To move ahead– without forgetting what we were saying to one another in the discussion about what God uses to open our hearts— I’m going to pick up our conversation here…
In response to an expressed concern that I’ve been putting to much value on sources outside of the Word of God (i.e books, doctors, counselors, pastors, education, relationships etc), I acknowledge the danger and expect– until the day I die– to struggle with the danger of unintentionally idolizing the loves or distractions of my life. So I’m not above correction.
But at the same time… maybe we are talking past one another. I agree that there is no substitute for the Word of God, and that it is in knowing what God has said (both in good times and in the dark nights of our souls) that faith is born, and rests.
But again, I’m convinced that (1) the God of the Bible does not counsel us to look only at his Word– but to look at everything else through its (his) wisdom, and that (2) the God of the Bible does not limit his provisions for our bodies, minds, and hearts only to the pages of the Bible– but to the whole of the world over which he is the ultimate Lord.
Those who see the Bible or the Lordship of Christ as being “all we need” sometimes go on to think that it is therefore wrong for a follower of Christ to use doctors, medicine, counselors (specialists), or even life insurance.
While we need to respect the conscience and personal faith of those who decline medical treatment, specialist counsel, or insurance, let’s also lovingly test that kind of thinking. Let’s also raise honest questions about what provisions can be rightly attributed to the Lordship of Christ. And let’s acknowledge what we all know– that it is possible to use self-deceived “spiritual talk” to hide our sins behind God, church, and Bible-only talk.
As an aside, we are in the process of developing material, video programs, and a website to address the out-of-control issue of pornography. I’m deeply concerned (as I am about other addictive or enslaving conditions) that we can minimize the problem by thinking that the issue is simply “don’t do it”, and if you do– “confess it to God” and get into the Bible so that you can get on with your life. I’ve seen too often that those who don’t want a perceptive person poking around in their life can use the most spiritual sounding talk to try to elude capture.
Specialists in the field know that, like so many sins, pornography can have tangled roots of self-deception that need more than forgiveness (i.e. self-reflection, appropriate disclosure, and accountability)– to avoid masking over the problem.
So, getting back on subject, if such a person gets help from “others who have been there”, or if those with other problems get helpful treatment from a doctor, good counsel from a specialist, or insurance payments to help pay the bills– don’t we have every reason to see such provisions as being ultimately from the hand of the Father who wants us to know that we “do not live by bread alone, but by every word (i.e. of provision) that comes from the mouth of God” (Deut 8:3).
I don’t want anyone to lose confidence in the Word of God–as the most crucial and important foundation of our lives. That’s why I think it is so important to see all of the Scriptures as being the window through which to see the breadth and depth of God’s good provisions– rather than seeing the Bible as the whole and only provision of God.
Seeing the breadth and depth of God’s provisions does not need to detract from our confidence in the Word of God– as long as our confidence remains in what God has said– and as long as we see other resources (that fall within moral boundaries) as possible ways by which God is faithful to what he has said.
The next post (Subs are Subs Forever) was meant to say that anything other than God is a god-substitute, an idol, and a source of ultimate despair- if we put our trust in it.
Don’t want to get too long so will stop here and let the conversation catch up :-). Thanks for your interest and patience.
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