Playing Marbles with Diamonds by Pastor John Samson

Reformation Theology ^ | April 26, 2006 | John Samson

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Is the way you study the Bible offensive to God? Did I get your attention? What!!? God can be offended when we study the Bible?

As Christians gather together for a Bible study, often what happens is that the leader reads a verse or short passage of Scripture, and then he turns to each member of the group, asking for their comments. Starting with the man next to him on his right, he asks, "Bill, what do you feel this means to you?" Bill struggles to think of something to say, but stumbles through the ordeal, and relates an incident he experienced at work that he thinks the passage might relate to. He seems to be encouraged by the reaction of the group because most people seem to be grateful for his comments.

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Mods, I didn't know how to post this so please edit it if I got it wrong. I just thought this was an interesting article and wanted to share and see what fellow Freepers think.

Bill, may have never seen the verse before, and may have never read the verse in its context. He may be ignorant of the meaning of the words used, but with just a brief scan of the passage he is supposedly ready to give his insight to the rest of the group as to what the verse means. But is he ready? I think not!

Its a serious and holy thing to teach God's word (to many people or to few) and it is not something which should be done lightly. James 3:1 says, "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness."

Now I know what the reaction of some people will be to this. Some will be upset that I am raising the stakes, so to speak, and that my words will make some people scared to speak for God. What's my answer to this charge?

My answer: that's exactly my point! It should be a scary thing to speak for God. We are far too casual about it, and we need to be scolded for our abuse of God's word.

Strong words perhaps, but Scripture commands us, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." (2 Tim. 2:15) We should be ashamed if we fail to study and fail to rightly handle the word of truth. If we're talking about the average Bible Study that takes place as I've decribed it above, I believe that God can be very much offended by the proceedings. Let me explain:

Jesus, in the preamble to quoting a verse from the Old Testament said, "...have you not read what was spoken to you by God..." (Matt. 22:31). The testimony of Jesus and of the Bible is that "All Scripture is God breathed" (2 Tim. 3:16). Therefore, when we open up a page in our Bibles, we are treading upon holy ground.