Unfortunately, not every Christian goes through this process. They simply believe what is being passed onto them. They believe in the people who are sharing with them, they trust them, and it makes it a whole lot easier to just agree. I don't say this to shame anyone, I'm just saying that this is the normal process. I don't know many people who came to an understanding of the entire Bible all by themselves. Did we not learn what we have learned in Sunday School, church services, or Bible Studies? Have we not been educated by our friends, tv preachers, and podcasts? I'm not against any of these methods when it comes to our growth, however, I do believe that we need to follow up with ourselves.
Let me give you a for instance.
I have lived my entire life in Southwest Virginia. I have been involved in church my whole life. If there is one thing that I have heard over and over again is that there is only 1 true translation of the Bible. That would be the Authorized King James Version. I have been involved with churches that preach only from the KJV, will only allow you to teach from the KJV, and have placed that belief in their by-laws. Countless books have been written on the subject, sermons preached, and bookstores established touting the only authorized version of the Bible. I remember this becoming a big issue when I was a child. I remember people talking about the "Good News Bible" and the dangers of people actually reading it. This was something that would continue through my development as people began to blast new versions of the Bible.
Why is this important? It's important because in the information age of today, there is no reason to carry around this type of ignorance (please don't be offended at the word - it simply means unlearned). We have so much information at our fingertips. Most homes have a computer, tablet, or a smartphone. Information is being streamed into our lives on a continual basis. We have the necessary tools to find out the truth if we are willing to look for it.
The reality of the KJV is that scholars now believe that it is not the most accurate translation of the Bible. We honor the work of the people who created the translation, but there are just too many errors. One of those is found in Acts 12 when talking about Peter being apprehended by King Herod. The KJV says that the King had determined to bring Peter to trial after Easter. However, the original language here is clearly the Greek word for Passover. While that many not be enough to rattle the cage of a KJV proponent, it should be enough to get us thinking. There are many other places where the KJV translators inserted words into the text rather than simply translating what is in the original. I've shared with you in this blog how the word translated as "baptism" isn't a translation at all, but rather is a transposing (cause two or more things to change places with each other). The Greek word baptizo should be translated as immerse.
I'm not sharing all of this to bring up a debate about the KJV, but to show you how easy it is for us to get caught up in a line of thinking without questioning truth. This happens when we talk about Bible translations, styles of worship, and the varying beliefs of the different denominations. It's time for every believer to wake up. Take the time to know why you believe what you believe. Rather than simply argue with someone because they view something differently than you do, take some time to try and understand where the difference comes from. Most people don't even realize that there is such a thing as Eastern Christianity because they have been raised in Western Christianity. If your background in church life comes from Catholicism or the churches that came after the Reformation, then you have probably been indoctrinated in a western form of Christianity. Have you ever asked what our Eastern brothers & sisters believe?
Is any of this important? I believe so. If TRUTH is TRUTH then it can handle my questions. Not only that, but the Holy Spirit has been given to "guide us into all truth." What I have discovered is that truth can be found in the history of the church. And what I desire more than anything, when it comes to what I believe, I want them to line up with what the early church believed. I want that fire that burned in the belly of the Apostles. I want that confidence that the 1st Century church carried in the midst of horrible persecution. I want to know the resolve of the Apostle Paul as he stepped out of Pharisaic Judaism and into the Freedom of Christ. I want to understand the Gospels through a Jewish mindset. I want to celebrate with the Gentiles when they discover that God included them in the death, burial, resurrection, & ascension of the Son. I realize the cost of this journey. However, I also realize the liberty that it brings me into.
Are you awake yet? Has any of this caused you to think for yourself? Are you at least willing to have the discussion? It may mean junking some theology. It may mean losing some friends. It may mean stripping yourself down to the plain confession that Jesus is Lord & start over. I'm not saying that everything you believe is wrong. I'm simply saying that we need to be honest with ourselves. We need to give the Holy Spirit the right to change what needs to change & keep what needs to be kept. I will warn you that there was a time where I asked myself, "What do I really believe?" In that moment, Jesus became my only confession. I believed in who He was. I believed in what He did. And I determined to make my life about the person of the Lord. I wanted Him to teach me. Of course, He will use others along the way. People that are on the same journey as you. They will encourage you. They will point you to Jesus over and over again.
This journey has caused me to look into a lot of things that I though were solid, only to find that there were many holes in my theories. This journey has taught me to trust fully in the Holy Spirit to lead, to speak, and to reassure me. This journey has allowed me to have compassion for those who want to argue because I've been where they are. This journey has taught me the power of forgiveness because I don't want to burn bridges. I have asked (and continue to ask) some serious questions. But I believe this is the journey of a son. To quote Morpheus from the Matrix once again: "This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill - the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill - you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes."
Wake Up [insert name here]...
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