Raju Ebenezer

The `fundamentalist' peers through the window of his cage and finds all the `liberals' as confined in the devil's fold. Ironically he is quite unaware of the fact that he himself is confined in another cage of the same fold!

The devil is happy at making you a `liberal'. If he can't get you to that, he is equally happy to make you a `fundamentalist'! For he knows well that you could be very scriptural yet be very wrong!

You would wonder at my words. But what I have said is simply true. Come along with me to see for yourself the truth of my statement.

To begin with let us see what the scripture itself is.

The word `scripture' simply means `a writing'. The word `Bible' literally means `Books'. However `the word of God' is not just the Books or the writings in it. It is far beyond its physical form and physical content. The Bible says, `All scripture is God breathed ''. It means the scripture contains the life-breath of God and that is what makes the scripture the word of God. In other words, God's word is God breathed writing.

Missing the spirit and life in the scripture.

It is this breath of God that makes the word of God `living and active". And one should approach it, both with his spirit and heart. With his spirit he can contact the breath- inspiration and life in the word of God while with his heart he can receive understanding. To the one who communes with the word of God in this manner, God's word will be `spirit and life".

God's breath and God's truth in the scripture together constitute the word of God.

Any one, who approaches the Bible, divorcing this life- union of God's breath and God's truth shall only meet the letter of the scripture. For just as the body without the spirit is dead, the letter of the scripture without the breath of God is also lifeless. And that letter of the scripture ministers only death to him. Remember, the letter kills, the Spirit alone can give life'.

`Death at the instance of scripture'? `Too incredible', you would say. But that is what happens to most believers who claim to be `scriptural'. They bring their intellect and minds to the scripture to know it, without bringing their hearts and spirits to receive the light and life in the scriptures. And the result is death!

They would be ardent supporters to the verbal inspiration of the Bible'- the word by word divine inspiration of the scripture. Yet they actually miss the very inspiration in the scriptures. You need to open yourselves to God if God has to open Himself to you through the scriptures. Therefore you should be first turning your heart to God before you turn to the scriptures. Only then you can meet the inspiration in the scripture. And then you are not interacting with the physical word and form of the scripture. You are actually in touch with God and His word and thereby you are opening yourselves to the living word of God. You find then the scripture in turn, opening unto you as a fountain of living waters.

God's word is eternal. `The word was with God' and `the word was God'. This means that God's word is integral to His person. In other words God and His word is inseparable. They are so one as the flame is one with the light it emits. Although the flame can be distinguished from the light, it cannot be separated. It is the same with God and His word. Meeting God's word without meeting God is impossible. Knowing God's word without knowing God too is impossible. Only in the measure we meet God we can meet His word. Only in the measure we know God we can know His word.

Missing God's word in the scripture.

Knowing the Bible is to know its text. However knowing God's word is far more than knowing the Bible! It is to know God's person and nature, His intentions and desires for man, His redemption and workings for man, His will and purpose for man and His heart and message for man. You gaze with awe therein the wonders of heavenly realities as if from a planetarium.

What do you do when you get a letter from a dear one? With all eagerness and haste you read it. The style and the words don't capture your attention. An error of grammar doesn't bother you and a missing letter escapes your notice! The letter as such is nothing more than a conveyer of the facts, thoughts, message and heart of the sender of the letter. It is only the medium that bridges a heart to heart communication between two persons. And the moment you start reading it, your heart transcends to the presence of that distant person. You closely listen to the matter conveyed or the message in the letter. And the letter revives your mutual bond of relationship too.

The scripture is a letter from God. And when you turn to it with your heart turned to God, you find therein a personal message for you. Only then the scripture has become God's word for you.

But most Christians have not known the Bible as a personal letter to them from God. The Bible is not become personalised to them. So they miss God and His very message in the Bible. Thus although they reverentially call the Bible, `The Holy Bible' it is not `God's word' to them. Although they may be fulfilling their solemn duty of routine reading of the Bible, to them it would be no more than `music to the deaf' and `painting to the blind'.

There are many that appear to be very studious and meticulous in their study of the Bible. Some of them go deep into its script, style and words. They take pains to know each fine detail and alternate meaning of its text They even compete one another to establish their interpretations as more accurate and claim themselves to be more scriptural than others. And they argue about each detail and form of the doctrines.

Sadly all these miss God's word, the very message God wants to convey. The Lord said, `Man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God". This means that to know and live `God's will', His written word should become a spoken word to us- a personal word of utterance to our spirits.

