Number 2: Just because someone in the Bible says something, doesn't mean it has to be Christian Law (or a church tenant.) Case in point would be the Ten Commandments, which were intended for a race of people who were so incredibly ridiculous that they needed a list of things of what not to do in order to survive. (And even still they barely even bothered to follow this list.) Number 3 will better explain this.
Number 3: Be absolutely clear who is saying what in the Bible. Are the words coming from God, Jesus, or just some guy? If you are interested in what God the Father thinks, read the words of the prophets. If you are interested in what Jesus the Son thinks, read the Gospels. Anybody else is subject to scrutiny. It doesn't mean they are wrong, but if it doesn't line up with anything God said, then it's suspect. Take it with a grain of salt.
Number 4: Every passage in the Bible has context to it related to the time that it was written. Just taking one passage and interpreting it on its own (eg. John 3:16) is a ridiculous venture that will not fully give a person an understanding of anything in that passage. You have to actually read the passages around it to understand what it actually means. In fact, the whole book that passage is in should be read and understood in full context. Single passages used alone are not scripture. The whole book is scripture. This is a silly tradition that Christians have perpetuated for ages.
Number 5: God is clearly not subject to your opinion of Him. How you think of Him does not change who or what He is. If you want to get some vague idea of how He operates and such, you can learn much about it from this book, but you need to take everything in and shun nothing that seems inconvenient to you. The Bible has a lot of things in it about God that most churches don't like to talk about (such as the brothel scene with Samson or God repenting of evil several times) but that doesn't mean those things are irrelevant or even unrighteous. Everything about God must be fully understood without overinterpreting it.
Number 6: When many people see something in the Bible they don't understand, they often try to interpret it in a way that has meaning to them. But honestly the way you should handle this is just by saying, "I don't understand this," and move on. Maybe it will come to you later. If you try and make stuff up in your head, you are more likely to create a fiction, and that helps nobody.
Number 7: Just because someone gives you an interpretation you like, doesn't mean its true. Even pastors and priests mess this one up. The best way to read the Bible is to read it yourself and do your best to understand it. There's nothing wrong with discussing it with others, but ultimately try and learn it for yourself. Be an individual.
Conclusion: The more and more I read the Bible, the more I feel like I was undersold the book in my Christian upbringing. It feels like adults are still spinning the nice and friendly "Sunday School" version of the Biblical story and such. It is an amazing book. I'm presently 71% through it. But actually reading it has proven that the story is so much greater than any church or Christian school has bothered to tell me in all my 40 years of living. I must say that God and everything about God is only interesting in this book, and Christians have been really good at making him a boring and pointless "Nothing Creature" suited to please our own egos. (Not to mention the over-vilification of Lucifer.) If you want to know what Christianity is really about, read the book. Just read it. Stop listening to ignorant people who are just copycatting what they hear in Church.
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Wow! The world either praises the Bible mindlessly or condemns it mindlessly, for reasons other than sincerity. You decided to "take a peek" and were ready to find whatever you should find. SINCERITY! You were SINCERE, seeking the truth and NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH. Your advice is sound: Distinguish between the direct words of God, Father or Son, from those who are not God. It should be obvious that the words of the created CANNOT compare with those of the Creator, whether what the created says is true or not. Yes, the context is everything. In the Bible itself, Jesus was frustrated when he would say something and the interpretations of those listening took what he said on wild tangents. This is especially shameful because Jesus always spoke in simple and direct terms. Humans seem to have a problem with the clear and obvious more than anything else.
ReplyDeleteThey get stuck in their little pointless rituals.
DeleteThe Bible itself says THE LETTER KILLS, THE SPIRIT MAKES ALIVE... but they don't consider that part. The letters are more convenient because unlike the spirit, they can be interpreted.
DeleteWhat we think about Him does not change who He is. It is up to us to read and gain understanding. The goal is to get to know a person, not a thing.
ReplyDeleteWe may not get all the way there, but we can get close.
DeleteExcellent points all around, I agree with them all. I see all too often scripture is taken out of context and the meanings are lost to be replaced with feel good nonsense. Most would rather have the thinking done for them and are often lead astray because of it. We should always do our own research and think for ourselves especially in matters of Spirit.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I feel like I'm the only one doing the research.
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