Romans 8: 38 - 39 NKJV
Have you ever had a dissussion with someone about scripture that came away with two points of view? How is it that one verse can mean two completely differnt things to two people? The same way a story in the local paper will be read and understood two in different ways. Each of us, whether we like it or not, carry with us our own perspectives on those things we experience. I have had the experience to share in what was once a bible study become a scripture debate simply by the introduction of another point of view. We're human, it's how we roll. My own perspective of scriptire will be influenced on those things which I have experienced. Likewise, the next guys perspective will be shaped by his own life experiences. The basics remain the same, God is God and Christ is still Christ. However, other topics will be up to the interpretation of whoever is reading the scripture. So, how is it that we will ever know just how our heavenly Father sees things? Well, I believe that He will speak His voice into our heart to make known what He desires to be revealed. Before my mother passed I prayed to the Lord that she would be healed of her illness. There have been many times where I have questioned God as to why He didn't heal my mothers illness...from my perspective. So, did God heal my mom? Absolutely! The pain and suffering she felt due to her illness has left her and she now walks in the presence of the Lord she loved. Now, there would be others who would stare in disbelief at the mere mention that God healed my mom, but I know better. They don't see things from my perspective. Then again, I don't see the world through their filter either. Most christians would claim that the prophesy of Christ Jesus has been fulfilled. However, there are those of the Jewish faith who continue to wait with anticipation for the coming of the messiah. Were I to even suggest to one of these people that they've missed the boat I would be deemed a heretic! A matter of perspective.
8“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,”says the LORD. 9“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55: 8 - 9 NKJV
I remember a exercise we did in some high school class I was in back in the day. In it one student would be asked to leave the room while another was given a story to tell him upon his return. Once the story had been laid out, the missing student would be recalled and the story told. After this, another student would be asked to leave and the first would relate the same story to him upon his return. On and on it went. Well, around the second rotation of storytellers, the class began to notice that the original story had somehow changed through the telling of the tale over and over. So it is with us. That scripture we read today will be influenced by those experiences we've had in our own life. I've even heard the word "herecy" thrown about by those who don't seem to agree with my view of things. Am I a heretic? Hardly. I do, however, have my own view of what's what. Can we argue that our brothers view of scripture is flawed simply because his experiences differ from our own? Absolutely not. Now, if someone claimed to me that God was not who He claimed He was, then I would have something to say. However, simply having two differing views of scripture is really not much to break a sweat over. I believe that God allows these situations that we ourselves would take a closer look into what is written. In the end, healthy debate never hurt anyone. My own experience has been with a brother who will go to the ends of the earth to justify his own institutional church view of the scriptures. Granted, my own often do not mesh with his, but we continue to discuss what is written. In the end, it is the Lord who will speak into our hearts what it is He wants us to hear. If it is Gods desire that my brother would see the scriptures from another view, that will be revealed to him in time as it was to me. I'm not in the teaching business, and if there are minds to be changed then God will see to it that it happens. Until then, I will continue to see my life through the Fathers eyes.
~Scott~
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