Dear Christian,
One of the things I’ve struggled with in my life (career, politics, relationships and the other sex) is seeing things in the proper perspective. Because I’ve been time and time again forced to reexamine things that I’ve done poorly and adjust them, I think that others will be encouraged and exhorted by this word of (hopefully) wisdom.
How do we view the world, Christian brothers and sisters? Do we see it with our own mere eyes? Clearly we do not. The Bible says in Romans 5:12 that sin has spread to all of us like a virus. After Adam and Eve failed in the garden, we’ve all be corrupted. As humans, we have an inability to think rationally. Everything we do is somehow corrupted by our sinful nature, so we have to strive to think in a way that is honoring to God. One of the things I think I’ve been hearing too often is people using the phrase “well I prayed and I think God is telling me to ….”.
One of the things I’ve struggled with in my life (career, politics, relationships and the other sex) is seeing things in the proper perspective. Because I’ve been time and time again forced to reexamine things that I’ve done poorly and adjust them, I think that others will be encouraged and exhorted by this word of (hopefully) wisdom.
How do we view the world, Christian brothers and sisters? Do we see it with our own mere eyes? Clearly we do not. The Bible says in Romans 5:12 that sin has spread to all of us like a virus. After Adam and Eve failed in the garden, we’ve all be corrupted. As humans, we have an inability to think rationally. Everything we do is somehow corrupted by our sinful nature, so we have to strive to think in a way that is honoring to God. One of the things I think I’ve been hearing too often is people using the phrase “well I prayed and I think God is telling me to ….”.
While I don’t dispute the power of prayer and feel it is also very important and essential in the Christian life, many times these actions which are being suggested as divinely inspired reek of illogic and seem lacking of wisdom. From a friend deciding to prematurely enter a relationship to a wife leaving her husband, people claim to “feel that God is leading them”.
What leads us?
Quite frankly, we cannot claim to feel God’s movement unless we’re devoting ourselves to prayer and Bible study. God doesn’t communicate with us by mystical messages, ESPECIALLY not if we’re not spending time in His easily accessible Word! God’s Word is the foundation for all of our actions. The Christian must realize, there are no moral/political/philosophical questions which cannot be answered by using the wisdom contained in the precious pages of Scripture. The Psalmist praises God for his ability to rely on Scripture too;
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
What clearer of a statement do we need? God’s Word is what we use to guide us in our movements in life! In Paul's letter to Timothy, Paul emphasizes the centrality of Scripture to the Christian's life.
Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
What are these areas that Paul is talking about in his letter to Timothy? Below are a few brief explanations.
1) Doctrine
The Scriptures should be so dear to us and followed that just as the motto of Wisconsin is “Forward”, the motto of our lives should be “God’s Word”. Having the Bible as our doctrine means that we so closely follow it (out of love for God, not legalism) that it could be seen as the definition of us! More clearly, the Bible defines how we ought to live. If we claim to be Christians, by definition, we follow Scripture. If we claim to be Christians, and do not follow Scripture, we’re liars. (for more, see 1 John 1)
2) Reproof
When we have a Christian brother or sister who sins or believes something contrary to Scripture, (be it sin against us or someone else) we have no better tool to rebuke them than Scripture itself! We don’t need to use philosophical works or logical equations. While there is no explicit evil in philosophy and logic, if we depend on them over Scripture, we’re making the wisdom of man out to be greater than the wisdom of God. If we take the Bible seriously as Christians, we’ll understand that Paul has rejected the notion that man’s reason alone is sufficient to be truly wise. Without the Holy Spirit, the individual’s discernment is solely weighted on things material and earthly, and therefore incomplete.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
3) Correction
After we have rightly rebuked someone, God’s Word is used to restore them to correctness in their relationship with Him! Much like tuning a piano, we should be tuned to match what Scripture says. That said, we ought not simply rebuke our Christian and leave them with their tail between their legs, but after having informed them of the error of their ways, direct them with Scripture on a path to improvement.
4) Instruction in Righteousness
Scripture benefits us in providing the training we need to live righteously in order to avoid the need for reproof and correction! If we continue to live by Scripture, we’ll avoid God’s chastening and live in harmony with God. Scripture is the lens with which we should "see" the world, the trials we experience, and moral questions we're given by friends and educators. While this doesn’t mean we won’t occasionally give into our flesh and worldly desires, it does provide us with a much clearer focus than our corruptible eyes!
