Jesus said, “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” – John 5:39-40
Have we assumed that deep knowledge of scripture guaranteed connection with Jesus? Is it possible to place scripture above Jesus without recognizing to whom those very words are pointing us? All to often Bible study can become a head game…an intellectual pursuit. It becomes a list of details and stories to be familiar with rather than a relationship. It is like knowing all the stats of your spouses’ life without actually knowing them and connecting with them personally…spending time with them and loving them with everything you’ve got. Sometimes we are a like a microbiologist who has passion for his microscope rather than the actual cell structures he has devoted his life to. How often do we fall in love with the lens rather than the object we are to fix our eyes on through that lens?
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“How often do we fall in love with the lens rather than the object we are to fix our eyes on through that lens?” – Beautiful!
Thanks Paul!
You say that you are coming to Jesus in a different way – are you willing to address some issues –
How do you plan to give testimony that the world is evil and its works are evil?
How do you plan to convince the young to avoid loving the world and the things of the world?
How do you plan to influence a congregation to make sacrificial gifts of time talent and money?
“Faith is the substance of things hoped for,the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).
We don’t have to do it,God already did it.We just have to believe and receive it.
In response to kyron’s statement, “We don’t have to do it.” I agree, but I also disagree. I guess I need clarification from you. It’s true that Jesus lived a righteous life that we couldn’t live and died a sinner’s death so that we wouldn’t. In that sense, we don’t have to do things to be right with God. But when Jesus changes your heart, you must be focused on living your life for God. There’s no other choice. You can’t just put your faith in Christ then go back to living the same way you were before. That’s not true faith at all. When you believe and receive it, you receive a new way of life. The law is written on your heart.
It’s important to study scripture… Jesus knew the scriptures. He read the scriptures. He quoted the scriptures. But when we study to scripture, we need to be focused on finding Jesus and His way in the scriptures… not reading the scriptures to somehow be good enough.
I concur with Paul Smith.
The affection toward the “lens” is a challenge – however following the actions and statements of many persons a pattern emerges of a lens based on the traditions of men. Consider that these traditions of men conflict with the Bible on many points. Jesus said one must worship in spirit and truth yet many of influence make worship an entertainment exercise and give everyone a warm and fuzzy feeling about God. I ask again how do you plan to convince people to avoid loving the world? How powerful is that fuzzy feeling when matched against raging hormones and peer pressure?
1 John 5:4 “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world.And this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith.”
Why?,because:”For we walk by faith,not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7)
Why?,because:”But without faith,it is impossible to please Him (God). (Hebrew 11:6)
Mr. John,
That ‘warm,fuzzy feeling’ you are referring to is simply our love for God,not because we loved Him first,but because He loved us first,showing His love for mankind by sending His Son Jesus to die for us (read 1 John 4:10 and John 3:16).In accordance to your statement about churches having ‘entertainment exercises’,In psalm 150:3-5,the Word of God (Holy Bible) says:
3:”Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;Praise Him with the lute and harp!”
4:”Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!”
5:”Praise Him with LOUD (my emphasis) cymbals;Praise Him with clashing cymbals”.
So according to the Word of God,followers of Christ are supposed to praise God with songs,instruments and even dancing.Plus King David,a man after God’s own heart,did exactly that after bringing the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem in 2 Samuel 6.You’re abosutely right about worshipping God in Spirit (His Holy Spirit given to every believe in Christ) and TRUTH.I just want to leave you with this final Scripture:
“Sanctify them by Your truth.Your WORD (the Holy Bible b.k.a. the Word of God) is TRUTH.”
(John 17:17/NKJV).Those were Jesus’ own words in His prayer to the Father before He was crucified for the world,all men,women and children,past,present and future.