The Louisiana Quaker eLetter

ISSN 1523-4924—Vol. 1, No. 2

"BIBLE WORSHIP"

There is no limit to what a man or woman will worship. Anything that impedes our relationship with God, anything that commands our ongoing attention, anything that so captures our interest that we must devote time and resources to it—such are the many things that can become for us idols. The world is large, and out of this large world we can find a diversity of items on which we might focus. It might be the tangibles, such as cars, jewelry, electronics, clothes; it might be the desirables, such as wealth, sex, drugs, music; or it might be our unwanted desires, which is any addiction. The list goes on: for the world is large and we are weak.

Is it then strange that the Bible, too, can become for Christians a kind of idol, and the attention devoted to it a form of idolatry, an impediment to one's relationship with God, a stumbling block in our Christian walk? I am not thinking here of the way in which one might find a kind of comfort in adherence to law, where we overcome the uncertainties in our lives by locating a steadiness, a firm fixture, through conformity to rules, laws, ceremonies. I am thinking instead of something more pernicious—the Bible as the central focus of our worship activities.

Some Christians will find this blasphemous and intolerable, but they do not see the other side of the issue: that the written scriptures can become for the believer a darkened tunnel—not a lighted passageway—for his walk with God. And I am not issuing a challenge to the veracity and reliability of the Bible. Paul spoke truly when he wrote to Timothy: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" [2 Tim. 3:16-17].

The issue, which I am calling "Bible worship," appears in several guises: as legalism, biblical fundamentalism, and even, curiously, in the failure to study the Bible for an understanding of God's will. The issue is surely not a question of dogma or tradition or custom, but the plain fact of how we might remain Christian in a world of flux, darkness, and illiteracy.

Looking at the Bible as a document comprising God's total word of law, rule, and decree is no different, really, than thinking of Christianity as a Sunday thing, as a profession for pastor or priest, or the vocational Christian worker, or the ascetic or hermit. Looking at the Bible in this way treats our faith as something requiring expertise and interpretation, as standing apart from daily life. Just as this encourages Christians to snub bible study, it also distracts the biblical worshipper from the voice of Christ [John 10:16, 27].

Treating our tradition's scriptures as a handbook, a book of rules, a place to go for consultation on all human matters, makes our faith a religion. And it ignores the most important thing about our faith—Christ still lives and he illuminates every moment of every day's choices.

The Bible is like a map of the world. It gives me a rich frame of reference for my spiritual walk. It tells me where the mountains are, where the seas reside, and what dark valleys to avoid. It shows me fertile land and barren plains, swamps and deserts, forests and plateaus of cactus. But it does not tell me how to get from my house to yours. This is a journey that I have to chart for myself, through my own effort and with guidance from "the true light that gives light to every man" [John 1:9].

As Christians, our outward behavior, which we express each day of the week, should always meet the standards of our inner life of faith and commitment. Christianity is our personal relationship with God, a walk we must take every day, an activity that demands our ongoing attention. For this reason, then, the scriptures must certainly occupy a place in our relationship with God. It is where we give understanding to our tradition; it is where his spoken commandments are preserved; it is where we find written the teachings of Christ; and it is where we test our insights and the leadings of the Holy Spirit. And yet this book does not say everything.

Here, therefore, is the irony. When tempted by the devil, Jesus responded, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God'" [Deut. 8:3; Matt. 4:4; Luke 4:4]. Does not God still speak?

—Merle Harton, Jr., The Louisiana Quaker

All biblical references are NIV unless otherwise noted.

BOOK for the month:

The Fight: A Practical Handbook for Christian Living.  By John White. InterVarsity Press, 1976. ISBN 0-87784-777-0.

Even after 23 years in print, this small robust book is still reliable as a guide for any Christian's walk with God. Christian Friends will find this handbook both refreshing and provocative. Not only is it useful for the new Christian, but it continues to speak to the mature Christian on such themes as: prayer, the practical, daily problems of the Christian way, temptations, the forms of God's guidance, our obligation toward holiness, the need for us to be authentic in our faith, and the varieties of witnessing. Especially enlightening, though, is White's examination of Satan's powerful influence, and what it means to be involved in "The Fight." - MCH

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Copyright © 1999 by Merle Harton, Jr.