We can learn something about God from psychology, philosophy, history, archaeology and economics. But if we want to know about God all we NOW CAN…we must read his word, pray over his word, meditate on his word, assimilate his word until we embody his word.
Why then would we first seek answers about God in disciplines that teach only partial truths about him when:
Three stories from WWII offer such illustrations. In Asia, Allied women in internment camps, AKA concentration camps, decided to be decent with each other for the sake of their children. In Asia Allied military personnel along the River Kwai found wholesale CHANGE in attitudes and behavior by studying the Gospels. In Germany’s death camps women under the tutelage of God’s word taught by Betsy and Corrie ten Boom produced blooming spiritual life in bodies wracked with disease and starvation. Why did the women at Kuching learn to simply “get along” with each other, while those in Germany saw spiritual life bloom in unmistakably depraved conditions? And the men in the Kwai camp experience the same spiritual revival affecting daily life? One reason. The men in Asia, and the women in Germany began a study of the New Testament, which led to personal change. While at Kuching, Catholic sisters lived with the internees and offered comfort. That was, that is, that is always going to be the difference between the Roman Catholic Church and Protestant Christianity. Protestants read, study and apply God’s word to life, and CHANGE occurs. While mere religious leaders simply make the best of bad situations. Which has historically been the response of Catholic leaders to their people: suffer patiently in grace. While preachers who persistently proclaim God’s word see the Holy Spirit challenging people to change from what they ARE to what Christ leads them to BECOME: living epistles read by others. A disturbing question: what kind of preaching do we see in Christendom today? Straight from God in your-face truth that challenges us to CHANGE ourselves and, therefore, change life, or pleasant homilies that make people feel comfortable with religion?
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