Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Previously, I’ve written that I tried to keep my little stretch of road clean by picking up the trash a couple of times each year. So, I developed a keen eye for trash. Even a small piece sticks out like a sore thumb.
Sometimes, I find treasures, including a nice pair of work gloves I found about 10 years ago that actually fit me. I also have found gloves that made a pair, although noticeably mismatched. While the nicer gloves had been lost or misplaced by their original owner, by finding them before the highway right-of-way was mowed, I basically gave them a new lease on life, and they’ve lasted for about a decade, although they’re pretty much worn out now.
While there’s no trash in the Bible, quite often while studying one principle or fact, I’ve found other tidbits of treasure that lead me to further study on those points. It’s sort of like the man who found the hidden treasure and sold all he had to buy the field (Matthew 13:44). Under Jewish law, he actually only leased the field until the next Year of Jubilee, but he had the equivalence of ownership (Leviticus 25:11-17, 23-28). Anyway, that’s sort of how Bible study is meant to work – we come upon one treasure that leads us in search of other treasures as a craving that helps us grow (1 Peter 2:2-3; Hebrews 5:11-14).
When we read our Bible, we may find things that seem mismatched or contradictory, but we must keep in mind that God doesn’t lie or shift like shadows (James 1:16-21; Hebrews 6:13-20; 1 Peter 1:22-25). So, we must study further, and we’ll find the Bible will interpret itself, making God’s will fairly clear to us as needed (Deuteronomy 29:29; Ephesians 3:2-5; Philippians 3:10-16; 2:12-16). Still, while we’ll find that the basic principles of salvation are simple, we must be careful with the things that are more difficult to understand so we’re not misled by those who will distort them (Hebrews 6:1-6; 1 John 5:1-3, 13; 3:1-3; 2 Peter 3:14-18; Colossians 2:18-19; James 3:1).
Like the Bereans verifying Paul’s teachings against the Old Testament Scriptures, we should study the whole Bible, allowing it to interpret itself rather than forming opinions or doctrines based on an individual verse that aren’t actually supported by the rest of Scripture, particularly the New Testament for these last days (Acts 17:11; Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). Personal Bible study, therefore, helps us “spot” the trashy, unbiblical teachings because we’ll be so familiar with the truth that the trash sticks out (John 17:17; 14:6; Colossians 2:6-8).
Quite often, Bible study gives us a new lease on eternal life if we allow it to because that’s the certainty when we follow God’s plan for redemption (Ephesians 1:3-8; Acts 2:38-39; Romans 6:3-5; 2 Peter 3:9). God put these treasures in the Bible so they could be easily found and understood!
Have you found the treasures God has in store for you (1 Corinthians 2:1-16; 1 Peter 1:3-11)?
Leonard Lauriault is a member of the Church of Christ in Logan who writes about faith for the Quay County Sun. Contact him at [email protected].