Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Pastimes : Ask God -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Raymond James Norris who wrote (18758)	7/12/1998 12:28:00 PM
From: Emile Vidrine	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 39621

The Word of God is perfect! There is much confusion about why Christians call the Word of God perfect. Much of this confusion is centered on what Christians mean when they use the word, WORD. The Word of God in the Scriptures is a precept or an idea. It is not the mechanical the's, and's, but's and therefore's. Sometimes God communicates a precept through a lengthy anecdote. The Book of Job is an excellent example. This book has thousands of words but ONE CENTRAL PRECEPT or WORD and a multitude of minor precepts. Sometimes God uses long bloody battles and stories of incredible cruelty to transmit one precept. The exact numbers of combatants and the sequence of tactical skirmishes are not the Word of God but the building blocks that help erect the edfice of his Word. Just as too much concentration on the details of an analogy and a parable can detract from the central thought being conveyed, God's Word can also be lost by focusing on mechanical errors and irrelevant details. Concentration on irrelevant and petty deatils is the domain of the pedant. Sometimes God communicates his precepts through a parable. The parable of the Good Samaritan is an example. One central precept is locked into many words. Sometimes precepts are communicated in a short phrase or paragraph. Proverbs and Psalms are good examples. God uses all these literary styles to communicate His pure and holy words or precepts. Language and culture help us transmit our inner precepts and feelings but they must never become the central focus. They are mere tools and vehicles. A good analogy would be the transmission of valuable crystals from Calif. to NY. We may use wrapping paper to pack the crystals and the vehicles of Federal Express to transport them. During the conveyance the wrapping and the vehicle may be damaged , but the crystals are delivered in a pure and undamaged condition. It would be foolish for the owners of the crystals to focus their attention on the wrapping paper and vehicle. Those who concentrate on the wrapping paper of language and the transmission vehicle of culture testify to their blindness of God's precious cargo---the thoughts and precepts of God's heart. These men are simply pedants. Do not be too concerned with the wrinkles and dents in the wrapping paper and the transmission vehicles of language and culture, but rather be concerned with the integrity of God's precepts being transmitted. When you unrap the Word or precepts of God contained in the imperfect wrapping paper and vehicle of Greek and Hebrew culture, you will find that the precepts are holy and perfect. They are the very essence of God. Too much concentration on the wrapping paper and transmission vehicles will obscure the real contents. We cannot fully understand the purity of the Word of God without the Holy Spirit of god enlightening our hearts. The examples I have given you can al least give you a glimpse of what we mean by the Holy and Pure Word of God.