Baggage And The Bible

Do we let Scripture transform us or do we let us transform Scripture?

One thing we all do when we approach Scripture is bring our own baggage with us. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it certainly can be. Its a bad thing when we block God's Word from transforming us because we want it to fit into what we already believe to be true. Its a bad thing when we dismiss the truth of God's Word because that truth is hard to hear. Its a bad thing when we plug our ears to it because it tells us to do things we just don't want to do.

Let me give some examples that have popped into my head:

- As an American, I live in a nation that has crazy wealth. We are the richest people on the planet. Even those we might consider poor in this country have so much more than those in many many parts of the world. Yet how many Americans think they're rich? Very few. We think we're entitled to so much material crap and so many services that most of the people in the world just don't have. That blinds us when we read about how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God and how the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.

- The world is filled with atheists, deists, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, in-name-only Christians, and so on. Many in these groups preach the same thing the "politically correct" talk show hosts and politicians preach -- there are many paths to God and all are equally valid -- you have your way and I have mine. We should just be tolerant of one another. And so on. That kind of mentality affects us when we read about our good works being filthy rags in the sight of God, that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, that Christ died as an atoning sacrifice for our sins, and so on.

- There are those who claim that monogamous, or even any, homosexual relationships are not against God's will. There are those who also claim abortion is not against God's will. They shout the mantras of "Equality!" and "Choice!". Those ideas affect us also when we read God's commands.

- There are many who embrace the evolutionary theory, despite the fact its a very shaky theory at best. It isn't even compatible with the idea that sin and death entered the world because of Adam's disobedience. Yet that's okay because some atheist scientists with a God-hating agenda to push support it. Embracing such things affect us when we read about our origins, our purpose, and our very nature.

But there's something very sad about those examples I just cited. They don't come from the mouths of unbelievers only. They also come from the mouths of CHRISTIANS -- or so-called Christians at the least.

In that light I must say there is something terribly wrong with:

- Putting self, safety, security, comfort, and worldly pursuits above God, which says "God, you're number TWO, or THREE, or FOUR...and I don't really BELIEVE you when you say you'll take care of me."

- Denying that Jesus is the only way to heaven, which says "God, your sacrifice on the cross is WORTHLESS and I can get to heaven on my OWN."

- Abandoning God's commands for the sake of man's ideas, which says "God, your commandments are nice, but I'd rather do things MY WAY."

- Dismissing God's explanation of origins because some man thinks he has one that doesn't involve God, which says "God, I think WE are smarter than YOU."

I want to vomit now. This is the kind of crap we tell God when we make ourselves the authority instead of his word.

So why do it?

Because it tells us what we DON'T want to hear. That we're depraved and in desperate need of a savior. That we're not in control. That we don't know everything. That we're not the greatest beings in the universe. That we do live in a fallen and broken world. That our hearts lie to us. That some, maybe many, maybe all, of our friends, family members, and co-workers are going to hell. That we need help. That we're weak. That we need to tell people about Jesus even though its hard for us. That we're not basically good. That God doesn't want to be put in a box. That there is something more to life than entertaining ourselves. That we should spend our time and money better. That we don't really earn anything. That people will hate us. That we will suffer through trials. That God hates lukewarm, lip-service paying, I'll believe in you as long as you don't change my heart and my life, nonsense from people.

Should I go on?

So what if we don't want to hear it? Is our baggage THAT important to us? Do we insist on believing in a God only on OUR TERMS? Why, when We can have ETERNAL LIFE through Christ. When we can have a RELATIONSHIP with the CREATOR of the UNIVERSE. When we can serve the LORD OF LORDS and KING OF KINGS? That trumps EVERYTHING we could possible bring to the table and into our reading of the Word.

Let's all pray to have our hearts and minds opened more and more to the transforming power of God's Word as he speaks to us through it.

Grace and Peace