I Stopped Reading My Bible; Simplicity One

Why I Stopped Reading My Bible Pt. 1 Simplicity 1

Why I stopped reading my Bible; Part One- Simplicity

The bible teaching I spiritually grew with exercised a very penetrating typology and exposition of the bible. I am overwhelmingly thankful to God for gracing me with teaching who loved His word so much. As I've spent time reflecting and interacting with God on a personal level, I've come to realize something simple that I did not grab onto in the midst of almost dizzying roves through scripture. Simplicity was the farthest thing from my perception of what true spirituality is.

A mind set to seek, and desirous to see, only complex thing will miss essential substances of what God has for us. A desire for growth is healthy, but a child who seeks to run before learning to crawl is absurd. A man may be familiar with the path ahead, but he may not know what it takes to walk that path. Moreover, until he has walked that path he is severely ill-equipped to guide others on the path.

Knowing how to cross reference bible verses, memorizing, and knowing the articulation of your churches doctrinal interpretations does not a mature Christian make. Until a man has set his heart on knowing God (notice I did not say the bible), his spiritual growth shall not progress. Of course spiritual growth absolutely cannot progress without God's word. Tozer called people who worshiped the text of scripture as Textualists. They fail to see, or recognize, there is a God behind those words. Concurrently, he said that it would take an act of the Holy Spirit equal to the inspiration of the text to get you to truly understand what is written. A heart set with religious pretext, even spiritual pride, cannot see the face of his Maker.

Eventually God must set aside a man's assumption that just because he is reading the bible that he is obeying God. A man cannot achieve humility on his own. Until a man has a reason to be humble, he will not be. Only a Spirit-defined alteration of the heart can help one to understand in a life changing and significant way the reality of the Almighty Creator God in relation to us, His fallen creation.

This is the first reason I had to set down my bible. In humility I can now approach God's word not only in a greater recognition of why I am reading this, but also I can receive from God so much better of an understanding because that wicked flesh has been cut out.

Also, with this I am called to recognize that I am by no means the pinnacle of the Christian experience. I cannot understand certain spiritual things because certain habits and carnal conceptions cloud my sight. But God has been faithful above and beyond to grow me only at the pace that was possible. As Moses did not get to see God's face for it would have been his end, God has removed from me only so much as I am able to handle. In this, I strive to be worthy of the suffering He has guided me through by spending my morning acknowledging Him as Creator. To seek more suffering I must seek the sharp edge of His testimonies everyday. I only pray I am not embarrassed at how little I have suffered not only for the name of my Lord as the Martyrs have, but moreover in the tradition of those who died daily for the sake of the name of their holy God and Redeemer. In memory of those who took up their crosses daily and lived, I must live. No longer can I allow either life-apathy, or dissatisfaction with the portion my Savior has given me, to stop me from living both wounded in my fleshly state from His fire, and also from living in joy according to the spirit quickened in me by His love.