models communicated through paradigms are often complex, this kind of text may have a unique capacity to inspire, inform, and guide our decision-making efforts. As is always the case with Biblical materials, the best use of Scripture in reflection on matters of morality comes when we pay attention to two areas: (1) the plain sense of the texts (what do they say, period, in and of themselves, in isolation from the material before and after?) and (2) their place in their original Biblical contexts (what do they say in the framework of the time, place, and unique situation in which they were written?).

At various times and in various places the Bible speaks directly, indirectly, or not at all about matters of ethical significance. Scripturally based reflections about right and wrong engage Biblical statements that seem pertinent to the issues by using a range of approaches. Because there are diverse ways of reading and responding to the Bible, people attempting to make moral decisions on a Biblical basis are wise to (1) summarize their understanding of the Scriptural statement, (2) recognize that--and how--others might interpret the material differently, and (3) be able to articulate how and why they feel this particular passage impacts their process of ethical reflection.



Thursday, August 21, 2008

The Root of Peace

"In essence, there is only one thing God asks of us- that we be men and women of prayer, people who live close to God, people for whom God is everything and for whom God is enough- that is the root of peace. We have that peace when the gracious God is all we seek".

Stripped down, this is essentially what being a Christian is. Constantly seeking God with everything in your being for our nature is not of this world. Our nature is derived from Him who made everything and without Him, we are nothing. This is a truth a vast majority are not willing to accept because they want to go their own way to find what they think they want. What exists in this life outside of the will of God will surely perish and those who worship what dies.

I'm not trying to be negative in this post because the quote I supplied is for love. But I must be bold and proclaim that true happiness is not found unless a faithful relationship to Jesus Christ is established. Again, this may sound like religious fundamentalism bashing you in the cerebral cortex but I assure you, this is the truth that must be proclaimed to all nations until His return.

Prayer is just conversation with God. It's humbly approaching His throne with our requests which he always hears. I don't believe God turns His ear from us because he knows our needs. He knows what's best for us even before we ask it. But the Word says to bring our petitions to God. Blessings! He wishes to bestow blessings! Gifts! What is so hard to understand? Ask and it will be given to you! We should stop complicating Him so much when he makes himself so available to us. His grace is sufficient.

Just know that when you willfully and humbly submit yourself to Jesus, there's no looking back. There's no need to. There's no need to go back to the life you once lived. A better life is ahead of you. It won't be easy but you'll never be alone. You don't need religious fringes like legalism and what is the right denomination. All you need is Christ. Know Him above all. The religious established and the self-appointed theocracy in this world will try to oppress you and slave you with inferiority complexes and feelings of worthlessness. All you need to do is accept who you are in Christ. There is no bondage in knowing God, only peace and freedom.

Romans 5:1-2, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand".

Monday, August 4, 2008

SCREAM For Understanding

Proverbs 2:3-5, "If you scream for insight and if you call loudly for understanding, if you pursue it like you would money and search it out as you would hidden treasure, then the Lord will be awesome to you and you will come into possession of the knowledge of God".

I think it's great that God would be like that to us. It's funny to think that God is so simple but even us Christians, who know God's love and grace, tend to complicate who God is. He says to come to Him like little children. What's complicated about that?

Gaining insight and understanding has always been my thing about being a Christian. I'm always trying to figure out what He wants for me, why He loves me, and what this life means. Don't we all? The intellectual assets gained in being a Christian is astronomical. For one, we have the best worldview of this world. We are living for the Kingdom, which means that what we do here, reflects in eternity. As Christians, we know what makes this world a better place and that is the love of Jesus. God, being as omnipotent as He is, knows just how much knowledge to give us. What we gain intellectually is a gift of God. This verse in Proverbs is a big boost for me because in all the the books I read and all the thinking I do, I never know enough. So if I scream and call loudly for what I need to know, then God will give me what I need.

Perfect.

Friday, August 1, 2008

Moral Resistance

"A man rejects God neither because of intellectual demands nor because of the scarcity of evidence. A man rejects God because of a moral resistance that refuses to admit his need for God".
---Ravi Zacharias


What keeps people from coming to God? Zacharias hit the nail on the head. A lot of skeptics I know hide behind their intellectual prowess, claiming that God cannot exist because of some scientific explanation or some philosophical fallacy. No, the reason people refuse to come to God is because of pride. Pride was the downfall of the Adversary and pride was the downfall of man. Pride hardens the heart. Pride makes a man think there is nothing above himself. It makes him think that if he gives up his life to God, he is losing himself. Jesus said that whoever keeps his life will lose but if they give it freely, they gain life. Where is the slavery there? Where does it ever say that God wishes to enslave the human race? Jesus came to die to FREE the human race, not condemn it nor enslave it.

The secular world refuses to grasp onto Jesus because they don't want to lose themselves. They don't want Jesus to change them, which he changes us all after experiencing him. The cross is a symbol of divine justice, love and ultimately grace. Through the death of Jesus, we are able to live. There is no working to earn God's love or favor. We already have it. We already have God's grace and forgiveness. That, my friends, is a reason to live.