This post contains a four step process that could transform your life by, quite literally, changing your mind.
After reading the entire post the vast majority of readers will snicker at such a hyperbolic claim and never implement the method I outline. A smaller number will consider the advice intriguing, my assertion only a slight exaggeration, and will also never implement the method. A tiny minority, however, will recognize the genius behind the recommendation and apply it to their own life. This group will later say that my claim was an understatement.
This post is written for those people.
In late August I stumbled across a variation of the four steps in a blog post by Fred Sanders. I implemented his recommendation that day and have followed the process almost daily since then. Last month I had the pleasure of meeting Sanders in person and telling him how his post had transformed my life. My hope is that at least one other person will follow this advice and experience the same transformative affect.
Before I reveal the four steps I want to reiterate that while the advice could transform your life, it most likely will not. As with most life-altering advice, it is simple, easy to implement, and even easier to ignore. Statistically speaking, the odds are great that you’ll ignore this advice. Therefore I encourage you to stop reading now; you’ll only be wasting your time reading further.
For the one or two people who will find this useful, the four steps that will transform your worldview are:
1. Choose a book of the Bible.
2. Read it in its entirety.
3. Repeat #2 twenty times.
4. Repeat this process for all 66 books of the Bible.
Christians often talk about having a Biblical worldview yet most have only a rudimentary knowledge of the Bible. They attempt to build a framework without first gathering the lumber and cement needed to create a solid foundation. The benefits of following this process should therefore be obvious. By fully immersing yourself into the text you’ll come to truly know the text. You’ll deepen your knowledge of the Bible as a whole and be able to put each book into context.
Since this method is adapted from a book by James M. Gray (1851-1935), “How to Master the English Bible” I’ll let him explain in his own words:
The first practical help I ever received in the mastery of the English Bible was from a layman. We were fellow-attendants at a certain Christian conference or convention and thrown together a good deal for several days, and I saw something in his Christian life to which I was a comparative stranger –a peace, a rest, a joy, a kind of spiritual poise I knew little about. One day I ventured to ask him how he had become possessed of the experience, when he replied, “By reading the epistle to the Ephesians.” I was surprised, for I had read it without such results, and therefore asked him to explain the manner of his reading, when he related the following: He had gone into the country to spend the Sabbath with his family on one occasion, taking with him a pocket copy of Ephesians, and in the afternoon, going out into the woods and lying down under a tree, he began to read it; he read it through at a single reading, and finding his interest aroused, read it through again in the same way, and, his interest increasing, again and again. I think he added that he read it some twelve or fifteen times, “and when I arose to go into the house,” said he, “I was in possession of Ephesians, or better yet, it was in possession of me, and I had been ‘lifted up to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus’ in an experimental sense in which that had not been true in me before, and will never cease to be true in me again.”
I confess that as I listened to this simple recital my heart was going up in thanksgiving to God for answered prayer, the prayer really of months, if not years, that I might come to know how to master His Word. And yet, side by side with the thanksgiving was humiliation that I had not discovered so simple a principle before, which a boy of ten or twelve might have known. And to think that an “ordained” minister must sit at the feet of a layman to learn the most important secret of his trade!
Rather than wasting time attempting to defend the wisdom of applying this method, I’ll simply close with a few practical suggestions for putting it into practice:
1. Choose shorter books and work up to longer ones. Since you'll be reading an entire book of the Bible and not just a chapter or two, you'll want to work your way up to more extensive readings. When beginning this program you may want to start with a short book that has only a few chapters that can be read several times in one sitting. This will not only give you a sense of accomplishment but will give you an idea of how quickly you can “master” the material. For example, a short book like John or Jude can be read four or five times in one sitting allowing you to finish the entire twenty readings in less than a week. [NT books, shortest to longest: 3 John, 2 John, Phlm, Jude, Titus, 2Thess, Rev, 2 Peter, 2 Tim, 1Thess, Col, 1 Tim, Phil, 1 Peter, James, 1 John, Gal, Eph, 2 Cor, Heb, 1 Cor, Rom, Mark, John, Matt, Acts, Luke; OT books, shortest to longest: See this chart.]
2. Read at your normal pace. Treating the material reverently does not require reading at a slower than normal speed. Read for comprehension, ignoring the division of chapters and verses and treating each book as one coherent unit.
3. Skip the commentaries. Don’t get bogged down by referring to commentaries or other outside sources. Commentaries are for your Bible study, rather than for this “synthetic reading.” Read the book in its entirety and then attempt to summarize in your own words the book’s theme and major points.
4. Stick with the process. After the eighth or ninth reading you’ll hit a wall that is similar to what runners face in marathons. The text will become dry and lose its flavor. You’ll want to move on to the next book or abandon the program altogether. Stick with it. Persevere and you’ll discover the treasures that repeated readings can provide. Keep in mind that not every book will be equally rewarding. It doesn’t mean that you’re a heretic if during one of your readings you find 2 John a bit redundant or Jude just plain boring. Keep in mind the words of 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” Stick with it and you'll fully understand the truth of that verse.
5. Choose an appropriate version. As much as I love The Message, a modern language paraphrase is not an appropriate version for synthetic reading. Likewise, the familiar rhythms and cadences of the KJV can, upon repeated readings, get in the way of comprehension. I personally recommend the ESV, though the NIV can be a suitable alternative.
6. Pray. Ask God to open your heart to his Word. Trust the Holy Spirit to illuminate the text and provide guidance and understanding.
7. Begin today. Don’t put it off another day. Don’t say you’ll start tomorrow, or next week, or after New Year’s. You won’t. Start with the only time that you are guaranteed – now. If you have time to waste reading this blog then you have time to start this program. Start now and then tomorrow, next week, or after New Year’s--after your mind has become saturated with God's Holy Word--you can tell me my claim was an understatement.
http://www.evangelicaloutpost.com/mt/mt-trackback.cgi/3211
1
OK Joe, here I go. No more wasted time reading your silly blog. I'm off to meet with John!!!
posted on 11.17.2006 1:55 AM2
I think this is, generally speaking, excellent advice. If more westerners were familiar with the most influential book in Western Civilization, it would avoid a lot of the unnecessary intellectual tail-chasing that one sees so much of. As a single example, I recall headlines in newsmagazines basically asking "Where is God?", "If God exists, how could this happen?", etc. after the tsunami and Katrina. Even a passing familiarity with the Bible confirms that those questions, far from being new and thoughtful, are centuries old and answered.
