Why My Word?

Posted on by TLThomas

 

Why My Word?

 

What’s so special about what I have to say?

 

      

Why Should You Care About What I Say?

 

Some reasons why I think what I have to say can be useful to other people, especially fellow Christians:

 

  • I am a Christian.
  • I am a God-fearing, Jesus-loving, the-Holy-Spirit-is-in-me Christian.
  • I grew up going to church; but I became a “committed Christian” (Relationship, not Religion) about 2000.
  • I’ve read the Bible time and again.
  • I’ve studied some of the books of the Bible in depth.
  • I’ve participated in in-depth lay-led Bible studies, church-sponsored seminary classes, as well as classes/ lectures at a Jewish synagogue. (Jesus was a Jew! Who knew?)
  • I’ve researched and utilized numerous extra-Biblical resources (Bible Dictionary, Concordance, Bible Handbook, Theology books, web resources, etc.)
  • I’ve used easily available, free, or low cost resources; that you can use too.

 

         

What I’ve Found

 

I found that the understanding and teaching of the Christian faith is not to be in the hands of a few seminary-taught “professional” clergy.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.                                                      1 Peter 2:9 ESV

I found all believers are to be “priests” in the sense of learning, sharing, and teaching the faith.

16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom He gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.                                                                       Colossians 3: 16 NLT

However, I found that no believer is to be a “priest” in the sense of being separated, set apart from fellow Christians.

22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,                                                                      John 17:22 ESV

I found that no believer is to be a “priest” in the sense of being the only one able to explain and interpret the Bible to fellow Christians.

4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? 5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 9For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.                                                                       1 Corinthians 3:4-10 ESV                              

I found that no believer is to accept the teachings of another without question.

Now these Jews [Bereans] were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.                                                                                   Acts 17:11 ESV           

     

     

My Point of View

           

I think believers are not to be divided into “professionals” (clergy), as “priests,” who have all knowledge and understanding and “ordinary” Christians who are to believe only that which they’ve been told by the “professionals.”

 

I think believers who are “ordinary” Christians are “priests” who can receive and gain knowledge and understanding of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

 

In addition, I think that every believer is to be a Berean!

 

10The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures dailyto see if these things were so.                                                       Acts 17:10, 11 ESV

 

I think that if you’re in doubt, you need to check it out.

 

Consequently, here is one view,

a view from an “ordinary” Christian,

my view:

My Word On The Word

 

So, Now What?

       

So now I want to share what I have learned and what I am learning.

 

I invite you to join me in this journey of discovery.

 

    • Share this blog with others, whether they are doubting, or not.
    • Take what I say and CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELF!

Be a Berean!

It’s ok to doubt, if you check it out!

 

Blessings,

TLThomas