Devotional: Let God and His Holy Spirit Speak....
In order to read and study the Bible in context, you must cast a much wider net than just a few verses before and after the main verse you are looking at. Often times context is limited in use....sometimes deliberate and sometimes not.
Context can be scary for those who didn't learn enough in their own study or there is something in the Scriptures that they don't want people to know. They either feel like they can't discuss it or they don't want people to see it because they want to funnel people in a certain direction. In other words, they don't want you to think about the Bible. You can't protect people from their Bible. Everyone should read critically and don't be afraid to ask questions.
If your eyes are being opened to something "new" to how you have seen it before or from how you have been taught, do not allow fear to hinder you from digging deeper. I have seen it time and time again that people want to allow their "church" traditions, teachings, and practices to trump what the Scriptures actually say. They are often led by a hermenutics that they aren't even aware is the real guide to their tribe's belief system.
I am currently reading and watching some videos from Dr. Michael Heiser and he mentions some of what I have said above; however, it is nothing new. Most of us know people and probably have been one of those people, at some point in our life, who would rather just take what we have been spoon fed and taught how to interpret the texts rather than allowing them to interpret themselves and we accept where we are wrong.
Don't allow your church group/denomination to be your spiritual guide. Allow the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit to guide your journey. If you start to see some of what you believe to crumble and fall away, embrace it. It is all about allowing God to speak to us His Truth and not man's doctrine.
Amen!
Context can be scary for those who didn't learn enough in their own study or there is something in the Scriptures that they don't want people to know. They either feel like they can't discuss it or they don't want people to see it because they want to funnel people in a certain direction. In other words, they don't want you to think about the Bible. You can't protect people from their Bible. Everyone should read critically and don't be afraid to ask questions.
If your eyes are being opened to something "new" to how you have seen it before or from how you have been taught, do not allow fear to hinder you from digging deeper. I have seen it time and time again that people want to allow their "church" traditions, teachings, and practices to trump what the Scriptures actually say. They are often led by a hermenutics that they aren't even aware is the real guide to their tribe's belief system.
I am currently reading and watching some videos from Dr. Michael Heiser and he mentions some of what I have said above; however, it is nothing new. Most of us know people and probably have been one of those people, at some point in our life, who would rather just take what we have been spoon fed and taught how to interpret the texts rather than allowing them to interpret themselves and we accept where we are wrong.
Don't allow your church group/denomination to be your spiritual guide. Allow the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit to guide your journey. If you start to see some of what you believe to crumble and fall away, embrace it. It is all about allowing God to speak to us His Truth and not man's doctrine.
Amen!
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