But I also disagree with the doctrine of sola scriptura. The Bible as we know it is basically a compilation of the Christian church. Until fairly recently in world history, most people had no access to a Bible other than in religious services. The Bible is important, but is only one piece of the picture.
Having said that, it is far, far better to read the Bible than to do nothing. That's how I got started on my personal faith journey that has utterly changed my life. As predicted. And with far less than twenty readings (although I'm working on fixing that).
posted on 11.17.2006 7:14 AM3
Joe:
Surely this is good advice - almost. My concern is that you are assuming too high a level of biblical background and situation for many people who may undertake this challenge.
The reading of the Bible can be, as you say, a life-changing event - but not always for the better. The Bible will not lead us into error but, through our own ignorance or blindness to cultural differences, we may fail to rightly handle the word of truth (hence, Paul's warning).
You are assuming there are no hardnesses of heart, presuppositions, or cultural biases - as well as believing the reader is completely free from personality factors - that would cause her to color the reading of the book. It is the existence of those qualifiers that are the problem, though, and thus I must disagree with your point about ignoring the commentaries, i.e., the works of scholars who enable us to understand the culture and minds of a people vastly different from us and who lived 2000-4000 years ago.
I don't see how someone could pick up Nahum, for example, read it 20 times, and understand the book as the original readers of the book would have understood it. Since they would be reading from shortest to longest, they likely would not yet have read Jonah and certainly not Gen-2 Chron. Without knowing the political and cultural situation, Nahum is might lead one to conclude that God is petulant or unfairly violent.
The danger that concerns me is everyone walking away with their own interpretation and applications. Are there many, many interpretations? Yes, but only one of them is correct. The applications are seemingly limitless but it all turns on understanding the text as the original readers would have understood it and then adapting those principles to our own day (I would say Sitz im Leben but that might seem pedantic).
The Bible, as Paul says of the OT, was written for us but not necessarily to us. Given the enormous changes that have occurred culturally - including personal and social philosophies and worldviews - I would strongly recommend anyone seeking to do as you suggest to have an introduction to the OT and NT close at hand. Before the initial reading of any book - from Nahum to Numbers - read the background in order to understand the context of the book.
Again, I agree that such reading of the Bible is life-changing. I don't believe, however, that without a little contextual understanding the change will necessarily be good or - and especially - in accordance with truth.
posted on 11.17.2006 8:28 AM4
Surely this is good advice - almost. My concern is that you are assuming too high a level of biblical background and situation for many people who may undertake this challenge.
The reading of the Bible can be, as you say, a life-changing event - but not always for the better. The Bible will not lead us into error but, through our own ignorance or blindness to cultural differences, we may fail to rightly handle the word of truth (hence, Paul's warning).
You are assuming there are no hardnesses of heart, presuppositions, or cultural biases - as well as believing the reader is completely free from personality factors - that would cause her to color the reading of the book. It is the existence of those qualifiers that are the problem, though, and thus I must disagree with your point about ignoring the commentaries, i.e., the works of scholars who enable us to understand the culture and minds of a people vastly different from us and who lived 2000-4000 years ago.
I was a member of the National Honor Society in High School, the only freshman Math tutor to have ever been hired by the University where I got an Engineering Degree. I presented my Senior Project before the Society of Precision Metrology - the first undergraduate to do so. I've have had several reports published since then by one of the leading research organizations in my field. I'm pretty confident that when my score comes back from my Professional Engineer exam - I'll be able to put the letters "PE" after my name. Some might say I'm pretty accomplished.
My grandfather, who recently died, graduated High School and worked in a chemical plant for 40 years as an operator. Some might say he was pretty ordinary.
My grandfather's familarity with the Word from years of reading it and applying it were much more useful than any bullet point on my resume.
*My* understanding of the Bible was hampered by my late grandfather's macular degeneration. His vision was so far gone that he couldn't read his Bible and *I* was worse for it. He spent decades simply reading his Bible. He got context from going to church and being involved in the Christian Community; but he didn't need to have a published theological disseration to convey the truth to others - including his grandchildren.
It's dangerous advice to tell someone not to attempt something because they might not do it perfectly the first time.
Dr. Mike's advice is dangerous and asinine.
posted on 11.17.2006 9:20 AM5
Come on, Justin. Perhaps there is some middle ground here? Dr. Mike has an important point - that our own cultural biases and blindnesses can severely inhibit our reading of the Bible, even for someone as saintly as your grandfather. You have a great point as well - that we absolutely must read it anyway, and read it now.
posted on 11.17.2006 9:50 AM6
It's dangerous advice to tell someone not to attempt something because they might not do it perfectly the first time.
I agree, especially in terms of Bible study. Many people in the church are afraid to study for themselves for fear they will be wrong. Of course they will be wrong--sometimes. So will I, and so will every Bible student.
An excellent way to get over one's lack of knowledge is to study. Start with the text itself, which provides a good deal of its own context.
posted on 11.17.2006 9:53 AM7
My concern is that you are assuming too high a level of biblical background and situation for many people who may undertake this challenge.
On the contrary, this method is perfectly suited for those people conpletely unfamiliar with the Bible. After 20 readings, that will no longer be the case. They may not understand the nuances of the past culture, they may miss the finer points, but they will be in possession of the Word and have an informed opportunity to accept the Truth therein.
The danger that concerns me is everyone walking away with their own interpretation and applications.
There are many sects and cults that illustrate your concern, turning Scripture on its ear to tickel their own fancies. This reality (of mispplication) should not be used to discourage anyone from reading the Scripture on their own, lest everyone need a spirit guide similar to the magisterium or Awake!. The Spirit will guide those who knock and seek.
posted on 11.17.2006 10:01 AM8
I'm going to finish my year through the Bible, first, and implement your recommendation on January 1st.
I'd like to suggest that people start in the New Testament, as that's the source for Christian knowledge. Too often, people start with Genesis and plow through the Pentateuch only to hit a wall around Numbers or Deuteronomy. Later, they start over and do the same thing again. So, they never get to experiencing the Gospels or the wisdom of the epistles.
