Consider the Source
Source is a place, person, or thing for which something comes or can be attained.1 People are always learning. Very few of us actually have the experiences or witness the information that we obtain. Many times, it comes second-hand, or through an intermediary source. Perfect example would be the news we read, watch, or hear.
Most of us have an 'appeal to authority' mindset. It is a perfectly normal thing to do. The mind recognizes patterns, and does instant statistics and probability when considering the source. If a certain someone has lied to you many times in the past, you may doubt the truthfulness of the content being shared. When watching the news, most of the public takes the information as truth without any investigating of their own. Why? Well, they are considering the source.
So this leads me to God. I personally, like most in Christendom, believe that God communicates with his followers. Although, that is usually where the harmony ends, and there are so many different believes to the actual media God uses to accomplish communication. So, I would like to agree that God is the source, but what I want to focus on is the second-hand sources God uses to communicate. Here are only a few views I have heard:
God communicated to the writers of The Bible, and only through the reading of The Bible could you receive the words of God.
God communicated to the writers of The Bible, and still communicates this way, but only through his followers.
God does communicate through all of creation. God words can be expressed through anyone, or anything.
The first believe is a fading one. Usually only considered today by Independent Baptists2. This view is considered a very conservative one. The Second view is the most popular in Christianity. Many believe that God still speaks, but only through his followers. An example of the second believe is God cannot speak to you through a drunk at a bar. The third believe is the fastest growing. In our pluralistic society, this believe is part of the growing interfaith movement.
Notice that nobody in these camps disagrees if God can speak through anyone or anything. The disagreement arises when we ask, does God speak through anyone or anything.
I personally believe that God can and still does speak through anyone or anything. Many Christians separate spiritually from the rest of reality. To me, this makes God only a part of your life, and makes God easily definable. The defense of that view is that we can recognize the character of God, and know Him. To that I respond with we can only know Him in part, and God is not fully understood by anybody I have ever meet. "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."3 I am not decided on this issue, but I hopefully one day I will know. I guess I just have to wait until He tells me.
God bless,
Ryan
__________________________________________________________________
1 Oxford Dictionaries definition of 'Source'.
2 USUALLY. There are other denominations that hold this view as well.
3 1 Corinthians 13:12 (NIV)
Most of us have an 'appeal to authority' mindset. It is a perfectly normal thing to do. The mind recognizes patterns, and does instant statistics and probability when considering the source. If a certain someone has lied to you many times in the past, you may doubt the truthfulness of the content being shared. When watching the news, most of the public takes the information as truth without any investigating of their own. Why? Well, they are considering the source.
So this leads me to God. I personally, like most in Christendom, believe that God communicates with his followers. Although, that is usually where the harmony ends, and there are so many different believes to the actual media God uses to accomplish communication. So, I would like to agree that God is the source, but what I want to focus on is the second-hand sources God uses to communicate. Here are only a few views I have heard:
God communicated to the writers of The Bible, and only through the reading of The Bible could you receive the words of God.
God communicated to the writers of The Bible, and still communicates this way, but only through his followers.
God does communicate through all of creation. God words can be expressed through anyone, or anything.
The first believe is a fading one. Usually only considered today by Independent Baptists2. This view is considered a very conservative one. The Second view is the most popular in Christianity. Many believe that God still speaks, but only through his followers. An example of the second believe is God cannot speak to you through a drunk at a bar. The third believe is the fastest growing. In our pluralistic society, this believe is part of the growing interfaith movement.
Notice that nobody in these camps disagrees if God can speak through anyone or anything. The disagreement arises when we ask, does God speak through anyone or anything.
I personally believe that God can and still does speak through anyone or anything. Many Christians separate spiritually from the rest of reality. To me, this makes God only a part of your life, and makes God easily definable. The defense of that view is that we can recognize the character of God, and know Him. To that I respond with we can only know Him in part, and God is not fully understood by anybody I have ever meet. "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."3 I am not decided on this issue, but I hopefully one day I will know. I guess I just have to wait until He tells me.
God bless,
Ryan
__________________________________________________________________
1 Oxford Dictionaries definition of 'Source'.
2 USUALLY. There are other denominations that hold this view as well.
3 1 Corinthians 13:12 (NIV)
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