Excerpt from Living by the Words of God, Part Two, Chapter Ten
As I reviewed my notes attempting once again to grasp an overview of what I was presenting in this study, I realized that I had not addressed context as directly as I could have and should have. I do believe that the importance of context has been implicit in the study. The inductive approach I pursue relies on context. Reading and writing build context. A disciplined approach to reading the entire Bible is all about context. But it seems I need to make a bigger statement, so I am.
My next thought then was location: Where do I put this information? Do I tack it on the end for convenience or do I find a more appropriate place somewhere earlier in the study? As I thought this through over the course of several days I now believe that focusing on context in the last lesson is actually a good choice. It is in fact possibly the best way to end by asking a question that many neither consider nor understand: Do I surround God’s words with God’s words or my words? If you haven’t asked yourself that question, and it seems many people have not, then you are missing it. If we are truly interested in what God has to say, and if we trulybelieve the value of God’s words as we so vehemently profess, then we will be more than willing to do anything to discover the pure milk of God’s words, even if it means limiting our own words.
- For, “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord stands forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you. 2 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good (1 Peter 1:24–2:3 NIV) .
