On Sunday evening I'm starting a series on "Attacks on the Bible's Integrity." I started off last Sunday evening with a lesson on "Why I need the Bible" from Psalm 19. I showed that David had a strategy in writing Psalm 19 that went beyond just the content of the psalm. In v.1-6 David uses the Hebrew word "el" for God just once. In these verses David emphasizes the greatness of God in what he has created and shows his power and majesty. But in doing so God appears larger than life and almost out of touch with us. In v.7-14 David uses the personal name for God seven times (its the word translated Jehovah or Yahweh). This is the personal name by which God revealed himself to Israel (Ex.3:14ff). What David is saying that God becomes personal to us through his revelation in the Word. I also believe that David is saying that without the word we cannot have a relationship with God. The word is not the only aspect to the relationship but without the word there can be no relationship regardless of what else we do.
Tonight I used a column by Bonnie Erbe (Robertson Isn't God's Spokesman) from January of this year. She used Robertson's silly statements of the past few months as the springboard to show us that the Bible really isn't the word of God and that we shouldn't claim that we can even know God's mind or will. So we should all be a bunch of moderates, never really believing in anything and never really condemning anything either. Of course she can condemn Robertson's condemnation of others without realizing that she is stepping into his territory as well. I know that this is a risky kind of series. It is possible that I might make it a little too technical but I want to make the congregation aware of what is being said about the Bible and that we do have good evidence that counters those attacks.
I plan on a separate lessons on Bart Ehrman's Misquoting Jesus, Dan Brown's The DaVinci Code, and I've forgotten what my fourth subject would be. I also hope that our teens will be listening. They need this to fortify their faith.
I closed my lesson tonight by reminding them how our brotherhood focuses on showing where the traditions of men have deviated from the word of God. That focus took us to the denominations with their traditions, but now Bonnie Erbe and the others I will focus on are the new "traditions of men" in that they elevate human rational thinking to the point of making man the god of this world. It is a new religion, a secular religion. They have created a man-made religion. Pagan religions and deviations from God's Word are always man-made religions. We need to be armed in new ways to deal with it and defend our faith. This series will be tough but hopefully helpful.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
I really like this post--wish I could be there to hear your sermons! On Wed. nights my Bible class is studying various world religions. The first one we studied last week reminded me of what you said about needing God's Word to be in a relationship with him. The particular religion we were looking at believes that the common person can read the Bible but interpreting it is up to the clergy. I was talking with someone the other night about how I think that affects their relationship with God, and that is why I think it seems like this particular religion has a smaller percentage of truly active members. Well, those are my thoughts anyway.
Lisa, I think you are right about that religion having fewer active members because their "clergy" tells them what to think and do.
BTW, I read a new post from you this morning and left a comment but the post has vanished. Everything alright?
I don't know what post you're talking about because I don't think any are missing, & the comment you left about hoping the boys stay best buds is still there. Is that the one you're talking about?
Yes, when I checked it this afternoon your "Update" from last Thursday was the first post. However, it is fine now so I don't know what happened. I think it's cool to communicate this way.
I know at one point when I was posting on Sun. night I had to rearrange & ended up deleting one but then putting it back on in a different place. Could that have been the source of your confusion? :) Maybe you were reading it Sun. night as I was posting.
Post a Comment