Kingdom Building

October 17, 2019

Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. –2 Timothy 3:14-17

I do not think we do a very good job of ferreting out examples from scripture of things we should not be doing. Much of the Hebrew Bible consists of someone or some groups retelling of the events of Israel’s history from the beginning of time through the good times and the bad times the exile and the return to start over again chastened and humbled. Read in the context of history, both cultural and theological; we can gain from the wisdom of the experiences of our ancestors in faith. We tend to cherry-pick what fits our predetermined ideas to solidify our beliefs rather than dig deeper and see ourselves in both the bad and the good, the behaviors that separate us from God and the actions that bring us closer to God.

Introduced to the scriptures in childhood, I read the golden picture books about Moses and the burning bush, David and Goliath, and Daniel in the lion’s den. I memorized verses from the King James Version, graduated in grade school to the Revised Standard Version, and now read from several translations. I remember the great finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls and how they helped further our understanding. I think all of this was good. But does that knowledge translate into who I am today and who I am becoming as a part of the Kingdom of God?

Since the Bible records the broad spectrum of human experience, it is possible to justify just about anything with a few dissected quotes. The real test of what we learn from scriptures is, does it meet the test of Jesus’ overriding commandments to love God and to love one another? If it does not meet that test, then what aspects of what we discovered are reflected in our lives today, and how are we working to rid ourselves of those unloving actions?

Prayer: Lord, help us discern your truth through our study of the scriptures. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.