Suppose we are earnestly seeking God for His will on a certain matter. God may either remind us or bring to our

notice a scripture that would even surprise us. For we may find as if that scripture was written knowing beforehand the very situation we are in. This scripture would flood light into the issue we are facing, give sufficient spiritual clarity on it, settle our questions about it and deeply impress within our heart God's mind or will concerning us in the matter. The scripture has become a personal word from God to us!

God is a God who speaks. If we had been exercised to listen to Him we would have discovered that the scripture is God's mouthpiece! Have you had times when you were not sure as to which direction to choose or what to decide? And having sought God for His will haven't you heard God speaking through the scripture, very specifically to your situation? If you were of the habit of listening to God, you would surely know many occasions of personal word of `instruction' admonishing you to mend your attitude and words of `reproof' convicting you of sin. Do you know that every teaching, be it scriptural or not, has a direct effect on the conduct and life of its followers? Do you know that whether an overemphasis or a lack of emphasis of any doctrine has significant impact upon the attitude and outlook of its incumbents? We all come across various teachings and emphasis on our Christian path that casts a strong influence on our understanding and direction of life.

What is our safety then? If we remain open to God, the scripture in turn will open up to us and bring to light the error and the spiritual loss we sustained at the impact of an erroneous teaching or emphasis. Thus the scripture becomes God's word of `correction' to us.

God's word can thus take us through a continual course of `training in righteousness' to the end that we become `adequate and equipped for every good work's.

But you find that the word spoken to you came out of the words of the scripture that was already in your heart!

Are you one with a Bible in hand, with its knowledge in mind and with its words on your mouth, yet not familiar to your own life and situations the scripture as `the word of its instruction, correction, reproof and discipline'?

What a deception the enemy has played over the minds of a lot many `Bible lovers' to deprive them of God's word while the scriptures are so much in their minds and so often on their tongues! What a tragedy a lot many `Bible believers' have been fooled to mean the Book knowledge of the Bible as the knowledge of God's word!

Missing the message of the scripture

Those who accompanied Saul saw a blazing light and heard a great sound at the gate of Damascus. However only Saul heard the voice of Jesus amidst this sound'. You can hear the sound of the scripture yet miss its voice. You can be so familiar with its script and doctrines yet miss its message!

Ever from the days of the Apostles, the scripture was a subject of `talk'- a matter for discussion. In his last epistle Paul writes Timothy to instruct the believers to desist from `controversy over words' and to avoid all `empty talk".

A child can be so fond of the school, for the games and friends there yet be totally averse to his study which is the primary purpose of schooling. This is our condition when we are so fond of the Bible while deaf to its message!

For example, consider a `seminar' on the subject, `The ministry of the Holy Spirit' for special invitees where renowned `Doctors of theology' present `Papers'. You would no doubt hear the whole daylong, so much on the subject, things you have never heard or read. Yet you actually miss the Holy Spirit in the seminar who Himself is the subject!

Not that you just miss Him. You miss even a longing for Him. In fact it will be evident to you that the Spirit of God was neither expected nor invited. Rather He was ignored! Yet the irony of it all is that these elite participants never have a sense of shutting out this blessed person of the Holy Trinity who was the very subject of their discussion! Surprisingly, they are content to walk off the seminar carrying their notes and scribbling on the `ministry of the Holy Spirit' with a real sense of achievement!

This reminds of the Lord's words, `You search the scriptures and you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me that you may have life'.

Such discussions could be on any other subjects like, `the deity and the humanity of Christ'. It could be on `faith and works' or on `the great commission'. Yet these discussions are nothing but blind alleys without direction or purpose. They take us nowhere. In their attempt to expound the truth they shut the truth against them. They miss the whole purpose of God's counsel. It ends up in a mockery of truth!

How sad! We lose our way through the scriptures and miss our goal set in the scripture. The scripture becomes an end in itself.

Imagine that you get into a study of the Characters of the Bible. With intelligence and hard work you can well do it. You can preach or write about it. Yet after all your study you could be one least affected by ` Enoch's walk with God', `Abraham's faith', `Moses' great choice of the reproaches of Christ' or `David, the man after God's own heart'.

Or you could be studying the spiritual condition of the seven Churches in the Book of Revelation. You can locate these churches on a Bible Map. You can try to find out what the `lamp stand' or the `hidden manna' would mean. You may research into `the teaching of Balaam and the Nicolaitans'. However, you could never be convicted of `losing your first love' or `being dead while having a name to be alive'. You may continue to be `lukewarm'.

