All of us have been affected by a variety of influences in our lives. Traditionally, home and family provide the foundation for our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. But there’s a lot of variation in this regard. Households can function quite differently depending on the circumstances in which the family exists. And there’s a wide range of ideas concerning how a family should function and what activities should be engaged by the family. That being said it’s still the case that the starting point for understanding anything begins with the influence—or the lack thereof—of the family.

The culture in which the family resides provides an environment that influences the ideas that inform the family. The culture’s impact may vary but it provides a foundation of ideas upon which the family functions. These days the influence of the culture in American households can be overwhelming because of the advancement of media. Electronic devices affect every aspect of our lives not only by imposing ideas upon our thinking but through an engagement in dialogue. Social media provides a continuous conversation about any and all topics to the extent that regardless of our age and background we can be constantly distracted by this influence. And because of the extent and intensity of this cultural environment it can seem as though any and all concerns can be addressed, and potentially resolved.

THIS IS AN ILLUSION! Humanity has been trying to dig itself out of a hole since it was kicked out of the Garden and it will never solve the dilemma of human existence without surrendering to the agenda of the one and only God of this universe. The problem that we face is that it appears as if progress has been made and that this progress is accelerating in the modern world. But don’t be deceived by all the bells and whistles that entice our senses. The way to self-understanding, to self-actualization, can only be found through the Gospel. And the Gospel is not simply a better set of ideas regarding: who we are and who the Lord is; it’s a call to enter into a relationship, a relationship with the creator and sustainer of all that exists including us. The Apostle Paul made this distinction in his letter to the Romans. After explaining that our platform for human existence has been redefined by the indwelling Holy Spirit, he declared that those who have embraced this truth have “received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ”. (Romans 8:1-17)

Referring to the scripture here illustrates that the primary means for finding our way in our quest to understand ourselves and the world we live in is through a study of the Bible! It’s hard to imagine that such a seemingly outdated resource can hold the answer to all that ails us, but that is the case. And among the various sources that inform our understanding, the Bible needs to be given precedence. We’re informed by our family, our culture, the exercise of our own thinking and imagination, our history and traditions. But preeminence needs to be given to the scriptures. I picture this collaboration of sources like a tent. The periphery of the tent is pinned to the ground with stakes. But what creates the space under the tent is the pole that holds it up. The Bible is the pole that holds up the tent, creating a dwelling space that utilizes various sources derived from the culture where it is pitched. This is as it should be. God’s Word transcends culture.

These documents are more than a written source of ideas; they’re a means of engaging a divine reality who is God Himself. That He would invest in such an archaic form of communication may seem unlikely, but that is what He has done. This doesn’t mean that knowing the Lord is simply the result of reading a document. The documents of the Bible are the avenue whereby the profound realty of God is revealed. Prayerfully studying it can provide an encounter with Him. It’s a means of finding your way to a life-changing fellowship with your creator.

This is hard to grasp given the overabundance of alternate sources of information at our disposal through the use of electronic media. Even the study of scripture can be compromised by this influence. If we’re not careful computer programs designed for studying the Bible can be emphasized to the point of distraction, working against an effort to encounter God through our study. What I’m saying is that the reality of God is supernatural, and the Bible works to inform us of that reality. The Lord is invested in this writing. He informs the contents of it, rendering it understandable, and using it to reveal Himself to those who read it. But in order for that to happen we need to recognize the medium for what it is: a written document that utilizes the accepted features of the written word while, at the same time, acting as a point of contact with a supernatural reality. That’s why we have to approach it utilizing the rules for studying any written document while, at the same time, prayerfully considering the content as a revelation of God.

To illustrate what I’m saying think of it in terms of the connection between a coat and a coatrack. We have an outer garment that we use when we leave the house. We keep it in the closet on a hanger, or we hang it on a hook near the door, or we make use of a rack that can support several coats. Why do we do that?  We want to keep track of the coat so that we can use it when we go out.  When we’re in a hurry we don’t want to have to look for it; we know exactly where it is. When we’re not using it we want to keep it in good condition; we don’t want it to get wrinkled or dirty.

It’s kind of like that with the written word. It communicates the understanding of who God is, what He is like, what He thinks. What His actions have been in the past, what they are in the present, and what they will be in the future. But the Bible doesn’t contain the sum total of who the Lord is or what He’s doing. It’s a sufficient presentation of His reality, but it’s not exhaustive because He is more than what any written document could contain. However, He’s invested those documents!

Trying to understand the Lord and His agenda apart from the written word will result in disaster. The ideas of our imagination or supposed supernatural encounters that purport to reveal God in a way that isn’t informed by the scripture can never be valid, not in this age. However our encounters with the Lord as we seek to experience His presence can be a legitimate source of our understanding of God. But such encounters must also be evaluated, along with all our other sources of knowledge, by the written Word of God, the Bible. That’s why it’s imperative that we become students of the scriptures; utilizing them to inform our encounter with God and the world in which we live; relying upon them to distinguish between the true and the false. And our study and application of the Bible should include collaboration with other like-minded believers in order to insure a valid understanding the Word.

If you’ve read some of my previous posts then it may sound like I’m repeating myself, and you’d be right, that’s exactly what I’m doing. The emphasis of this site is to affirm three basic points. First of all it’s the case that repentance from dead works and faith toward God constitute the starting point of a journey to know the Lord. This is a journey that can only be concluded when we see Him face to face at the end of the age. (1 Corinthians 12) Until then we need to push forward to know Him better and better. Secondly, the means of finding our way is through the ongoing study of the Bible and the engagement of prayer. Third, we should expect to, and look to, encounter God through this effort. It’s not just a matter of seizing ideas from a written document or speaking words into the atmosphere. It’s looking to encounter God, expecting to meet Him, and learning to listen to Him. And I would also add that our effort should be engaged through our own initiative and in concert with other like-minded Christians, especially with those who’ve been in the faith longer than we have.

My encouragement is to go for it, and I hope that this site will help you do just that.