In Bible study this week, one of our many, many many tangents centered on antinomes in the Bible -- something that has admittedly been a point of [albeit somewhat minor] consternation for me over the years. And it was interesting for me to hear Donnie (Lane...you know, the Enemy of Ouch) and Brad (our pastor) say that yes, antinomes (seeming contradictions) do appear in the Bible, and that it's fine. It was interesting because I'm so used to hearing people either 1) use them to invalidate the Bible, or 2) deny they exist in any form or fashion. Neither option of which has ever sat well with me.
But Donnie gave an interesting analogy...one that I've essentially heard before, but somehow seemed more applicable this time: A massive, edifice-sized block of steel is held aloft from the ground by steel poles. There is a man standing on top, and a man standing beneath. The man on top claims that the block is sheer, pure white. The man beneath, looking up, says that no, it's pitch black.
I'm sure you get the point (they're both right, based on their perceptions/perspectives).
Part of me still wants to resist believing that God would be okay with different people seeing different angles, believing different things...but who am I to suggest I can ever understand the mind of God? Who can really know his intentions? He's the only one who can ever see the whole picture. I'm sure he knew/knows the Bible would/will confuse the mess out of people, so it would only make sense that that is a part of the plan that we just can't comprehend. Right? I don't know. Obviously I don't get it; never truly will; I'm mainly ok with that (yes, my intellect and logic put up a fight once in a while, but that's when I have to say, "Hello, faith.")
Then there's 1 Corinthians 2:6-16...don't know where that fits in. gahhhh.
What do YOU think?
And now for something completely different: i dare you to have a conversation using only these
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One of the few things that a certain David ever contributed to my life was understanding of this one statement.
He said that the reason there are so many religions and perspectives (even within the Bible) is that we are all grasping at a unknowable truth, and trying to use what we know to undertand that truth.
On a simplistic level, I think that truth is Christ. The OT points to him, the Gospels are about Him, and NT is our response to Him.
One of my favorite verses is the very last verse of John "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written."
I take that to say "I wrote what I thought was important, so take it or leave it." And I think that's what all the other writers did too.
The whole thing lashed together, despite it's pieces that may seem confusing or contradictory is too important to ignore or dismiss.
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