I think I'll start with John.
posted on 11.17.2006 10:03 AM9
Justin:
Although I am twice your age and have only been a Christian for 32 years, I am unable to understand what it is, specifically, that makes my comment "dangerous and asinine." By your own admission, your grandfather's good life and understanding of the Bible was enhanced by church attendance and fellowship: did no one in his life teach or tell him of any of the vast cultural differences between then and now, or inform him of the sitz im leben of the biblical authors and listeners?
Before going further, let me make clear that in no way am I disparaging or discouraging reading the Bible. I have no idea how many times I have read each book of the Bible - it is well over twenty, I'm sure - and have profitted from it. I am, however, disparaging and discouraging reading it ignorantly and arrogantly. I did that for a period and others suffered because of it. (But - hey! what the heck! - I tried, right? Even though I didn't get it right the first time and told some people some things about salvation that were not true. Who cares about a little false gospel? Surely you would say there's no harm in that since, after all, I was at least trying!)
Despite my sarcasm above, I'm actually a few years removed from being offended by rash and foolish words from youthful lips, so just tell me where I'm wrong. I couldn't deduce that from your anecdotal (as opposed to biblical) comment.
A final request, if you have the time: you wrote,
"It's dangerous advice to tell someone not to attempt something because they might not do it perfectly the first time."
Should I thus undertake brain surgery even though I know very little about it? A heart transplant? Want to go flying with me? I'm willing to try, even though I might not get it right the first time. For that matter, why bother going to school to study engineering? Why not just go out and build a bridge, even though you probably won't get it right the first time?
Do you believe any of the above to be more important or to possess more eternal significance than God's revelation to us? The Bible is not a magical book: it is written revelation and needs to be understood for what it is, not what we want it to be. We must understand His word correctly, period.
Hubris, not caution, is dangerous; arrogance, in addition to asinine, is opposed to humility. Hubris eschews education and learning; humility recognizes the need for it and seeks it earnestly.
posted on 11.17.2006 10:41 AM10
These are my fovorite posts on EO. They are uplifting, inspiring and motivating. Plus the usual haters, critics and snark masters don't bother to show up in the comments.
posted on 11.17.2006 10:50 AM11
I'd like to suggest that people start in the New Testament, as that's the source for Christian knowledge. Too often, people start with Genesis and plow through the Pentateuch only to hit a wall around Numbers or Deuteronomy.
Good point, and I would add that it is imperative that it be followed by a reading of the OT.
Leviticus is tremendously mind-numbing if read by itself without a NT familarity. It is mind-blowing if read through the lens of Christ and His sacrifice, and the necessity of sacrifice for sin, any sin, every sin.
posted on 11.17.2006 11:14 AM12
I am, however, disparaging and discouraging reading it ignorantly and arrogantly. I did that for a period and others suffered because of it.
I wonder if newcomers to the Bible are capable of reading it any other way, due to the pervasion of human nature that hasn't been replaced yet?
My view on this is that others weren't harmed by your reading of the Bible, they were harmed by your evangelism of the beginning of your knowledge. Thus, not all should endeavor to become teachers, at least not right away... ;-)
posted on 11.17.2006 11:18 AM13
You know, if you guys were reading instead of writing...
Never mind, I've just finished Haggai. Now, off to read it once again!
(Good idea, Joe).
posted on 11.17.2006 11:24 AM14
(All fall silent as Ogre hoists himself on his own petard.)
:)
posted on 11.17.2006 11:32 AM15
Rather than wasting time attempting to defend the wisdom of applying this method...
Amen to that! Paul never stopped anyone from preaching Christ despite their motives, so I don't think we should tarry anyone from beginning this project. As much as I care about doctrine, I believe the Holy Spirit will teach through the Word better than seminars about culture and systematic theology. If invalid personal interpretations are too serious, I suggest a better understanding of the Gospel from Romans, John or Galatians. Knowing the full Gospel is the single greatest weapon against bad interpretations of other themes in scripture.
Dr Mike: why are you so sure the Hebrew mind of 400 B.C., or the Greek mind of 100 A.D. is so different than ours? And if the mind is different, surely the spirit is the exact same.
posted on 11.17.2006 11:52 AM16
Jude just plain boring
Come on Joe! Jude cites Enoch, he rocks!
posted on 11.17.2006 11:55 AM17
Thanks for the advice. I've been thrashing around for a new method that would get me started reading the Bible regularly again and this makes a lot of sense.
One other comment about the need for input from Christ's Body in our reading: the perfect illustration is the story of the Ethopian eunuch in Acts who just didn't get Isaiah until Phillip joined him on his chariot ride.
One other thing: I was part of a Christian group for 13 years that taught the value and necessity of Bible reading but downplayed commentaries. Unfortunately the interpretation they gave to certain key passages was in error. This resulted in a lot of hurt and confusion. When we read our Bibles (over and over as we had been taught) it was through those faulty lenses. After leaving the group I finally was able to regain a right perspective by reading Christian classics by the likes of Martyn Lloyd-Jones and the old English Puritans.
The point here is that when we DO get the input of the Church, we need to make sure that it is of the authentic kind. Like the Bereans we need to search the scriptures to make sure our preachers (and commentaries) are on track.
So the Bible seems to tell us both that we need pastors and evangelists to understand the Bible, and that we need the Bible to check up on pastors and evangelists. And that we need the Spirit for both.
\
posted on 11.17.2006 11:56 AM18
Hey Joe, I've done something a little different than your suggestion, but believe that it has had similar results in my life - and that is scripture memorization. And not of just a verse here and there, but of entire passages.
The word of God is powerful and authoritative. If we learn it, it will change us. I'm not a overtly emotional guy, but quoting God's word often brings me to tears.
The cool thing about memorization is that anyone can do it. It's really just a matter of applying oneself. If you can memorize the Lord's prayer, you can memorize just about anything. One verse a day, and you can memorize a medium length chapter in a month.
One warning, and this dovetails a bit with what Dr Mike says: From my experience, delving into the Bible has challenged my faith, and not always in easy ways. We have to decide if we really believe God's words or not. When God says "Ask and it will be given, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened.", do we really believe that? It has been a challenge for me, but good nonetheless.
