Are you searching for truth for the most important questions: existence, life and destiny? If so you will find the answers in the Bible, because it is the revealed, written word of God. Admittedly, many in our society are biased against the mention of God , truth and the Bible. Bias is forming an opinion about a person or matter before you have enough knowledge about that person or matter in order to form a good judgment. If you told me your professor in college was biased in his viewpoint, I would conclude that you did not think your professor was open-minded and reasonable or honest with the facts. It’s not surprising that people are biased against the Bible, even though they have barely read it or haven’t read it at all.
Why are people biased against the Bible? Jesus expressed it most clearly: “The light has came into the world, and the people loved the darkness rahter than the light because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19, ESV). They refuse to accept the claim that the Bible is the revealed word of God and the source of truth for existence, life and destiny. They reject the Bible because they are offended by those who claim to follow the Bible. They are offended by the moral judgments that Bible believers make; or they judge the Bible believers as hypocrites or self-righteous. They do not have the intellectual honesty to read the Bible and to fairly test the truth of its teachings. We who believe the Bible believe that it can stand up to an examination of its authenticity, its claims and its teachings. Indeed we welcome honest questions, and believe we should be able to provide honest answers.
Are you biased or are you noble-minded? In two cities of ancient Macedonia there were two very different responses to the teaching of God’s word. See Acts 17:11-13. Many Jews in Thessalonica rejected the word and persecuted those who taught and believed the word. In contrast the Jews in Berea received the word of God with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if that is what the Scriptures really taught. What would you find if you read your Bible with this kind of noble-mindedness? Would you find that what the Law of Moses claimed about God, about itself, about Israel, and about its blessings is true? Deuteronomy 4:5-8, 32-40. Would you also discover the truth of the unique claims of the word preached by Jesus and his Apostles? Hebrews 1:1-4 and 2:1-4, Ephesians 3:1-12, and 2 Peter 1:16-21. All these passages show that God’s law and word fulfills God’s purpose to bless his people and the whole earth. The passages also affirm that God himself, the only true God, is the one who revealed his word. Where else would we learn of existence, life and destiny, but from our Creator? (See Deuteronomy 30:11-14, Acts 17:16-34, Romans 10 and 1 Corinthians 2).
You have the freedom and ability to read the Bible; but will you read the Bible with an open mind and an honest heart? John 7:14-24. This is the challenge that Jesus made to the Jews who were struggling with the identity and teaching of Jesus. Jesus exposed the motives and agenda of those who speak on their own authority. I think you understand that many religions, sects and cults have their own agenda. Many add to, leave out, distort and misinterpret the Bible. They persuade and even enslave others to their particular tradition and arrangement of Biblical and man-made teaching. Jesus, however, spoke for God who sent him. He was convinced that if a person judged with righteous judgment, instead of by appearances, then they would know that his teaching is from God, just like they knew the Law of Moses was from God. Nevertheless, some of the Jewish leaders judged him with the bias of their own interpretations about the Sabbath and they were blinded by jealousy and hate; for they wanted to kill Jesus.
Jesus applied this lesson about the condition of a person’s heart generally in the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-15). This was a parable about the growth of the spiritual kingdom of God on earth. The sower sowed the seed, which symbolized the word of God’s kingdom. The seed tried to take root and grow on four different kinds of soil, which symbolized the condition of the human heart. The seed could only produce a good crop in good, cultivated soil; but it failed on hard, rocky and thorny soil. An indifferent, shallow, or worldly heart will keep the word of God from taking root and growing. The word does take root and grow in the good and honest heart; and it produces a joyful harvest. What kind of soil represents the condition of your heart? What kind of heart do you hear and read the Bible with? (See Acts 24:22-27 for the example of the Romans Governor Felix who had knowledge but resisted conviction; for he did not want to repent).
Since the 1800’s, the Bible has withstood the scrutiny of skeptics and scholars. It has been analyzed and judged by historical critics, literary critics, scientists, journalists, theologians, infidels and sectarian believers with agendas of their own sect. There are many who set out to discredit the Bible who end up becoming believers; but no one sees the light of truth unless they approach the Bible with a noble mind, that is, as a person of integrity. I am only reaffirming the approach of Jesus, when he taught in ways and words to weed out those who really didn’t want to hear or see (Matthew 13:10-17 and John 12:27-50).
Don’t misunderstand. Noble-mindedness does not mean God’s ways now depend on an academic exercise. To the contrary, all of us need the miracle of God’s grace that mercifully enlightens one like Saul (a.k.a. Apostle Paul); so even in a moment’s encounter with the truth in Jesus, a hardened person can receive the repentance that leads to life (John 16:5-15, Acts 9:1-31, and 1 Timothy 1:12-17). Therefore, for all of us it is true that through the message of His gospel God creates the light of His knowledge in Christ the Lord in our hearts (2 Corinthians 4:1-6). Moreover, as Christians we should continue to pray for the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit for a fuller understanding of the riches of Christ for us, the church and the world (Ephesians 1 and 1 Corinthians 2).
Buttram, Bryan. Hermeneutics: Interpretaion with a Noble Mind. WordPress.com: 2007/09/30.
2 Comments
October 3, 2007 at Wednesday, October 3, 2007
I have enjoyed your writing on intrepretation. It is something that I am seriously studying now.
http://www.matthewsblog.waynesborochurchofchrist.org
October 3, 2007 at Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Thank you for your encouragement Matthew. I have been following your blogs, and enjoy the debates (vigorous discussions); and try also to keep an open mind.