Tuesday, December 02, 2014
Making "Sense" Of Scripture
Clever Title Here:
It is a stunning trait of modern times that the less hard we have to struggle to survive, the less we realize the necessity for cooperation in order to survive. People used to take what they could get becasue it was all they could get. Now they know they can get more so they fight over what they have. Does that really make sense?
I don't think the Bible is ridiculous, unless you are completely self-centered. And you can only be self-centered if you fail to realize your sinfulness. And therein lies the rub.
So why don't we preach about sin?
preaching self-centeredness sin understanding
It is not uncommon to find ridiculousness in the pages of Scripture. In addition to complex metaphor, vivid imagery, and storytelling that raises even 21st century eyebrows, there’s also stuff that just plain makes no sense. Why on earth would you leave part of your harvest in the field—you need the food and income! And besides, isn’t that just enabling the poor to be lazy? How could you give to everyone who begs from you—isn’t that a recipe for ending up a beggar yourself? Why would you pray for people who want you dead, or invite someone you don’t like to a dinner party—that certainly is not in your own best self-interest.What makes me sad is that int he modern age when we leave gleaning in the field, fights often erupt over who is going to get them. Even charity results in self-interest.
And there we have it, of course: self-interest. Large swaths of the Bible are nonsensical because we’re supposed to take care of ourselves, reward ourselves, pay ourselves—first. We have been taught to serve our own happiness, which means doing more, getting more, having more, even if we have to close our eyes to the person standing at field’s edge or strike back at someone who tries to take what’s ours.
So of course Scripture makes no sense to those of us who are “wise in this age,”...
It is a stunning trait of modern times that the less hard we have to struggle to survive, the less we realize the necessity for cooperation in order to survive. People used to take what they could get becasue it was all they could get. Now they know they can get more so they fight over what they have. Does that really make sense?
I don't think the Bible is ridiculous, unless you are completely self-centered. And you can only be self-centered if you fail to realize your sinfulness. And therein lies the rub.
So why don't we preach about sin?
preaching self-centeredness sin understanding