To the God-fearing the scripture is a door to let in God. But to many `Bible lovers', the same scripture is a door to shut God out!

Missing the personal application of the Scripture.

A sailor observes the night sky to fix his position in the high seas. But an astronomer watches the same sky to observe the behaviour of the stars. The same Bible is sought and observed by many with different intentions.

Let me ask you, `Why do you read the Bible? Why do you want to know the Bible'?

You may perhaps have never faced such a question and never have thought about this matter at all! Yet you have some reason of your own to read and know the Bible, which you may not be consciously aware. But if you honestly ponder over this you would find out what that reason is.

Now consider the question why you should read the Bible. If you apply your heart and mind over this question you will realise the good reasons why you should read and know the Bible. Now match your findings and see if you actually read the Bible for the same good reasons!

There are too many reasons for people to read the Bible. Reading and knowing the Bible is considered as the sacred duty of every Christian. Children are instructed to read their Bibles and even memorise its portions in Christian homes from early childhood. Knowledge of the Bible is taken as a sign of spirituality among Bible believing Christians. Therefore many strive to know the Bible to become spiritual or to be known as spiritual. There are also some who study it meticulously, use study aids like commentary, concordance or dictionary and go into various versions with eagerness and curiosity. To know is a pleasure and you derive the same pleasure out of knowing the Bible too! Further there is honour accorded to every scholarship and there is honour for scholarship of the Bible too. You become great because of your Bible knowledge!

However there are others who would say that their reason to be serious about the study of the Bible is none of these but purely scriptural. Be it in their `lone study' or in their `classrooms' or in their `research library' they are striving to comprehend and master this `Book of all books'. They profess to do it with the solemn purpose of disseminating the knowledge of this Book -that is to teach and preach to others.

If your enthusiasm for the Bible is due to any of these reasons, you have missed the truth. And your attitude to the Bible proves the kind of person you are!

If it is to you an `object of devotion', you are no better than an idolater. If it is a `sacred Book' and that is why you are attached to it you are just a religious man. If it is to you a `Book of ideals and good teachings', you are a humanist. If it is to you a ‘Book of instructions' with a list 'dos' and `don'ts', you are a legalist.

The Bible is not a `Book for research'. Neither it is a `material for the preacher'. It is God's `life- manual' for each child of God to live by His will is expressed in it as statutes and oracles for each of us to obey and abide by.

God's word is given for us to obey, practice and apply to our lives. If we miss this central purpose of the scripture, we will lose our way and be in utter confusion.

Are you a genuine Christian? Do you love God's word? If you are approaching the scriptures with the primary purpose of `knowing God's will' and with an ardent desire for obeying God's will, you are genuine, you actually love God's word. Even a minister of the word of God should be approaching the Bible for this primary reason. Only then he can be a genuine preacher!

If we are such, we will find in the scripture specific things written of us­as if specifically about us. We will also find the scripture written for us- so personal as if written specifically to our context and need. And we can say with the same spirit of David, `Behold I come, in the scroll of the Book it is written of me; I delight to do thy will 0 my God"'. This is one of the greatest peril that has happened to Christendom- God's word has lost its personal application! A cleavage has come between knowledge and obedience of the scripture. A divorce has come between the messenger and the message. A breach has come into living the word and preaching the word.

It has become an expression of humility for the preacher to say, `Do not look at me but look at Christ'. If you hear anyone say that be sure he is not genuine. He does not have the credential to preach! Paul said, `Be my followers, just as I also am of Christ'. This means Paul was not just a faceless voice to his hearers; he was a living example of what he preached.

Every time a genuine preacher proclaims the word there is a silent call too that comes along with it to his hearers, `follow my example'. He is not just advocating a teaching, he is witnessing a truth. He is not speaking from a source outside him, he will be speaking from his own life and experience.

This is the difference between, `preaching a prepared sermon' and `preaching from the preparation of life'!

You may ask then, `Who would have the right to preach at all'? I say, everyone has a right to the extent he lives! And each one should preach only what he strives for, what he practices and what he lives. He shouldn't preach anything that has no reference to his own life. Then your words will have credibility and authority. And you can speak by the same principle that Jesus preached, `You have heard that it was said... but I say to you'. Thus you will save yourselves and those who hear you!