To secularists and those who would not claim to be Christians, the message I pose is this; Paul’s statements in 1 Corinthians 1-3 and Romans 1 make it clear that the non-Christians’ sole dependence on reason and natural wisdom will not correctly answer the metaphysical questions posed by the philosophers, or lead to a life which is considered "good" on God's scales. Essentially, any man who lacks the wisdom which can only be gained by having a right relationship with God is going to be functionally lacking when it comes to trying to understand the spiritual and supernatural world. God did not create reason with the intention of allowing it to stand on its own legs.
In Christ,
E. J. Wood
E.J. Wood is a recent graduate from the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay. He has a BA in Political Science, as well as BS in Public Administration. He currently is authoring a book called "Closing the Book on Christianity: The Post-Modern Christian’s War Against the Bible".
Contact him at proantiundecided@hotmail.com
What leads us?
Quite frankly, we cannot claim to feel God’s movement unless we’re devoting ourselves to prayer and Bible study. God doesn’t communicate with us by mystical messages, ESPECIALLY not if we’re not spending time in His easily accessible Word! God’s Word is the foundation for all of our actions. The Christian must realize, there are no moral/political/philosophical questions which cannot be answered by using the wisdom contained in the precious pages of Scripture. The Psalmist praises God for his ability to rely on Scripture too;
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
What clearer of a statement do we need? God’s Word is what we use to guide us in our movements in life! In Paul's letter to Timothy, Paul emphasizes the centrality of Scripture to the Christian's life.
Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
What are these areas that Paul is talking about in his letter to Timothy? Below are a few brief explanations.
1) Doctrine
The Scriptures should be so dear to us and followed that just as the motto of Wisconsin is “Forward”, the motto of our lives should be “God’s Word”. Having the Bible as our doctrine means that we so closely follow it (out of love for God, not legalism) that it could be seen as the definition of us! More clearly, the Bible defines how we ought to live. If we claim to be Christians, by definition, we follow Scripture. If we claim to be Christians, and do not follow Scripture, we’re liars. (for more, see 1 John 1)
2) Reproof
When we have a Christian brother or sister who sins or believes something contrary to Scripture, (be it sin against us or someone else) we have no better tool to rebuke them than Scripture itself! We don’t need to use philosophical works or logical equations. While there is no explicit evil in philosophy and logic, if we depend on them over Scripture, we’re making the wisdom of man out to be greater than the wisdom of God. If we take the Bible seriously as Christians, we’ll understand that Paul has rejected the notion that man’s reason alone is sufficient to be truly wise. Without the Holy Spirit, the individual’s discernment is solely weighted on things material and earthly, and therefore incomplete.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
3) Correction
After we have rightly rebuked someone, God’s Word is used to restore them to correctness in their relationship with Him! Much like tuning a piano, we should be tuned to match what Scripture says. That said, we ought not simply rebuke our Christian and leave them with their tail between their legs, but after having informed them of the error of their ways, direct them with Scripture on a path to improvement.
4) Instruction in Righteousness
Scripture benefits us in providing the training we need to live righteously in order to avoid the need for reproof and correction! If we continue to live by Scripture, we’ll avoid God’s chastening and live in harmony with God. Scripture is the lens with which we should "see" the world, the trials we experience, and moral questions we're given by friends and educators. While this doesn’t mean we won’t occasionally give into our flesh and worldly desires, it does provide us with a much clearer focus than our corruptible eyes!
To secularists and those who would not claim to be Christians, the message I pose is this; Paul’s statements in 1 Corinthians 1-3 and Romans 1 make it clear that the non-Christians’ sole dependence on reason and natural wisdom will not correctly answer the metaphysical questions posed by the philosophers, or lead to a life which is considered "good" on God's scales. Essentially, any man who lacks the wisdom which can only be gained by having a right relationship with God is going to be functionally lacking when it comes to trying to understand the spiritual and supernatural world. God did not create reason with the intention of allowing it to stand on its own legs.
In Christ,
E. J. Wood
E.J. Wood is a recent graduate from the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay. He has a BA in Political Science, as well as BS in Public Administration. He currently is authoring a book called "Closing the Book on Christianity: The Post-Modern Christian’s War Against the Bible".Contact him at proantiundecided@hotmail.com
