If I read the bible and don’t feel challenged, stretched or convicted, I’m probably reading it incorrectly.
I’m going to explore another passage with this idea that if we read the Bible right it does something in us that challenges, stretches, or convicts us. Let’s take for instance this passage from 1 Corinthians 6
The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers.
Paul, the ancient church planter, is writing to a church that has a ton of issues. One of which is that there are a bunch of folks who are lawsuit happy and dragging people to court, including other Christians. Now for Paul, this is a big deal that shows they are missing the point. Paul has preached this gospel about Jesus being wronged for the sake of the world, and that part of taking Jesus seriously is doing the same. And here it comes up. Paul asks why instead of bringing lawsuits up, why they don’t just allow themselves to be wronged or cheated.
Everything in me reacts against this – I can immediately think of reasons to not be wronged or cheated. But in the end, it always comes down to me realizing that I think I am more important than everyone else. And that is the power of the Holy Spirit through the scripture to challenge us, to stretch us, and to feel convicted. I could add that as we read through Judges with my small group, we came across these depressing stories, about how bad things have gotten in Israel, to the point that a guy shoves his daughter and his visitors wife out into a crowd to keep his visitor from being raped by a gang. This story disturbs me and makes me angry. And yet, there it is in the middle of the Bible, telling something and illustrating the screwed up nature of things that people who are supposed to be God’s people do.
I realize that I tend to bring up topics that can get folks a little bugged and maybe shake them up a little bit. Truth be told, this is part of my goal. I hope I can push you, I can push my friends, I can push those I minister with and to, to break out of our easy answers and formulas to a raw, gritty faith that can stand the test of storms. I suppose to borrow the name of our no longer functioning church plant, I hope to help pepole move more towards becoming anchored.
