If you have convinced yourself that anything deeper than superficial interpretation is impossible for a layman, read the following paragraph slowly:
The Bible was not written in cryptic code by complicated scholars who endeavored to produce a document only decipherable by scholars even more complicated than they. It was written by reasonable men inspired by God for the very purpose of you reading it and understanding it.
The bottom line is that you can read it, so you must read it.
Shed yourself of your personal preferences, your politics, your assumptions about God. Set your mind on seeking the true God and not the one that necessarily lines up with your own limited reasoning.
Always remember that you will find the god in scripture that you seek.
Always remember that you will find the god in scripture that you seek.
I repeated that on purpose.
Go to the Bible and seek out a god who will thrash about with a vengeance against all who offend you, and you will find him.
Seek out a god who demands laborious deeds of good works and service in exchange for the slightest pittance of grace, and you will meet him handily.
Should you be searching for a god who will wipe your every tear and give you kisses and cuddles while you eat cotton candy on the back of your own unicorn, you will find him there.
You will find the god in scripture that you seek.
First rule of Bible study: Seek the Real God. Avoid superficial interpretation of scripture.
This video is dead on about the danger of superficial interpretation and how to avoid it. It is worth watching if true study is what you are seeking.
Sarah S. Chicken says:
You make a good point- too often I go to the bible in a particular mood and I pick what mood I want and what to read based on my mood.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:30 am
Sarah S. Chicken says:
And I have been to and facilitated too many “what does this mean to you?” Bible studies.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:32 am
Robyn Wright says:
Thanks for putting it in perspective. I have to say, though ashamed to admit it I have never read the entire bible. I am inspired.
November 17th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
Susan says:
I have thoughts on this but no the abilty to place it onto “paper”. But then again, my thoughts might have me headed down a rabbit hole another direction. I am not quite sure. I will get back to on that.
November 17th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
Laura H... says:
A good example of why we are not to take things out of context. I thought you were going to say something ‘easy’ like READ the Bible. I am probably not saying anything right right now, so please don’t be offended. I am just putting out thoughts. I have really too many of them. I guess where we usually get stumped up is in ‘applying’ the verses to our own lives, we forget to first find out what the meaning WAS. To put it in the context of the day and time it was written, and THEN apply it to our lives now…?
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:09 pm
Eric's Wife says:
My cousin asked me what I was going to say about how to read the Bible and I told her, “Uhh, Read it?”
It really is that simple. I don’t think you should trip yourself up by trying to apply the scripture to your life. When you are in the Word on a regular (and honest with God) basis, it naturally starts to shape your responses to life.
November 24th, 2008 at 10:53 am