Also, with a better understanding of scripture comes a greater accountability to God. If we know His words, we had better be living them. We have no excuse.
In case anyone's interested, here's what I have memorized over the last 2 years:
Exodus 20:1-17 (10 Commandments)
Jude
psalms 23,121,139
Romans 8,12
Philippians 2:1-12
Luke 2:1-18 (Christmas story)
1 Cor 13
Matthew 5,6,7 (sermon on the mount)
I'm currently working on the book of James, targeting one chapter a month.
posted on 11.17.2006 12:21 PM19
Ok, so is this any better in Greek and Hebrew? Because that's my current solution to the problem of picking an English translation.
posted on 11.17.2006 12:56 PM20
I give up.
OK, Blake, you've persuaded me: there's no difference in culture, people, times, worldviews - in anything. Nothing has changed in 4000+ years.
So, read Leviticus - or mayble Ezekiel - and I'll see you at Temple on Saturday.
posted on 11.17.2006 1:05 PM21
"mayble"?!?
I really need to go away.
posted on 11.17.2006 1:06 PM22
Joe,
posted on 11.17.2006 1:48 PMThis is great advice Joe, and I especially like your methodology. Can I offer another piece of advice for reading? I am constantly grated by the likes of self-righteous politicians, Hollywood-types, and others, who invoke the Lord's sayings at will to serve their own self-interests or to bolster some sociological opinion they are promoting. John Piper has released a new book titled, "What Jesus Demands of the World". The book is essentially a collection and analysis of the hard sayings of Jesus. I highly recommend it to all and especially to those who like to pick and chose the Lord's words for their own purposes.
23
Dr. Mike -
I think it is important to have good contextual interpretation of the Bible, but you make it sound like you have to have an advanced degree in theology to even approach the book. I think that's what folks are objecting to.
Be careful putting too much emphasis on head-knowledge - our relationship with God is a heart-to-heart, and when you miss that you may end up a Pharisee. :-) Honestly, Jesus had a lot more time for folks who were genuinely seeking Him and confused, than he did for those who were puffed up in their own knowledge.
Another important point, Dr. Mike, is that we aren't trusting ourselves to understand the Bible - we are trusting the Holy Spirit to reveal it to us. As the scriptures tell us, spiritual things are spiritually revealed, which can only happen through the Holy Spirit, not through human wisdom.
May God bless you and His Spirit guide you, and all of us, as we seek to understand His Word. :-)
posted on 11.17.2006 5:22 PM24
[T]he usual haters, critics and snark masters don't bother to show up in the comments.
Of course we won't, Brian. When you're discussing matters that pertain to your baliwick, you have a free and open hand. Remember this.
When you confine yourselves to parsing the meaning of the Bible, the concerns of the church, you are in your element and people like me who no interest in such things will have no comment. You're "good to go," as they say in the South.
Have at it.
posted on 11.17.2006 8:27 PM25
Sure, just read the Bible and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you to the true meaning. That's why there are 33,800 Christian denominations.
Sorry, I couldn't resist one little snark. Don't mind me.
Oh, one more.
Joe, does your head hurt when you post about how Marines can effectively kill people and reading through John 20 times in the same week. Doesn't it seem a bit schizophrenic? Let's blow those suckers away for Jesus. Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!
posted on 11.17.2006 10:54 PM26
Another important point, Dr. Mike, is that we aren't trusting ourselves to understand the Bible - we are trusting the Holy Spirit to reveal it to us. As the scriptures tell us, spiritual things are spiritually revealed, which can only happen through the Holy Spirit, not through human wisdom.
I agree with this statement in a literal sense, but not with what I think it is meant to communicate.
Indeed we should trust the Holy Spirit to reveal the scriptures to us. But what exactly does that mean? To many modern evangelical individualistic Christians, it means reading the Bible by yourself and latching on to things you "feel". The problem with this is that, as the scripture itself teaches, the heart is deceitful above all things (including, presumably, the mind). How may Christians say things like "God has just given me a peace about going through a divorce with my husband. I really feel its the best thing to do."
Likewise, to do the hard work of studying the world that scripture came from, is not "human wisdom" in the sense that it is devoid of the Spirit's guidance into all truth. It is a horrible fallacy to equate the emotional with the spiritual and the intellectual with the carnal. A horrible one indeed that has cost us dearly in our culture.
I absolutely think we should read the Bible constantly - be saturated with it. I also think we should strive to enter into the world that the Bible came from with the same teachable energy and fervor of a missionary entering a foreign culture. The Bible is not a book dropped from Heaven - it was the work of fallible humans using their own free will that nevertheless is the authoritative word of the infallible God.
There are so many things we take for granted in our culture that are foreign to scripture, and it is so easy to impose our culture on the text. We can then find ourselves in the awful position of thinking scripture says a or b when scripture is longing to tell us c or d. The solution isn't to stop reading the Bible, but to read it more seriously, in larger chunks, and with an openness to suspend quick theological packaging while we let it tell us the story its trying to tell.
posted on 11.17.2006 11:32 PM27
Joe, does your head hurt when you post about how Marines can effectively kill people and reading through John 20 times in the same week. Doesn't it seem a bit schizophrenic? Let's blow those suckers away for Jesus. Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!
Ex-preacher, this is really getting tiresome. This seems like willful ignorance - putting up these straw men when you really do know better. You can disagree with the Christian just war tradition, and think all Christians should go the route of the anabaptists. But you need to at least respect it as the robust intellectual position that it is - and engage it. Prove that you understand the other position, and then try to show us why we're wrong.
Or you can stick with what you are doing, which is really little more than petty caricatures and bigotry.
posted on 11.17.2006 11:39 PM28
Human nature has never changed.
posted on 11.18.2006 12:33 AM29
Excellent post. I won't make promises that I'm going break.
Editorial note, Joe: since I hope you'll be referring to this post again (and on slow news days, reposting it wholesale) you may wish to invert the word order in your point #1, the books are listed shortest to longest, not longest to shortest.
