By David ReayFriday 7 Dec 2018LifeWords DevotionalsFaithReading Time: 2 minutes
Read Matthew 5:17-18
17 Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. (NLT)
Some of us learnt what we know about the Bible in our childhood days. Or perhaps we have soaked up the teachings of a particular Bible teacher. Have we ever wondered whether what we have learned may be wrong? We might be shocked at the thought, but we need to remember that over the centuries, the church has come to fresh understandings of the ancient texts.
To assume that we can’t change our understanding of what we believe the Bible to be saying is not so much faith as fear. The Spirit is well able to shed fresh light on the Scriptures. Some of us have changed our minds on some matters of biblical interpretation.
This doesn’t mean we throw out the core of belief which must remain. Nor does it mean we surrender to contemporary cultural opinion. Changing our views to accommodate such opinion is cowardice. Refusing to change our opinions at all is sheer stubbornness borne out of insecurity.
Jesus reminded his hearers that he hadn’t come to overthrow Scripture but to shed better light on it. The scribes had made up their minds in such a way that they dismissed Jesus. They knew the Scriptures but missed the main point of them. It is still sadly possible for us to know our Bibles and not really grasp Jesus.
Blessings
David Reay