How to interpret the Bible
How to interpret the Bible Read More »
How to interpret the Bible Read More »
The Lord Jesus was quite clear in His idea of truth. He said “I am the way and the truth and the life”. (John 14:6) It is ironical that when Pilate asked his question, the truth was actually staring him in the face!? Jesus often said “I tell you the truth” and His disciples recorded what He uttered. Yet, truth is more than what Jesus taught. You see, Jesus himself is the source of truth.
The great Protestant reformers did the church a great service by rescuing it from corruption, ignorance, and religiosity. In their zeal for truth, they brought the scriptures to the fore and made them accessible to all. However, they shifted the focus from personal truth to propositional truth and from experiential encounter to doctrinal understanding. I am not saying that this was their intention but it certainly seems to be the effect that they produced.
We need to recover the early church’s focus on encountering Jesus whilst holding fast to sound doctrine and practice. Most of us have been trained to think in ‘and/or’ terms. Either ‘this’ is right or ‘that’ is right. What is more, if ‘this’ is right then ‘that’ must be wrong. However, the Bible contains many conceptual contradictions and constantly challenges our commitment to and/or thinking. We need to learn to hold two concepts in dynamic tension. Jesus is truth. The Bible is truth. For me, the challenge is to comprehend the source of truth.
A servants ear – comments on the Gethsemane encounter Read More »
Firstly, Jesus reveals a God who by nature is full of mercy and compassion. He
does not condemn this woman or the rest of mankind for his rebellion and sin towards Him, but rather graciously extends His hand of mercy to all who would acknowledge that they are guilty of breaking God’s law and stand condemned just as this woman was by breaking the law of Moses.
Secondly, when Jesus tells the woman that she must now go and leave her life of sin, this to me clearly expresses what God requires from a person in response to His incredible mercy. Jesus commanded this woman and wants all mankind to repent! This means leaving behind a life of sin and following him as Lord of their lives. Although God is infinitely merciful and compassionate towards us He is equally Holy. God wants me, and others who would call on His name, not to be sinless, but to but to be a people no longer in bondage to sin. In other words sin must no longer be our Master for we have a new Master: His name is JESUS CHRIST!
~ Written by Jonathan Andrew
Comments on an encounter with Jesus Read More »