It’s almost a new year. At the turn of last year my Christian brother, Dave, made a commitment to read his Bible by the one year plan. He kept his resolution and is blessed. I am also blessed by Dave’s insight into God’s word. Because he read with the goal of understanding, God increased his understanding of what different readings were about in the original context; and he has also been able to share his view of how those readings apply to the present times. Just simply reading the whole Bible greatly increases a person’s ability to understand any part or reference from the Bible.
This makes sense, but you only discover this by experience. Once you have experienced this revelation from the revelation, then you will want to read through entire books of the Bible over short spans of time more often. Your understanding of the message and lessons from individual books will increase dramatically – just by reading! I also underline and star verses; and I write in the margins. I ask questions. What is this message about? What are the stories, themes and threads of continuity throughout the Bible? What is the history, background, purpose, and lessons for the original readers and for the timeless audience, the people of God? The first impressions and questions are only a beginning of your journey through the Bible and a spiritual journey which should lead to more questions, meditation, and a depth of learning in the knowledge of God and the way of faith in God. With the Bible, familiarity breeds comprehension. It’s almost a new year; but you can start now.
Before I moved from Maine a dear elderly Christian sister, Doris Richards, gave me her King James Bible; for she had bought a new one and thought I did not have one – a King James Version. Virtually every page is marked with underlining and notations. Doris prayerfully read through her Bible every year. Hearing the Word [by reading and listening], prayer, good works and meeting with the fellowship of the saints were the staples of her spiritual life. What a great way to live in just one year of your life; but she lived every year this way.
I always enjoyed visiting and chatting with Doris. I would drive from Caribou through Washburn heading toward Ashland where the asphalt highway beside the potato fields eventually gives way to the rugged logging roads of the North Maine woods. Near her trailer was a small mountain called Haystack because of its shape. It was an easy climb with friends for a picnic; and it gave you a great panoramic view of some of Aroostook County.
Doris’s church background was Baptist, strongly dispensational and premillennial. For many years before me she had also heard and studied from those who preached at the Caribou Church of Christ, an amillennial and replacement theology (i.e. the Christian church supersedes and replaces Israel). [Note: While at any particular point in history the Churches of Christ may be characterized by a majority point of view; there is no official denominational creed defining that point of view. This blog is not about these views; so my disclaimer is that I have learned much more since my days as a young minister. If the Lord wills, I do intend to write on my views in a future blog.]
More than once Doris said: “Bryan, you know how I was raised and taught. The doctrines about the last times were preached more than anything else. They poured it into our heads. No matter how much I look at the church’s teaching [referring to the Church of Christ], I cannot see it any other way.” I understood – boy, did I understand. Certain doctrines, sectarian doctrines, doctrines limiting the blessings of the Holy Spirit and power of prayer, doctrines leading to legalism, were poured into my head. I knew how hard it was to see past the powerful influence of the guardians of sectarian doctrines. This kind of influence swayed Peter, Barnabas and many others in the early church from practice in step with the truth of the gospel (Galatians 2). Doris and I, although from different backgrounds, shared so much in common. I reassured her in the truth of the gospel; and in response she proclaimed with earnest, a smile and gleam: “Well God bless you!” Then Doris and I continued to talk about many of the treasures of the Bible that no sect can claim as just their own.
Doris had been a school teacher. She was well read and did use other sources to help her understand the Bible. I believe she had a concordance, a Bible handbook, a journal subscription, and a few topical resources; but not many, not like me, but like most people. Yet her rich understanding came from reading and hearing the word preached; participating in discussing the word; praying and meditating for understanding; and drawing upon the experiences of her own life of faith. She understood the gospel and the way of faith; and she lived by faith in Jesus Christ. She cherished the Holy Spirit and the promise of God’s presence and providential care. Her favorite scripture was Isaiah 26:3 (KJV): “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” Even as a young minister, my library of books for Biblical understanding was substantial. Yet, Doris, and many other Christians like her, always encouraged me with the depth of their faith and knowledge in Christ. I would be spiritually poor if all I had was my library.
No Christian’s understanding of the Word will mature without becoming familiar more and more with the whole Bible; and without significant, informal, personal discussion with others who approach the Bible with the same prayerful, seeking heart and who can mutually share their stories of faith and understanding with you. Additionally, we all need more than reading and discussion; we need to be challenged. Indeed, another sister in Christ in Maine, Joyce Nobles, challenged me after a sermon. In essence I took the teaching on Jesus about having faith that could move mountains, and I turned the mountain into a molehill. I did not use those words, but that was the effect of my teaching, had it not been for Joyce. Joyce simply disagreed with the limitation I placed on the prayer of faith; and asserted that her experience was different than mine. What a shock to my spiritual system. I was so jolted that I could sense the books in my library falling off the shelves.
Book knowledge has blessed me, and Bible knowledge even more; but the word implanted in the believer’s heart who has lived it and tells about it, has helped me most of all. From that day forward I was no longer a slave to a sectarian tradition that said that mountains could only be moved in New Testament times. My understanding of the word increased because I saw the calling, opportunity and reality of living by truth that fundamentally and always requires expressing faith (See Mark 11, Hebrews 11 and James 1:21-25).
It’s almost a new year. Well? Are you going to finally read your Bible through? You can make great progress in faith and practice with just the simple and pure devotions that Christians have always embraced; exemplified by Doris. In the words of Doris, genuinely wanting you to know the blessing of living by faith in all of God’s Word, I proclaim with earnest, a smile and gleam: “Well God bless you!”
Cite: Buttram, Bryan. Hermeneutics: Interpretation and Resolution. Bryanbuttram.wordpress.com: 2007/12/20.
Thought to Thought 