Are We Too Nitpicky?
There’s a strange phenomenon that I’ve observed during certain Bible studies amongst supposedly more “mature” Christians.
At times, I feel as if during these Bible studies, the idea
of nitpicking and dissecting God’s word becomes more of the focus rather than
the message itself. Somehow in between dissecting every sentence and unearthing
every vowel and syllable, I feel as if we’ve lost the point of focus we
initially had when studying the Word.
Surely it is fascinating to understand the Greek and Hebrew
and have background knowledge surrounding the historical references and
geographical locations of the text, but I believe that at times, deep analysis
and thorough research of the Bible in a Bible study do more damage than good.
In one sense, the Bible should be able to be understood by
normal, ordinary men and women. The Word of God needs no preamble, and it, in
every sense, speaks for itself. In fact, the Word of God is “alive and active.
Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and
spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
(Hebrews 4:12). Thus, in this context, we can take the Word at face value,
treating it as it is, and understanding it as it is.
I’m reminded of the story of Peter and John in Acts before
the council of well-educated men, priests, leaders and teachers of the Law. As
they were preaching the word of God filled with the Holy Spirit, they spoke
before the leaders with power and authority. In this story, it is said that:
The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.” – Acts 4:13 emphasis added
I think that what is amazing about this story is that though
they were ordinary men without any special training, they were able to speak
the word of God and preach to these highly educated men whose very job was to preach
the word of God. If “ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures” filled
with the Holy Spirit are able to preach before these men who were specially
trained in the Scriptures, do we not also have confidence that we are able to
understand the word of God for ourselves as well? Thus if God can show us through
His Spirit and lead us to understanding, we can have confidence that He will be
faithful and reveal His Word to those who honestly seek to understand. (Matthew 7:7-8).
In saying that, it then concerns me when I see Christians
relying more heavily on a particular preacher, teacher or mentor to instruct
them about God and His Word rather than relying on God to directly reveal
Himself to them. I think that it is a dangerous slope which leads to a shift in
our focus, and even in whom we place our trust. I confess that for myself I am eager to
listen to sermons by well-known pastors and am quick to assume what they say to
be true and biblical.However,
I am reminded time and time again by these God-fearing pastors that it is
imperative that the listeners’ trust is not placed in them or on what they say
if it is not God-honouring or Biblical.
I have to constantly and actively remind myself that
whatever I hear concerning God from other sources that I would have to firstly
confirm for myself using the Word of God and through prayer that I would be
able to have discernment on what is true and right. Praise God that His Word
does not change! Praise God that his advocate, the Holy Spirit, is able to
teach and discern! Praise God that He is who He says He is and that He is able
to answer prayers!
Now, I want to make clear that I in no way condemn deep
study of the Bible and understanding His word better. To be good followers of
Christ, it is obvious and expected of us to learn and know our God better
through the Scriptures and use it as a foundation of our faith. However, I am
concerned that as we zoom in and focus on a particular word, verse or chapter
in the Bible trying to find meaning in its small minute details, we miss out on
the blaring loud message that is plain for even the most ordinary of men to
see. There should be a time dedicated to understanding His word deeper, but I
fear that the proportion that we allocate to that becomes more than needed as
we become supposedly more “mature” Christians.
Furthermore, I believe that the end goal of a Bible study is
to know God more so that we can do what
He commands. Frankly, with enough time and dedication, I think many people
can become Bible scholars and well-versed in the Scriptures. But honestly, I
don’t think God is looking for His people to be more scholarly. I think He’s
looking for people who seek His heart above what they want for themselves; people
who know Him, love Him and do what He commands.
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