May God bless you with three readers who actually follow your advice--I know, three is a stretch, since you are only figuring on one. But then again I'm asking God, so we're allowed to dream big are we not?
posted on 11.18.2006 1:33 AM30
I respectfully suggest that it is better to think for oneself than to immerse oneself in the Bible with the goal of receiving divine inspiration.
One could do worse than live with the Bible as one's handbook, but one can do better as well.
What do I mean by thinking for oneself?
For example, pick out the good stuff in the Bible and keep it, such as love and forgiveness and respect for your fellow men and women. Also, leave out the not-so-good stuff, such as accepting Jesus as an infallible guide to anything and everything.
Peace,
posted on 11.18.2006 2:45 AMMatthew
31
I am going to read Matthew Goggins' comment 20 times instead of scripture because he is smarter than me and has some kind of unassailable authority to determine what parts of the Bible are the "good stuff" and what parts are not.
Hopefully you are going to post a comprehensive list of "good" and "bad" verses soon Matthew? It's hard to guess what you would think sometimes. Throw me a bone here.
posted on 11.18.2006 3:11 AM32
Joe,
I like this post. The reason it appeals to me is the general level of biblical illiteracy that is out there. It would be much harder to fleece the flock, if the sheep knew his word. "All who are godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persucution" versus "Your best life now" is an example. The bible should be our commonality or syntax much as Latin is for medicine.
I concerns me that we are returning to temple style worship. The priest enter in to the holy of holies because we are impure or uneducated and must trust them to be the conduit of God's words to man. A christian community where the word is known and intimately shared person to person is vibrant and alive. Compare this with the pure pulpit to congregation transfer where the preacher/priest uses the Message because the adult bible is to difficult for his laypeople. The latter rarely if ever disagrees with his pulpeteer on a biblical basis.
So kudos for bringing the Word back into the discussion.
posted on 11.18.2006 6:20 AM33
Excellent post as usual, Joe. Entertaining, of course, and certainly edifying as well. Dunno if I will do this 20X approach all the time, as I have received success reading once followed by reading and writing a paraphrase. But I will do the 20X after I finish the book just started.
Several commenters alluded to the role of the Holy Spirit, and I appreciate that. Reading 20 times, I think, gives us time to open up to the Spirit and let Him communicate the meaning and value of what we're reading to us. Simple study is not effective. Words alone are not enough, as the hearers of the parables realized.
It would be a mistake to think the the bible is sufficient and that the Spirit is unnecessary. The Spirit uses the text, but as the eunuch discovered, words without the Word (what the bible calls the Word) is not enough.
The more I think about the 20X approach, the more I recognize its potential value. After a few readings, I'll know what it says. After 20 readings, I should understand what He says.
Thanks, Joe.
posted on 11.18.2006 11:35 AM34
Thanks, Joe, for inspiration (pun intended). I'm going to experiment and see if this form of benign brainwashing works for any text. I'll read Emerson's "Self-Reliance" for twenty straight days, and see what happens.
posted on 11.18.2006 11:49 AM35
Step five, accept Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.
posted on 11.18.2006 2:06 PM36
Everyone (and especially Dr. Mike),
I doubt that Joe intended (and am pretty sure Fred didn't intend) that we should make this our complete practice regarding the Bible. This notion was taught to me as the first step of Bible study -- if you're going to study 1 John, the best place to start is reading it a dozen times.
Even if you're not treating this as a starting place for Bible study, it is still not intended to exclude Bible study. Yes you can get wrong ideas by reading the Bible out of historical context. But the point of this practice is to get a good handle on what the book in question is "about." Read Ephesians a couple of dozen times and you still might not completely understand the armor or the submission of wives, but you will not be able to miss the grace of God and, generally speaking, how we ought to respond to His grace.
Later, when you're ready to study Eph 5 in detail, you'll easily be able to consider it within the context of the whole letter.
So read repeatedly. And study deeply.
posted on 11.18.2006 2:35 PM37
Kaffinator,
Tbe Bible is not a very big book. It is a very big collection of books, as everyone here knows. I would never think of trying to sit down and write a review of everything therein.
Just to sit down and read it intelligently (once) would be a long, long project. Reviewing it in any kind of detail would be the task of a lifetime, and could easily take up more than one lifetime.
And of course, I'm advocating thinking for oneself. No one needs my thoughts in particular in order to engage in some critical thinking. If someone needs help in approaching the Bible critically, he can google up some very good critiques on the internet.
You asked me to throw you a bone, however, so I will oblige you by giving you an example of good and not-so-good.
Good:
Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots. Luke 23:34
Not-so-good:
The story of Abraham's near-sacrifice of his son, Isaac, in Genesis 22.
Here's the text. Per Joe's suggestion, I left out the verse numbers:
And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.
Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.
And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.
And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.
And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.
And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor;
Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram,
And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.
And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother.
And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.
posted on 11.18.2006 3:18 PM38
So Matthew, thanks for the example, but if you're not going to give me a comprehensive list, you might tell me WHY Luke 23 is good and Gen 22 is bad. It's not obvious to me. I'd like to know, upon what authority do you make such judgments.
posted on 11.18.2006 5:57 PM39
Kaffinator,
Luke 23:34 is good because Jesus gives us a powerful example of forgiveness and compassion.
In general, helping people is good, and hurting people is bad. Jesus had the strength of character to not bear a grudge against those who were responsible for brutally killing him. This remarkable strength can inspire us to practice a similar kind of forbearance and understanding in our own lives.
Genesis 22 is not good -- it is rather terrible actually.
God allegedly tests Abraham's faith by asking him to murder his only son, Isaac, as a sacrifice to God. This is a horrible thing for God to ask.
Abraham responds by agreeing to do so and by going with his servants and his son to do so under false pretenses. Abraham's behavior is so repugnant and disgusting.
When Abraham is about to consummate this great crime against his son, God allegedly has the angel of the Lord intervene and reward Abraham for passing this test of his faith and loyalty to God.
Remember, the general principle is that helping people is good, and hurting people is bad. What God asked Abraham to do was treacherous, psychotic, and the height of immorality. That this is a central fable in three great religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, is a tragedy.
What authority do I have to speak of these things? My conscience. Just like your conscience leads you to trust in the Bible. Ultimately, no matter our beliefs, our conscience is the authority that governs our morality.
