…not so much about the election. Americans have voted for a larger, more paternalistic federal government and, while I personally disagree, the argument can be made for a larger, centralized federal government.
I am greatly concerned at the number of Christians that I see and hear who, quite frankly, don’t seem to think very much like Christians. It should not surprise us when the world around us rejects Christian morals, values and theology, but I am deeply troubled by the seemingly growing number of Christians who readily accept “gay marriage,” think that government ought to “take care of people,” and believe that Jesus was essentially a nice, “God-filled” guy whose priority was social justice.
I am not denying that people who hold such views are Christians. Whether or not they have personally made a decision to be a follower of Jesus is between them and God. But it would be fair and accurate to say that they have developed/adopted views that are NOT compatible with a consistent, Biblical worldview. In other words, such people might be sincere followers of Jesus who love the Lord, worship regularly and gather with fellow-believers, but their worldview has clearly been formed by something other than a clear, comprehensive understanding of Scripture.
But that’s just your interpretation!
Yes…and no. It is common for people who disagree about Biblical topics and issues to assert that, “Well, that’s just YOUR interpretation.” By this, they mean you have probably somehow misinterpreted the Bible…after all, they believe the Bible and disagree with you. There are a variety of vague issues in the Bible for which this might even be true. Sincere, Bible-believing Christians might hold divergent views re. the millennium, predestination, charismatic gifts, etc. There are many topics on which the Bible is vague and not-so-explicit.
But there are also some basic principles for understanding Scripture (or reading any document, for that matter). This is known as the science of hermeneutics, or, the science of interpretation. The key to interpretation is summarized in one word: CONTEXT. Historical context, literary context, social context, etc. Simply put, the Bible, although in some ways a complex book, was given by God and intended to be understood. – 2 Timothy 3:16-17, etc.
How did this happen?
How could so many Christians have such unbiblical worldviews? There are three elements that I believe contribute to this phenomenon that I’ll call Christian-ignoramy, that is, Christians who simply do not know what the Bible teaches and therefore hold to, in many cases, anti-Christian views.
The first fault-factor is the Church. I wish this were not so, but it has been my observation that the vast majority of churches simply do not do a good job of teaching the Bible – in any way, shape or form. Churches offer a variety of classes on how to handle your finances, raise your children, improve your marriage or experience “success” (typically, this “success” is defined in very worldly terms). But Bible classes (except maybe for young children, where we tell the same stories – David & Goliath, Samson, etc. – over and over) are passé. Many of the Bible classes that are offered are topically oriented and don’t really deal seriously with the text of Scripture. Where else, if not the Church, are Christians supposed to learn the Scripture?
And the preaching isn’t much better! Pulpits are filled with either very poor communicators (how many Christians leave church saying, “Wow! I wish the sermon could have been longer!”) or preachers who seem to feel that they need to “reimagine” the Gospel and preaching in general. They go from series to series on the latest pop-culture issue and what they think God thinks about it…somehow hoping to be perceived as “relevant.”
The second fault-factor is the society in which we live. We live in what has been called a “postmodern” society. “Postmodern” is a philosophical term that refers to a variety of things, but for this article, let’s just consider a few aspects of what it means to be postmodern. Instead of “truth” existing in absolute, immutable terms, truth to a postmodern society is based in “the narrative.” In other words, the story is more important that the details. (I have taught college philosophy for 10 years, so I realize there is much more to it that we can possibly go into in this short article, so humor me and follow my bigger point, here.) What this means as far as Biblical truths, etc. is that the truth itself is not so important as people’s “spiritual stories/journeys.” Further, every story/narrative/journey is unique, and nobody has the right to question anyone else’s story. Simply put, whatever I believe is just as valid as whatever anyone else believes because it’s “my story.” Any concept of truth, therefore, is hyper-personalized…it is “my story” or “your story,” and who are you to question my story?
The third fault-factor is really the heart of the issue: Human nature. More specifically, SINFUL human nature (Psalm 51:5, etc.). God created us as free moral agents, that is, we have free will and the ability to make moral (and other) choices. The problem is, we have confused our moral autonomy with moral authority. In other words, we think that because we have the right to choose, that makes whatever we choose, right. The Apostle Paul describes in Romans 7 the conflict and struggle between our sinful leanings and the Spirit. My fear is that many Christians have simply embraced their sinful nature – after all, we’re only human, right? – and are not seriously considering what God has to say about…ANYTHING!
So where does God fit into all of this – “all of this” meaning, this life, here on Earth, with all of the moral, ethical and behavioral choices? If we seriously want the answer to that question, we are going to have to “search the Scriptures” (Acts 17:11). This doesn’t mean just “proof-texting” and looking for a “magic verse” to fit any and every particular situation. Rather, it requires that we STUDY the Scripture (2 Timothy 2:15), taking time to meditate on the content (Psalm 1:1-2), and allow it to judge our thoughts and attitudes (Hebrews 4:12).
If we are going to “take captive every thought” (2 Corinthians 10:5), it necessarily first requires surrendering a few of our own.
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