What is the Word of God? It is the living and eternal words of God that have been set down into temporal pages in order that we may see, experience, and understand the Living God through it. Thank God that He gave us such a script so as not leave us floundering in wonder of His character and expectations. It is a standard in which to constantly measure our lives against. Not only this, but it is the standard that God set up that we can constantly measure Him (or our ideas of Him) up against . How can one possibly expect to live any sort of religious life without such a book? Almost every religion in the world has endeavored to have such a book. These religious leaders have realized that if there is not some sort of "standard" by which to define themselves, their followers are left groping in want for a belief structure. Even those that don't have any "formal writings" become or create those components for themselves because they comprehend deep inside the need for such.
In a conversation with a friend of mine one day I asked, "Who is your god?"
She replied, "the universe".
I said, "How do you know that the universe is god?"
She answered, "because I have been doing much reading and this is the conclusion I have reached after the books I have read."
Hmmm... So whether these books were deemed authoritative or not did not matter to her. She reached her own conclusion through her own self-authentication. Her experience, thoughts and feelings were the only stamp of approval she felt she needed.
Is there something wrong with this picture? Well, gee....YA!!! If, as a finite being who has a beginning and an end on this earth, and who has a finite perspective of everything around including self, then the question begs to be asked, "how can a conclusion be reached about an infinite god (as that generally is an accepted concept about godness) through finite derived means?
Ok...This commentary is not meant to be a philosophical debate about such things. What it is meant to do is cause the Christian to consider how much they may think like the one who has no god or a god of their own making. Is there, in our lives, too much experience, thoughts and feelings raised up as a standard for how we live our lives? Do we base so many issues on opinions, assumptions or attitudes because it makes sense to us?... Because it fits into our world view? Is our world view a bit tunnel visioned? If the answer is yes, which it probably is....there should be some healthy fear brewing up inside.
We have rulers, yes? A foot is a foot due to a standard that was set up by some person long ago and it has remained the same ever since whether we like it or not. We can't say, "I don't like that "foot". It is too short. I am changing it because I don't like it". Or, " You know that "foot" is no longer relevant to how this society says I should live my life... I am going to be 6 feet tall now regardless of what the standard says". Good luck talking your doctor into that one.
We have a standard or a "ruler" in which to measure our lives up against as was stated earlier. Although the argument that says, "the Bible is quiet on that issue" may be true for a small percentage of discussions, it is completely rather loud on a much weightier percentage of points. The only way one will find out what it says on those subjects is to read IT.... and understand it unfiltered by the opinions of others written or otherwise. It is nothing short of foolishness to base our perspective on our opinion or the opinion of others because it feels right.
Prov 14:12
There is a way which seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.
I pray that the Lord of all eternity will open our hearts and minds to purge the opinions based on perceptions drawn from ours and others' experiences, views or feelings.
Acts 17:11
