I hate when things get like this! I feel awful, I don’t know if it’s because I’m sad and angry or if I’m getting sick or I just have a one off headache. Perhaps I have all three – that would really suck the puss!
“Sucks the puss” is something my old friend Sally Duckworth used to say when we were in about year 9 at school. Lately it just pops into my head when things are crap. Like this week at work I’ve repeated this stupid test three times and don’t know the results for sure. My mp3 player is crap! When I first bought it there was something wrong in the firmware and the controls would freeze up and the only solution was to take out the battery. So they replaced it because it was within a week. I later found the same problem but fixed it by updating the firmware. Now the earphone socket connections are bad so if you bump the earphone jack at all while the thing is playing the sound goes all wrong and sometimes you don’t get sound at all. Really convenient if it’s in my pocket – walking requires a certain level of movement – including inside my pocket. Along with the earphone thing, the stupid little machine turns itself off at random – I know it’s not me doing it accidentally because the key lock is on. I want my money back!
Possibly the worst bit is that I had a conversation with some other Christians at work. It was a good conversation in itself about the Spirit and other things. I don’t have a strong opinion about some things because I don’t know much about them but there are some things that I do and once again it has become evident that things I take for granted as true from the bible, other people think differently about. I hate that we look at the bible and see different things. How can I know the truth when everyone has a different version? There are many things I’m willing to take on faith and accept that I can’t fully understand (eg the trinity and predestination) but even those things are different in other peoples’ minds.
I thought that finding Reese’s Cups down in the hospital cafeteria would make my day. However as much as I love chocolate and peanut butter, I’m disappointed – they are not as good as chocolate spiders (chocolate, peanut butter and crunchy fried noodles). Plus I still have that headache. At least I might get to go home soon and I can sleep on the train.
Oh, dear. I hope today goes much better for you. I definitely find that avoiding conversations about religion is the way to go . . .it never ends up well.
And may that headache go away promptly!!
“once again it has become evident that things I take for granted as true from the bible, other people think differently about. I hate that we look at the bible and see different things. How can I know the truth when everyone has a different version?”
Ah, different understandings of scripture is what you get when you start letting people read the Bible and telling them since they have the Holy Spirit they can interpret scripture as an equals under God… Damn Reformation, fat lot of good that did us eh?
Seriously though, people thinking differently about things I take as true is one of the things I have come to love about Christianity (in spite of the fact that it can also be one of the most infuriating things about Christianity). Whenever anyone looks at the Bible they are bringing their own history to how they understand and apply what they read. This personal history can be parents, school and even church and what they have previously learnt there and how that church reads the Bible as a community. In short everyone has a lens through which they read Scripture, they are aided by the Holy Spirit but the Holy Spirit doesn’t do everything for them.
All this is why community is important, one of the reasons why we are encouraged as Christians to read ours texts in groups so that we may come to a better understanding of what is being said, why and how it applies to us in today’s context. The part we play in any discussion between Christians when we disagree is to listen to the other and be willing to be challenged and “converted” to their viewpoint just as much as we want to “convert” the other person to ours. (Sorry, couldn’t resist the use of the word “convert”).
In the end with the Bible it is also helpful to remember that the Bible doesn’t refer to itself as the authoritive “Word of God”. That particular title is reserved for Jesus, the one we profess to follow. What does it mean to follow Jesus? Well… I don’t mind if people disagree on particulars on how to follow Jesus, just as long as they do it while walking after him.
I disagree with the last comment (but that’s why it’s called comments – because we can leave our own opinions!)…
Bringing our “own history” to how we understand the bible seems to me to be one of our problems when reading it! Too often I let my own ideas influence how I interpret the bible instead of letting it explain itself. I cannot understand God’s word except by His Holy Spirit enabling me to. Sure I have to pick up the book and read it but when I come with my own ideas and try to see it through my “lens” it is a clouded view. Only God can reveal Himself to me and take the scales from my eyes. Sure we can listen to others and learn from them and we do that in bible study and sermons and over dinner but when it comes down to it EVERYTHING one says must be weighed against what GOD says in His word to make sure it matches up! God’s word is the authority! Which brings me to the final thing I wanted to say:
Regarding the line “the Bible doesn’t refer to itself as the authoritive “Word of God”.” –> I would have to disagree! 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” NIV
1 Corinthians 2:12-13 is also interesting to read but I am pretty sure it is referring specifically to the apostles and not to Christians in general.
That’s all : )
Hezza
I don’t have a heavy comment except for: Ew. Sucks the puss?
That’s really gross!!! (But it gets your point across!!!!!!)
😎
Though I suspect the moment has passed… given the about of times I have talked to people about what I said above and the commonality of the 2Tim3:16-17 you’d think I would have actually integrated a response to that right into the standard spiel… but I haven’t, silly me.
The word “Breathed” in 2Tim (and in fact all the bible – Hebrew and Greek) has a different meaning from “Word” which is what I am talking about… similar at times, yes… the same think no. what we translate as “Breathed” from both Hebrew and Greek also means at the same time “Spirit” and “light wind”. The underlying impression given with 2Tim3 is one of inspired work or guidance, God can be found revealed within Scriptures and has authority. It does not have final authority, that would be idolatrous placing something of and created by God above God.
“Word” on the other had is the word “logos” in the Greek, where we get the word logic from, the word logos has connotations of knowledge. The understanding of logos here is that it is spoken! It is a direct revelation of God, the only times logos is used in the NT is either referring to Jesus or rebuking the Gnostic teaching of a secret knowledge for salvation in addition to Jesus.
As for the lens thing I understand Helen’s viewpoint but would ask the question, to what extent is our differing view points and previous experience a gift from God. Some of the greatest theological insights over the last 2000 years have come because someone approached things differently from everyone else.
I suppose after looking at that verse during Greek in MTS I should have remembered that.
I agree that God can give us differing view points resulting in great theological insights but I still think it all comes from His revelation as we read the bible!
And I think perhaps I need to explain my comment about the bible’s authority:
It was in response to “In the end with the Bible it is also helpful to remember that the Bible doesn’t refer to itself as the authoritive “Word of God”. That particular title is reserved for Jesus, the one we profess to follow.” To me, that gave the impression that the bible didn’t need to be totally believed and trusted. Yes, Jesus is the final authority but the bible is where Jesus is revealed to us. Against anything else I have be it other’s opinion, my experience etc…ultimately my final authority on things and what I measure stuff by is going to be the bible. I dunno if I am making sense but I know what I mean : )
Hez
Yeah I get what you mean Helen (or Hezza?). I’m writing an essay at the moment on the Uniting Church’s Basis of Union and it has a paragraph that pretty much sums up how I feel and I think fits with what you were saying (I could be wrong though… but I don’t think so.)
“The Uniting Church acknowledges that the Church has received the books of the Old and New Testaments as unique prophetic and apostolic testimony, in which it hears the Word of God and by which its faith and obedience are nourished and regulated. When the Church preaches Jesus Christ, its message is controlled by the Biblical witnesses. The Word of God on whom salvation depends is to be heard and known from Scripture appropriated in the worshipping and witnessing life of the Church.”
nice : )
oh and i liked what you said to Kristen in her blog (Sunday 26th) – i am sure it cheered her up.
boys can be silly but then i think i would be silly if i had to put up with women all the time!