Random Thoughts on the Bible and Confrontation

6.13.2008

Part of what I'll use this blog for is to collect random thoughts that I can't attend to immediately, but that seem important to give time to when I have it. With that said . . .

My friend was talking about a friend of his who is a bit off on his theology. I felt uncomfortable as I thought about being in that spot. Confrontation irks me, but then a thought came into my mind that I want to wrestle with later and let the Scriptures examine:

Our confidence in confrontation can not be grounded in our "rightness" but in our sincere love for the one that we are confronting.

I just read the first part of a pamphlet, or small book, by Pastor John Piper on Biblical Exegesis. I've been lax in going to Gods Word for a while. As most Christians I know that "this is a problem" and that "I should read the Bible more." In the first page of the first chapter Piper said:

I believe that the Bible is God’s Word. Therefore I must define the ultimate goal of exegesis so as to embrace the heart as well as the head. The Scriptures aim to affect our hearts and change the way we feel about God and his will. The exegete, who believes that this aim is the aim of the living God for our day, cannot be content with merely uncovering what the Scriptures originally meant. He must aim, in his exegesis, to help achieve the ultimate goal of Scripture: its contemporary significance for faith. It is the will of God that his Word crush feelings of arrogance and self-reliance and that it give hope to the poor in spirit.

I needed that. I need to have that view of Scriptures. Just joined a new small group and we're going through Ephesians. I was excited about joining this small group as I knew it would force my hand to read the Bible more. In reading the beginning of this pamphlet though I found my aim shifting from "being good" to wanting my flesh crushed so that I can get a good view of my Father. I want to be vigilant to examine myself and my purpose for reading the Scriptures.