"Well, crying isn't gonna bring your dog back . . . unless your tears smell like dog food. So you can either sit there crying and eating can after can of dog food until your tears smell enough like dog food to make your dog come back or you can go out there and find your dog."
- Homer J. Simpson
Friday, March 13, 2009
Do we?
I've always assumed that most people who proclaim a faith in JESUS Christ consistently and actively read the Bible. I'm starting to think I may be terribly wrong about that basic assumption. I'm starting to wonder if Christians are as biblically illiterate as the rest of the world.
Even when I was in rebellion, I still had a love for the Bible. I would read it and it would resonate with me to my very core. Now that I, thankfully, try to walk in the light on a day-to-day basis, my love for the Bible hasn't changed, but my understanding of Scripture has grown by leaps and bounds. It's like scales have fallen off of my eyes. I still have a long way to go, and as the Apostle Paul says in 1 Timothy, I am the Chief of Sinners. But if God can put a love for Scripture inside of someone like me, then there's hope for anyone.
The Bible is a treasure. Up until 500 years ago, and up until the general population became mostly literate, believers didn't even have an opportunity at the privilege of having a copy of the Holy Scriptures. Things have changed, thankfully. Much has been given to us.
Do you read it? Seriously, do you? If not, why not? Do you not know where to start? Does a lack of understanding frustrate you? Does it bore you? Do you feel that you need help somehow? (In any case, the Thinklings are here to help! Especially the pastoral guys like Phil, Jared, and Bill. Just leave a comment. I'd love to hear from anyone on this.)
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Comments on "Do Christians Read The Bible?":
2. Bird
- 03/13/2009 2:32 pm CDT
I'm the same way, Billboy. I certainly don't read chapters upon chapters a day. If only I did ...
3. Wickle
- 03/13/2009 2:52 pm CDT
Yes, I do. I'm with Bill ... not as much as I should, but I'm reading it daily.
I know what you mean about illiteracy, though. I hear a lot of things being thrown around in political talk (right and left) or life in general as if it's Biblical, but it's just not.
We're not immersing ourselves in the Truth.
That, of course, makes us vulnerable to lies. (And, yes, I know that the word "us" means I'm including myself.)
4. Chestertonian Rambler
- 03/13/2009 2:54 pm CDT
I take in some Bible most day, but my reading goes in spurts.
Unlike you, I've often had troubles with the Bible, especially after talking to certain types of Calvinists. Namely, it's always a fine line between being convicted and encouraged by reading the Bible...and being driven into despair by contemplations of "Jacob have I loved, but Easau have I hated" or James 1:6-8.
Not to put too fine a point upon it, sometimes prayer (the practice of faith), contemplations of the person of Jesus, and fellowship with people who have a healthier reaction to Scriptures was more important than shoving my head against Scriptures that seem to be satanically twisted in my head.
On the other hand, I go through 3-9 month periods where I read at least a chapter or so every day, and leave my readings refreshed and encouraged in faith more often than troubled and despairing of my salvation.
And of course, like everyone, there are certain verses, passages, stories and doctrines that I come to constantly and repeatedly. These are the ones that I hold to, to remind me who I am and what I believe.
(Of course, the Apostle's Creed and many post-cannonization encapsulations are mixed in with Scriptures--I recognize the difference between the categories, but in life both seem to work alongside each other.)
5. Milly
- 03/13/2009 4:17 pm CDT
Not as much as I should. Where is the time at the end of the day?
I'm up at 4:21 am and in bed at 8:30 Pm in between is work and kids. Time slips away.
6. Bird
- 03/13/2009 4:53 pm CDT
I recognize the difference between the categories, but in life both seem to work alongside each other
It's funny how that works. I agree.
Milly, I know it's tough. You sound like you've got a crazy schedule. :-(
7. Les
- 03/13/2009 5:03 pm CDT
I don't know if anyone here would mind doing this, but this seems like a good post for it.
I'm curious about what passages, long or medium, visitors here are drawn to again and again. If some of you wouldn't mind posting that and saying why, I would love that material to meditate on myself.
My favorite right now is Psalms 103 because it begins with praise, and follows with a declaration of God's response to the human condition. Immensely comforting for me.
8. Bird
- 03/13/2009 5:05 pm CDT
On a related note, I saw a bumper sticker today that said, "If it isn't King James, it isn't Bible."
10. Shrode
- 03/13/2009 5:28 pm CDT
Bird, I would have been sorely tempted to rear end that car with that bumper sticker. Those people are like Muslims, who believe that only the Koran in Arabic is the real word of God.
KJV Only people have a special place in Phil's viritual looney-bin, along with people who think that if you don't believe in the Rapture you don't believe the Bible and you hate Israel.
