More on Reading

I have received several personal queries as to why I believe that it is important to get back to reading the Word of God and using the tools I listed in Monday's post.

The line of reasoning that people use for reading junkfood is as follows: "I don't understand the Bible, therefore I like how Pastor X explains it for me", or "Yes, I know that this author is out to lunch on most areas of the Gospel, but he has some really thought-provoking, and beautiful stories in his book; he is inspirational."

These are two very weak reasons to be spending time in the junkfood section of your favorite Christian bookstore.

The first reason above: "I don't understand the Bible..." is interesting on several fronts:

First, it makes me wonder if I am failing in my role as Pastor (when these are my congregants). I am examining this currently, ensuring that Scripture not only saturates me, but that I give proper exegetical emphasis to it every Sunday.

Second, if you do not understand the Word of God, I would ask WHY; what is it about the Word that do you not understand? I am not referring to the weightier arguments that theologians spend time looking at, but simply the message of the Bible itself, what is it about the Bible that you do not understand? I think, truth be told, that people in many instances are simply illiterate, it is not the Bible they do not understand, but actually it is the written word that they are incapable of grasping.

Reading has taken a backseat to all of the other input around us; I mean, why read when I can have it given to me via a video, skit, drama, podcast, streaming MPEG? This is painfully apparent in the absolute idiocy, and blasphemy that passes for church in many places in our country. Their methods of communication are, at best, badly done, and worst, blasphemous. As I have stated before, I am not a Luddite who believes that we should sing only hymns and then, with only a pipe organ for accompaniment. I believe there is a time and place for using various methods of communication, BUT the emphasis needs to be on God and his Word, NOT on entertainment. It seems to me that many churches out there are going for the laugh, like some cheap stand-up comic on open-mic night (and honestly most of these people are NOT funny anyway). There was a time when the centrality of God's Word, and it being read, defined WORSHIP. Today, worship is defined by entertainment, in which the Word of God, if accidently mentioned, is relegated to a supporting role.

Third, If you do not understand the Bible, how do you know that Pastor X is properly 'explaining' it to you? Many pastors today are equally illiterate in Biblical areas; why would you want them explaining anything, ESPECIALLY something of eternal weight to you? Now, this is not to say that we, as pastors, are not to exegete the Scriptures and explain them, but there is a responsibility on the reader, and that is to be like a Berean and ensure that what we are saying is true. The situation today harkens back to the days when the Priest was the only literate person in town and therefore he was the sole party capable of expounding on the Scriptures. This led to abuse of power and many other negative things.

Also, the current method of Scriptural referencing in many books is to quote the first half, or more familiar portion of a passage, and then, either leave off the last half, or rephrase it. For example, in a popular book where the armor of God is being referenced, the writer says that we are to don the shoes of peace, and then goes into a lengthy explanation on being peaceable, and being peacemakers etc. While the concept of being a peacemaker is not incorrect, the use of the Scripture is, as it actually says that we are to put on the shoes of the GOSPEL (εὐαγγέλιον) of peace. What keeps us, as soldiers, holding our ground? It is the knowledge of the Gospel, knowing our position, that we are at peace with God through the atonement of His Son. That is the peace that keeps you on solid ground. Yes, there is more to this, but I am not trying to exegete the entire passage, rather I am simply trying to show how leaving a word or two out of the passage changes the emphasis.

The second reason for reading junkfood is this "...there are beautiful and thought-provoking stories in there..." OK, but does that make them true? NO! Also, is it profitable? When you claim to have little, or no time for the Word of God, how is it that you have time to be reading lovely little stories about how little Jimmy saw angels when he was pressed under the garage door? I get innumerable emails from well-meaning, and wonderful people, quoting some apocryphal Internet 'Christian' legend about angels showing up and talking to children and dogs. Many of the people who send these simply need a link to snopes. And the tragedy is this; while the story may be beautiful from a human emotional perspective, many times it is simply unbiblical in its principles.

Friends, the Christian community has never been as illiterate as they are now, and this only leads to error. This is why the draw to the Roman and Orthodox churches is being felt by many protestants. The Roman church is full of folks who will tell you what the Bible says, and they have wonderful, tear-jerking stories, and LOTS of tales about angels and saints talking to children. Plus, they have a beautiful, and intricate liturgy, and some semblance of a historic faith that they stand on.

Today, what can be expected in many protestant churches is: (MAYBE) a quick drive-by of the Word of God, and then time spent watching a mime perform on the story of the Samaritan woman at the well, followed by communion (donuts and Starbucks), and then several hundred repetitive choruses about US, and then a time of candle-lighting, followed by a walk through the 'reflection' maze...

Pastors, we need to get our congregation into the Word of God, it needs to be preached from our pulpits week in and week out. We also need to be saturated with the Word of God, not with the latest growth concepts and secular ideas.

Christians overall; step away from the drivel that is being spewed forth from the Christian publishing industry and get back to the Word of God. Spend time there, and when you begin to understand the principles of our faith, then you may find that your favorite author is in the weeds, or worse, an out-and-out heretic!