Peace,
posted on 11.18.2006 6:38 PMMatthew
40
Just try it =) I'd start with Matthew...
Matthew Goggins:
posted on 11.18.2006 9:12 PMIt's about the lamb.
Type: Genesis 22.
Antitype: John 3:16 (c.f. John 1:29)
41
Hi Matthew,
> What God asked Abraham to do was treacherous, psychotic, and the height of immorality. That this is a central fable in three great religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, is a tragedy.
Good thing you’ve come along to set ‘em all straight! It's a wonder they scraped by without you...but against all odds they became, uh, the dominant religious systems of all western and middle-eastern societies going on two thousand years now. Go figure.
> What authority do I have to speak of these things? My conscience.
Your conscience must be a heckuvalot more reliable than mine. Mine tends to lead me toward self-absorption, self-gratification, laziness, snarkiness (no, really!) and so forth.
> Just like your conscience leads you to trust in the Bible.
You assume too much.
> Ultimately, no matter our beliefs, our conscience is the authority that governs our morality.
Conscience also governed Hitler’s, Pol Pot’s, Saddam’s, Abraham's, and yes even G. W. Bush’s morality. Does that mean you endorse all of their actions? I’m sure you’d like to say, “well no” because you think they broke the “helping people is good, and hurting people is bad” rule. But if their almighty conscience understands that rule differently or selects a different rule, we don't really have any grounds to question them.
posted on 11.19.2006 1:43 AM42
"Your conscience must be a heckuvalot more reliable than mine. Mine tends to lead me toward self-absorption, self-gratification, laziness, snarkiness (no, really!) and so forth."
That has to be one of the most contemptible thing i ve observed about religionists...they all claim that without religion to command their behaviour,they would all be monsters run amok...interesting that i get along in this world as a good person without having the fear of your mythological god driving me to be so isnt it?
"Conscience also governed Hitler’s, Pol Pot’s, Saddam’s, Abraham's, and yes even G. W. Bush’s morality. Does that mean you endorse all of their actions? I’m sure you’d like to say, “well no” because you think they broke the “helping people is good, and hurting people is bad” rule. But if their almighty conscience understands that rule differently or selects a different rule, we don't really have any grounds to question them."
posted on 11.19.2006 5:39 AMWell i imagine that their conscience did not really govern these people or they would probably have acted differently...conscience tell you what you SHOULD do,it does not ultimately command what you WILL do.
43
Kaffinator,
Conscience also governed Hitler’s, Pol Pot’s, Saddam’s, Abraham's, and yes even G. W. Bush’s morality. Does that mean you endorse all of their actions? I’m sure you’d like to say, “well no” because you think they broke the “helping people is good, and hurting people is bad” rule. But if their almighty conscience understands that rule differently or selects a different rule, we don't really have any grounds to question them.
My conscience and your conscience disagree with Hitler and Stalin and Saddam. Apparently there was something very wrong with their consciences. Either they chose to have an immoral conscience, or they thought they had a moral conscience and they were interpreting it immorally.
In either case, our conscience tells us to disapprove of these immoral monsters and to do what we can to stop them. If we are hiking in the woods and meet a hungry bear, the "conscience" of the bear might tell him to attack us. We would disagree and either flee or defend ourselves.
The fact that the hungry bear has a different conscience (or doesn't have a conscience) doesn't mean that my morality or your morality is wrong. It just means the bear is not someone or something we can treat as a moral equal or partner.
In the same way, we can say that Hitler and Pol Pot and Saddam were not fully human, or at least not fully morally human. They were moral monsters.
Each of us runs the risk of becoming moral monsters as well. But as LudVanB points out, hopefully most of us can muddle through pretty well and turn out to be decent human beings whether we are religious or not.
It's a wonder [Judaism, Christianity, and Islam] scraped by without you...but against all odds they became, uh, the dominant religious systems of all western and middle-eastern societies going on two thousand years now. Go figure.
Like I said, nobody outside my circle of acquaintances needs me in particular. "Help, don't hurt people" is not an earth-shattering revelation to most people.
The biggest problem, usually, is not figuring out what is right and what is wrong. The biggest problem is doing the right thing when it's difficult to do so.
The way to fix that problem is to cultivate good moral habits and weed out immoral habits. Then, when crunch time comes, one has a decent shot of being able to rise to the occasion.
Your conscience must be a heckuvalot more reliable than mine. Mine tends to lead me toward self-absorption, self-gratification, laziness, snarkiness (no, really!) and so forth.
Well, that is certainly one possibility.
But I suspect you're being a little bit overly modest. And things like self-absorption and snarkiness, in moderation, are not always entirely inappropriate.
If you are correct though, don't give up hope. Identifying the problem is half the solution :)
Cheers,
posted on 11.19.2006 3:10 PMMatthew
44
Matthew,
The scripture you chose as an example of a bad story in the Bible is actually a very good example of a book that can be best understood by the method described. On first reading that is the feeling you get from that Bible story. But after years of Bible studies and discussions the thing that became clear to me about this story is that Abraham knew all along that his son would survive whatever God asked him to do. He told the young men to wait for him and said we will be back. God had given him his son and had promised him descendants and he knew God keeps His promises.
posted on 11.19.2006 5:06 PMIt is a story of trust and faith and ultimately a foreshadowing of the provision of the Lamb of God who would be sacrificed for the sake of the world. When I was an atheist I read the Bible to heap scorn on those who believed. I thought I understood it then. When I became a believer I read the Bible after praying to be filled with His Holy Spirit and I read it then for the first time with words jumping off the page and filled with meaning that I had never gotten before. It was like a light was shone on what had previously been read in a dark room.
