A rational look at the Bible

This Purpose Driven Life provides all sorts of answers, so many and with such conviction that it can be a bit much. Rather than criticize the author, I have not made comments for the past few chapters. I have found that by looking at the outline of the book (major headings and sub headings), it makes much more sense than the actual reasoning the author presents to develop those thoughts. But maybe the road to understanding does not start with sweeping statements of belief. Nor does it start with clear statements of unbelief.

There are two ways of being sure of something: comprehension or experience. A young man looks at the sky and says “A frontal system is moving in and it looks like we will have an occlusion in this area and considerable precipitation.” An old man near by raises his eyebrow and says, “Well, I don't know about that, but that ridge of clouds over there with the dark underside look like one of those big storms we used to have so we better head indoors.”

Both observers were sure of their prediction, one from study to understand “why”, the other from experiencing the “what”. In life most of what we are sure of comes via the “what” of experience rather than the “why” of study. As a person with a quantitative background and a scientific bent, I cannot just accept the Bible as the author suggests. I need to know for myself that it is right and true.

I have taken both of the approaches mentioned above. I have spent many hours trying to comprehend the Bible. But I have also taken the advice of “taste and see” (Ps 34:8). Just like when trying a new food, all the explanation and analysis in the world cannot give you knowledge of the flavor. But one taste tells all.

So, with a rather modest knowledge of the Bible I started trying to do what it says I should do. Now after years of study I cannot say that I understand God or the Bible. However, after years of “tasting” I am dead certain that it “works”.

But what did I expect? Did I expect a scientific treatise or systematic logic? (Actually I did.) But the Bible says of itself what to expect: “[The Bible] is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work (2 Tim 3:16).” It is a practical tool for pointing out errors, showing how to correct them, training us on how to do good works. So far I have found it does that when put into practice and even a bit more.

Purpose Driven Life 12

“Cheated and disappointed” by God (Pg. 94). When we complain about what we don’t have it may be useful to consider what we deserve. Jesus took on our sins and took our punishment. So, what we actually deserve is to be beaten, spat upon, scorned, scourged, stripped, hung from a tree until our own weight forces the breath of life from our lungs. That is what I deserve. So, I am very happy for whatever I have.

But that doesn’t resonate with many people. Perhaps because as a youth I thought that perfection was attainable and then failed often enough to have to admit that I can do no good work. As a youth I sought to save the world. As young man I lowered my expectation to leave it better off for having lived. With maturity I realized it could barely leave it no worse than I found it. Now I would consider it a miracle of providence if I did only little damage. So the image of what I deserve compared to what I have makes resentment toward God inconceivable.

“Do great things for God” (pg 96) Oh, please! Which of my works will be a real help for God. “Gee, thanks, I was having trouble doing that myself.” No, it is all about allowing God to do great things through us. We just have to get out of the way and let him.

The verse “I stand at the door and knock” sometimes engenders a picture of us busy about our lives and over in the corner of the room is a door. God standing outside the door and knocking. I think it is not so much that we don’t open the door; it is that we are holding it closed with all our might, piling up furniture in front and nailing it shut. Denying God is not a passive act; his works are all around us. His blessings cry out to us on every side (Romans, right?). It is a real effort to keep him out, one of turning away, holding down, straining and sweating to keep him out of your life.

“God let Jacob win” (pg. 97). I don’t know if I can buy God throwing the fight. That is not what I read. Jacob could not win and in the end he could only hold on. That is an image I can relate to (it is an image I have carried for years) of being battered and hopeless but holding on to Jesus with all the strength I have left. I think the passage is more about the tenacious faith of Jacob. He had previously gotten by with trickery rather than hard work. But alone in the desert he was at the end of his rope, expecting to get his comeuppance from Esau. He held on to God because he had no other hope.