Reading Aright

I heard a preacher say something that had me thinking.  Likely recorded some time in the '60s or '70s, he referred to what he called "textualism."  He defined this as people magnifying biblical text to such high degree that  the God who wrote the text is forgotten.  Instead of shedding light into our hearts and minds, the Bible can be used to obscure with blindness.  The Bible becomes a god in the place of God.  The preacher warned, "The Bible was given for a reason...instead of leading us to God, the Bible can become a substitute for God.  The Bible should lead us to meet God and Jesus Christ in a clear, sharp encounter that burns itself upon our hearts forever!"  Knowledge is a god many run after, and the church is not without this breed.

To people outside the church, the Bible is a book full of hard-to-pronounce names and places, is littered with genealogies, has an occasional interesting story, and offers moral advice.  Those who have such a view of the Bible have likely not read it much, and certainly are in no danger of making the Bible an idol!  Rote memorization of passages, names, and trivia is not supposed to be the end:  the Bible is a window that allows us to see God for who He is and what He has done.  It is an amplifier of His voice as He speaks to us through the prompting of the Holy Spirit.  The Bible is a God-breathed masterpiece which reveals God to man in language he can understand.  It would be silly to be enamored with a card but not the one who sent it.  Loving the gift more than the Giver is nothing new, neither is worshiping creation rather than the Creator.  That doesn't mean we should perpetuate this error in our lives.

Consider your motivation:  why do you read the Bible?  Because you have to?  Because you want to find evidence that backs your beliefs?  To improve your life or help you through personal struggles?  So you can win arguments and discuss difficult theological questions?  What are you seeking?  What is your personal benefit or gain to this point?  The Bible is intended to shine the light of God's truth upon a world filled with darkness and death.  In it we learn who God is, what He is like, what He has done, does, and what He will do.  It is filled with types and anti-types, examples good and bad, promises, curses, laws, praise, prophecy, and the wisdom of God.  It is not a book of stories or tales:  it is a reality our consciences agree with and proofs no historical evidence, scientific research, or skeptic can deny.  Truth can bear examination, and no book has been more scrutinized than the Bible.  Every day only adds to its impeccable credibility.

When you open the Word of God, seek to meet with the Author Himself.  He wrote it to reveal His nature, character, love, and righteousness to all people.  In construction, cooking, or many other tasks, it is best to use the "right tool" for the job.  People think that reading the Bible will improve their lives.  That is only a bi-product.  The Bible glorifies God and reveals Him to man.  May we never lose sight of that.