September-October 1999
Listening to God
by J. Michael Feazell
| Being factually "right" about the Bible subtly became, without my realizing it, more important than being forgiving, kind, generous, gracious and patient. |
There was a time when I put a great value on biblical knowledge for its own sake. So much so, that I tended to value being "biblical" and "scriptural" above being Christ-like. Being factually "right" about the Bible subtly became, without my even realizing it, more important than being forgiving, kind, generous, gracious and patient.
There is a saying that goes like this: "If we make the Bible our god, we may not hear the God of the Bible." We all agree that it is more important to know the God of the Bible than simply to know the Bible. The purpose of the Bible is to reveal God to us, particularly as God reveals himself in Jesus Christ.
Therefore, the goal of Bible reading must always be a fuller and deeper knowledge of Jesus Christ and the Father, rather than just to acquire Bible knowledge for its own sake, or for the sake of one's own "rightness."
Believe in Jesus
Through the centuries, many people have used the Bible for their own particular agendas. At various times in history, the Bible has been used to justify slavery, to justify imperialist subjugation of native peoples, to deny scientific reality and condemn gifted scientists, to exploit peoples and resources, and to divide churches. Needless to say, none of these agendas reflects the message or purpose of the Bible. They are based on private interpretations designed to justify various personal or corporate goals.
How can we experience the truth of the Bible? By believing in Jesus. To believe in Jesus is to accept him for who he is, what he has done and what he is doing for us. To do that is to become his disciple. It is to accept him, in modern terms, as Boss, Rescuer and Instructor -- as the Scriptures reveal him. It is to live for him and no longer for ourselves.
The Bible is essential and central to our faith because it reveals Jesus Christ to us. It is the Word of God precisely because it is rooted and grounded in Jesus, the eternal Word of God. To rip it loose from its moorings in the Son of God so that we can manipulate it by our own interpretations to justify our self-inflating agendas, is to treat it as a mere idol -- and to lose contact and communion with the eternal God who demands all true worship.
Daily Reading is Crucial
Through the Bible we are blessed to learn about Jesus Christ and to come to know him. For this reason, daily Bible reading is a crucial part of Christian life. Academic study of the Bible is certainly a valid and worthwhile pursuit -- when done in humility and reverence for the eternal Word of God, who brings his personal reality into conjunction with the written witness of his glory. But academic study is not a substitute for allowing the Bible to draw us into a deeper relationship with its Architect.
The Inspirer of the Bible has chosen to speak to his people in many ways, including through the voice of the church, the voice of creation, dreams, his servants, miracles, science, and in a few cases, spectacular theophanies. All of these, like the Bible, have often been misinterpreted, misused, misunderstood and misapplied. Each of them, to be valid, must be consistent with the message of the Bible, for God is consistent with himself.
I have learned to submit myself to the Bible because God, who stands behind, above and before it, has chosen to nourish me through it. The Bible is not God; it contains God's message to me, the message of grace and truth through Jesus Christ. And if I listen to that message, I will be formed into a person who, like Christ, builds and heals, rather than one who accuses and condemns.
J. Michael Feazell, D. Min., is executive editor of Plain Truth. He also serves as executive editor of Experiencing the Word -- A Daily Devotional Journey Through the Bible -- available through Plain Truth Ministries.