45
are we talking about the Bible's being the inerrant word of God? i don't want to challenge anybody, but i will say this: the Creation IS the inerrant word of God. to the extent that God spoke the Creation into being, that is God's inerrant word. (it's the only Word there was to make the Creation!) and the Bible is, as i see it, man's description of his attempt to 'live with it'; or, as the Existentialists would say, our 'thrown condition'. so let's make the best of what we have. there are some great eternal verities in the Bible. (there are some great atrocities there too, but perhaps they happen because we do not follow the will of the Creator; i.e. the Beatitudes, the Golden Rule, etc.) all those Jeremiahs in the Old Testament had it right. they said what would happen if we 'blew it' and we did and those things happened right on schedule(the sack of God's own city, Jerusalem; Sodom and Gomorrah; Nineveh; Babylon(that could bring up a whole can of worms about Iraq, which was Ancient Babylonia, the Cradle of Civilization), etc., etc.,..... so maybe let's find some good words to live by. the Bible has some good pointers for all time.
posted on 11.19.2006 5:31 PM46
Deva,
I think a more straightforward interpretation of Genesis 22, where Abraham was really prepared to murder Isaac, is more likely to be what the author of Genesis meant.
But even if you are correct in your interpretation, that doesn't let Abraham off the hook. In my version, Abraham (and God) score a 10 out of 10 on the treachery-psychosis-immorality scale. In your version, I would give them a 7 or an 8 out of 10.
On the Word of God,
I like your way of looking at things.
I would only add, "Handle with care", when using the Bible for pointers, because some of the pointers are a lot better than others.
posted on 11.19.2006 5:53 PM47
Great post Joe. I think reading through the whole bible to start with is a good idea. I've done that a few times. I recommended it to a friend of mine who hadn't read the whole bible and she startd doing it. She was amazed at how the themes and stories unfold, the connections, and so on.
posted on 11.19.2006 9:09 PMAnd then get more acquainted with the individual books. You are right we talk about having a bibilical worldview but some folk haven't actually read the bible from front to back.
Love the way you prefaced this post too.
48
Thanks, Joe. Haven't tried it that particular way yet, but I have finally internalized the discipline of daily time in the word (I'll soon finish my 6th trip all the way through the Bible using a yearly plan). Of every piece of advice I could give to anyone seeking to deepen their spiritual life, to improve their marriage, to adjust their priorities, etc., the single greatest one is simply to spend regular time in the word of God. Now if only I can get my prayer life to match...
PS-If anybody wants to try the "whole Bible in a year" way, I found the "One Year Bible" (a little Old, a little New, and a Psalm each day) to be the easiest for building the habit, but would recommend that everybody read through the Daily Bible/Narrated Bible at least once (re-written and harmonized in Chronological order, with ample narration about contemporary culture and history between the readings).
posted on 11.19.2006 11:08 PM49
Hey Joe, I posted a comment on this thread that apparently got eaten. Any idea why?
posted on 11.20.2006 12:45 AM50
Matthew, I understand your difficulty with the Genesis story. I actually blogged on it a few months back. On the face of it, you are most surely right. I doubt any of us evangelicals would have anything positive to say about someone who today felt God was calling them to sacrifice their child as an offering to God, no matter what sort of theological justification they had.
But I think there is something deeper going on here: something you are missing because of your posture towards the Bible. You see, you are trying to glean from the Bible moral insights that seem good, and condemning things that you see falling short of this. The problem with this, in my view, is that that is not necessarily the point the Bible itself is trying to make. It is not so much a collection of morality tales as it is a cohesive story. Yes, there are many books, but taken together they really do paint a remarkably unified and intricate picture.
What I'm trying to say is that the story of Abraham and Isaac is not meant as a "Biblical guide to parenting" or anything of the sort. It's a story about a nomad who trusted his god enough to give back a miraculous gift he had been given. That it assumes all sorts of patriarchal ideas (like fathers having the right to kill their children) need not make us throw it away in disgust - unless we want to lose the opportunity of understanding people in other places and times who think vastly different from us. We need to suppress that moral indignation long enough to experience the story. We need to try to see through our own cultural ideals and enter into someone else's world.
And what we find really is amazing - a man who trusted this god to follow through on his promises, and bless the entire world, when gods as a rule were well known to be petty and cruel. Out of this posture of trust, this god is able to form a hopeful people out of the cruelty and pessimism of the ancient world. And he does indeed give them laws and morality which show that sacrificing children is wrong. And much much later into the story, he is incarnate as a man himself, and exemplifies that attitude of self-sacrifice and forgiveness that you rightly praise. Not only that, but in Christ's sacrifice we are able to look back on Abraham and see something good, insofar as Abraham's willingness to give his best typifies God's willingness to give his best to us.
I caution you against the quick and easy reaction of throwing the jarring and ugly parts out, because they are inseparable from the sublime and wonderful parts. That doesn't mean you have to reduce one iota your moral disgust at a man slicing his sons throat and burning him on an alter, nor your indignation at a god who would put a loving father through such an ordeal. But it does mean you need to look for more than "moral teaching" - higher up to see the full story in all its grandeur. You will then understand how even the ugly bits serve to make the whole that much more beautiful.
posted on 11.20.2006 1:12 AM51
Wonders for Oyarsa,
Thank you for your most intelligent and sensitive response to my comments.
I particularly like your point about "suppress[ing] that moral indignation long enough to experience the story. We need to try to see through our own cultural ideals and enter into someone else's world." We cannot appreciate, we cannot begin to analyze something unless we are willing to understand it on its own terms.
I think "suppress" is the wrong word here, though. We should "suspend" our moral indignation in order to understand. But once we have achieved the understanding we seek, we need to recall our own moral standards and decide where to go from there.
In this instance, the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22, we need to recall our modern-day horror at the near-sacrifice of Isaac, and say, "Thanks, but no thanks!"
Why?
Because God was wrong to demand the sacrifice, and Abraham was wrong to assent to it. If one holds faith in God as a virtue above all others, then, yes, God and Abraham were both justified, and nothing wrong took place.
But faith in God is not a virtue above all others. If I were to think God is asking me to sacrifice anyone for any reason, it's time for me to step back and question my interpretation of what I'm alleging God's will to be. And I get the sense that you would agree with me on this.
Thanks again for your comment. I visited "Wonders for Oyarsa" and saw that you have taken up the project of blogging the Bible. Good luck with it -- I'm sure you will find it to be a rewarding exercise.
posted on 11.20.2006 8:00 AM52
Hi Matthew,
> "Help, don't hurt people" is not an earth-shattering revelation to most people. The biggest problem, usually, is not figuring out what is right and what is wrong.