And Bird,
that's a great verse! I've been preaching through Colossians and it has been personally life-changing. The title of the sermon series is "It's all about Jesus." Which sums up Colossians pretty well. You could say "It's all about Jesus" after every paragraph in Colossians out loud, and you will have just summed up what Paul was saying each time.
It's powerful stuff. "so that in everything he might have the supremacy." Wow!
11. Molly
- 03/13/2009 5:33 pm CDT
For me, it's Philippians 2:1-9. Reminds me how I need to conduct myself and the attitude I need to have - just like Jesus. It kind of helps bring me to the end of myself again each time I read it.
12. Bob Sacamento
- 03/13/2009 5:36 pm CDT
Les, you took Ps. 103 right out of my mouth ... off of my keyboard, whatever. The single verse that I think about ALOT is Mark 9:24, "Lord, I believe. Help thou my unbelief." I am also drawn to Jeremiah because of its gut-wrenching honesty and Hebrews because I find it just mind blowing in so many ways.
14. Shrode
- 03/13/2009 6:29 pm CDT
Andrew,
True dat. Which puts Muslims a step up over KJV Only folks? Man, does this website get controversial or what? 
16. Bird
- 03/13/2009 9:18 pm CDT
I'll leave that one to Bird. He's a universalist, after all. ;-)
No comment.
Shrode, that is a great passage. I always go back to it, again and again. Mind blowing stuff.
17. Andrew
- 03/13/2009 10:07 pm CDT
One of my favorite passages is the 14th chapter of Hosea. It's great on its own, but in the context of the entire book, it's mind-numbingly awesome.
To go back to the original question, I got into the habit of reading the Bible every day, and I rarely miss. My problem is reading it as if it were just another book. Too often, I find myself saying, "Well that's pretty cool," when I should be saying, "Man, that's life-changing." Or, at least that's what I would be saying if it was doing to me what it was meant to do.
And I promise I don't mean that in the I'm-not-as-godly-as-I-could-be way. Sometimes, I think it's lost its power over me, completely.
18. GinH
- 03/13/2009 11:16 pm CDT
I find that I study it more than I read it. By that I mean, I do not read it every day or even every other day. Then I will go to study something and end up studying for like six hours.
I don't truly know how I feel about that either. In some ways, I like that when I am reading it I am doing it intensely and with purpose. On the other hand, why am I not disciplining myself to read it every single day?
I say to myself that the whole idea of a small, 10 minute daily devotional is SO American. We think we can have our Bible like our microwave meals. Done in minutes and then we can feel so great about how full we are.
But microwave dinners don't taste that great and don't really fill you up like real food.
Maybe I just say that though, to try and rationalize away the fact that I'm not disciplined enough to make myself sit down and soak in Scripture every single day of my life.
Ya know?
It's kind of the same way with how irritated I am with myself about my kids' memorization of Scripture. I know the secret to memorization and they really should have half the Bible memorized by now for as long as I've known the secret. But I wasn't disciplined enough to MAKE myself do it and they only know as much as I taught them :(
I think it really is all about my focus - or I guess I should say lack of focus. I suppose it boils down to what CS Lewis said :since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world they have become ineffective in this one.
I don't like to think that could apply to me, but deep down I guess I know sometimes it does.
Wow, I really don't want that to be true.
20. Bill
- 03/14/2009 10:23 am CDT
And I promise I don't mean that in the I'm-not-as-godly-as-I-could-be way. Sometimes, I think it's lost its power over me, completely.
I don't think you're alone in this. But the best thing to do is what you are doing - it sinks in, even when we don't feel it. Know that I'm praying for you . . .
21. Les
- 03/14/2009 4:14 pm CDT
Thank-you to everyone contributing Scriptures. You have already blessed me more than you can know. I'm poring over the ones you've all listed. I'm going through a bit of a spiritual crisis right now and was wondering where some of you go under tough spiritual circumstances.
Thanks.
22. Deb
- 03/14/2009 6:05 pm CDT
Daily reader of small portions, but weekly 'study' - either an entire book or a topical, guided study.
While it's true that the reformation and the coinciding invention of the printing press combined to put Bibles in the hands of just about everyone, the one thing that I think we lack is the communal study of the Word. Prior to everyone having their own Bibles, Christians had to come together to study together AND were compelled to memorize and recite large portions of scripture in order to keep the Word with them.
Q-Does anyone think that even though it is a blessing that everyone has their own Bible, that we are also missing out on the communal study and oral traditions of old?
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Pastoral guys like . . . me? Not true - I'm just a regular shmoe.
I read it, but not as much as I should. I can honestly say I take in some Bible pretty much every single day, but some days it's in very, very small bites.