I've known this man for over forty years. We worked for the same company.....so we saw a lot of each other.....and shared numerous conversations in just about every one of those years. His mind is sharp....and his memory extraordinary. We are both retired now....as I ran into him last Tuesday at Barnes & Noble. We talked a little old times....and some politics....and then he brought up.....out of the blue....something about Paul's Damascus Road conversion that interested him. He's not a believer. So with what I've told you so far you might very well think that his comment was encouraging...and that he might be considering the gospel of Jesus Christ....and his eternal soul? Well let me go on....I've had this very same type conversation with him at least once every three or four years.....over that forty year period! It's the conversation that he loves.....on anything....but particularly if it has an intellectual or a religious bent.
I've known Christians over that same period....and they have been going to bible studies of one sort or another over the same time period....and they seem to be the exact same as they were forty years ago....with no obvious increase in discernment of any kind....and no greater or no lesser interest in God's Word. Whatever book of the bible that their bible study is studying right now....it's probably the twentieth or thirtieth or fortieth time that they have been in that book....whatever it is. As preposterous as it sounds....the cross has been replaced in much of the American church by the bible study.
Metaphorically speaking....if the ship strikes an iceberg....and it rips a hundred foot tear in the starboard side....and the first officer storms into the bridge to tell the captain of the ship's soon floundering.....the captain does not tell him to schedule a refresher class for everyone on what to do if the ship strikes an iceberg....and rips a hundred foot tear in the the starboard side.
Ah but what do I know? Call me a nosy nellie but I just kind of wondered why our ship was listing about 45 degrees....so I went down below....and called to Jeremiah and Daniel and Jonah to see what was going on....and sure enough it's time to give the mayday call.
Jesus told the Pharisees and Sadducees who wanted a "sign from heaven"...."When in evening you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.' And in the morning, 'It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times." (Matthew 16:2,3)
About one twelfth of the year's bible studies....advent season....is studying how Jesus the Messiah's first coming was prophesied in so many books and verses....but the prophesies are even more for His second coming....and we don't seem to have a clue....or even any interest.
Note: Folks....bible studies are wonderful....whether personal or in groups.....the Word of God is the greatest treasure in this entire world! We should be in God's Word every single day of our lives....and the day may be coming when we have to secure that bible from confiscation....but the very fact that the Bible contains repeated warnings on false prophets and false teaches and false miracles and great delusion.....much of it wrapped up in words where God's purpose is to reveal the meaning at the proper time....should tell us that the study of God's Word is fluid....led by God's Holy Spirit....unencumbered by weekly schedules....with no summer or holidays breaks. I've always thought that all the 'read the whole bible in a year' programs were disastrous. Yes we need help in studying the bible....particularly in the beginning days of our faith. I very recently watched three robin eggs hatch in a nest constructed by the mother on the outside of a porch window.....and for days those baby birds lay low until the mother came....and then those open beaks reached upwards in anticipation of food....and then one day....they all flew off. We may have become nest Christians....always having to have the food dropped in our mouths....and never able to find our own food....never having to recognize what food is good and what is poison....thus setting us up for anyone to drop anything in our mouth....whether it helps us to grow into maturity....or just grow fat. My advice for bible studies is to get out of that box....throw the books with the weekly assignments away....move first into Revelation's....seven letters to seven churches....and dig deep into every single criticism leveled against any of the churches....and find out where we may be guilty of the same thing....and then plead with God to remove veils on where America and this world is today....that we might not just be vexed....lashing out at whatever someone tells us to lash out at....but be confident that the worse everything gets....the nearer must be our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ....with all His holy angels!
