(Author's Note: The following entry is made with a combination of sincerity, confusion, frustration and satire. I assure you that I in no way intend to attempt to discredit the authority of the scriptures, history or teachings of the Bible – nor do I take it lightly.)
As many who subject themselves to the readings of these ridiculous posts know I am struggling through the modern church's replacement of the experience of God with the reading of the compilation of writings we call the Bible.
A week or so back I had an excellent conversation with some fellow disciples who were able to offer experience and sage wisdom to some of my questions. It was good for me because it reaffirmed, for me at least, that I do not question the teachings or the validity of the Bible. Post Facto I still struggle with the modern Church's means of interpretation of much of it, and more importantly the seeming practice of making the Bible God. It sounds weird, but more and more I hear "preachers" and "teachers" rant and rave about the absolute authority of and the need to be completely obedient to the "word of God" (In the case the speakers are referencing the bible) or the Bible. What I don't hear are enough "leaders" of the modern church supporting a position where people actually relate to God or even expect to relate to God (by that meaning that they don't expect him to relate back). Am I alone in my frustration????
So I mulled this over a bit and I thought perhaps I was going about this all wrong and that I should just concede the point and live in happy "normal" land with everyone else. But then it occurred to me – in the shower where all deep thoughts originate – what about the time before the "Bible" . . . what about the time before all scripture??
People in many Muslim countries do not have the Bible, they have to rely on God the living creator of all things and it is from many of these countries that we here most of the supernatural acts of God still happening. These places where the Bible is hard to come by we still see miracles happening as in the days of Jesus. Likewise what about the days before the Bible?? What did people do then??
They related to God!
Now here is where I throw in the plug that the Bible, aside from being a supreme teacher (but not the supreme teacher – that would still be God's job) is also a supreme reference! If we are relating to God and the "god" that we are relating too is in contrast to scripture then something is fishy.
Adam begat Cain (who was naughty but still had a relationship with God), Abel and Seth. Seth begat Enosh, who begat Kenan who begat Mahalalel who then had Jared who then had Enoch (Who walked with God) who was the father of Methuselah who was the father of Lamech who begat Noah. Noah had Shem who was the father of Arphaxad who had Shelah who begat Eber who begat Peleg who begat Reu the father of Serug the father of Nahor the father of Terah who just happened to be the father of this guy named Abram.
Abram who God later renamed Abraham had some pretty amazing experiences with God. He talked to him, made a binding agreement with him fed him, followed him and so on.
Abraham was the father of Isaac who was the father of Jacob (who was renamed Israel by God). Israel was the father of Joseph who from God received interpretations of dreams. He was also the father of Levi from whom (through how many generations I am not sure) Moses was descended. And it was Moses who most say authored the first books of the Torah.
Before Moses I can not say with certainty how many generations there were. I can also not claim with any certainty how many of them walked closely with God. There were some that were pointed out, but I would wager that sans written scripture (like the Bible that we all tote around) that there had to have been a darned good oral tradition as well as a lived example. My point?!
Look at the list. These people new God. They all had a name by which they knew him that wasn't a generic title for a deity (aka god). They walked with him, served him food, talked to him in bushes that were on fire but never burned, some of them didn't die . . . . They parted seas, turned water to blood, angels were subdued, civilizations were saved . . .
So what happened? Dispensationalism, God changed the rules? I think not. I think we lost sight of what was important . . .
If your Bible causes you to stumble (is that possible?), is more important than your God, or is your God find some petrol and a good strike anywhere match and start over! Salvation begins with God!
Chew on that. And be at peace.
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