FROM THE SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR "Don't Shorten The Study Leg"

"Don't shorten the study leg!"

Much time was spent in prayer before and during the writing of this article. Because it is such an important yet also a sensitive topic, why don't you pause right now and pray before you read on?

Ok - here we go! We all remember hearing on our weekends about how balanced a 3-legged stool is; balanced first of all because there are 3 legs, but also balanced because all 3 legs need to be the same length. All are equally important. The more equal our piety, action and study, the more balanced and stable will be the stool (our Christian life).

The study leg stresses first of all that we study the Bible. The Bible teaches us about forgiveness and salvation, but it also teaches about piety and action. So it could be argued that the study leg is the most important leg. Trying to live a balanced life with any leg shorter than the others is impossible; but trying to live a balanced life with a shortened study leg is disastrous.

How can the study leg be shortened? By shortening the Bible. For over 2,000 years (since the 300's) the church has agreed on the Biblical canon (the list of books in the Old and New Testaments). Even in the 300's they did not come up with the list, but made official the list that already existed, the list agreed upon because in many cases the readers knew about or even knew the authors.

For thousands of years no book has ever been removed from that list. Until now. Now some are removing the entire Old Testament because it is 'old-fashioned.' Some are removing Paul's epistles in the New Testament because Paul was a prejudiced and narrow-minded man. Some are even removing verses in red (if your Bible has the words of Jesus in red) because Jesus 'didn't really say that' - somebody simply inserted their own words and called them Jesus' words. How dare we? The answer could have been the title of this article.

"My Truth"

'My truth' is the notion that I can decide what is true for me. My truth does not have to be your truth. There is no sense debating or discussing it; it's all settled: this is true for me...Period. End of discussion. This is not only silly, it is not even new. The writer of Ecclesiastes spoke about this in chapter 1 verse 9: 'there is nothing new under the sun.' Those of us with birthday cakes crowded with candles realize this is nothing but 'subjective truth' in a new name. 'Subjective truth' and 'my truth' are the same thing: they are both my opinion. Opinions are different from facts. Subjective truth (what I think is true) is different than objective truth (what is true even if I don't believe it or disagree with it). For thousands of years believers have considered the entire Bible to be God's inspired word and the only reliable source and guide for faith and life. If I disagree with something God has inspired, the chances are pretty good that I am wrong, not God! Romans 1:25 warns 'they exchanged the truth of God for a lie.' Be careful: don't shorten that study leg by shortening the Bible!

Another reason for shortening the study leg is what has been called 'situational ethics' (thinking that my situation is so unique that rules and laws don't apply to me and therefore I can decide what is right and wrong for me in this situation). That's not new either! If any part of my lifestyle is not obedient to God's will, then I have a choice to make: try to change me or try to change the rules. That's exactly what happened way back in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3) when the devil said 'You don't need God to tell you what is right and wrong - be your own god and decide that for yourself!' That didn't work out too good for Adam and Eve; and it didn't work out any better for people living after the time of the judges: 'In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.' (Judges 21:25). That describes what we call 'anarchy' - the absence of law and order - and anarchy has never worked out. Again, if my lifestyle is not obedient to God's will, than I can do one of 2 things: change my lifestyle or try to change the rules for me. Good luck if you think you can do the 2nd choice - it will not work out for you! So this article could also be titled: "Don't be fooled by bold lies in a new disguise!"

Please! Let's believe and teach that the entire Bible is God's inspired word and the only reliable guide for faith and life. As individuals and as an organization: please, please, don't shorten the study leg!

God loves you and so do I!

Pastor Bob Allmann, LVCCM Spiritual Director