Currently, I've been working my way through the Bible again. Though Scripture is perhaps my favorite book of all my books, I definitely find something new in it everytime. But the real reason why I am reading the Bible isn't for pleasure or to mark an achievement on my Books-To-Read List, I'm reading the Bible so I may memorize it and know it by heart.
During my time as an English major at NGU, many of my professors would remark about how some of us didn't have parts of Scriptures memorized. I don't believe they expected us to know Scripture word-for-word, but I do believe they expected us to have a general understanding of where certain events and sayings were in the Bible. Though I did know a good majority of the Bible, many times I would forget things, sometimes too easily.
Another reason why I want to memorize and know the Bible is due to the fact that I didn't always get to spend time reading it during school. Granted, I probably could have made time, but I didn't make much room for it. Now, I'm not necessarily using the vast amount of free time I have now to take advantage of the time I lost, but I'm certainly not going to let it slip past me again.
Yet, after studying literature and understanding language more than I did in high school, reading the Bible has been more fulfilling than it was back then. Being able to analytically think about the text, looking at its structural make-up, and actively engaging the text clearly are just some of the examples I have gained in my reading experience. Applying some of these techniques and skills to Scripture has definitely helped and improved my understanding and rendering of the Bible.
Though I'm certainly cautious about my reading and understanding of Scripture (I definitely can twist the meaning of it even more than I could before), I think reading it clearly and not focusing on specific parts of the Bible has helped my application of it to my life. As a writer and a poet, I can definitely testify that having an acute awareness of literary analysis and basic grammar does improve one's understanding and interpretation of the Bible, and can possibly help the reader avoid misinterpreting often. However, it's still good to consult theologians and pastors about parts of the Bible that may not seem clear.
~*~
Well, that's just one thing I've been up to lately. I've been attending a new church; well, new for me I should say. For the past two, or possibly three, months I've been going to NewSpring Church. Now, when I first visited the church I thought that it was just going to be another annoying and unbiblical megachurch. I was wrong. Though for a while I just made up fluff and flattery about the church, but in my mind I was thinking about what they were actually trying to do. I will admit, even my friends who went there would probably have thought I wasn't really interested in the church.
Granted, the pastor of NewSpring isn't always sound on his sermons or interpretations of Scripture (an example would be of his misinterpretation of Jesus' baptism and the believer's baptism. His claim was that it was the same. Obviously, this isn't true. Jesus' baptism was an ordination, the believer's baptism is symbolic of purification), but, overall, he does present the gospel the way it should be presented. But what really got me was the people at NewSpring. Not that they would greet and were always kind, but that they were generally genuine.
Now, I'm not saying that the other churches that I've visited were not genuine in their faith or practice, but what I'm saying is that for individuals who may not know theology as well as I do or biblical doctrine and study, but that they knew who they were without all that, though I'm sure there are some who there who know more or just about the same as I do concerning theology and biblical studies.
I'm not saying all this to offend necessarily, but the fact that this is what I saw amazed me. I don't know if I'm as "charismatic" as some of the people who go there are, but do like this church. It'll be interesting to see where God leads me in this and where I end up.
But that's it. Adieu.
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