Attempts at Honesty

Reflections on the interplay of the Bible and Culture

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Not what I would choose

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RomeIn Acts 19:21, Paul expresses a desire to go to Rome as part of his missionary efforts. Paul did eventually get to Rome but it is unlikely that he envisioned that he would enter Rome as a prisoner of the state and remain there under house arrest.

In the Epistles that Paul wrote while in prison in Rome, there is not one hint of self pity, nor of antipathy for the authorities in Rome. Paul had a strong sense of being right where God wanted him and his contentment with this is evident in his writings.

Perhaps the secret to contentment is in accepting the fact that my limited knowledge and wisdom do not allow me to always understand what is best for me. If the giants of the faith went through difficulties, I should not expect that I will be exempt. The difficulties are allowed by God for His purposes and by accepting them as being ordained by Him, I can then participate in the unfolding of God’s plan, for myself and for humanity.

While I cannot articulate it very well, I feel there is something more here than mere resignation to the fact that problems will happen. We are enjoined to rejoice while going through suffering. This goes beyond acceptance into participation with God in the difficulty.

In retrospect, I can see that the difficult bits of my life have been used by God to change me for the better. They have also have allowed me to be put into a better position to be used by Him for His glory.

In Matthew 28:20, Jesus promises to be with each of us, no matter what it is that he takes us through. Therefore, I can rest in the fact that I am not alone in any difficulty. In addition, I can be assured that there will be a day when there will be no more difficulties. What a glorious day that will be, but until then I will choose to learn to rejoice in the midst of trials.

Living in the Not Yet

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Not YetThere are many places in Scripture where the phrase “how long, oh Lord” is expressed. This phrase exhibits a longing for change and protection.

As I listen to news of the day I connect with this sentiment. There is much in our world that appears out of control and evil seems to win the day too often. My thoughts echo the words in Habakkuk 1:3-4, where he asks God,

“Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise.  So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.”

Reading further, I am reminded that God remains in control and I can leave it in His hands. I long for the day when Jesus reigns and this mess will be cleaned up. Yet, somehow, I must learn to be content living in the not-yet.

I am learning (slowly) to hear God’s prompting as to what I am to be about and be content to let the rest go. I’m also learning to bring the stuff I cannot change to God in prayer knowing that he cares about it and will bring his plan into reality.

The core question is “do I trust that God loves me and is concerned about me?” If the answer is yes, then I will stand on that and rest.

400 is Really Old

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400In reading New Year greetings, I was just reminded that the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible will celebrate its 400  years of publication in 2011. The KJV has been used by God to transform millions of lives. This is a noteworthy accomplishment and should be celebrated.

What I am not looking forward to is any resurgence of the “KJV Only” rhetoric that has plagued the Church since the American Standard Version was published in the early 1900’s.

I’m OK with someone who has a preference for the KJV. It was and is a beautiful translation. If you are encouraged in your relationship with God by reading the KJV, then please keep using it.

What I’m not OK with is those who make the claim that the newer translations are “perversions” of the Scripture and that the KJV is the only reliable translation into English. This is not true. Those that hold this view miss three important points.

First, language is not static, it changes and the English of 2011 is different than that of 1611. I grew up hearing and reading the KJV and yet, when I read it now, it is a little bit like reading a foreign language. In many places I have to do translation in my head because of the archaic terminology.

The newer translations use terminology and syntax which is in keeping with current English use. This makes Scripture accessible to a larger audience and is in keeping with the practice of the founders of the Church. Jesus used the language of his day to communicate with his audience. The New Testament was written in the Greek of the marketplace and not in Classic Greek that would be difficult for the readers to understand.

The second point that the KJV Only crowd misses is that since 1611, there have been many manuscripts found which provide additional evidence about what the original manuscripts contained. Since 1611, manuscripts going back to the 2nd Century have been found. The age of the manuscripts is important because the closer the copy is to the original in time, the less likely that error has crept in.

The third point is that the KJV Only crowd maligns the intent and character of the translators of the newer translations. One of the translators of the NASB was my professor years ago and I can vouch for his scholarship and character. These translations were done by people who love God and have spent a lifetime seeking to understand God’s word. Their intent is to accurately communicate God’s message to the people around them in language that they understand.

Enjoy your KJV if it is helpful to you and please allow the rest of us to enjoy our translation of preference. If you are still thinking about condemning the new translations, please remember what Jesus said about wineskins.

Church the way it used to be?

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Abandoned ChurchI recently had a road trip through the Bible belt and saw a billboard advertisement for a church that read, “Church the way it used to be . . .”

I think that I get what they are trying to convey, but I can’t say that I agree with it. My guess is that they are attempting to portray a place where the values and message are consistent with what could be expected decades ago in the average church.

The problem with this approach is that this church will be a safe haven for those who are fleeing other churches who have allowed change (good or bad) into their body. This will be a church that grows by defection rather than infection. In other words, growth will come from stealing sheep from other sheepfolds rather than by setting conditions for sheep to reproduce.

In Matthew 9:17 Jesus reminds us of the futility of trying to recycle wineskins. We should not seek to contain a fresh work of the Spirit in old forms and rituals.

If our church demographic looks much different than the demographic at the local mall, we should ask ourselves if we are missing something that God wants to do. I see weird (to me) hairdos, piercings, tattoos and various fashion statements on the young people at the mall. If this is a group of people for whom Jesus died, then it would stand to reason that if we are doing our job of making disciples, some of those pierced and tattooed people should be showing up on Sunday.

The point is not whether piercing or tattooing is a good idea, the point is that it’s already done for a lot of young people who Jesus loves just as much as the ones who have steered clear of these practices. My personal opinion on fashion choices has nothing to do with how these folks are to be received by me or by my church. God loves them the way they are.

As a band from the 70’s encouraged us, “don’t look back.” Even if we could, it would be foolish to try to recapture what was happening 5, 10 or 20 years ago. We must press on and be what God wants us to be . . . today.

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