Jac3510 wrote:Sounds like you and I are in the same arena in our acquaintence with it. I really hope, though, that I can get to the point that you were talking about - where I can just pick it up and read it on the fly. As of now, I spend a good deal of time in lexicons and grammars. But, that's the best way to learn, eh?
So here is a question for you: do you think it would be more helpful or more harmful if Christians had the level of understanding of the text that people like you and I do? On on hand, the benefits are amazing, but on the other hand, there's that whole "little bit of knowledge can be dangerous" thing.
I've heard phrases to the effect that too much knowledge is a detriment.
One of the more comical events for me was when I was with my wife's family at a reunion in Northern Florida just after I had been ordained in 1990.
SOmeone came along the street while we were out viewing a parade and began to witness to me. I let him know I was a believer and saved.
That wasn't good enough for him. He wanted to know which Bible I used. I had my suitcase up on the porch and so I pulled out a greek text and handed it to him.
He asked me what it was. When I told him, he launched into a pretty impassioned speech about how it was dangerous to study the Bible in anything but the "inspired King James." It would have been funny, except he was dead serious. When I asked him if he knew any greek, his response was "Enough to know that it is dangerous."
Turned out later, he was my wife's uncle's pastor. I guess I don't have to tell you how much of an impact I made with that uncle.
My belief is that ignorance is never a good argument for the need for faith.
Yes, working in the greek, dealing with textual criticism and modern scholarship is fraught with perils and there are many people who have "lost their faith" by doing it. My question would be what was their faith in, in the first place?
Frankly, my belief is if faith cannot stand up to the test of truth then it is worthless. Having these tools are helpful. They answer many questions. The other side is that they raise as many or more than they answer.
That is fine. Faith still applies and is first and foremost the foundation for salvation. The most profound truth I have ever met in my life is found in the song learned as a Child, "Jesus Loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so." No amount of study, intellectual challenge or debate has changed that for me and it never will. It is a non-negotiable for me.
Knowledge is not the foundation of our Christianity. It is faith and it is a relationship. Knowledge can puff a person up and make them proud which is a danger to watch for at all times.
This type of study is not a prerequisite for faith or discipleship, but it is important especially for anyone who dares to be a pastor or a teacher. The responsibilities are great. Every effort should be made to do our part to grow in the knowledge of the truth.
I reject the premise that any Christian should avoid learning more about the bible, hermeneutics etc. for fear they will lose their faith. If that's the case, then why believe it in the first place?
Sermon over.
But you did ask .....
Dogmatism is the comfortable intellectual framework of self-righteousness. Self-righteousness is more decadent than the worst sexual sin. ~ Dan Allender