I beg to differ. People have radically different ideas about what "help" is and who "people" are. Hitler and Hussein would have agreed completely with your statement but defined those people worthy of help more narrowly. Even today the pro-life/anti-life debate rages over whether an unborn human fetus is a person and is owed urgent assistance, or is a smattering of borrowed cells and is owed nothing but casual disregard. Similar debates rage over what "help" really is.
> The biggest problem is doing the right thing when it's difficult to do so.
I agree this problem is an important one if not the biggest one. But perhaps we will agree that since our execution of any moral plan will be flawed, it becomes all the more important to start with the correct plan in the first place.
As someone who believes in God it is only natural for me to go presently and firstly to Him for not just instruction but complete saturation in his plans and purposes. Hence I find a lot of wisdom in Joe's suggestion and I am pursuing it.
But if you are someone who either doesn't believe in God, or doesn't believe God has the capacity to speak conclusively about himself, it is only natural that you would show suspicion towards the instruction-by-saturation model. But then again, neither can you command any real moral authority against it.
posted on 11.20.2006 1:01 PM53
Kaffinator,
Hitler and Hussein would have agreed completely with your statement ...
Yes, but they would have been lying.
But then again, neither can you command any real moral authority against [the instruction-by-saturation model].
Instruction-by-saturation is not inherently bad. It's a great way to learn a foreign language or any difficult subject.
And as I said in my first comment, comment 30, one could do worse than using the Bible as one's guidebook.
The problem I have is that the Bible is a mixed bag. It has lots of good stuff, and lots of not-so-good stuff. But you and Joe and a lot of other folks are presenting the Bible as an infallible document. In particular, an infallible moral authority. And that is just not so.
Do I command any real moral authority?
Of course I do. I have no reason to believe that my moral authority is any less than yours or Joe's.
Moreover, much of what I say comes from the Bible itself, including my insistence that we filter everything through our own consciences. In some ways, I am just following the main precepts of the Bible through to their logical conclusions.
Trust me -- if you apply a little skepticism to the Bible, God won't rain down thunderbolts upon your head. Give it a shot!
posted on 11.20.2006 2:22 PM54
Cultivating a Life for God has a similar method useful in group study. Everyone in that group agrees on 5 or so chapters and reads it each day that week. If anybody doesn't manage a full 7 readings in the week, everybody does it again. (Keeps the groups relatively small, too)
posted on 11.20.2006 4:04 PM55
Matthew,
"Moreover, much of what I say comes from the Bible itself, including my insistence that we filter everything through our own consciences."
Where is that in scripture?
posted on 11.20.2006 5:15 PM56
Anna,
How about the following passage from Mark, Chapter 2:
2:23 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.
2:24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?
2:25 And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?
2:26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?
2:27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
2:28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
I think one could say that Jesus is establishing a new order where the laws and traditions of the Old Testament are being revised, or at least re-interpreted, with a new emphasis on what makes sense pragmatically.
If that is the case, then one can no longer blindly follow the precepts of the Bible (if that were ever the case to begin with) without considering the greatest commandment of all, which is to love your neighbor as yourself.
Would you agree with this interpretation?
posted on 11.20.2006 7:18 PM57
Matthew:
posted on 11.20.2006 8:42 PM(BTW my name is Herman)
right. there are some good ones and some bad ones. just look around for those atrocoties i mentioned. the Old Testament has enough of the word 'war' to fill once every page. and King David, the second 'biggest' person in the Bible, next to Jesus, was a self-confessed man of war. his whole career as King was spent at war. and there was a time when he even joined his enemies to make war on his own people! (Gath and Ziklag are some of the references for those exploits.) as i see Jesus: God had had enough of the Old Testament, so maybe he said, "i will go in Person to you on Earth to tell you what is the right Way to live". and look what we did to Him. that really bothers me, that David, the man of war, dies in peace, and Jesus, the Prince of Peace, dies...well, we all know. (Mel Gibson shows it in the most violent movie Roger Ebert ever saw.)
58
A person who is up for this challenge would also enjoy running a Bible Marathon.
posted on 11.21.2006 2:44 PM59
Hmmmm. Not dissimilar from the suggestions by one of my gurus, Calvin Seerveld, in his wonderful little article on "Reading the Bible like a grown-up child."
posted on 11.22.2006 8:03 AM60
Great, great, great. How else was Bunyan "a man of one book?" He "bled Bible." We are too ignorant.
I have gained, over the past year, more by reading one epsitle over and over than the Bible through almost twice.
posted on 11.22.2006 1:38 PM61
The list of books from shortest to longest is incorrect. Revelations is WAY longer than 1 Peter. And it is longer than Romans. I didn't go through all the books listed, but Rev is pretty long.
posted on 11.23.2006 6:26 PM62
Thank you for telling us about this, Joe.
I just finished 1 Corinthians. 1 down and 65 to go...
posted on 11.25.2006 10:20 PM63
Good advice, but I'm not sure I can sit down and read some of the books like a book without falling asleep. I think I can get through the New Testament books and a lot of the Old, but Psalms, Deuteronomy, & Leviticus I'm afraid will put me to sleep. I love to study them, but to just read them straight through, I don't know.
posted on 12.08.2006 6:25 AM64
Every creature needs to rest. Giraffes, little babies, elephants, dogs, cats, kids, koala bears, grandparents, moms, dads, and hippos in the jungle - they all sleep! Just like eating, sleep is necessary for survival. WBR LeoP
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Hey Joe. I just found this blog by accident but enjoyed reading it very much. It wasn't so much new to me but I was reminded of what I have been told before and even used in the past.
Reading the Bible is truly a neglected exercise. Unfortunately, I have spent more time reading "other" books when preparing messages or studies and always found myself going well off course, even in circles, in the process. So, your advice is good and I am glad to be reminded. I plan to use it in my next message (thanks).
Dr. Mike's point was valid but unfortunately a bit over used. Many Christians buy all the lastes books on offer place it in their library (or stack somewhere throughout the house) and never read the book or the Bible. 20 readings of any Bible book will go a long way to not only changing your life but also provide a base for avoiding the wrong things put into print.
Thanks
posted on 09.29.2007 7:49 AMebp
78
Wow. Stumbled across a link to this idea. This is intense. But much needed. I commit to starting this now. I'll be sure to thank you in 3 months if I can follow through with it.
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