From a comment on another blog...
I left this comment on another blog, but as a thought it is capable of standing on its own:
It is certainly helpful for Christians in our society to consciously ask themselves if they are imposing a Western cultural lens on their understanding of the Bible, or whether they are truly understanding and living Biblical Christianity (which can be very different than our culture and even sometimes different than what the church is comfortable with).
This was really brought home to me when I read about the Year of Jubilee in the Old Testament. It seemed to be saying that every 50 years land which had been sold reverted back to the original owner. If that was the case, land was never really sold but was essentially just rented. And yet I reasoned, it couldn't mean that. It was just too different than my own cultural experience. And yet in the end I came to understand that the Scripture really meant what it said.
True, this example isn't very practical in my everyday life, but it's a good reminder that the Bible really does mean what it says. And it doesn't matter if it runs contrary to our culture. It doesn't matter if it runs contrary to the practice of other Christians and churches. If the Bible says it, we have to do it.
One caveat. I have met people who are in churches which by and large ignore our present culture and seek to live Biblical Christianity. But because of unhealthy obsessions, extremist tendencies, an unstable personality, a lack of Biblical understanding, an inability to find Biblical balances, or an unteachable spirit, these people go off on a tangent that wrecks themselves (all the while thinking that they are the only ones who care about obeying the Bible). By their fruit you shall know them. These people have no fruit but a wrecked life and wrecked lives in those who follow them.
It is certainly helpful for Christians in our society to consciously ask themselves if they are imposing a Western cultural lens on their understanding of the Bible, or whether they are truly understanding and living Biblical Christianity (which can be very different than our culture and even sometimes different than what the church is comfortable with).
This was really brought home to me when I read about the Year of Jubilee in the Old Testament. It seemed to be saying that every 50 years land which had been sold reverted back to the original owner. If that was the case, land was never really sold but was essentially just rented. And yet I reasoned, it couldn't mean that. It was just too different than my own cultural experience. And yet in the end I came to understand that the Scripture really meant what it said.
True, this example isn't very practical in my everyday life, but it's a good reminder that the Bible really does mean what it says. And it doesn't matter if it runs contrary to our culture. It doesn't matter if it runs contrary to the practice of other Christians and churches. If the Bible says it, we have to do it.
One caveat. I have met people who are in churches which by and large ignore our present culture and seek to live Biblical Christianity. But because of unhealthy obsessions, extremist tendencies, an unstable personality, a lack of Biblical understanding, an inability to find Biblical balances, or an unteachable spirit, these people go off on a tangent that wrecks themselves (all the while thinking that they are the only ones who care about obeying the Bible). By their fruit you shall know them. These people have no fruit but a wrecked life and wrecked lives in those who follow them.
posted by Shawn Abigail at 10:24 p.m.
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