Missing the goal of the gospel in the scripture

In the absence of Bibles in circulation and in the context of growing heresies, the early church fathers had to affirm and guard `the faith' through the formulation and confession of `Apostles creed'. This was indeed necessary and good. But a `creed' stating the `goal of the faith' was never formulated!

On a closer observation it could be found that all the latter epistles (epistles written towards the end of the early apostles) were apologetic in nature­written in defence of truth. In these epistles on one hand they strongly defended `the faith'- the truth of the gospel and on the other hand they upheld `the goal of the faith'-the life that is resultant to the faith in the gospel. The apostles contended that truth is vindicated by life. It means, the divine truth in a person is necessarily expressed through divine life in him. Conversely where life is missing truth is missing.

Thus John's endeavour in his epistles was to show the essential compatibility of truth to life. They are just the two sides of the same coin. He goes into detail to highlight how `light, truth and doctrine' should have down to earth application on obedience to the word of God, living a holy life, walking as Jesus walked and living against the spirit of the world. And further these applications practically being manifest as righteousness, purity, love and goodness.

Jude, stating the need for contending for `the faith' was not actually restating `the faith' but in fact was exposing the `ungodly persons who turned the grace of God into licentiousness' (Jude. 3,4). Peter, writing `to those who have received a faith of the same kind' strongly disapproved the walk of those whose last state had become worse than the first'.

Paul maintained that the church was the `pillar and support of truth' and so required a godly `conduct' from each one who was a part of the church". He vehemently opposes those `strange teachings' that does not promote `godly edifying which is in faith' and he puts to notice all who profess the truth that the goal of all the teaching `is love from a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith'. He upholds that true doctrine corresponds to and leads to godliness. In other words to Paul the touchstone of sound doctrine is a godly life.

What does all this mean? Doctrine and life go together. They do not stem out of separate roots. The purpose of all doctrine is godliness and therefore true doctrine should make one truly godly. Any doctrine divorced to godliness is fake and dead. Any defender of `doctrines', however right his doctrine may appear, is no better than a heretic or infidel if his heart is not set on godliness. Any group, whose inward direction is not God and godliness, is nothing but a sect, despite what doctrine they teach.

Godliness means an attitude and conduct of life that is the result of coming to God and knowing Him. A godly man is one who has come to know godliness. You can make him out so easily for his marks are so evident. He lives his earthly life in the light of eternity. He is of heavenly origin having his citizenship there. Hence he lives the life of a pilgrim on earth- as one here for a temporary stay and without any permanent interest. Therefore his whole attitude towards his life, possessions and profession is all different from the earth dwellers' who are his neighbours. He doesn't differentiate between `spiritual' and `secular'. To him the whole life is sacred and holy unto God. He serves God on `the altar of His will' in his work and home and in each detail of daily life.

Every scripture calls him for a godly life, the very goal of the gospel. In this life he has only begun living under the light of the risen sun- the goal of the gospel. And he is evermore going to live under this bright sunshine- the eternal goal of the gospel!  This eternal goal of the gospel can seem too distant and beyond our reach. It can be compared to the top of Jacob's ladder that touches heaven. However this ladder has continuing steps upward and to the one, who climbs, each step ahead is an immediate goal! Yet no step is an end but leads to the next.

If you are really mindful of God's will you will be essentially finding always immediately before you some goals set by the scripture- an area to overcome, some impurity to be totally purged of, a Christ-like attitude to someone or a promise to inherit. Attaining these goals we climb on to the next. And we climb upward this ladder `pressing on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ'

Pressing on through God's will we can find the progressive fulfilment of divine goals in our lives. Our walks in God's will, the work of grace in us and our eternal glorification is a sequel, a continuation. By this we can confirm if we are going the right direction and ensure our possession of the eternal goals.

We find spread over the Bible the eventual goal of the gospel shining forth into our hearts. Naturally speaking it is beyond our comprehension to understand `the glory that is to be revealed in us'. However the Bible speaks of it in a language akin to us and in diverse expressions to convey its different implications. Thus Paul puts it as `transfigured into His very own image"'. In yet another place he speaks of it as being `presented to Christ, without spot or wrinkle, holy and blameless in all glory'.

Are you pressing on through this upward call of God? Have you begun living eternity on earth? Having received the first fruits of the spirit, do you have a groaning within you for the redemption of your body, which culminates in the `manifestation of the sons of God'?

If this is true about you, you indeed love your Bible!

Copyright ©2002  Inter Collegiate Prayer Fellowship   All Rights Reserved
Send comments to: fisherman@icpf.org