Did you shave today? How do you feel about that? Have you confessed this sin to anyone? To yourself? To God? If you have, in fact, shaved, and do not feel guilty, in spite of the fact that the Bible calls it sin, what do we make of that? Does it make you apostate or wise?
Most Bible-believing Jesus followers are probably not very aware of this verse found in Leviticus 19:27. The few who are aware of it have probably written it off as “does not directly apply to my life.” Why? If it’s written in the Bible, how can we so flippantly and selectively choose which verses to give attention and allegiance, and which ones to basically ignore?
Thus the importance of adopting a carefully, thoughtfully crafted approach to studying and applying the Bible to life today. The fancy word for this in theological camps is “hermeneutic.” Use it to impress your friends.
The reality is that you already have an approach to understanding the Bible that you are currently using. If you’ve never thought about it, your approach is probably similar to the approach you take to other areas of your life that you don’t think about very much. Laundry soap, perhaps. Or brand of gasoline for your car. Or lawn mowing options. Or computer circuitry. So long as you’re getting by, you don’t think about stuff you don’t have to or want to think about.
For a lot of stuff, that’s fine. But for some things, that’s a horrible mistake that can actually hurt you. There was a day in our history when medical doctors encouraged stressed out pregnant women to smoke as a way to relax. There was a day when wearing seat belts while driving a car seemed like a stupid idea. Or wearing a bicycle helmet.
There are other biblically-addressed issues that, if understood without careful consideration, can hurt others. There was a day in our country when brutal slavery was justified with select scriptures.
Today, similar individual and corporate maladies are being perpetuated by well-meaning Jesus followers – Bible in hand – who unwittingly deliver significant harm to themselves and others, thinking they are honoring God.
I don’t know about you, but if I’m going to suffer or inflict some suffering on someone else, I want to be as sure as possible about what I’m doing.
Some will read this and scoff, seeing it as a waste of time. I’ve heard some say that they don’t have time for all of this academic stuff – they’ll just read the Bible and do what it says. This rhetoric is, of course, complete hogwash. Nobody operates without a hermeneutic – not even people who have already dismissed the Bible entirely.
My question for you is this: if God is saying that he has the best of life available for you, and has given you much instruction and examples to follow (and not follow) in the Bible, is it worth your time?
And if you know that the Bible is an unparalleled conduit through which God can speak to you personally, spiritually – isn’t it worth your attention?
You have the right to do nothing more than you have in the past. But doing so not only comprises your best hope for the best life, it also robs others of their hope, too. Your life impacts all life, for good or ill.
The bright side: if you take this stuff seriously, your life will greatly improve for the rest of your life. And it will for all other life, too.
Most Bible-believing Jesus followers are probably not very aware of this verse found in Leviticus 19:27. The few who are aware of it have probably written it off as “does not directly apply to my life.” Why? If it’s written in the Bible, how can we so flippantly and selectively choose which verses to give attention and allegiance, and which ones to basically ignore?
Thus the importance of adopting a carefully, thoughtfully crafted approach to studying and applying the Bible to life today. The fancy word for this in theological camps is “hermeneutic.” Use it to impress your friends.
The reality is that you already have an approach to understanding the Bible that you are currently using. If you’ve never thought about it, your approach is probably similar to the approach you take to other areas of your life that you don’t think about very much. Laundry soap, perhaps. Or brand of gasoline for your car. Or lawn mowing options. Or computer circuitry. So long as you’re getting by, you don’t think about stuff you don’t have to or want to think about.
For a lot of stuff, that’s fine. But for some things, that’s a horrible mistake that can actually hurt you. There was a day in our history when medical doctors encouraged stressed out pregnant women to smoke as a way to relax. There was a day when wearing seat belts while driving a car seemed like a stupid idea. Or wearing a bicycle helmet.
There are other biblically-addressed issues that, if understood without careful consideration, can hurt others. There was a day in our country when brutal slavery was justified with select scriptures.
Today, similar individual and corporate maladies are being perpetuated by well-meaning Jesus followers – Bible in hand – who unwittingly deliver significant harm to themselves and others, thinking they are honoring God.
I don’t know about you, but if I’m going to suffer or inflict some suffering on someone else, I want to be as sure as possible about what I’m doing.
Some will read this and scoff, seeing it as a waste of time. I’ve heard some say that they don’t have time for all of this academic stuff – they’ll just read the Bible and do what it says. This rhetoric is, of course, complete hogwash. Nobody operates without a hermeneutic – not even people who have already dismissed the Bible entirely.
My question for you is this: if God is saying that he has the best of life available for you, and has given you much instruction and examples to follow (and not follow) in the Bible, is it worth your time?
And if you know that the Bible is an unparalleled conduit through which God can speak to you personally, spiritually – isn’t it worth your attention?
You have the right to do nothing more than you have in the past. But doing so not only comprises your best hope for the best life, it also robs others of their hope, too. Your life impacts all life, for good or ill.
The bright side: if you take this stuff seriously, your life will greatly improve for the rest of your life. And it will for all other life, too.
May God, the source of hope,
fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him.
Then you will overflow with confident hope
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him.
Then you will overflow with confident hope
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
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