A People of the Book
I’ve heard it said repeatedly within the Restoration Movement Christian Churches, “We are a people of the book!” The Restoration Movement was a “back to the Bible” movement of the early 1800’s that resulted in local churches (no denominational oversight) with elders, and the Bible as their lone guide for faith and practice. This book, the Bible, contains an historical account of God and his creation, of the sin that has corrupted this world, and of his plan to bring redemption through the Messiah – Jesus. It contains God’s message to those who will accept it and obey with faith in this Messiah (Christ), listening to his words and those of his authorized apostles, contained in the New Testament pages. The question becomes: How can we claim allegiance to this book, if we don’t read it?
Recent studies show that only about 16% of people read for pleasure. Schools assign far less reading material than in the past. And within the church, let alone society at large, biblical illiteracy is rampant. Social media has become our “go-to” for learning, with all its sound bites, videos, and sensational takes on the world we live in. That includes Ai and all the false info put out there. What is your source of most of the information you digest to sort out truth in this world? Are you a Christ-follower, a person who theoretically is “of the book”? How does your source of info manifest itself in daily living?
It's been said that whatever we give our attention to shapes us into the person we become. Where do you gain most of your worldview, what attracts your attention most?
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season…the wicked are not so but are like chaff that the wind drives away” (Psalm 1:1-4).
God’s Word can guide us, but only as we learn it, meditate on it, and apply it to the way we think and live. Maybe you are not a reader, not everyone is. That is not the only way to gain biblical instruction. Attending a class at a good, biblically oriented church, or a small group that studies the Bible, with a mature, Bible educated teacher, can provide the knowledge needed. The early church “devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching” (Acts 2:42) and good teachers will provide you with the counsel of Jesus and his apostles. Teaching is one of the few skills listed in the qualification of an elder in the church, most of the qualifications being about moral standing (2 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9).
Are we in the Restoration Movement churches still a people of the book? More specifically, are you as a Christian a person of the book? It’s been said that if we read the book and ponder, read it and ponder, read it and ponder, with time something divine happens: The Bible will start reading you and it will change you! Allow the “word made flesh” – Jesus – to impact you through the words of scripture he left us, and his apostles were inspired to write down. These words guide his followers.
Question: What methods do you use to hide God’s Word in your heart (Psalm 119:11)?
Recent studies show that only about 16% of people read for pleasure. Schools assign far less reading material than in the past. And within the church, let alone society at large, biblical illiteracy is rampant. Social media has become our “go-to” for learning, with all its sound bites, videos, and sensational takes on the world we live in. That includes Ai and all the false info put out there. What is your source of most of the information you digest to sort out truth in this world? Are you a Christ-follower, a person who theoretically is “of the book”? How does your source of info manifest itself in daily living?
It's been said that whatever we give our attention to shapes us into the person we become. Where do you gain most of your worldview, what attracts your attention most?
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season…the wicked are not so but are like chaff that the wind drives away” (Psalm 1:1-4).
God’s Word can guide us, but only as we learn it, meditate on it, and apply it to the way we think and live. Maybe you are not a reader, not everyone is. That is not the only way to gain biblical instruction. Attending a class at a good, biblically oriented church, or a small group that studies the Bible, with a mature, Bible educated teacher, can provide the knowledge needed. The early church “devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching” (Acts 2:42) and good teachers will provide you with the counsel of Jesus and his apostles. Teaching is one of the few skills listed in the qualification of an elder in the church, most of the qualifications being about moral standing (2 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9).
Are we in the Restoration Movement churches still a people of the book? More specifically, are you as a Christian a person of the book? It’s been said that if we read the book and ponder, read it and ponder, read it and ponder, with time something divine happens: The Bible will start reading you and it will change you! Allow the “word made flesh” – Jesus – to impact you through the words of scripture he left us, and his apostles were inspired to write down. These words guide his followers.
Question: What methods do you use to hide God’s Word in your heart (Psalm 119:11)?
Posted in Waking Up Eutychus