Word Search
Some weeks ago, our church had a fundraising pancake breakfast at a nearby restaurant. As the morning went along, I was told that there was a man who would like to speak to the pastor of the church. I went to meet this individual and found him diligently and dutifully studying his Bible and taking pages of notes.
After introducing myself, I sat and we began to talk. He had some questions about scripture, it seemed. I was intrigued and ready to talk, especially to one who had so obviously been studying and working on notes that indicated some hard work on his part.
His question, though, threw me. "What is your definition of 'reprobate'?"
It seemed that his whole morning of study had been to find places in the Bible where the word 'reprobate' was used and to discern the "biblical" definition of the word based on its contexts and usages. After talking to him about it for a few minutes, he explained that since the Bible was clear on what makes one a reprobate, then we should seriously consider that we are living in the last days because of all the bad decisions on behalf of the government.
It was a series of theological leaps that this man made, but we talked for some time before he had to leave. It wasn't so much the theological leaps he made, which were significant, but the fact that he felt the need to do a study of the word 'reprobate' in the first place.
Of all the words in the Bible, why study this word? Probably because a study of 'reprobate' provides both a sense of security (as in: "I am not one.") as well as a sense of justified judgmental-ism (as in: "I am not one, but they are. It says so here in the Bible."). But it seems odd to me that people would go to the Bible to search out 'reprobate'. Is that a thematic study? Perhaps. But why wouldn't one focus more on grace and mercy? Those are some pretty powerful words that are in the Bible. I guess, though, if one focuses on grace and mercy, then a study of reprobate would not be a primary concern. Likewise, if one studies the word reprobate, grace might not be as important as judgment. I don't know.
The other issue, though, was that of imposing a 'biblical standard' upon the world. Christians do this all the time. Rightly or wrongly, it comes from a particular ideological and theological point of view that comes from the idea that the Bible provides the lens through which the world is understood. Every faith does this. However, what we often fail to do is recognize that the terms and understandings we might have about the world are not always shared by the world. Like calling the planet on which we live Earth. Someone from another galaxy might have a completely different name for it and we wouldn't know because we don't think that way.
I also wonder what studying the word 'reprobate' tells me about his view of the faith. Perhaps more than I wished, or perhaps that his understanding and mine don't line up. If not, then I wonder if he found the definition he needed to give me a title.
After introducing myself, I sat and we began to talk. He had some questions about scripture, it seemed. I was intrigued and ready to talk, especially to one who had so obviously been studying and working on notes that indicated some hard work on his part.
His question, though, threw me. "What is your definition of 'reprobate'?"
It seemed that his whole morning of study had been to find places in the Bible where the word 'reprobate' was used and to discern the "biblical" definition of the word based on its contexts and usages. After talking to him about it for a few minutes, he explained that since the Bible was clear on what makes one a reprobate, then we should seriously consider that we are living in the last days because of all the bad decisions on behalf of the government.
It was a series of theological leaps that this man made, but we talked for some time before he had to leave. It wasn't so much the theological leaps he made, which were significant, but the fact that he felt the need to do a study of the word 'reprobate' in the first place.
Of all the words in the Bible, why study this word? Probably because a study of 'reprobate' provides both a sense of security (as in: "I am not one.") as well as a sense of justified judgmental-ism (as in: "I am not one, but they are. It says so here in the Bible."). But it seems odd to me that people would go to the Bible to search out 'reprobate'. Is that a thematic study? Perhaps. But why wouldn't one focus more on grace and mercy? Those are some pretty powerful words that are in the Bible. I guess, though, if one focuses on grace and mercy, then a study of reprobate would not be a primary concern. Likewise, if one studies the word reprobate, grace might not be as important as judgment. I don't know.
The other issue, though, was that of imposing a 'biblical standard' upon the world. Christians do this all the time. Rightly or wrongly, it comes from a particular ideological and theological point of view that comes from the idea that the Bible provides the lens through which the world is understood. Every faith does this. However, what we often fail to do is recognize that the terms and understandings we might have about the world are not always shared by the world. Like calling the planet on which we live Earth. Someone from another galaxy might have a completely different name for it and we wouldn't know because we don't think that way.
I also wonder what studying the word 'reprobate' tells me about his view of the faith. Perhaps more than I wished, or perhaps that his understanding and mine don't line up. If not, then I wonder if he found the definition he needed to give me a title.
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