Do you worship it or obey it?
I often find folks who are deep in
praising The Bible but shallow on observing its commands; talking endlessly
about how it fits together seamlessly, (it doesn’t) and about “God’s wonderful wisdom” in putting something
in the Bible right where it makes the most impact. It’s quite like Judah’s relationship
with The Temple. They came to hold it in such esteem that they failed to obey
The Lord of The Temple.
Arguments run to and fro over the
various views of Biblical composition. Such arguments, on all possible sides,
are paragons of deep “Bible-ology,” replete with
proof-texting and downright self-serving misinterpretations. All such
arguments stand to fail at “true worship” as commanded in scripture, a four-letter
word; “OBEY.”
Disobedience was a problem in both
testamental periods and it is today as well. Despite untold numbers of sermons
to the contrary, obedience isn’t about what Christians don’t do; debauchery,
idolatry and more. It’s about what we DO; the way we treat others of God’s
children, whether or not they are “believers” or of our class or race. Isaiah
58-59 states what all of Jewish Law requires. Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” and
the Apostolic Epistles echo it. We must be clearly focused on obeying the call
to “justice” as described from the beginnings of Mosaic Law and throughout the
Bible.
We are commanded to care for widow,
fatherless (bastard) children, oppressed people and even “the alien in the
land.” Isaiah 58 defines God’s desired “fasting” as practicing justice. After
his desert temptation, as an inauguration of his ministry Jesus read from
Isaiah 61:1-2 in the synagogue. These verses state his mission clearly as
regards the poor and all the oppressed. Then in Matthew 25:31 ff (Parable of The Sheep and The Goats) he states
clearly how we are to respond to all social down-and-outs. James 2:14 ff echoes
Jesus.
Make no mistake. Just writing down
all such biblical references would demand thousands of words covering more than
1500 references throughout The Bible – over 900 OT references alone. Extremely
strong coverage, especially since my copy of the Old Testament is only 879
pages long.
Thus, my pointed question; “Do you
worship it or obey it?”
Worshiping The Bible marvels at it;
praising God’s divine wisdom in its composition/compilation, and where
something lies physically in the text; but it usually fails to impact the life
of the reader and the lives of those to whose service the reader is called. Obedience
may recognize some of the same things (or perhaps reject them), but it turns
and straightway builds the wheelchair ramp for a crippled person. It feeds
hungry people across the street. It makes sure that unwanted children aren’t
just brought to viable birth, but that they also have a real opportunity for a
fulfilling life. It even works to repeal laws denying basic human rights to
“illegal” aliens.
Again; do you worship The Bible or
obey it?
