Keep Digging

 

I was just listening to Outside The Camp's latest video. (I will for sure put the link at the end by my name.) Anyhow, Andrew is street preaching in this video. He has a table with a sign, along with his video equipment.  The sign reads: Christians should not eat swine. He is set up in a high foot traffic area, enticing folks to engage in the conversation.  And several people did engage.  What I noticed right away was that if he spoke with 10 people who claimed to be Christians,  each of the 10 had a different doctrine they followed. Each had a different understanding of the very same Scriptures that were being discussed. How can that be? 

Why are the words in the Bible up for personal interpretation? We do not approach writings by other authors in that manner. We don't have multiple interpretations of Hemmingway, Steinbeck,  Dickens, or Tolstoy.  We do our best to understand what that author is communicating to us. Words matter, they have finite definitions, which is how we have been able to communicate with each other throughout history.  Just not with the Bible for some reason, I don't understand.  

This problem is so big that we have over 50,000 denominations of Christianity.  In addition to that problem is the number of versions of the Bible that are available. With each version, the translator wants to place their own exegesis in the text. You will sometimes notice words in italics or in parenthesis, these words are added, they are not part of the original text. Yet, the added words are accepted as gospel and quoted as such.  2nd Timmothy 2:15 is good counsel. Study to show yourself approved. Be a Berean from Acts 17:11 They examined the scriptures every day to make sure the message was true.  If the message seems to contradict the scriptures,  then keep digging. Our Yah says He is the same yesterday,  today,  and forever.  He changes not. (Hebrews 13:8, Malachi 3:6, Psalm 55:19, James 1:17) Our Yah is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33), He will not give mixed messages.  If you have confusion,  keep digging. 

I desire very much for there to be cohesiveness in The Body Of Christ. Cohesive understanding and application of The Instructions for Living (Bible), cohesive worship and fellowship, cohesion and unity. Cohesiveness is necessary for fellowship in The Whole Body of Christ. Why is it such a struggle? Perhaps the lack of unity is one method to separate the wheat from the chaff. Maybe? Think about it. There's debate and discussion regarding the Holy Scriptures and how to apply them.  These debates and discussions reveal fruit, good or bad, they reveal the level of desire a person has for understanding or forcing their own view. If a person can't even hear another out, the idea is dismissed without consideration or explanation, what did that reveal? 

Keep digging. Apply what you know. Be humble enough to admit when you've been wrong,  and bold enough to change directions. Always be kind and attentive when someone shares with you.  You never know,  Yah may be speaking thru them. 

Still a work in progress 

Teresa

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