One Church in our hearts?
A day and a half ago, I set out to read the entire New Testament within 24 hours. I really didn’t know what I was thinking. You can’t read the gospel like book text. It is amazingly powerful, and passionately breath taking. I started Sunday night at 8pm, and as of now, Tuesday, August 22, 2006 at 10:40am, Eastern, I have only gotten to the 18th chapter of Luke. I spent probably 7 to 8 hours yesterday, reading, but I have found myself re-reading many passages over and over, and having to take things in perspective. There really are quite a few similarities in the Gospel’s, and through that perspective, I am learning a great deal.
One thing I am learning is that one must make the decision to either “spiritualize” scripture, or read it as it was written, for the times. What I mean by this is that there are several places where HE attaches his teachings about the Kingdom in present tense, to that generation (Jesus’, Peter’s, and John’s generation). Usually, I am accustom to looking at a scripture and thinking that it applies regardless; but I am becoming convinced that it is inappropriate to do so. So, I guess what I mean by “spiritualize” scripture, I mean that we take scripture and make it relevant, regardless of how it is written, a.k.a. intended. In that thinking, I have gotten much clarity on things, knowing that it was addressed to “Jews” in the first century Palestine, in all of their traditions and dogma’s, and religious outlooks.
I am coming to another conclusion. I still am holding out to finalize what I am thinking, but basically, there is a great deal of the gospel that is directed to the Apostles and Jesus’ direct disciples, that I think is not relevant to us, other than it is there to validate the Kingdom and what happened in the book of Acts. I think that by spiritualizing scripture, we have (meaning in the “Christian” community in general) come to some erroneous conclusions.
Here is something that I was taught since I was a baby Christian (1989). The passage is Luke 17:20-21. Jesus is describing the Kingdom (a common occurrence for Jesus) and he says, and I quote, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation: nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ for indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” Now, I was taught that this scripture meant that the Kingdom is in our hearts, and not a physical kingdom. This is not a correct understanding of this scripture. When Jesus says, “within you.” He is actually saying (otherwise could be interpreted as:) “among you.” or , “in your midst.” In context, He was addressing the Pharisees. The proper application is that the kingdom of God cannot be placed (exnay on the unay ootray urch-chay. By the way, look also at Mark 9:38-41 which reads: “Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.”
39 But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 40 For he who is not against us is on our side. 41 For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”) and we constantly place it. Literally, he was telling those men that the kingdom was among them. I can only think that this means that the Pharisees, being leaders of the law, had the scripture and so forth in their midst, or even people in their midst who are disciples of Jesus. But, we can’t take that scripture and apply as we do without spiritualizing it and saying that the kingdom is in our hearts.
This is just a small example of what I mean. It is intense. So, I have readjusted my goal, and now I am out to read the whole New Testament in one Week. That makes my due date this coming Sunday at 8pm. At that time, I will get back to you and give an update. I hope that this whole exercise bears much fruit. Truthfully, at this time, my faith has been built up tremendously; and I am more in Awe of Christ than ever! What a blessing we have to have our own copy of the scripture!
One thing I am learning is that one must make the decision to either “spiritualize” scripture, or read it as it was written, for the times. What I mean by this is that there are several places where HE attaches his teachings about the Kingdom in present tense, to that generation (Jesus’, Peter’s, and John’s generation). Usually, I am accustom to looking at a scripture and thinking that it applies regardless; but I am becoming convinced that it is inappropriate to do so. So, I guess what I mean by “spiritualize” scripture, I mean that we take scripture and make it relevant, regardless of how it is written, a.k.a. intended. In that thinking, I have gotten much clarity on things, knowing that it was addressed to “Jews” in the first century Palestine, in all of their traditions and dogma’s, and religious outlooks.
I am coming to another conclusion. I still am holding out to finalize what I am thinking, but basically, there is a great deal of the gospel that is directed to the Apostles and Jesus’ direct disciples, that I think is not relevant to us, other than it is there to validate the Kingdom and what happened in the book of Acts. I think that by spiritualizing scripture, we have (meaning in the “Christian” community in general) come to some erroneous conclusions.
Here is something that I was taught since I was a baby Christian (1989). The passage is Luke 17:20-21. Jesus is describing the Kingdom (a common occurrence for Jesus) and he says, and I quote, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation: nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ for indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” Now, I was taught that this scripture meant that the Kingdom is in our hearts, and not a physical kingdom. This is not a correct understanding of this scripture. When Jesus says, “within you.” He is actually saying (otherwise could be interpreted as:) “among you.” or , “in your midst.” In context, He was addressing the Pharisees. The proper application is that the kingdom of God cannot be placed (exnay on the unay ootray urch-chay. By the way, look also at Mark 9:38-41 which reads: “Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.”
39 But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 40 For he who is not against us is on our side. 41 For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”) and we constantly place it. Literally, he was telling those men that the kingdom was among them. I can only think that this means that the Pharisees, being leaders of the law, had the scripture and so forth in their midst, or even people in their midst who are disciples of Jesus. But, we can’t take that scripture and apply as we do without spiritualizing it and saying that the kingdom is in our hearts.
This is just a small example of what I mean. It is intense. So, I have readjusted my goal, and now I am out to read the whole New Testament in one Week. That makes my due date this coming Sunday at 8pm. At that time, I will get back to you and give an update. I hope that this whole exercise bears much fruit. Truthfully, at this time, my faith has been built up tremendously; and I am more in Awe of Christ than ever! What a blessing we have to have our own copy of the scripture!
posted by P. Allan Frederick at 8:27 AM
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