Attempts at Honesty

Reflections on the interplay of the Bible and Culture

Home Archives for Bible Reflection

Living in the Not Yet

Posted on Written by 2 Comments

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

Posted on Written by 3 Comments

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?

Posted on Written by 2 Comments

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.

If it is spoiled, throw it out

Posted on Written by Leave a Comment

SpoiledThis evening I read 1 Kings 9 where God answers Solomon’s prayer of dedication of the Temple. In 1 Kings 9:8 God tells Solomon that the Temple will become a heap of ruins if Israel and her kings go after other gods and serve them.

The thought struck me this evening that the Temple, as opulent as it was, only had value if it helped the Israelites focus on their God. The Temple was a symbol to remind the nation of the God they were to serve and worship.

Contrary to what the Israelites may have thought, God did not value the building, he valued the response that the Temple was supposed to elicit in the worshippers. God wanted their hearts fully tuned to himself. When the Israelites no longer were affected by the Temple in this way, the Temple had to go. At best it then became a distraction. At worst, it gave a veneer of legitimacy to their spiritual misdeeds.

In the same way, we in the Church, have struggled to throw out the practices that no longer bring us closer to God. We cling to types of music, styles of dress, hair styles, programs and even Bible translations as though we loose a piece of God if we let these things go. I doubt that God cares about the style of music or dress with which we approach him; he wants our hearts, and he wants them in their entirety.

In business there is a proverb, “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.” When our methods and traditions no longer deepen our relationship with God and no longer assist us in our commission to make disciples, then they should be tossed. To keep repeating the same action and expecting a different result is insane. Let us choose sanity.

Categories

Archives

Blogger Grid
Follow me on Blogarama