Spirit-guided, objective bible study for growth versus
maintaining one's chosen theological paradigm by
quasi-objective logic mingled with subjective bias
January 14th, 2009
~ by the Generic Christian MysticPART 1 (Subjective Behaviorial Blindness)
There is a real danger when we approach the bible seeking only to maintain a static viewpoint. When we believe we have arrived at a final truth related to God's written word, we have stalled our spirit's growth and opted for a static faith where our mind reigns lawlessly over the rightful of rule God's Spirit.
Here's one clear example of a "static faith" mindset I pulled off the web from a pastor's blog,
"I began my research here at "blahblahblah".com to examine, and ultimately refute, the teaching."
Is it just me or do we all see the inherent error in such so-called "research"? I have actually tried in vain at this pastor's weblog and elsewhere to reason with him but to no avail. Many others have also offered him many strong points to explain a teaching to him but somehow, we never helped him to set aside his pre-set, biased and limited "static faith" and thus open-mindedly consider novel ideas about the Christian experience. After over a year of this man's supposedly fair-handed "research" he finally posted the reason nobody could ever help him see their side of things. He admitted his core problem,
"I began my research here at "blahblahblah".com to examine, and ultimately refute, the teaching."
I sensed this brother's closed mind early on and ceased my attempts to help him as I suspected he was only out to trip up folks and find weak spots in what these believers offered from their heart to him. How is this type of "static faith" any good for growth in one's Christian walk? And what bothers me the most is this is a man in authority and responsibility over other brothers and sisters, offering them a "static faith" without his even realizing it!
God forbid I ever cease to be open to new things His Spirit seeks to offer me through others in the Body of Christ! I agree we must always submit things to the Holy Spirit's guide before we believe them, of course and be wary of false doctrine. When we reach a place where the path of our paradigms and traditions end in a "static faith", we must move beyond our seeking only to refute teachings we don't understand or don't fit our box. God is so much bigger than what our pastor tells us, bigger than what seminary taught us, bigger than what "static faith" offers and absolutely beyond the teachings we find acceptable!
May God deliver us from eating stale bread we re-package every morning and give us new manna.
PART 2 (Quasi-Objective Logic)
I won't go into great detail here as I have pointed out in other earlier writings of mine that we must be wary of our own logic systems we use when approaching God's word. Sadly, we all bring with us other men's logic constructs we have adopted, our own ways of thinking and many times prideful flesh to the table when we say we want to objectively study God's word.
I believe our number one Enemy is our own fleshly and prideful mental constructs we have erected in our souls as "high places" that are vaulted up against the absolute mind of Christ. The Spirit wants humility, brokenness and a contritely pure heart opened to Him when we seek revelation from the word. When we approach the word, the Spirit wants an openness in us before He fills and illuminates. The word itself states that God resists the proud and has not revealed the treasures of His word to those puffed-up intellectuals. It is the foolishness of the Gospel that saves those of child-like faith. As a teachable-spirited child we need to sit at Jesus' feet and listen. The Gospel is SO MUCH MORE than just salvation. The power of the Gospel that transforms us MUST be even the very core renewing of our minds. How we reason, how we think, how we weigh the evidences of life around us, spirit and soul within us MUST be daily renewed. "Static Faith" is that thing we hold hostage in our fleshly mind. Even doctrine and theology can become dead idols when we worship them instead of HEARING and OBEYING the Voice of the Lord.
How many bronze serpents do we polish in our minds long after the Lord has tried to get us to part with them?
Jesus, the Holy Son of God, the Messiah, the iconoclast, was such an outspoken social outcast, was such a devoted rebel and was so hated by the religious system. It was that day's "Static Faith" that crucified Him!
Think on that awhile.
