Nowadays Christians have more
than one copy of the Bible available to them. During my quiet times, I
can crack open an NIV, NASB, or KJV, and any other version I desire is just a
few clicks away on my computer. This generation of technological savvy
girls can pull up numerous translations of the Bible on our iphones in just
seconds! Our easy-access Bibles convenience our fast-pace get-it-when-you-want-it
society. It certainly is helpful to look up a verse quickly when I can’t
remember a reference, but I must remember to guard against letting ease of
access lead to casual attitude towards the Bible. Just because we can
read it whenever we want to, we must not reduce God’s sacred revelation to a
commonplace item.
Eagerness and zeal for the
Scriptures marked the early believers because the Word of God was so high in
demand. Heroic Christians of ages past
suffered and died to further the Word of God. William Tyndale was burned
at the stake for translating the Bible into English. When Communists took
control of Vietnam, a Christian translator was subject to imprisonment and
every possible means his captors could think of to cause him to deny his
faith. One day he received a new
assignment: clean the commander’s latrine.
As he stooped to his demeaning duty, he found a crumpled up piece of
paper with words on it. Upon closer
examination he found the comforting promises of Romans 8. He took the paper back to his cell and used
it for devotions. From then on, he
volunteered every day to clean the latrine, each day coming back to his cell
with new treasures from the Bible. This
man valued the word so much that even soiled and dirty, he regarded it as one
of his most prized possessions. We can
pull the Bible up on our digital screens whenever we want, so we often just put
it off until later. Like disgusting trash, we let the days we go without
reading it pile up.
In addition to decreased demand,
everyone has become a determiner of the Bible’s meaning. The opinions of
those who have not truly studied it are too easily accepted because we think
the Bible can mean whatever each individual person thinks it means to
them. We prepare to answer the misinterpretations and misunderstandings
by studying the Word for ourselves and allowing the Holy Spirit to be our
teacher (1 John 2:27 – “…and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as
His anointing teaches you about all things…”). Our culture’s misunderstanding
of the Bible is evident in movies, books, television shows, and social media
networks. However, the most dangerous threat to God’s word does not come
from these cultural adversaries, but from the misunderstandings of His own
people who are unprepared to challenge these misunderstandings.
We need to examine the important role the Bible plays in our lives and practice
studying it, not just lightly skimming over its contents, in order to activate
its intense power. Seek to understand the Word of God and go to Him
yourself to receive meaning and application into your life instead of relying
on second-hand interpretation from pastors, professors, and mentors around
you. These are all good things, but God
wants to develop a sweet intimacy with you one-one-one.
“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him as of God, who
gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” –
James 1:5
No comments:
Post a Comment