Why a Literal, Legal-Constitutional Approach to Reading Scripture is Not Profitable

Joh 5:39-40  “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!  (40)  Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.

The first century Jews used the scripture as a legal-constitutional document. Jesus and his first century followers changed that focus. He taught that the scripture had a redemptive purpose. He taught that the entire scripture, and by that he meant the Old Testament as that was the only scripture available when Jesus said what John recorded in the above passage. So, if one is convinced that there is a place for metaphysics in Christianity, and that in fact, metaphysics positively augments Christianity then it is important to understand the purpose and use of scripture. My contention is that for the Christ follower, the scripture is NOT a legal constitutional document between God and humanity. It is not an operation manual for correct living and life styles. And, most importantly, it DOES NOT supplant the Spirit of Christ. Rather it is subservient to the Spirit of Christ in all ways.

Was the scripture inspired by the Holy Spirit? My answer to that question is yes, depending on how one views it. If one adopts the method that I believe that Jesus and his first century followers had toward understanding scripture, then in every place that it points to Jesus and redemption it is inspired. This does not mean that much of what is written in both the Old Testament and the New Testament is all redemptive. The fact is that a large portion of it is cultural. Let's take an example from the Old Testament first. Exodus 21:7-11 gives explicit instructions on a man owning a concubine. That is cultural. And example from the New Testament would be Paul's instruction on women in church. That is cultural. Is the scripture inspired when Jesus says that one can call God Papa? Yes indeed! Is the scripture inspired when John tells us that God IS love? Again, absolutely! Is the scripture inspired when Paul writes that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting sin? Most definitely!

Is the scripture the word of God? Nothing makes me cringe more than when someone refers to the bible as the WORD OF GOD. Does the bible contain the Word of God? Yes definitely! If one honestly and sincerely looks at the New Testament writings, and examines every time the phrase "Word of God" is used, they will have to admit that it makes more sense to substitute the word gospel, or Jesus the gospel incarnate, with that phrase than scripture. John was in prison on the isle of Patmos for Jesus and the gospel not the scripture. When Paul penned the words, "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God," he absolutely meant the gospel and not the scripture. I will go so far as to say that when one calls the scripture the word of God, one makes the scripture an idol. Do you know how many times Jesus spoke about the scripture or the Law and Prophets? Look it up. You will find a myriad of times. Conversely, how many times did he refer to the scripture as the word of God? Zero! Some will argue that he did in John 10:34-36. That is not true but it would take too many words for this post to address it. Suffice it to say that in that passage he argues that the scripture contains the word of God and does not suggest that it IS the word of God.

So, how do I see the scripture? How does it fit into my belief in metaphysics and quantum mechanics? Well, it is important. It is beneficial. It is where I learned that God is Love. It is the source that explains that I have been reconciled to God. It is the where I discovered that God is my Father. It is where I discover what God is like as a human. I say discover and not discovered because it is ongoing and ever expanding. As a human God was concerned about the marginalized. God was concerned about the poor. God was concerned about the ill and oppressed. God was concerned to demonstrate that love is an action.

The scripture also explains things that are just now being discovered by quantum physics. It explains that the material world is created out of unseen energy. It explains that we are one with the creator, and the creator is in us and we are in the creator. It tells us that the creator is the All IN All. It gives assurances that we as humans do not have to fear the Creator. The love of the creator drives out all forms of fear. There is no need for fear of punishment and those who fear punishment have not as of yet understood perfect love.

Finally, it reveals a pattern to follow for the one who follows Christ. We as Christ followers should give drink to the thirst, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give shelter to the homeless and visit those sick and/or in prison. We as Christ followers are called to love our neighbors, but we are to love our enemies as well. We as Christ followers are called to be peace makers. I could go on and on but you no doubt get the idea. When read and used properly, the scripture has great value. Conversely, in the hands of the ego minded person, it can be a weapon of spiritual destruction and abuse.